A bit off-topic but man the whole "evo-fusion" non-gimmick kind of screwed poor old Breakdown. Every car got dual pistols with scopes and he gets one gun, no scope and a spoiler that kinda sorta looks like an axe if you squint your eyes. I hope we get a walmart exclusive boxed set for the g2 colors as I've yet to see shadowstrip in store or online.
He only showed up sparingly at Target. Online, he was abundant for awhile - a good solid 6 months, probably. But once Christmas hit, regular retailers sold out and online retailers began matching Ebay prices of $150+. Right now, he's plenty abundant overseas as far as I can tell. He just dried up in a hurry in December in North America. Like I mentioned, I went through Amazon Japan and managed to snag one earlier this month for $105 shipped (which is about what I would have paid full price here after taxes and potential shipping). But the yen is gaining back some strength versus the dollar and the cost of the item AND the shipping has increased about $15.
I don't know, it probably wasn't your intention, but that "if we all don't buy it up Hasbro will stop making it" reasoning always sounds a bit too neurotic. Much like with Dragstrip, who was the only member of the team that could be called a pegwarmer and was readily available everywhere, it won't dampen sales. Your "hardcore" guys will still buy the next team up as soon as it's available and not wait for the boxset, especially since in the current market it's a "better preorder or buy that Motormaster and Deadend as soon as you see them because you only get one chance" reality. The boxset might in turn lead to more sales, because it allows late comers and anyone who missed out to go back and get the team at a reasonable price, and gives people who did buy the figures individually a chance to go back and double dip if they'd like without dealing with second hand sources like resellers and eBay. Somewhat. Many Targets seemed to get one case, and when they were gone they were gone. And I don't think Walmart ever carried him in store. Only place I've seen one lately is at specialty stores for that nice dealer mark-up. Preorders were the way to go, but that doesn't do anyone any good after the fact. Plus I know a lot of people are pretty turned off by Hasbro’s recent PO shenanigans of "preorder now and it will be available in March. Wait, did we say March? No we meant two months early! Hope you have the money ready and didn't need to budget or anything and have to cancel!" Makes it hard to trust that preorder button.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who had a tough year financially. Motormaster was a "I'll get it when I have surplus money" toy, as I still had the CW set to fall back on. And, usually, the Commanders would hang on for a month or two after Christmas. So, I missed out on him when he dried up sometime in December and I actually had some extra cash post-Christmas. I also tried to keep one eye on a sale but I think I missed the one time he dipped down to under $70. Meanwhile, retailers couldn't give away Rodimus Prime...
The lesson I learned in 1986 was: Combiner teams sell, and fast. I missed out on Breakdown then, and pretty much had to wait a decade for online marketplaces to be invented before I could finish Menasor. I still apply that logic - if there's a team I want, hunt it down early and forego other characters if I have to, as teams sell faster!
Breakdown should be easy to find in the wild, being a wave 1 figure. But yes, I did put in a preorder for Dead End at BBTS to hedge my bets on him.
Yeah I didn't hesitate a second when each Menasor member went up for PO. Each and everyone PO'd within an hour of them showing up. I've gotten every one of them at retail, but the PO was that guarantee that one way or another I got them. Likewise if it's something I really want I don't wait for sales or anything. I just get it. I risk missing out otherwise.
Aside from being a weak, small commander with a weird face imo, Rodimus didn't even make it a full season before going back to Hot Rod.
Rodimus was a terrible prime and leader. There was a couple episodes where he exemplified a Prime... otherwise he just complained about how hard the job was and that he wasn't worthy.
It truly infuriates me how they wrote that. We went from that epic scene at the end of the movie with a leader rising up like a phoenix to that.. thing in season 3. Such incompetence.
I'm doing mental gymnastics of sorts & tryin' to link the Year of the Rabbit to Menasor. Then again, past years official "Year of <insert animal name here>" have been very loose association with the toy.
And the pics has those lantern things. lucky? wasn't there a petition hulabaloo on his not looking like a Lambo?
It depends on the regional market but despite being not as strong in Japan (Transformers), the Rodimus character is kind of popular as that he exemplifies the new blood next gen replacing the old. Though I have to agree, after the clusterEf of killing off Optimus in the Movie then returning him in that episode in S3, even Takara gave a ham fisted transition of leadership again to Rodimus in The Headmasters. Sure, it was to sell toys in the end but still claunky in my opinion.
