I don't understand why the original stuff has to be so expensive for anyways. Even their cheaper stuff is expensive.

 

R&D + official licensing fee + materials = $$$

 

do a quick search for MC muscle bear and many show up
淘宝网 - 淘！我喜欢

I order from this store:
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?sp...Bfhbw&id=650486484610&ns=1&abbucket=15#detail

another pics

 

I have their optimus prime ( tbh I got the unbox deluxe version for 300USD), and I must say it's a masterpiece, but still overpriced.

This KO version of Tarn is just around 130USD and it comes from MC muscle bear, whom I can fully trust base on their KO bandai metal build gundam. They are all solid and well received by fans.

 

Yay!!!

 

awesome was hoping this was still on the way!!!

 

I don't follow other forums but it would be nice to know if somebody have same feelings for iPhones

 

Yas! It continues to exist!

 

The easiest way to explain why it is so expensive is by comparison with MMC Kultur, I guess.



1. paint.
As a modeller who builds and paints (gunpla, anime robot) myself. I would said:
It will take me a day to paint Kultur. But it will take me a week to pain Flame toys.
Because Flame toy is full paint and have a lot of small paint detail. and also more color usage.
You need a day for top coat to dray, and the masking and more painting. 4-5 process for a part. it take a lot of time.
so the assembly cost is definitely higher. let alone the QC.





2. Part count.
For EX, MMC's cannon is 3 pieces of parts count.
Flame toys is ... over 10 pieces of parts count.
because of their gimmick and decorative like a transparent part for represent the energon flow.
It's a toy VS model. They aim to be like model kit, Flame toys is a lot more complex to be build.



3. Material
Flame toy is Metal build style (Die cast skeleton) , so it is a lot more cost than MMC.
Also he is a bit bigger and beefier.



4. LED function.
As I remember he have 4 LED.
LED in his body and head is definitely high cost because how the circuit design is.




5. Designer cost.
Definitely Flame toy take more time to design their toy.
Also Flame toy's designer is Japanese.



6. Licenses fee.
Usually, this will take 5-10% of total cost.


TBH, having both side by side, MMC should cost 80 USD if compare to the Flame toys because how complex Flame toy is.

Anyway, it is different take for both company.
Flame toys is aim to be Metal build style / chogokin.
They are sub brand of Sentinel, so the price point is closed to their premium toy line.



(PS. I live in Asia, Kuro Kara kuri is 400 USD here. (Pre-order price) But I do check it is a lot more expensive in the west.

It's a model vs toy. it you aim for a toy, you don't need this level of luxury.

 

Glad to see this is still alive.

 

Any announcements on its release date?

 

Late Aug 2021 according to taobao seller

 

Okay this is pretty tempting. No way I'd ever afford the original, but I love this Tarn design. Would look great next to Eris as well.

PS. Someone really needs to KO the Metal Structure Nu Gundam (another completly unobtainable figure) although I guess the wrath of Bandai might scare them away.

 

This has been promised since forever. I'll believe it when I see it.

 

I'm not in any hurry as long as they can get the product right. I've always wanted an ft tarn but their asking price was a little too much for a non-transforming transformer.

 

Man Tarn is one of those MMC figures that has not aged well at all...

(sculpt wise)

 

Thanks for such a great write-up!

 

Not against a 400$ non-transformable figure, no it hasn't. Still a badass toy imo. Sold mine long ago, but I'd buy one again if MMC scaled it down to Seige/ER size. His hands always did suck though...

 

I was always hoping MMC would upgrade that face and mask when they reissued it. Overall though I think it's still a pretty good figure. Articulation's pretty good, simple and fun transformation and decently priced.

 

I know others aren't gonna agree but Flame Toys and the fine people that are there is NOT a company I like to see work KO'd from. I actually like supporting that company and their Sentinel stuff, and I don't feel quite the same way with any other companies out there.