Diecast vs paint wear

[sleddogg83]

Would you guys be willing to take added durability (cosmetically), increased poseability, and a significant price cut as a result of having little to no diecast metal? I had to make this choice with TF Alts/BTs and went with the alts so far for the above reasons. However, I might still pick up any colorschemes, remolds, etc that are BT only.

[zeo-mare]

it all depends on the toy, for me I love diecast stuff and some times there is no way around it, imagine a chogokin without any sort of metal but i understand i to bought the US version of the Alts because they were cheaper and seemed just as good, I would rather still have the imports and may still as of yet pick some up. but for me it all depends on the toy, i would not spend $40.00 on a plastic chogokin even if it was more posable, but i would have no problem spending $80.00 on the exact same toy if it is metal, even with some of the limitations, you mention, it all depends on what it is.

Edited October 9, 2004 by zeo-mare

[Toonz]

in terms of the choice between a binaltech and alternator, i will choose a binaltech, which also is what i have now except, a hasbro silverstreak. that's because i'm not that interested in silverstreak and it also happens that there was a sale so i don't mind paying for it. otherwise, it's diecast all the way. it's the overall appearance and the weight that make you feel damn good while holding it in your hand. just like what zeo-mare says, imagine a chogokin without any sort of metal.

[sleddogg83]

I agree the metal has a good feel, but isnt that just nostalgia? In the long run is it not better to have a more durable and more poseable figure? I do agree that the BT's look better out of the box, but what about 5 years form now when they are chipped to hell?

[Toonz]

simple: get BT to display and ALT to play

Edited October 9, 2004 by Toonz

[zeo-mare]

depends on how well you take care of it, even if it is metal if it is stored away properly on a shelf or like some people do keep it in the box and put that on display it can last years heck it may last longer than some plastic toys. as for it being nostalgia, no not really, metal toys have never been nostalgic there has always been metal and diecast toys since i was a kid during the late 70's into the 1980's every decade has had there fair share of diecast toys and it wil be no different for years to come.

Edited October 9, 2004 by zeo-mare

[Toonz]

yup, diecast never goes out of fashion

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

If the price and poseability are better in plastic I would go for the lighter toy.

If the diecast is in the wrong places or the toys limbs suffer as a result, I find it just isn't as cool to look at when it is restricted in how it can stand, how it can articulate its arms and legs and whether it can project that comic book-like pose that we love to see in well designed toy. To me an action figure mecha should be able to give off a sense of energy in the way it looks and moves without the person needing to hold it. Poses that can show off the toy give the admirer an impression of style and attitude and add a lot to the toys apreciation.

To me outward apearance of the surface and weight is only 1 factor.

I find that with the macross plus toys the vf11b w fp is my fave because I can lean the thing at an angle, click its joints into position and know that the stiffness will wear out less, in times to come because of the lessened wieght. Normally I'm not the kind to buy mutiple toys of the same thing though. (ie 1 for play/display and 1 for MIB)

Now that's not to say all platstic automatically means very posable. The Qrau in my opinion can barely stand up properly because of floppy limbs. There are probably many other factors I'm missing but overall if the detail in the plastic is about the same as diecast, why worry your ass off that someday that detail is going to scratch off just from touching it?

Maybe I'm just paranoid after my yf21 almost crashed to the floor and snapped its head laser off and the inner thigh started getting scratched to poo after some scrapping of the leg armour, but I feel more peace of mind when toys can be left alone without wear and tear or damage from accidental bumps and scratches that would acculmulate over time and eventually lessen the value with more use.

If the diecast helps to keep it centred than that's a good thing though. But the weight alone isn't automatically a positive factor just because it makes it feel more expensive when I hold it. If anything I would have thought that diecast just meant that being harder, it would not crack so that automatically means it is indestructible and therefore means quality to most little kids. But I doubt little kids are as anal about how cool the toy should look if left on display (as opposed to smashing them against thier toy trucks) trying to make an impression with "realistic-looking" action poses.

I know when I was a little kid all I ever did was smash these toys around, and later looking back at all my matchbox cars, i'm sorry they ever had to be so easy to chip because now they've lost thier beautiful paint job and thier appearance and apreciation for them has gone down. But having said that, now I think less wieght means increased shock resistance, so that when the thing falls to the ground small pieces won't snap off because the toy will plop to the ground safely and minimise damage to the finer, delicate pieces that are going to be put to the test the most.

I would admit though that a toy that all plastic and just plain overpriced is another matter entirely. Sometimes holding the Qrau I feel as if it just doesn't justifiy that price tag because when held up it feels too light to be worth it. Hard to explain really..But in the end I would still choose plastic because it has a little more 'give' than metal whereby it can bend and snap into place and stretch a few millimetres.

