2022 Year in Review & 2023 Cel/Sketch Resolutions

[sensei]

It's time for the YiR/Resolution thread! I began this post back in 2006, and with the help of Cutiebunny it's become a Rubberslug tradition for more than a decade. Now it returns for its 17th year. With the old year thankfully wrapping up, it's time to look back on the year's events and make some plans for 2023.

1. What was the best thing that's happened to your gallery/collection in 2022?

2. What was the most surprising thing that happened to your gallery/collection this year?

3. Which piece were you most proud of acquiring in 2022?

4. What's something that concerns you about your collecting experience?

5. What cel/sketch-related resolution do you want to make for 2023?

6. If you posted a cel/sketch-related resolution for 2022 or for 2021 , how true did you stay to it?

I'll post my responses in a little while, but meantime, take a moment to look back and hope for what's to come.

[sensei]

1. What was the best thing that's happened to your gallery/collection in 2022?

Continuing to review and correct my complete inventory. It's now 126 pages single-spaced, and I think it's just about time to take it to the local office center and have it printed off as a booklet. Related experience: celebrating the 20th anniversary of my RS gallery, which is still getting monthly refreshes of its looks (banner, featured items, background, etc.)

2. What was the most surprising thing that happened to your gallery/collection this year?

While this is not up in the gallery yet, I've picked up the original genga/shuusei sketches that go with my "Healing of Koram" cel set from A Tree of Palme. This is a crucial cut in the film's climax, and in 2008 (without knowing it) I won the entire set of cels (A1-A32 END, B1-B9 END, and C1-C52E), all huge chunks of acetate (21" x 17"). The sketches are only of the five keyframes, but they are equally huge. I'll be giving them a warm welcome, scannign them and also getting out the cels that match the first four keyframes and adding them to the gallery. But this will take time. Still, it's special to me that I''ve been able to reunite the sketches with these important cels.

3. Which piece were you most proud of acquiring in 2022?

There weren't many high-end items this year, except perhaps that fleeting set of original backgrounds from Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Cards Saga which sadly dried up early in the year. But one new item that was special to me was this set of Sandy and her friend, the magical koala Blinky from Fushigi na Koala Blinky aka Noozles (Nippon 1984). The moments when Sandy awakens her friend with an affectionate nose-rub or "noozle" are iconic for this series, which I remember watching on Nick Toons with my young daughter in the late 1980s before either of us knew anything about "anime."

4. What's something that concerns you about your collecting experience?

Clearly the community of collectors is changing and becoming more entrepreneurial in its nature. I fear that the old days when collectors routinely supported and helped each other is largely part of the past. Still, I continue to chime in with well-intentioned advice and info as I can. But with the prices now prevailing for art, I fear that it's going the way of contemporary art, i.e., becoming an investment rather than an appreciation of a fine new art form.

5. What cel/sketch-related resolution do you want to make for 2023?

Print the daggoned inventory. It will never be perfect, but as I age and deal with medical complications (none dire but all collectively making active life difficult) I need to be ready for the collection to pass into other hands that will appreciate what it documents for future generations.

6. If you posted a cel/sketch-related resolution for 2022 or for 2021 , how true did you stay to it?

That had to do with my inventory, which I promised to "complete." I now know that it will never be complete or flawless, and in 2023 will focus on getting it off my computer and into hardcopy, useable format.

[GuyvarIII]

1. What was the best thing that's happened to your gallery/collection in 2022?

I didn't do anything with my Rubberslug gallery... and that's pretty sad.
However, I think there were a lot more affordable cels this year than there have been over the past few years. Also, the exchange rate has been pretty good for the American dollar.

2. What was the most surprising thing that happened to your gallery/collection this year?

This year I got some really oldskool 1960s and 1970s Anime cels. Over the last few years they have been pretty much non-existent or priced really high, so I was pleasantly surprised to get some of these classic cels. You can see a few examples below:


(Cutie Honey, Combattler V, Dororo)

3. Which piece were you most proud of acquiring in 2022?

This was a great year for collecting cels. Again, because of the great exchange rate, I picked up a Lodoss War cel of Ashram, which I've seen rotating on and off of Yahoo Japan for years.

There were many great cels available. I think more than there have been over the last few years.

I got some great cels of badass guys,


(Guyver, MADOX-01, Borgman - Lover's Rain, Lodoss War, Vampire Hunter D, Riding Bean, Eight Man After, Patlabor, Devilman)

kickass gals,


(Gowcaizer, Cobra, Guy, Maps, Southern Cross, Akai Hayate, GoShogun - Time Etranger, Area 88, Slayers)

and awesome monsters and mecha.


