I thought those plastic wraps were used to prevent figures from scratching, so I kept them on. It's time to remove them. I also thought to put silica gel packets in figure boxes, guess I was right. Thank you for valuable information.
It's ironic...the more you try to keep things "new in box", the worse they become over time because the plastisizer gasses have nowhere to go as they evaporate, while "opened" aka "used" figures are the most optimal condition for preserving them+the boxes over the years. I considered getting an enclosed glass case which make them look the nicest to display, but now I'm considering just getting a normal bookcase shelf for airflow.
I have spawn figures sealed in the clear clamshells and they are all Mint as well as 15+ years old.... Keep out of sunlight and in air control room with little humidity.
Great content! I knew plasticizer makes them sticky but I didn't know it causes yellowing. I'm very interested in preserving my collection for life. Out of all my figures I have one second hand figure that is noticeably more off white, I'd like to prevent further damage.
I bought some secondhand figures that are now as old as almost 20 years old, my oldest being a Max Factory scale made in c.2005 MISB, from Japanese flea market sites like Mandarake; Japan can go to 30+ degree celcius too, but its crazy how there's virtually no plasticizer problem(though yes, this issue was first came up from before Nendoroid's kahotan blog). it must've been like 6+ months of ambient heat for this plasticizer issue to come out, considering their 4 seasons, but most heat came at summer and autumn. it took only 1 year since production for the newish Panty Nendoroid I bought more than 10 years ago, for it to start leaching, and it never stopped being sticky, despite having opened, and generally in no direct sunlight, cool occupied room. Tropical climate do seem to be quite a problem on this, though Nendoroids seem to take so much more, since I also collect other smaller PVC figures that do clean off the plasticizers really well.
This is a very informative video with a very nice breakdown of vital knowledge all figure collectors should have. Thank you for this! On the keeping some plastic films in cases where there is contact between different coloured parts, something that I do is use white tissue paper. Don’t know if that is something good, but it’s something I have been doing. I do this also with figures I have on display like that of a character sitting down on a throne etc. The tissue paper stays hidden in those cases and I can put my mind at ease knowing there won’t be paint transfer. Otherwise, it just bothers me too much lol.
Sun damage is the worst. I worked for a hobby store and when I noticed how yellow a box and toys were getting, and how some boxes looked like bleach had been poured on them, my boss immediately either said to leave it there and put 'not for sale' on the box, or we placed a discount.
I opened my figures and throw away the boxes, they are bulky and take up to much space, space is precious. I use storage bins instead. They aren't 100% sealed when they are stored though so idk what kind of damage that can come from that. Oooh Xaio ❤ Also on that back, is that suppose to be truck kun ? 😂
Looking forward to your figure cleaning guide. I really recently bought Sagisawa Fumika 1/7 figure by phat (2017 release) in sealed condition, and exactly as you said, when I tried to remove the plastics films, it really was sticky especially around the legs. I quickly removed the films but still not sure how to handle the stickiness.
Thank you for this. I’ve been building and displaying gunpla for a long time but I’m rather new to the anime figure scene so this was really informative for me. Question though: can I use too many silica packets? Like would I say only want to use 1-2 per shelf in a detolf like display or is that already too much? And could I put a couple of them in my figure boxes instead of just one?
Thanks for all the information, I knew most of this but never heard about the fridge thing, hope I will never have to do it, but I'll make sure to remember it 😅 Can't wait for the video on light topic
Great information, you are right about the "light" as I have always been told that light especially sunlight ages plastic more. In the two figures boxes you showed in this video, the yellowing on the "maid" ones plastic shell was yellowed only on the top 2/3, the boxes lower third is cardboard that would prevent the light from yellowing the bottom 1/3 of the shell. The second figures box is all transparent plastic that lets the light in and that is why the shell is evenly yellowed. I see this at work as well as pallets that are heat shrink wrapped and left exposed to the sunlight go brittle in the exposed areas. I look forward to your video on figure restoration.