And when you talk about transforming toys where the pieces must rub against each other alot, than you are bound to at least scratch some paint away with diecast as opposed to plastic even if you've been reasonably careful.

Edited October 9, 2004 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[Drad]

Diecast was used back in the days when we didn't have today's plastics technology and engineering. When we held a diecast toy back then, it usually meant quality.

Today's plastics are stronger and more durable. Current toys use diecast for strength and balance where necessary. They're mostly plastic now, but not because they're lower quality toys. Diecast simply isn't needed the way it was when we were growing up. Do today's kids care if their toys are made of metal? Probably not. They're not part of that generation. We are. High diecast content in a toy these days, as in the case of chogokin and similar items, is only there to satisfy the collector market's demand for it. Many of us equate diecast content with quality, and frankly it just makes us feel better about what we're buying. But is it necessary?

Nah.

I love my diecast toys. They'll always have a place with me. But these days I find myself appreciating well-made mostly-plastic toys because they look good, and continue to look good.. because paint damage is less of an issue. The 1/48 is a great example, as are the Alternators.. but we still get goodies like the 20th Anniversary Convoy and the Evangelion chogokin figures. It's a great time to be a fan.

[LORD KUNGFU]

Die Cast Bebey.........just the simple weight of a die cast toy in your hands is like butter, baby, butter. Thats why all the vintage godaikins are worth so much money. I dont know how many times somebody looked at my collection, picked up my voltes v or even the golion, and was like, damn, thats heavy. So of course, the more they wanted to look at it. With all my collection, some in fancy poses and a lot of detail, people are still drawn to the godaikins(chogokin). I cant say why. Shiny chrome maybe? SHeer size? Keep in mind, im talking about people who have no interest in toys......... Especially bare diecast, with out paint, damn its bright and shiney. Die cast is art in metal, hence the new soc line. Just like the chuncky monkey vs. yamato. The chuncky monkey is less poseable, less detailed, but damn, I love it, with its die cast pieces all shiny and stuff. Even tuff too. Even the die cast landing gear puts a hurtin on your finger when released. You couldnt put a strong spring like that some plasticrap.

Like power rangers megazord for example. Like the TF binaltechs, you can get Hasbo plastic, or Takara metal. I have many megazords, in the American plastic version, and Japanese Diecast version. Die cast versions are way better, even just a few diecast pieces, just totally makes it better.

Yes, there are some drawback, like to much weight on the joints will make them week or break. But then you should just make the joint metal, or make the whole toy metal. Man if they did that, I would buy the sh*t out of them.

Oh yeah, and if somebody breaks into your house, you can just grab one of your chogokin and bash them in the head.

[LORD KUNGFU]

Do today's kids care if their toys are made of metal? Probably not. They're not part of that generation.

Kids today dont care about the die cast, because they never had the option between diecast and plastic. They get everything in plastic, so they dont know what they are missing. Thats why all the new transformers suck. They all plastic. The only way to know, and simply get any 2 items that are exactly the same, one all plastic, and one with diecast, and proof is in the pudding. Yamato 1/48 are great,, but would be ggggggreater, with die cast. New transformers, suck, but would be cool with die cast, like the generation 1 Transformers.

[LORD KUNGFU]

II do agree that the BT's look better out of the box, but what about 5 years form now when they are chipped to hell?

IF your buying these for display, or adult play, you dont have to worry about chipping. Ulness you still like to roll your Binaltechs up and down the driveway, or launch them off a ramp of stacked books.

[Drad]

Die cast versions are way better, even just a few diecast pieces, just totally makes it better.

Diecast doesn't make the toys better. Your preference for diecast makes them better.

Remember.. not all of today's plastic toys are crap. Some of them are every bit as well-made and boast some pretty slick engineering, the likes of which we'd never have seen back in the day. Are they as durable as diecast toys? Probably not. But that still doesn't make a plastic toy inferior to a diecast one. Quality isn't determined by materials alone.

[LORD KUNGFU]

Diecast doesn't make the toys better. Your preference for diecast makes them better.

NO!

Diecast does make the toys better. So my preference for them is better.

Example:

1) all plastic yamato vs. nice diecast metal car - winner = Yamato

2) all plastic yamato vs. diecast yamato - winner = diecast yamato

[Valkfan]

Diecast doesn't make the toys better. Your preference for diecast makes them better. 

Remember.. not all of today's plastic toys are crap. Some of them are every bit as well-made and boast some pretty slick engineering, the likes of which we'd never have seen back in the day. Are they as durable as diecast toys? Probably not. But that still doesn't make a plastic toy inferior to a diecast one. Quality isn't determined by materials alone. 

