I would start a "Anime/Manga Conventions" world, but I don't go to that many since there aren't a lot going on here in Texas. So, I have decided to start this world where we can discuss our favorite new and old toys that we got from Japan. I welcome any input from TheOtaku community on this subject as I'm sure many of you own at least a handful of these.

I grew up with the likes of Thundercats, G.I. Joe, and Transformers in my toy collection. I swore I'd never get rid of them when I was younger. However, as one grows up, they forget about the toys and start going for more "grown up" playthings such as computers, Ipods, cars, stereo systems for said cars, etc. Those toys of yesteryear are forgotten, given away, or sold in yard sales. I know that's what happend to my collection.

Fast-forward 18 years

Never in my life had I owned a manga/anime-related toy before I bought Boten from Yu-Yu Hakusho. It was an impulse buy and she was the last Yu-Yu doll the toy store here had. So I picked her up for $5. She had the craziest blue hair an ever-present smile and big bright eyes. She wore that metallic-pink kimono and carried her spade in one hand. My brother ribbed me endlessly for it for a while. But I liked her. I still do. She's not very poseable, but she has the honor of being the first anime toy I've bought in a long time and unlike my Akuma playarts toy, she's always got that happy expression and a cute outfit...even though she is actually Death. The toy line came out around the time the anime was on Cartoon Network and I really liked it since Yu-Yu was NOT another Goku (thank GOD) and he came to rely on his friends quite a bit. Boten was just a really off the wall take on the personlity of Death. As most people think of Death as a male figure, especially here in the West, it was refreshing and surprising to see her as a cute girl in a kimono with a pleasant demeanor. Those nutty Japanese!