The thing is these two figures are buried in dark wooden cabinets with no exposure to light. I made sure to eliminate the light factor, and the box will turned like that so plasticizers definitely played a major role here. But yes, sunlight will speed up the process even further
I actually hate the new figure smell. I've been conditioned to associate that petrol/glue sniffing and brain damage. I was hoping you would comment about the sunlight in this video, since I know it has damaged other things in my room. Interesting video
Im quite neutral towards it haha, nice smell but i don't really go and sniff it. However i do not deny that i do love the smell of new cars lol, not because the smell is nice itself, but it reminds you that you just bought a new ride
Just opened a sealed Momo Belia Deviluke 1/8 from Alter made in 2012 (12yrs old at this time) right after your video. Box well preserved, not really yellowish but the tapes outside the box. Once opened, there was small signs of plasticizers sweat inside the frame but not yellow tints. The figure looks pristine so I am really happy.
That's actually in excellent condition considering the time frame involved. Clean up the oily parts before putting the figure back in the box and you'll be fine.
If there isn’t heat or humidity is there any reason to worry about keeping them in them in the box? I’m not trying to collect figures I won’t ever open but some are still sealed since I don’t have space at the moment
This is so informative. rare content. I always put silica gel on my figures and gunplas coz i thought our enemy is the humidity.. Now i know what plastisizer is. Thanks man.
I admit I am one of those people who does not want to take out the figure out of the box. I haven't even inspected them lol. Though I am getting worried that in the future, my figures will go oily or sticky (at the moment they aren't based on when i look at it). My 3 yr old figure 1/7 Chiyoda Momo by Kotobukiya and especially the 1/7 Griffon Enterprises Flandre Scarlet since its a really old figure (the shop seller told me it was brand new / unopened and I did see a seal on it and it looks like it hasnt been opened yet) My reasons are: in my country, dust collects on top of things really fast, some relatives touch them even though i tell people not to, feeling that the value will go down, and lastly space. With the things that you and my other friends say about the plasticizer thing its kind of making me want to open them. I guess for the new ones they are mostly safe at the moment (?)
Man Alter was making bangers all the way back, that asuka is one of the best figures of her, had to chance to see it IRL and the both the figure and the box was really nice 😍
I have quite a history with that figure. I did not preorder it, and when release date was announced (back in 2014) it was sold out everywhere and her value doubled. I got lucky when someone on MFC wanted to let go of her preorder and i took her order. Well this Asuka did get rereleased several years later though
I had no idea any of this could happen to figures! I have amassed a fairly sizeable collection over the past few years so I am new to how to care and store figures properly. I now have to go to my storage unit and open up all the boxes and place silicone gel packets inside. Granted it is climate controlled but I want to preserve them best I can.
Loise was fine :D:D: I AGREE WITH YOU SO HARD, all this "funko pop box" collectors are dumb af Just enjoy with your hobby , look on these beautiful waifus naked, cmon... You cant preserve plastificator to come out, just because it isnt part of moleculas of polymers - it serve to make it ACTUALLY plastic. So if both of your and your figurine time isnt eternal - spend it with joy of unboxing and exhibiting.
How about colour bleeding/colour transfer such as gold colour or metallic colour? It’s somewhat sticky. The colour hasn’t completely disappeared and it’s still looks vibrant. Problem is when I want to clean it, the colour will transfer to my fingers. It has transfer some colours to the white areas (it’s somewhat looks like your clothes getting stained from bleaching) Any tips on how should I deal with this issue? Thanks🙏
I have heard of this before, though personally I've never seen it happen to any expensive scale figures. Yet. Prize figures - yes, i did have one with this issue - Taito's Berserker / Frankenstein from Fate Apocrypha, and this specific figure was indeed notorious for melting gold paint. For the white area the gold paint bled into, Mr. Hobby's Levelling Thinner is what you are looking for. Specifically Levelling Thinner. Apply a bit of it on a cotton bud, gently rub across the gold stain, and then use use a dry cotton bud to quickly remove any excess thinner on the figure. Then you repeat the cycle a few times - swab thinner on the surface, swab again to remove. For light to moderate stains this will help but if it's very serious, there is a limit on how much you can do this, before you also start damaging the white paint. Trying to use too much levelling thinner, or rubbing the cotton bud aggressively on the surface will definitely damage white paint underneath. With the gold paint itself, what I'd normally do is to remove as much of the melted paint as possible and repaint it myself. Yes that's scary because it is. With painting it's a lot trickier because not only you need to color match with the existing paint, we also don't know what type of paint was used by the figure manufacturer. Was it acrylic based? Lacquer based? Enamel based? Anything that's not metallic, shiny or glossy is usually acrylic but for gold it can be anything. If the figure involved is a prize figure then most likely you are looking at acrylic, because it's cheap. Generally i do not recommend using acrylic over enamel or vice versa, unless the paint underneath is completely set and dried, because the different solvent of 2 different types of paint will interfere will each other making the paint harder to set properly should you choose to paint over it.