I agree with you. In regards to Macross, I'll stay with the Bandai 1/55. As for Transformers, I have chosen the Alternators because they are guaranteed to have zero paint chipping. Also, wear and tear on the joints is lessened without the extra weight. I think Toonz has the right idea. Buy the Binaltechs for display and the Alternators to transform when you get The Urge.

Edited October 9, 2004 by Valkfan

[LORD KUNGFU]

IM not saying anything die cast is better than anything plastic, im saying that a diecast item is better than its plastic counterpart.

ever notice that all the nice expensive car models are diecast. When you can just make them out of plastic. I mean, they are just display pieces, so why make them out of diecast. They dont need to be heavy duty, they are not meant to be played with, just have nice detail. But they make them out of metal, because its better.

Diecast does have its place. I wouldnt put a diecast body on an R/C car. I find that toys with a nice balance between metal and high quality plastic is nice.

[Drad]

Kids today dont care about the die cast, because they never had the option between diecast and plastic. They get everything in plastic, so they dont know what they are missing. Thats why all the new transformers suck. They all plastic. The only way to know, and simply get any 2 items that are exactly the same, one all plastic, and one with diecast, and proof is in the pudding. Yamato 1/48 are great,, but would be ggggggreater, with die cast. New transformers, suck, but would be cool with die cast, like the generation 1 Transformers.

When we were kids, diecast usually did mean a better quality toy, simply because often times, the plastic toys that were available to us, by and large, were fugly little pieces of crap. We didn't have the option of high-quality plastic toys back then. Today's kids are going to play with whichever toys they like best, regardless of the materials used to make them. Just like we did. I enjoyed my G1 Transformers, but I also loved my G.I. Joes and vinyl tokusatsu/sentai toys.

Not all of today's plastic toys are masterpieces either (Masterpiece Collection, anyone?), but some of them are truly excellent in many ways. They're just not made of metal, and a lot of times.. they just don't need to be.

This is 2004. Not 1974. Let's remember our old favorites with fondness and even buy up today's cool diecast offerings. But there's a lot of great toys available now that we just didn't have before, because the technology just wasn't there yet. It's here now. Diecast, plastic, or anywhere in between, there's lots to enjoy. It'd be a shame not to give good toys credit where it's due, no matter what they're made of.

[Dat Pinche Haro!]

i feel like if a toy needs the diecast then it should have it...and it should be put in places where the diecast is needed...not just slapped on just for the hell of it...and i don't feel like diecast really makes the toy since the 1/48 VF-1's are better balanced than the 1/60 VF-1's...but if you look at the 1/60, it actually needed the diecast in the legs to help it balance better...i know for sure if the 1/60's were all plastic they'd be falling over constantly...and as for the 1/48's...they could actually do well with or without the diecast content...the diecast is good but isn't really needed...it's perfectly balanced as is so no need for diecast...as for the alternators vs. binaltech...i feel like it all goes down to personal preference...i feel the plastic alternators are just as good in quality as the binaltech toys...again, the designs takara put into their toys pretty much make it so you don't really need the diecast content so the toy could do well with or without it...again, it all goes down to personal preference

[Drad]

Diecast does make the toys better. So my preference for them is better.

Example:

1) all plastic yamato vs. nice diecast metal car - winner = Yamato

2) all plastic yamato vs. diecast yamato - winner = diecast yamato

No. Diecast makes the toys more durable, but not necessarily better. You're entitled to your opinion. No matter how strongly you state it, it remains as such.

[LORD KUNGFU]

Diecast does make the toys better. So my preference for them is better.

Example:

1) all plastic yamato vs. nice diecast metal car - winner = Yamato

2) all plastic yamato vs. diecast yamato - winner = diecast yamato

No. Diecast makes the toys more durable, but not necessarily better. You're entitled to your opinion. No matter how strongly you state it, it remains as such.

Exactly, so you tellimg me that when you make somthing more durable, that does not make it better?

[LORD KUNGFU]

Mo durable, Mo better!

[Drad]

Exactly, so you tellimg me that when you make somthing more durable, that does not make it better?

Correct. Durability isn't the sole criteria as to the overall quality of the toy. It depends on what you're going to use it for.

For example, my Binaltech Meister looks just awesome, and it's diecast. However, it sucks as a toy because I have to worry about paint chipping and all that. I can't mess with it and enjoy it as easily as I could the Alternator version. It does make an infinitely better display model than the Alternator Meister, however. But to play with and enjoy.. I'm going to be getting the Alternator version. Binaltech Meister's going to have a nice spot on my shelf to sit and look cool.

Both versions have merit.

Edited October 9, 2004 by Drad

[Drad]

Mo durable, Mo better!

