Philip Lee for "ByeBye2018 Hello2019"
WHAT-IS: "ByeBye2018 Hello2019" is a serial feature where select artists share with us their past year in 2018, and what to expect from them in 2019!"
TOYSREVIL: How was 2018 for you? Share with us your most triumphant moment(s) in 2018. What did you find the most disappointed of 2018?
PHILIP LEE: 2018 was fantastic for me. Classicbot continued to grow as a brand. We got a brand new product Trashbot & Friends Playset. We had started pre-order of iBot G3 which was greeted with great reaction from fans. I had also created many limited edition of Classicbot Classic, including the system error version for Shanghai Toy Shown, the Sad Classicbot for My Plastic Heart , the 80s Gold version for Beijing Toy Show and the Keith Haring Tribute for DesignerCon. Speaking of which meeting fans in the cons and shows are really the highlights of last year. Meeting people who love your product with great enthusiasm really is the greatest joy any designer can experience.
PHILIP LEE: I was a little bit disappointed at myself for not being as efficient as possible especially at promoting my brand. There were so much I wanted to do for my brand, like reaching out to more bloggers, media or retail shop around the world. I only did maybe 1/3 of what I set out to do. And I was already pretty exhausted. (After all it was and still is a one man band). So I wish I can be more efficient this year, and hopefully find a smart way to achieve more. I was also slightly disappointed by the sales of Trashbot, which is lower than I expected.
TOYSREVIL: What is your most favorite toy, or piece of art you've seen in 2018?
PHILIP LEE: My favourite piece of art from 2018 is the video game Nier: Automata. Yes, I think video game can be art. And I believe we live in an age where video game is getting so creative and so innovative that it really rival other art form. Nier: Automata came out from 2017, but I played it last year. It is quite an existentialist experience to play the game. To unlock the true ending you have to play the game thru 3 different characters, and each time you will look at the same event with different perspective. It is a game that constantly challenge the player to rethink his action. Is it really moral to mindlessly kill the army of enemy? What if the enemy have feeling? Are you really the one in control? Is the game designer your enemy? (Spoiler alert: your last group of enemy is indeed the programmers of this game.)
All these interesting questions are raised while the game is constantly entertaining. This is one of the best game ever. (Ok I admit that the very attractive main character, a female android called 2B is also a reason why I love this game, and I have started collecting her figure.)
TOYSREVIL: What are you most looking forward to in 2019? Any plans for your work, for the new year you can share with us?
I am really excited for our new plushie Classicbot. It is another expansion of our product line. But it is also a collaboration product between me and a new Hong Kong start up DarK Label HK. I also hope for a successful launch for iBot G3. I plan to start a Classicbot comic strip on Instagram. But I am not sure I have the time to do it. I want my robots to be all rounded character rather than just a "cute" appearance.
TOYSREVIL: Share with us, WHO you are and what you do?
PHILIP LEE: I am Philip Lee, founder and designer of playsometoys in Hong Kong. Classicbot is the first toyline from playsometoys. I am a big time geek. I am a family man with two girls. My biggest inspirations are anime, Sci-fi movies and product designs from the 80s and early 90s. You can find out more about my work at facebook.com/classicbot and instagram.com/classicbot_toy.
[ Read Philip's Interview in 2017 ]
TOYSREVIL: How was 2018 for you? Share with us your most triumphant moment(s) in 2018. What did you find the most disappointed of 2018?
PHILIP LEE: 2018 was fantastic for me. Classicbot continued to grow as a brand. We got a brand new product Trashbot & Friends Playset. We had started pre-order of iBot G3 which was greeted with great reaction from fans. I had also created many limited edition of Classicbot Classic, including the system error version for Shanghai Toy Shown, the Sad Classicbot for My Plastic Heart , the 80s Gold version for Beijing Toy Show and the Keith Haring Tribute for DesignerCon. Speaking of which meeting fans in the cons and shows are really the highlights of last year. Meeting people who love your product with great enthusiasm really is the greatest joy any designer can experience.
PHILIP LEE: I was a little bit disappointed at myself for not being as efficient as possible especially at promoting my brand. There were so much I wanted to do for my brand, like reaching out to more bloggers, media or retail shop around the world. I only did maybe 1/3 of what I set out to do. And I was already pretty exhausted. (After all it was and still is a one man band). So I wish I can be more efficient this year, and hopefully find a smart way to achieve more. I was also slightly disappointed by the sales of Trashbot, which is lower than I expected.
TOYSREVIL: What is your most favorite toy, or piece of art you've seen in 2018?
PHILIP LEE: My favourite piece of art from 2018 is the video game Nier: Automata. Yes, I think video game can be art. And I believe we live in an age where video game is getting so creative and so innovative that it really rival other art form. Nier: Automata came out from 2017, but I played it last year. It is quite an existentialist experience to play the game. To unlock the true ending you have to play the game thru 3 different characters, and each time you will look at the same event with different perspective. It is a game that constantly challenge the player to rethink his action. Is it really moral to mindlessly kill the army of enemy? What if the enemy have feeling? Are you really the one in control? Is the game designer your enemy? (Spoiler alert: your last group of enemy is indeed the programmers of this game.)
All these interesting questions are raised while the game is constantly entertaining. This is one of the best game ever. (Ok I admit that the very attractive main character, a female android called 2B is also a reason why I love this game, and I have started collecting her figure.)
TOYSREVIL: What are you most looking forward to in 2019? Any plans for your work, for the new year you can share with us?
I am really excited for our new plushie Classicbot. It is another expansion of our product line. But it is also a collaboration product between me and a new Hong Kong start up DarK Label HK. I also hope for a successful launch for iBot G3. I plan to start a Classicbot comic strip on Instagram. But I am not sure I have the time to do it. I want my robots to be all rounded character rather than just a "cute" appearance.
TOYSREVIL: Share with us, WHO you are and what you do?
PHILIP LEE: I am Philip Lee, founder and designer of playsometoys in Hong Kong. Classicbot is the first toyline from playsometoys. I am a big time geek. I am a family man with two girls. My biggest inspirations are anime, Sci-fi movies and product designs from the 80s and early 90s. You can find out more about my work at facebook.com/classicbot and instagram.com/classicbot_toy.
[ Read Philip's Interview in 2017 ]