@@EXkurogane Unfortunately it’s a Megahouse POP figure (Violet) I did saw 2 with the same issue. I wouldn’t be too concerned if it’s a prize figure😅 It’s stated on the figure box itself is PVC which I guess it’s the common material used for producing scale figures right? I have no experience if on the type of paint used for this particular figure and the maroon metallic paint colour is somewhat a pain in the butt though(no idea what is the exact mix of colours) I’m thinking to wash it using soap water to see if it’ll remove the stickiness like you mentioned🤔 I tried using lighter fluid and alcohol to remove the stickiness and colour transfers but doesn’t really do much. Yeah I guess I’ll give your method a try to see how it works out. Thanks for the advice. What about those figures that is displayed under constant led lights, it does makes them deteriorate faster as well from the heat?🤔
@@3dM3 lighter fluid and alcohol doesn't really dissolve lacquer or acrylic based paint that wall. Thinner is more effective. Sometimes, too effective that it does damage instead, so perhaps try levelling thinner. The thing with leds is that there are too many types. Most don't emit UV radiation, produce very low levels of heat, so they are relatively safe. Personally i still don't recommend exposing figures to light at close proximity for extremely long periods of time though (until there are scientists that actually do an objective experiment on this to tell us if there's actually any effect lol) - I'd only turn on display lights when u have guests or visitors.
Garage kits are completely different material. Resin or polystone. The chemical properties are not the same. Resin statues don't emit plasticizer vapors, and usually they are separated into a dozen parts separately in a foam case, inside a non windowed box which is not exposed to sunlight too.
@@ghoulchan7525 clear parts will definitely turn yellow haha - i 3D print in Resin myself. You can't escape that. If there's one way to minimise it, you inject highly diluted blue alcohol ink into the clear material during manufacturing or 3d printing itself. So that slight blue color will "cancel out" or neutralise any yellow tone shift that happens later.
I have a problem and I don't know if there's a solution. Feel free to call me a dumbass and make fun of me for this but I left a Figma on my bookshelf and it got nicotine stains from when I would smoke near my window. Am I just screwed now or what?
Here is a Tip: Have Room control AC and never let the Humidity level go above 80% and keep the house no hotter then 80° preferably 78 or lower.... Cool,Dry and dark places are good for collectibles... My house stays cool and I make sure the temps dont go up. I am big on Mint condition and have a huge collection with most of them Mint after many years
Ah, for action figure collectors, they love using utility boxes with multiple compartments. Throw in some silica bags to keep the humidity down. I collect fixed pose statues so multiple extra parts are less common, and if there are, they are often big so i left them in their original boxes.
noted, try to avoid hot temp, at times does get hot in main europe and I will now wash my figures. I'm fairly new to this hobby, big thx for the advice. I did have other plastic things discolor over the years, never knew it was this. I'm a figma owner I got other figures, I'll be careful. Been an even longer miniature painter, that is a whole other game, in that area I got a fair bit of knowledge.
Ey thanks for this video, it's very informative! I think I should get some silica gel sachets. I also noticed one of my Nendoroids is a little sticky, I'm cleaning it as soon as possible😨
That's the style of the content in this channel, where i go into extra detail with everything. If I'm gonna show you figures turning yellow, i will show you close ups of at least two examples filmed in a proper professional setup with studio lights. Almost every upload on this channel is 15 minutes minimum and it can go over an hour. Today's Kafka review is 32 minutes, and despite that length, there are still things i left out that people had to ask in the comments. You can't create quality or informative content if you omit too many things. In fact, there are too many 5 minutes, 7 minutes figure reviews in youtube that doesn't tell me what i want to know about the figure.
