GU-11

Yeah, while FedEx is noticeably faster than EMS and MUCH faster than SAL, its also more expensive. In any case, I just received my MP-1L Convoy [yipeee! ]. Got taxed for the fig though, which makes me a little suspicious. Thing is, the local customs office only taxes anything that's priced over 500 [local dollars aka RM], and my shipment is only about 450 at most plus shipping. You see, I got away with tax-free shipments before with items well over that threshold using EMS. WTF? Or maybe it's the weight of the fig. That thing is mostly die-cast metal, and can weigh up to 4 lbs. I might want to stay away from FedEx from now on, if it's anything below the 500 [local] dollar plus shipping price range. But for anything over that amount, I'll still have to use FedEx. This is because the customs office is about 2 to 3 hours drive from the city center, and it's a major hassle to go there to claim the item. FedEx pays the taxes for you at customs and claims the money from you when the item arrives, which is far more convenient. BTW, if its Yamato Valks you were talking about, then I strongly suggest opening them up. These babies are too beautifully crafted to be cramped in a box. The beauty of a transformable toy is its ability to become two, or in this case, three different display pieces at a time. Set them free, and feast your eyes!

Thanks for the well wishes, man. BTW, is the Dual Model Optimus similar in size to the ROTF leader class Optimus. The only obvious difference I can see between Optimus' ROTF form and his DOTM one [besides the addition of a trailer] is the slight modification to his "abs." Since I most pose my Transformers in bot mode, I'm planning on getting the model kit and displaying him next to the ROTF leader class fig. Would have loved to buy a fully-transformable DOTM leader class Optimus, but Hasbro seems to have seriously dumbed down the toyline for DOTM, resulting a supreme and voyager class Optimus that look too childish and simplistic. No news of a leader class DOTM Optimus, either. So, does the Dual Model Optimus scale in with ROTF leader Optimus? Yeah, XL is pretty much the dominant franchise here, as far as hobby stores are concerned. They only sell Japanese items, though, which leaves a small niche for other smaller stores. As for their selection of Valks, yeah, they DO bring in a wide selection of them. Sell out real quick, too. Most of us have to preorder to make sure we get one when it arrives. But if there's one thing I DO recommend you buy from XL, it's Hot Toys 1/6th scale figures. You won't believe the mark-up of the price if you buy one from an online Japanese store. I think it has something to do with the exchange rates and the fact that the stock has to be shipped from HK to Japan and then to you. Good to hear. BTW, did you ship via SAL, EMS or FEDEX? As for leaving your stuff MISB, it's a matter of personal preference, BUT it also depends on whether your fig has any pre-installed batteries. IMO, batteries will eventually corrode if left in the figure for too long, especially when not used for long periods. Once a battery leaks fluids, you only have a limited amount of time to remove them clean up the mess before the fluid crystallizes and damages the coils that feel electricity to the electronics. In short, if there are batteries in the figs, remove them.

Damn, those DX joints sound nasty. I'm the kind that likes to display my VF's in all three modes and in different poses, so having to keep a Valk in only one mode all the time, especially for such a high-priced item, is out of the question. Rather save up and wait for those Yamato version MF VF's in the distant, possible, might-happen-might-not, future. Agreed. DX and Yamato Valks aren't exactly cheap, and you can't just ignore some the faults and just enjoy the figure, like a 12 dollar deluxe class Transformer.

Thanks for the heads-up. I guess that means I'll be waiting for Yamato to eventually come up with its own MF Valks. While I like the designs of the VF-27/27/29, I just can't bring myself to buy those DX's if they're not going to last.

My local hobby store has the -29 availble for pre-order. Super tempting, considering the fact that I'll be skipping the Fire Kai. But comparatively speaking, how do the joints of the DX figs hold up compared to the Yamato VF's? Some of the posts I've read sound like those DX joints aren't particularly long-lasting. I'd hate to end up with a fig that turns into an unstrung puppet after a few months of displaying.

Okay, this is really starting to aggravate me. On Sunday, I got a shipping confirmation from HLJ that my MP Convoy has left the warehouse. Now when I checked the FED-EX tracking system to see when it will arrive, here's what I found: Mar 27, 2011 10:05 AM - Shipment information sent to FedEx Mar 28, 2011 12:06 PM - Picked up - SANO-SHI JP Mar 28, 2011 5:01 PM - Left FedEx origin facility - SANO-SHI JP Mar 28, 2011 9:25 PM - In transit - NARITA-SHI JP Mar 28, 2011 9:00 PM - In transit - SEPANG MY - paperwork available Mar 28, 2011 10:10 PM - In transit - NARITA-SHI JP Mar 29, 2011 1:49 AM - Arrived at FedEx Location - GUANGZHOU CN Mar 29, 2011 2:08 AM - In transit - GUANGZHOU CN WTF?! Notice the location marked in red. It ARRIVED at Malaysia [which is where I'm at], and then WENT BACK to Japan, and then detoured to frickin' Guangzhou China?! I hope I don't sound like a complete idiot, but is this normal for FedEx? Or did the guys at HLJ attach the wrong damn address to my shipment [the shipping notice they sent me was the correct one]? Admittedly, I almost never use FedEx due to the price and am not familiar with their shipping process. I prefer EMS, which always sends the package straight to its destination without "detours" of any kind. And in the event that this IS a mistake, do I contact HLJ or FedEx? EDIT: On second thought, maybe the chart meant that FedEx was contacting the customs office over here about the shipment. Couldn't possibly have arrived at Malaysia in a mere 25 minutes. Damn, I really feel like a moron for posting this. No, actually I blame the chart for misleading me...yeah, that's right. Really gotta lay off the "5 cups of coffee a day" habit...

