Review – RealXHead Mohican Hone-Borg

Manufacturer: Real X Head * Year: 2008

Matt Doughty (Onell Design) has been kind enough to feed me Japanese vinyl toys. At first it was an innocent gift, a Real X Head/Onell Design joint toy, Pheyaos (review here), but recently it has become clear that Matt’s sinister intention is to hook me on expensive vinyl toys. And since I’m finding myself drawn to these more and more it’s only fair that I infect the rest of you. And I can think of no better way to do that than with Matt’s latest gift, a Real X Head Mohican Hone-Borg

Click to enlarge the image.
Click to enlarge the image.


What the Hell is This Thing?

Arriving loose without any packaging or identification, the first step was to figure out just which toy this guy was. For that I immediately turned to my trusty An Encyclopedia of Kaiju (mentioned here) . . . and had no luck finding this exact toy. I found similar toys, but not that were a perfect match. So from there I turned to Google which pointed me right at this entry at Robot Loves Monster! Why hello, Mohican Hone-Borg, now I know what you’re called.

And that entry is a fantastic history lesson on this toy, going through the various colorways and releases and even telling me all about this particular colorway:

“Following pearlescent black vinyl, a pair of Hone Borgs was cast in white semi-translucent vinyl. This particular version was extremely well-received by collectors after being shown at Shinto Gangu in May 2008. Unfortunately for our mental health, its release would not be forthcoming until September of that year. Needless to say, there was a lot of anxious waiting and refreshing on announced sale days.”

Click to expand the image in a new window.
Click to expand the image in a new window.

Click to expand the image in a new window.
Click to expand the image in a new window.


Blue, Silver, and White

In hand, this Hone-Borg almost looks clear. The white vinyl has a semi-translucent quality to it that is quite deceptive, making me think it’s a clear toy when I hold it up to the light. And the effect varies across the toy, with the milky-white color thicker at the top and slowly fading as we scan our eyes down the body. It’s a great look that’s made even more stunning by the silver and blue airbrushing work across the body. Damn, I really do need to get myself an airbrush and learn how to use it, because I can’t get fades anywhere near this smooth with the spray paints I’ve been experimenting with. I really don’t need an airbrush, but between Matt Walker’s work (website, Twitter) and toys like this I’m really feeling the temptation to try my hand at airbrushing.

Click to enlarge the image.
Click to enlarge the image.


A Mix of Smooth and Rough Parts

One of the coolest features of Hone-Borg’s sculpt, when you stare closely at every inch of the toy, is how some of the surfaces are rough and textured while others are as smooth as glass. The arms, legs, lower torso, and top of the head are all smooth, but that smoothness blends seamlessly where it touches the finely textured face and upper torso. Take a look at this larger photo of the toy and you’ll see what I’m talking about. It’s a great effect and extremely subtle.

Closing Thoughts

At about 6-inches tall, this vinyl toy isn’t huge, but it’s just big enough to have snared my imagination and have me looking even closer at Real X Head’s catalog. Wow, there sure are a hell of a lot of colorways and toy releases from those guys. Not every toy grabs me, but if I keep encountering pieces like this Mohican Hone-Borg there’s no way I’m going to resist buying one or two toys. But until I break down and start ordering Japanese vinyl toys I’ll just be happy with the small collection I’m slowly building . . . just try not to send any more of these my way, please. I don’t think Gina would like it if I traded my car for a box of vinyl toys, and that’s exactly the direction I’m headed in as I get hands-on time with these fun, weird toys.

I suggest you not read this review and do not look at these photos. You may find yourself attracted to the toys, and then you’ll be in the same boat I am. And there’s not enough room in this boat since I’ve filled it with toys. What? Oh, you think I should have put this warning at the start of the review? Sorry. I guess now you’re as doomed as I am.

Have fun, gang! I’ll be over here playing with my vinyl toys if you need me.


Philip Reed is getting ready for another trip, so reviews and posts will be random over the next week. Don’t buy any Japanese vinyl toys while Philip is traveling!

3 thoughts on “Review – RealXHead Mohican Hone-Borg

  1. this review was so great that I just bought one from Lamour. You are BAAAAAAAAAAAAD Influence

  2. you know something? I hate you. first you get me hooked on Glyos now you got me hooked on Kaiju. Got me a RxH Astro Zombie Chaos coming. I so hate you. I love reading your kaiju posts tho. Bring them on!

  3. @Mindless-Focus – I feel like I’m doing my job if I’m getting people to try new toys. And if you think this guy is awesome then wait until you see some of the other stuff I’m getting ready to share.

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