Very good information and well explained! I have a few figures that have been at the sticky point since I got them since they were like 5 years old and had been sealed the whole time. The only figures ive really had yellowing on have been stuff with white bases luckily
Dem, I thought keeping them in the box in mint condition (never open them) will keep it better... Time to unpack all my figure collection I guess... I have many "unopened and only opened once to check" figures...
the clamshells are meant to protect the figure during shipping. It is a shock absorber later between the figure and the outer box. The plastic films that wrap around the figure, meanwhile, are meant to avoid paint transfers, in case the paint is not fully dried when they packaged the figure. Everything inside a box of figure has a purpose. But, once the figure arrives in any consumer, or collector's hands, you are not supposed to keep the figure in box for a long time.
I decided to check my figures for once and found out that one of the Idolmaster figurines i got in a ziplock from akihabara was already sticky (well, the figure is from 2013 and was quite yellowed). For now ive decided to just cover the cabinet to minimize sunlight from coming in.
If you look at every video in this channel they are often 20 minutes to over an hour. That's the style of all of my content - i like going into detail with anything. Before i tell you how to fix or prevent something, I'll tell you how it happens in the first place. Also, the definition of the word "clickbait" is when the title is completely different from the content of the video, which isn't the case here.
@@EXkurogane if i wanted to watch a 20 minute tangent to an --OVER ONE HOUR TANGENT??? WTF??? then I would look up: the history of toy preservation. or something stupid like that. i came here to learn how to prevent my toys from getting ruined, in a streamlined instructional how-to video. not to watch an entire lecture from a guy who barely speaks english and for some reason HAS to show their face, why do you feel the need to show your mug? its not necessary for this kind of how-to video man, it makes no sense, just show the procedure man, not yourself. i couldnt even understand what you were even saying you half the time! I think you should have used your native language instead, or just wait until you are fluent in english speaking, so like get some speech therapy or something cause you need it. cause thats what i would do if i were to target to an western english speaking audience. like come on now. so yes i consider this clickbait. cause i felt like ive been baited. there you go.
Damn I just came across this vid and panicked a little cos I bought a set of figures, didn't know there was possible upkeep if they are kept in boxes thx!
from what I understand the yellowing happens from sun exposure, I switch out my dolls and figures display, my room is dark with dim lighting because I get if I am displaying the figures are in a cool dark place, I live in a humid enviroment so my main concern is mold.
I have a question, if lets say a nendo has already been displayed for a period of time, if i put it back into the box for safekeeping will stickyness still occur?
@@UnoTamago yes it will. But you can avoid it by just regularly opening and taking out the contents of the box once every few months. Just to air it out. The key is airflow.
So what’s the point of collecting figures and spending a ton of money if they’re gonna ruin sooner or later? That’s kinda sad and it makes me hesitate to buy figures, especially the expensive ones… I didn’t know about all these problems plus my room is very very hot in summer so I guess my figures are going right to the garbage
It really depends on the material used for the figure, and every figure is different. Usually the most badly affected ones are transparent or rubbery parts (high PVC content). That's why, the least you can do to minimize the risk is to not trap a figure in a box for too long, and by that i mean several months, or even years.
@@EXkurogane yes I never do that, I always display them but now I’m really scared of my figures being ruined. My room is also veeeery small (and hot) and the only space I get is in front of the window, I already knew sunlight can ruins figures ofc but is the only way possible so far 🥲
Great video and Solid advice for a newbie anime figurine collector like me! So, in summary: *Plasticizers evaporate from the figurines and condenses on the plastic covering or on the figure itself causing the yellowing *Do not keep your figurines in boxes or any other covering, remove the plastic films and anything covering it to prevent the plasticizer from condensing on them and yellowing your figure. *Temperature and Humidity is also a factor in the yellowing process *Silica Gel helps absorb moisture and can slow down the yellowing process *Putting it in the Refrigerator or Freezer can also help but make sure to gradually lower the temperature due to risk of cracking from thermal shock *Exposure to Sunlight can also cause yellowing, and bleaching, just like what happened to the American flag on the moon. Follow up questions from me: *What happens when all the plasticizers evaporate? Does the material become brittle because there is no more flexibility? An anecdotal example of mine would be the transparent rubbery silicone casing of my phone, it used to be clear, over the years it yellowed and over time, it started becoming brittle, hard and cracked around stress points around the corners of my phone case and I had to replace it with another one. Is this also true for figurines? *How do you store figurines that are already out of plasticizers and are brittle due to lack of flexiblity? Do you treat them like they're as fragile as ceramic or glass? *Is there a way to put back the plasticizers after it has all evaporated? Will it regain its lost flexibility?