(Guyver, Le Dues, Apocalypse Zero, Jushin Liger, Tetsujin 28 ('80s version), Dangaio, Takegami)

4. What's something that concerns you about your collecting experience?

A few items I lost went for a lot more than I thought they would. It was like I was on a different planet from the other bidders. Having forsaken most Miyazaki works, I didn't know I was interested in anything in that price range. Other auctions were the same as usual, and there were a lot of great cels, so I don't really know what happened.

5. What cel/sketch-related resolution do you want to make for 2023?

I'm not making one... but, I need to update my Rubberslug gallery.

6. If you posted a cel/sketch-related resolution for 2022 or for 2021 , how true did you stay to it?

I purposely didn't make one... so, I wouldn't have to stay true to it.

Happy New Year!

[jiangdc]

1. What was the best thing that's happened to your gallery/collection in 2022?
My 2021-2022 pick ups


2. What was the most surprising thing that happened to your gallery/collection this year?

One interesting thing is that after I introduced muuseo to the society years ago, people gradually started to build up galleries in that website as well. I would be happy to see more artworks there.
Here is my muuseo: https://muuseo.com/dccollection

I just realize there are things like novelAI and other AI drawing software that can redraw artworks, I might use them to do some redraw of some of my cels, that might be interesting.

3. Which piece were you most proud of acquiring in 2022?

Most proud of one is gonna be in between the Saint tail X JR hugging scene and the Yukime death scene. That hugging scene was from a super blur item description image and was very hard to recognize. Glad I picked that up.


4. What's something that concerns you about your collecting experience?
I kind of worry about keeping my cels oriented. I got too many pieces and it is getting harder for me to keep track of them. And it take long time to do inventory if I want to find a specific piece.

5. What cel/sketch-related resolution do you want to make for 2023?
Hit 800 series and try to meet more collectors.

6. If you posted a cel/sketch-related resolution for 2022 or for 2021 , how true did you stay to it?
2022 is my gap year. For the 2021 year resolution, I did hit 700 series.

[cutiebunny]

Gah...this topic always makes me feel so ancient, largely because I think Sensei, GuyvarIII and I are the only members who have posted on this thread every year.

To us ol' crusties

1. What was the best thing that's happened to your gallery/collection in 2022?

I did not update my gallery once this year. I don't even think I scanned anything at all in 2022. I have had 0 motivation to do anything regarding sharing pictures of things I own with others. I feel like social media has caused people to act like 5 year olds, bragging about what they own to someone else who does not. I don't like that feeling and I don't want to contribute to it. I've noticed this with many friends who send pictures of whatever they just bought or accomplished in a video game multiple times a week, and while I am happy for them and love cheering for others, I have reached my point where it feels more disgusting that it feels positive. A recent trip to LA to attend Sushio's exhibit at Gallery Nucleus only solidified that feeling for me; Soooo many 20 somethings bragging about their experience with the US or Japanese animation industry to a veteran animator made me nauseous. It was a case of "How to say you're insecure without saying it".

Regarding my collection, a commission that I wanted for a full nengajo set by the same artist was picked up. I assume I'll receive it sometime 2023, but if it's as half as good as the shikishi of his that I picked up through Kickstarter, I'll be impressed. Having a set done by the same artist has always been some sort of long term goal for me. I had thought that Toshio Maeda would eventually make that a reality, but I haven't heard from him since before the pandemic. Really hope he's doing well.

2. What was the most surprising thing that happened to your gallery/collection this year?

Did you know that there are package thieves in Japan? I had a package sent UPS that grew feet and walked away shortly after being picked up from the deputy service. I tell myself that, after almost 20 years of using deputy services and hundreds of packages later, I should consider myself fortunate to have not lost anything until just recently. But yeah, this one really hurts. At least it was insured and UPS refunded me through the deputy service.

I also am surprised that have had 0 desire to return to conventions. I only convinced myself to go to Gallery Nucleus in LA this December because I missed the restaurants in LA and to visit some friends over the course of a decade+ of attending conventions in the area . Curse you, LA, and your Coco Ichibanya!

On the plus side, I received the sketches that I paid for in 2018/2019 from Yokota, so huzzah for that! And I bought myself a nice bookcase to store all those sketch books.

3. Which piece were you most proud of acquiring in 2022?

I did not buy much this year due to the cost of the commission and my lack of interest in paying 2x the price for something that, 5-10 years ago, would sell for a fraction.

I don't know who needs to hear this, but those of you buying Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card backgrounds of Fujitaka's hand with the copy layout for hundreds of dollars are absolutely insane. They. Are. Not. Worth. That. Much.