Sure thing. If FED-EX picks up the package from HLJ within the week, I just might be able to receive it by next Sunday. Any possible delays are probably going to be due to closed roads and airstrips in Japan. Once the package makes it into the air, it should be business as usual. Makes sense. I was pretty surprised to see them sending an "order processing" email on Saturday morning; in fact, I thought it might have been a computer glitch. From the news I read at their site, HLJ seems to had come out pretty much unscathed, which is good to hear, and it's more a matter of putting stuff back on shelves.

BTW, does anyone know if the recent quake's affected HLJ's shipping speed? They just confirmed my payment this morning. How long do you think it might take for them to ship something to Malaysia, I wonder? I opted for FED-EX.

In case anybody's curious, HLJ and AmiAmi's sold out [discontinued, in HLJ's case] of MP-01L Convoys. I just pre-ordered one yesterday, and got already got a "payment received" email this morning. That was fast. This thing's been selling like hotcakes, and they even "un-linked" the page from the search engine. BTW, HLJ works on Saturdays, now?

First off, I apologize in advance if this isn't the right place to post this, but I couldn't find any other place in MW to post shipping issue stuff for non-Macross figs. I dunno if its those two cups of Irish coffee I had that's gotten my nerves in a bundle, but I've just noticed something about HLJ's sudden boost in shipping speed. I've just pre-ordered a MP Convoy "last edition" yesterday, and today morning I received an email from them saying that the payment has been received, and they're now processing my order. Since when did HLJ staff work on Saturdays? ...not that I'm complaining. The sooner my fig gets here, the better.

Dunno if this is old news, but the upcoming MP Convoy is reportedly the LAST reissue of the figure. Just preordered one from HLJ; missed it several times because I had to funnel all my "fig funds" to Macross VF's, back when Yamato was re/releasing VF's like there's no tomorrow.

I just rewatched that scene on Youtube...damn, now I REALLY want that Super Ostrich. Now I've got no excuse not to buy it, since 2% of the profits HLJ makes from the sale goes to the Red Cross Society.

Same problem with display space over here. Just one IKEA Detolf glass shelf for a whole lot of VF's waiting their turn. I might have to consider an all-glass/acrylic wall shelf one of these days.

Yeah, what I'm really concerned about is that if it took them almost six months to fix up my Nora when everything was fine, how long's it gonna take now should a customer need replacement parts? That said, I fully understand and sympathize with the situation over there, and it's totally within reason to allow HLJ some time to get back on their feet.

It seems fate has decided for me already. AmiAmi's Super Ostrich is sold out. Guess it's HLJ or nothing--back to Plan A, I suppose. Sorry to hear about your VF-1D, Macross Fanboy. Well, even older designs like MacZero's VF-0's have received reissues, so there's no reason to think that the iconic VF-1D won't as well. BTW, glad to hear you and your family are okay in Japan.

By the way, if the one I get happens to have the knurled hinge pins [and I pray it doesn't], do I ask HLJ for replacement parts or do I go to Graham for that? Also, I just found out AmiAmi has the Super Ostrich on sale at 15% off. The last time I dealt with HLJ about a faulty figure [the Nora] it took me over six months for get them to fix it for me, and I even had to send the busted fig back myself. Have you guys dealt with AmiAmi before? I heard they offer speedy replacements for any defective products. Honestly, I'd be willing to trade a lesser discount for better after-purchase services--the hoops I had to jump through to get the Nora fixed is NOT something I'd like to experience again.

Thanks for all the advice, guys. I guess I'll be placing an order on that Super Ostrich, then.

I've been eying the 1/60 scale Super Ostrich for a while, and the 30% discount HLJ is offering for it is pretty tempting. Problem is, the Super Ostrich has been known to have potentially fragile shoulder hinges [the old knurled hinge pin issue], and a possible fall from the shelves is only going to make things worse. So, do you guys think a 30% discount is worth taking a gamble on the fig, or should I pass on it? If 30% is nothing special, as in there will be similar or even better discounts some other time, then I'll probably want to play it safe.

Wow, that's an awful lot of extras for only 5000 yen.

The YF-19 and all its repaints. A close second is the Gamlin VF-22S.

BRS Strength and Miku Append are definitely on my "to pre-order" list once these are open for PO at my local hobby store. WRS looks sweet, but it's a real pity it's bundled with the PSP game; and I don't own a PSP. If only it came witha PS3 game, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

Been chasing the series on Youtube. The plot's pretty decent, and the characters look good. Arcee has a massive case of mass-shifting inconsistency, but I'll let that slide. Soundwave's my favorite character design by far--I've got a thing for UCAV's is all. My only major complaint is Orci's and Kurtzman's infatuation with mute bots. As if making Bee speak in beeps and chirps wasn't enough [what, is R2-D2 his voice actor now?], they had to make Soundwave a mute [something about him choosing to stop speak or something like that.] The kids are fine, except for Miko. It's like she goes out of her way to be annoying. If she were a live actor, she'd be TOTALLY overacting. At least Jack and Raf act like normal kids do.

I'm a major fan of David Gemmell's. If George R.R. Martin's stuff is anything like his, I'm gonna love his books.

That would be the first Takara version of MP Starscream. Supposedly Kawamori [who designed the MP Seeker mold as well as MP Convoy] wanted the colors to look more realistic, and therefore painted The Screamer up in pseudo military colors. Possibly due to collector demand, a more TV accurate G1 repaint of MP SS was released, using the Hasbro box. Unlike the earlier "Greenscream", it does not come with the booklet. By all accounts it's just like the Hasbro MP Starscream, except it uses the Takara SS mold, so its tailfins remain sharp and not blunted like the Hasbro mold.

My whole collection is priceless to me. Not to mention the fact that the many of them are either hard to find these days, or sold out.