ahh yes plasticizer.. the curse of toy/figure collecting.. i got 2 sticky nendoroids and i also had issues with yellowing in my old my little pony toys:/
though i am aware of these issues, i have some figure that doesnt seem to be affected by it. my lat type miku figure is sealed in a tupperware box(my place is a very dusty environment) and it's from2011 Owo seems to be good as new still owO
Hydrogen peroxide and UV light can sometimes make it better if it's not heavily damaged. Put the figure in a glass container (like a jar, not a joke), fill it with hydrogen peroxide over the figure, and shine the yellowed parts with UV light (sunlight works but slow and can't be controlled) for a few days. Be sure to not completely seal the container so gases can escape, but keep it mostly covered so the hydrogen peroxide doesn't evaporate.
Theoretically it is not a good idea, but the air flow in cabinets are not as restricted as in boxes. You don't really need to do much, open the doors for a minute and close it back every few months. You don't even need to touch or move the figures.
@@EXkurogane Really thank you for this advice, I never really knew anything about this and I've been avoiding opening my cabinets all this time because i'm afraid of dust accumulating. Never knew it was necessary
Eu acabei de assistir o vídeo diretamente do Brasil e adorei. Conteúdo interessante e bem completo. Você explica muito bem também. Eu não sabia que o plastificante amarelava as figures, obrigada pela informação! Ganhou mais uma inscrita. Abraços
Depends on the material used - those pure pvc materials especially the rubbery feeling ones (most common in nendoroids) are highest risk. It's also known to happen to figmas.
I only have a few old figures, they’re all from the same series, Sora No Otoshimono (Heavens Lost Property), I have Ikaros by Grands that’s 14 years old, Nymph by Plum that’s 13 years old, Astraea by Plum that’s 11 years old, Astraea by Skytube that’s 10 years old and they’re all in perfect condition.
There are retro videogame collectors who buy unopened Atari games & never open them. Sad. This yellowing happens to lots of plastics - like old computer cases. What owners do is Retrobrighting. Submerge in hydrogen peroxide or coat with peroxide paste & wrap with plastic wrap and then put in a aluminum foil wrapped plastic storage box & bathe in UV light from whatever source (like LED strips) for as long as needed to clear the yellowing. 1 or 2 days.
i have figures for 14 years almost, and the best thing i use to clean is just water and cotton swab, for some old materials that have some tipe of cover resin like some varnish that is not washable is a pain because with dust become glue dust and with water transformes into mud , but how to identify? by smell, if smells bad is varnish, if doesn't smell other product and is safe to clean with water and cotton swab
So far my Kanu Unchou and Eri Sawachika Bikini Alter Statue hasn't yellowed or showed signs of discoloration cept for the box tape to it or the glue that held the plastic window loosened. Still educational video that had me double take my collection. Thanks.
I wonder why there isnt a clearcoat lacquer or polish you could use on it that might make the colors look more vibrant and lock them in when u purchase it. Help it last longer. polyeurothane clear coat, but those often need a buff or pressure applied polish to smooth and even them out. things like ceramic graphene polish hard top coatings for cars might be mixed with plasticizer and PU lacquer clear coat and airbrushed on perhaps? just if you've seen the lousiest looking vinyl floor tiles with faint dull colors then you apply the right lacquers polishes or clear coats and it looks like shiny wet glass perfection with the richest colors.
These figures do have a clear coat applied. Every single one of them, maybe except the cheapest prize figures. These clear coat are only ordinary ones that protect the paint job however, they don't stop plasticizers from seeping out from the figure, and certainly not the anti UV type (which some paint brands do sell), presumably because they are very expensive.
