Official Bandai (Japan) Thread 2.0

[Petezilla]

Their vinyls are really not worth the money they cost anymore in my book. The once great Ultraman vinyl lines go downhill fast and even the Movie Monster Series seems to slowly follow suit. I'm seriously considering to stop collecting BANDAI vinyls altogether (if they don't up their game again) and just stick to S.H.MonsterArts (which I'd buy anyway) and the occasional S.H.Figuarts instead...

[Legion1979]

Their vinyls are really not worth the money they cost anymore in my book. The once great Ultraman vinyl lines go downhill fast and even the Movie Monster Series seems to slowly follow suit. I'm seriously considering to stop collecting BANDAI vinyls altogether (if they don't up their game again) and just stick to S.H.MonsterArts (which I'd buy anyway) and the occasional S.H.Figuarts instead...

This is most likely EXACTLY what Bandai wants you to do.

[Mac Daddy MM]

If the upcoming regular Heisei MG is just as tiny as this release, it'll be a hard skip. I'll stick with my old 2001-ish MMS MG.

[Legion1979]

Of course its not just the scale, or even those potentially flaccid Garuda turrents. The paint just sucks. Look at the new one next to the old release. I'd actually consider the SMG if everything about it except the scale was perfect.

[CyberZilla]

As others have said I hope MMS can step up their game again. This is my main collecting line, so I hope it does not continue this laziness. Most of the recent releases have been pretty nice, or at least decent— no excuses with this SMG, it needed more to meet the quality minimum we expect.

[Legion1979]

I wonder if they plan to try harder on figures they never intend to put into the SHMA line and half ass the stuff that already exists in that series. The difference in quality with Varan and SMG (both store exclusives) seems to illustrate this. Suddenly I got a bad feeling about that 1991 Ghidorah.

[Petezilla]

I wonder if they plan to try harder on figures they never intend to put into the SHMA line and half ass the stuff that already exists in that series. The difference in quality with Varan and SMG (both store exclusives) seems to illustrate this. Suddenly I got a bad feeling about that 1991 Ghidorah.

They didn't even half-ass this one, they quarter-assed it.

Varan had a superior price, superior size, superior sculpt & superior paint compared to Super Mecha Goblinzilla - although it already was comparatively lacking in the paint department.

Those two released just a few month apart in time, but are worlds apart in quality and money's worth. I still can't wrap my head around how BANDAI dares to think that this atrocity would please their customers.

Just look at the engines of Garuda. It looks like chopped off with a sharp knife and the 'turbines' are mere holes in the mold. WTF...

[CyberZilla]

I still can't wrap my head around how BANDAI dares to think that this atrocity would please their customers.

Simple answer: they didn’t think. They just assumed people would snap it up no matter what.

I really hope it peg warms, but it probably won’t because it’s Mechagodzilla.

[JVM]

Their vinyls are really not worth the money they cost anymore in my book. The once great Ultraman vinyl lines go downhill fast and even the Movie Monster Series seems to slowly follow suit. I'm seriously considering to stop collecting BANDAI vinyls altogether (if they don't up their game again) and just stick to S.H.MonsterArts (which I'd buy anyway) and the occasional S.H.Figuarts instead...

If that's what makes you happy, go for it, truly, but this is really what a lot of toy companies want right now. They don't care if you stop buying the budget stuff if they think you'll buy the premium stuff anyway. Losing a customer hurts them, you spending money for a higher-quality figure doesn't.

I'm vinyl or die at this point. With respect to those for whom this is understandable a step too far, SMG isn't going to put me off that forever. I survived 2010-13 with basically zero new figures, and as a whole, 2010-18 with basically no new Toho kaiju. I

[LSD Jellyfish]

Varan had a superior price, superior size, superior sculpt & superior paint compared to Super Mecha Goblinzilla - although it already was comparatively lacking in the paint department.

Those two released just a few month apart in time, but are worlds apart in quality and money's worth. I still can't wrap my head around how BANDAI dares to think that this atrocity would please their customers.

I'd just like to point out that Varan is actually around 700 yen cheaper. That's what makes it more bizarre.

[Petezilla]

Their vinyls are really not worth the money they cost anymore in my book. The once great Ultraman vinyl lines go downhill fast and even the Movie Monster Series seems to slowly follow suit. I'm seriously considering to stop collecting BANDAI vinyls altogether (if they don't up their game again) and just stick to S.H.MonsterArts (which I'd buy anyway) and the occasional S.H.Figuarts instead...

This is most likely EXACTLY what Bandai wants you to do.

If that's what makes you happy, go for it, truly, but this is really what a lot of toy companies want right now. They don't care if you stop buying the budget stuff if they think you'll buy the premium stuff anyway. Losing a customer hurts them, you spending money for a higher-quality figure doesn't.

