I get what you're saying, but I couldn't disagree with the mindset that makes that possible to any further degree. I totally get that the Japanese, the Asian and the American markets are different for general releases. All the arguments as to why Takara general releases have better or different paint apps than Hasbro releases are very old. What I don't get is the difference in the approach for the collector audience. A collector is a collector is a collector right? No matter where they live if they're willing to drop money on a premium priced product, then they probably have similar or the same expectations on what they're paying for. The global approach seems horribly disjointed. Take for instance, a few years ago, in the US Amazon.com gets "Jetwing Optimus Prime" which, for whatever reason, had a weirdly painted (with G-1 stripes) jetwing pack, and the jetwing mod of RotF Leader Optimus, in his Hasbro General RoTF leader release colors. Meanwhile at the exact same time, Hasbro Asia puts out APS-01 Optimus Prime, up to that point the best and most comprehensive "collector's premium deco" of the mold. The Jetwing prime might as well been on shelves at TRU by comparison. I never understood why in Asia, they figured "people will pay a preimum price for the most destailed and comprehensive Leader Prime yet" while in the US, they figured "let's give it the original release paint job and make the wings gaudy". I mean we're kind of seeing that again with the Computron sets coming out. The Hasbro set will have some of the limbs remolded, but not the chest/head for computron. And it will be sold at a premium price of $100. And a few months later, the exact same thing will be released, but for Japanese market collectors, with the remolds, for a similar price. And then of course there is the ongoing joke that is the Platinum line, with ugly shelf warming repaints, and only the occasional "premium" release (FoC Grimlock+Bruticus). In my mind, Platinum would be filled with things like Deadlock, "Senator Ratbat", and all the asian-market remolds and redecos we've seen. Had it been around years ago, the full fledged Buster Prime belonged there too. It just doesn't make sense how Hasbro Asia figures "collectors want quality in the Asian Premium Series" while Hasbro USA figures "collectors want G1 Astrotrain in white and orange and g1 blitzwing in red and throw up beige".
Gives people options and taps into both markets for those that want to get both copies. If both companies came out with the exact same releases, and one was at a cheaper price, both at the same time, which one do you think would sell out?
Agreed. Be wanting one since 2010 since I got the mold the first time. Glad he's got the Blurr tooling for the guns.
StrifeZ: it's partly, I think, due to the perception of toys. Most adults who aren't obsessed with '80s franchises view toys as little more than things for little Jimmy or Sally to play pretend with and have fun. Thus, the cheaper prices on US releases (and the lower number of paint apps, etc.). Also, a lot of collectors are fine just getting the domestic release because $15 for a Deluxe is more palatable than $30 for many people. But others are willing to pay out the butt for painted nostrils or whatever, or for MPs. I buy both Hasbro and TT releases, but yeah, to each his own.
Ditto, dang it just shipped my HLJ POL on Monday too oh well. Although will wait the 60 days to get him to see what else to throw in there.
Mine should be shipping from HLJ soon too. Once he arrives, he's getting the all-star TFW gallery treatment from yours truly!
I got mine today. It's actually really nice. Some minor paint problems on the roof of the car, but otherwise solid. The black, purple, and red with bits of white looks gorgeous. The foot design can make it a bit tricky to pose, like previous versions of this mold. It came with a comic, which is in Japanese and English. It's kinda... not great, and the English translation is a bit rough. There's another comic in the instructions, but it's only in Japanese, so I have no idea what's going on there. Overall, it's a great figure, if a little on the spendy side.
Post office tried to deliver mine yesterday and they wouldn't let my mom sign for it. Now I have to take off work today and go to the damn post office. Weird. I've had boxes from hlj delivered to my parents house for 15 years and have never had a problem until yesterday.
Yeah, I've got a few. I only took one picture of the inside of the larger comic, just to show some of the awkward translation. It's 6 pages long. You can also see some of the less than great paint on the roof on the car. The rest of it is fine.
Ha! Is good to know that ROTF Lockdown is considered Classics Lockdown even in Japan. Also, are those Cloud Optimus, Rodimus, Roadbuster and Brawn? What are they doing here?
Awesome! "Bossy bounty hunter." .....yep, that's definitely up there with Megatron's "no way dude!" line in Grand Scourge's comic. Also looks like this is Cloud Deadlock, since the Cloud Autobots show up in that one panel. I tried doing that with United Stepper but he never went on clearance and then he sold out and I was sad.