@@DoukNoukum it all depends on how you take care of your figures. That's more important than the material used to make it. Resin is just as susceptible to environmental factors as pvc. They can also lean in higher temperatures. Meanwhile with pvc nowadays pure PVC figures don't exist anymore, except the low cost prize figures. Most expensive pvc figures have a lot of reinforcement in structural rigidity from extensive use of ABS.
you can wash with with diluted dishwashing detergent water, use a soft toothbrush to brush the figure too. After you have finished cleaning and drying the figure, there is an optional step - put it in the referigerator for 10 minutes, then move it to the freezer section for another 10-15 minutes, to restore the PVC material. After you take the figure out from the fridge dry it, let it air dry and make sure it is dry before you keep it back in the box if you wish to.
After I saw your post on facebook I immediately removed all plastics inside the boxes of my nendoroids. Now I display some of them in my desk, however on my right side behind me is a window, where during afternoons, sunlight hits my table, tho we have a yellow curtain there. Just to be clear, natural light is fine as long as it is not direct sunlight right?
Not just sunlight ha. There is another type of light that will make figures yellow, common in households. I'm saving that for another video. Plasticizer will also make figures turn yellow in the long term. The two figures i just showed as examples in this video had the sunlight factor removed - they are buried in a wooden cabinet, never displayed, pitch dark inside.
@@PowerSynopsis fluorescent lights. They emit UV. They also make gold plated model kits like Akatsuki Gundam fade over time. Some people also claim lights used in photography and flashes also damage figures and stuff, which I'll clarify everything in that video later.
@@EXkurogane Yes. Very good. Even some LED lights can have UV. Just don't display in sunlight and only use incandescent lighting if you really want to avoid even the most miniscule yellowing. Typically, not displaying in direct sunlight is enough because other forms of light don't put out enough UV light to noticeably yellow resins and plastics as we can see with your figures. Figures also have a layer of paint that help protect the actual plastic as pigments act as a UV filter. I know I may sound like kind of like a dick, sorry. I just don't think this is a common or massive problem. There are *tons* of old figures that are perfectly fine still.
@@EXkurogane Edit: Ah I see there’s a video for that, I’ll check it out Would LED lights cause yellowing as well? I am working on a weather-sealed display cabinet for figures and installed LED lights for visibility.
How do you suggest to prevent this for displayed figures? I have so Gunpla that I have displayed outside of cases due to lack of space and they are unfortunately the more expensive one's. My room gets some sunlight but not too much directly at any of them.
There's actually a solution, called Gunprimer Glazer, which claims to protect figures from UV radiation at least. Does it stop plasticizer from seeping out from figures? I don't know yet. I have yet to make a video on that product because i want to do experiments with it and to make sure it actually works in protecting figures and gunpla. Once I've done my experiments (which will involve intentionally damaging at least one figure) which will take time, i will share my findings with everyone.
Also have you met "system service" figurines? I got one prize and was very pleasantly surprised by the quality. And one more thing - your content is great
Never touch a figure's face when you handle your figures lol. When you touch or hold a figure, i recommend holding on any part that has gloss paint (stockings section of the legs, or clothes - if any), and if there are no gloss parts, avoid touching the skin areas with your bare hands, be it the face or an exposed waist, thigh, etc. Because, the matte skin area is usually the most sensitive when it comes to attracting oil and sweat. There are stains from your fingers on the nose, and this invisible stain (usually a combination of sweat and oil) either becomes oxidized, or attracted dust that blends in. That is where you get these dark gray stains on a figure's noses and many other skin parts. If you have no choice but need to touch skin areas (like castoffable / nude figures), wear a pair of non powdered gloves. Nitrile gloves are ideal.
@@EXkurogane Thanks, but I don't touch the figure's faces. They're like that when they arrive new. I'm sure its the same for everyone, maybe you just haven't noticed. You don't see it when the light is from the top or when you view the figure from the side. But, shine a light directly at the figure (from the front on) and you'll see that they all have black noses.
@@ragnarvandermerwe9823 it's definitely either dust, or mold. You can try magic sponge / melamine sponge and see if it helps. Don't rub too hard though
@@EXkurogane Its got something to do with the light. All anime figures are like that (even out of the box). Try shining a torch directly into the figure's face. Now look at her directly from the front, and you'll see that they all have black noses.
@@ragnarvandermerwe9823 Yeah it's just the way the light reflects away would be my guess, try getting really close with the light, like 1 or 2cm, and you'll see the color turns normal again.