Well, in my case it's not like I'd switch from cheaper option to expensive option. I get every SHMA + occasional SHFA anyway, so they'd only loose my money for MMS. Wouldn't hurt them though, because new customers constantly enter the gamble instead. Let's just see how those upcoming releases will look like...

Varan had a superior price, superior size, superior sculpt & superior paint compared to Super Mecha Goblinzilla - although it already was comparatively lacking in the paint department.

Those two released just a few month apart in time, but are worlds apart in quality and money's worth. I still can't wrap my head around how BANDAI dares to think that this atrocity would please their customers.

I'd just like to point out that Varan is actually around 700 yen cheaper. That's what makes it more bizarre.

Yes, with superior I actually intended to imply that's it had a better price. English isn't my native language, so maybe I phrased that incorrectly. Sorry, if it is misunderstood.

I still can't wrap my head around how BANDAI dares to think that this atrocity would please their customers.

I really hope it peg warms, but it probably won’t because it’s Mechagodzilla.

I already pre-ordered SMG like a lot of people and foreign dealers did so too, unknowingly of it being an upscale Candy Toy. So I don't think it would peg warm that bad and BANDAI will get away with it...

[SJM925]

I wonder if they plan to try harder on figures they never intend to put into the SHMA line and half ass the stuff that already exists in that series. The difference in quality with Varan and SMG (both store exclusives) seems to illustrate this. Suddenly I got a bad feeling about that 1991 Ghidorah.

Bandai's boy's division (under red Bandai) =/= Tamashii Nations (blue Bandai/Bandai Spirits)

so no, boogeyman thinking here. they don't work like that.

[Dyrakro]

I really wish there was a way to get some insight on how separate toys sell so you coudl actually compare and tell which toys are popular or to see whether there is a market-movement for items like SMG.

Do wonder too how loablization changed the production amount of toys in general for Bandai. I feel like maybe even more than half their sales of Godzilla toys is through foreign customers. Or in case of KR and maybe even Ultraman it might be that half the toys are sold worldwide.

Anyway, pricing is very random sometimes. And I shudder seeing how UH/MS vinyls are now 700yen and don't even have remotely the same amount of paint apps they had when the line was 500yen in 2013-2016... yeah, inflation is a thing but increasing prices should equal same quality when in reality you get worse painting for higher pricing.

[Gojirasaur]

Their vinyls are really not worth the money they cost anymore in my book. The once great Ultraman vinyl lines go downhill fast and even the Movie Monster Series seems to slowly follow suit. I'm seriously considering to stop collecting BANDAI vinyls altogether (if they don't up their game again) and just stick to S.H.MonsterArts (which I'd buy anyway) and the occasional S.H.Figuarts instead...

This is most likely EXACTLY what Bandai wants you to do.

Yet SHMA pricing increases. It's not as if it's a slam dunk. Some were looking to the smaller scale for affordability.

If anything, for US fans at least, it makes Mezco and Playmates seem more appealing.

[Poe Ghostal]

Honestly, for me the Bandai vinyls started to lose me when they phased out the 8" scale. If they brought that back, I might go all-in again.

[Rody]

Well, they kind of did bring back the 8" scale - they just slapped the premium label on it and charged all of us $80+ per figure.

[Mac Daddy MM]

Well, they kind of did bring back the 8" scale - they just slapped the premium label on it and charged all of us $80+ per figure.

Yo, when you're right, you're right.

[Creature22]

I don’t know if it’s any indication on how the G-Store vote will be, but so far Death Ghidorah seems to be pulling the most likes on Twitter, with Anguirus ‘55 close behind. There are still a few monsters to be listed though (the Godzilla page adds one each day) so I guess we’ll see.

I really wish we could see what the vote tally is. I’m not entirely convinced the results won’t be fixed. And no disrespect to Death Ghidorah of course, but I’m really hoping the winner will be a character that hasn’t had a figure made, regardless of scale.

[LSD Jellyfish]

I don’t know if it’s any indication on how the G-Store vote will be, but so far Death Ghidorah seems to be pulling the most likes on Twitter, with Anguirus ‘55 close behind. There are still a few monsters to be listed though (the Godzilla page adds one each day) so I guess we’ll see.

I really wish we could see what the vote tally is. I’m not entirely convinced the results won’t be fixed. And no disrespect to Death Ghidorah of course, but I’m really hoping the winner will be a character that hasn’t had a figure made, regardless of scale.

Just like last time, the voting contest has two tiers. The second tier of voting will take the top 3 and vote then. We’ll see what the top three are then.

I voted for Gabara. Feels like a simple enough figure to make, and not hard to fuck up. I feel like Death Ghidorah, will be underwhelming if it wins. Hope I’m wrong.

[Legion1979]

If SMG is any indication anything even remotely bulky or complicated is going to half assed as fucked.