Had the sketches that I had paid for not been stolen while in transit, that would have been my response. But, since they were stolen, gonna go with an open eyed cel of Healed Galaxia from the final episode of Sailor Moon. Probably one of my highest Sailor Moon wishlists. God knows how many times I bugged Luna-Art about her sequence mates when I first started collecting

4. What's something that concerns you about your collecting experience?

That I'm still standing (cue the Elton John song), almost 20 years later. And that I'm having a hard time embracing this collector's market. When did people get so damn interested in collecting nerdy stuff? I checked some sold E-bay listings for some old Pokemon cards I own (that my mom told me would be a waste of money back then) and What. The. Absolute. Eff. People out here dropping used car prices on mass produced, graded cards.

I am constantly having a hard time convincing myself that paying prices that are 5-10x what they were maybe 5-10 years ago is ok. The issue is not whether or not I can afford it. It's whether or not I want to contribute to this market by paying these prices. Whereas Buyer's Remorse was once limited to spending stupid amounts on something I really wanted, my Buyer's Remorse is now spending stupid amounts on something that should really not be selling at these prices.

There was also some young whippersnapper collector who told a friend of mine that, as someone in their 40s, I should act my age since I'm gonna die soon lol


5. What cel/sketch-related resolution do you want to make for 2023?

Despite having the bags, I have been dragging my feet on rebagging. At first it was "I don't want to do this in the summer, it's too hot" and now it's "It's so nice in front of the heater, I don't wanna move and want to eat snackies instead".

I also want to buy a sturdy container for my Kimagure Orange Road sketch. It's been languishing in its big mylar bag for years.

6. If you posted a cel/sketch-related resolution for 2022 or for 2021 , how true did you stay to it?

In 2020, I said I wanted to get my Yokota sketches, so....almost 3-4 years later, mission accomplished!

In 2022, I said I wanted to post pictures of my collection on the Cel Collectors FB page whenever someone went on a bragging rant or reminded everyone of how they bought Miyazaki cels in Japan for $20 in 1989. I behaved and let the boys (and it's ALWAYS men) embarrass themselves without getting involved, so maaaayyybee that's a yay? Dunno. Still on the fence about how to proceed with that.

I did, however, keep the last part of that resolution - I cheer and continue to cheer for everyone. May your acquisitions be as plentiful as they are satisfying.

[tarakatsuki]

1. What was the best thing that's happened to your gallery/collection in 2022?
Added quite a few cels to it. Purchased a new scanner that produces way better scans than what I was using before. When I did the rebagging task I went through and rescanned all of my cels, sketches, and background. Also I'm replacing the uploads in my RS with the newly scanned and watermarked images. It's still an ongoing process.

2. What was the most surprising thing that happened to your gallery/collection this year?
I actually managed to hit 500 Inuyasha cels apparently. Although I'm not sure which was cel #500 since I wasn't keeping track every time I've gotten one. There's still a good number of cels I've obtained that I haven't put on RS yet

3. Which piece were you most proud of acquiring in 2022?
This is definitely a top favorite. It's big and beautiful

Haven't uploaded it to my RS yet since I'm waiting to ID the scene first. Also this super awesome Inuyasha OP cel as well

4. What's something that concerns you about your collecting experience?
Same comment as last year, prices are still going crazy high. Also the potential risk of your cel images being stolen and sold as NFTs. Another reason behind me replacing all my images with watermarked ones.

5. What cel/sketch-related resolution do you want to make for 2023?
Just keep on collecting.

6. If you posted a cel/sketch-related resolution for 2022 or for 2021 , how true did you stay to it?
Main resolution was to put together a website for my entire collection (cels and non-cel items). How true did I stay to it? Not at all. Didn't even attempt.

[ginga123]

1. What was the best thing that's happened to your gallery/collection in 2022?
Having the courage to share things that I’ve hidden for 7 years.


2. What was the most surprising thing that happened to your gallery/collection this year?
Visiting RS after several years absence and posting a blog. Seems like the small things that make me happy. I don’t know if anyone else posts blogs anymore.


3. Which piece were you most proud of acquiring in 2022?
A hanken douga from Listen to Me Girls! I am your father! The reason I like this one is because some aspects, not all, of the anime remind me of my family and how we grew up from kids to adults.


4. What's something that concerns you about your collecting experience?
Rising inflation of price and availability. I worry that younger generations won’t be able to enjoy the same interests or hobbies like this one. I predict within the next 5-10 years everything will go completely digital.


5. What cel/sketch-related resolution do you want to make for 2023?
I don’t have one yet and I’m not sure I’d come completely out of retirement.


6. If you posted a cel/sketch-related resolution for 2022 or for 2021 , how true did you stay to it?
I haven’t been around much to make a resolution.