By that rationale, we should all be playing with some of the old, outdated and sometimes ugly diecast toys of the past. Sure, if I grabbed one of those and started whacking the crap out of my plastic toys, the diecast would still be in one piece and my plastic toys would be so much junk. That still wouldn't mean that some of the plastic toys in that pile might not have been better than whatever diecast toy I'd used to smash them to bits with.

Again.. diecast, no matter what it gives to the toy, does not necessarily make it better than its plastic counterpart. "Better" is always going to be a matter of opinion, which we all have.

Edited October 9, 2004 by Drad

[LORD KUNGFU]

Mo durable, Mo better!

By that rationale, we should all be playing with some of the old, outdated and sometimes ugly diecast toys of the past. Sure, if I grabbed one of those and started whacking the crap out of my plastic toys, the diecast would still be in one piece and my plastic toys would be so much junk.

Still.. diecast, no matter what it gives to the toy, does not necessarily make it better than its plastic counterpart. "Better" is always going to be a matter of opinion, which we all have.

Rong! Thats as rong as my spelling of rong......with this issue, its a matter of aspect and purpose, and not opinion.

Certain aspects would make something better for there purpose. Like, a plastic frisbee would be better than a diecast frisbee.

A plastic jumbo machinder is better than a diecast jumbo. Could you imagine some kids playing with a diecast jumbo, that thing would be heavy. And with rocket punch too! There would be a lot of blind adults now if that existed.

DIECAST VS. PLASTIC

suntlight: diecast does not yellow ---- plastic may yellow

heat: diecast does not melt or deform -----plastic may melt or deform

strength: diecast is strong, but may still break ----plastic is flexable, but does break easier.

detail: diecast has good detail -----plastic can be moled with more detail

weaponry: diecast can bash 10 peoples heads -----plastic can only bash 1 head before breaking.

emergencyy use: diecast will break a window for escape in case of fire ----plastic will not

customizing: diecast can be stripped and repainted several times ---too many chemicals will ruin plastic

conductivity: diecast will shock you if inserted in socket ----plastic will not

These are actual facts and not my opinions.

So as far as a toy aspect, diecast is the clear winner making diecast "BETTER".

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

Well, I would *still* choose a cheaper plastic toy to the same toy in diecast which is more expensive. (given that they are both exctly the same in poseability, detail, and meet reasonable enough strength)

The main reason is that I like the fact that when it flops to the ground I get the satisfaction nothing is going to break.

Stronger material doesn't necessarily = less chance of being damaged.

Take a cardboard box vs an old cd jewel case. The plastic of the jewel case can shatter and crack when dropped. The cardboard box will absorb some of the shock and flop to the ground harmlessly protecting the content inside, and being less weighty, cause less damage because there is less gravitaional pull. Harder material may not abosrb the shockwaves and this may harm the weaker parts of the toy that are not made out of the hard materials. The extra weight adds more shock when it lands.

And even if plastic yellows, that is only white that it is noticable. Even metal rusts right? So given that a toy will transform and rub against parts and scratch those parts where friction is evident, what chance is there that the average kid is going to bother stripping the paint and applying thier own mod each time they see paint chips? I've got my yf21 in mind, where the transformation isn't very gentle, with some parts squashing together and sliding agsint surfaces very tight where, had those bits been diecast it would be a nightmare just to transform each time.

Being a kung fu master you can learn strength through weakness. "Be like water" as bruce lee and Roy Fokker used to say. (mac 0 joke. I think that butch chick who beats shin is a perfect example, with Shin's idea of strength being just a state of mind that gets him easily manipulated into the wrong moves because he is so used to one mode of fighting: ala being good at fighter mode combat but crap in battroid combat)

Also take into account that if something is cheaper, you can buy more than one. Companies can mass produce more because of the cheap material, and this drives overall price for toy down, making more people happy and less stress that if the toy gets wrecked, they won't have to repair that toy which would cost more time to pay for the labour of doing that, instead they can rely on the fact that it would be cheaper to just get a whole new one. After they've made thier profit from the cheaper alternatives, then they can just make the diecast version to satisfy the fetishists out there who want to hold and caress their baby and look after it 24/7 instead of play with it and risk scratching it through normal use.

However if the entry level price was to high because of the diecast, less people will be able to buy the "higher quality" toy and price will remain artificially higher (can only manufacture fewer) than what it would if it was a normal plastic toy. I wonder how much a 1/48 would cost in complete diecast? I know for sure that I would pay for a plastic one over the diecast one and use the savings to pay for another plastic 1/48 that I wanted. (assuming yamato gave a choice)

Now imagine if the low vis was a diecast. A single paint chip could drastically and more noticable bring the total value of the toy down over say, a small scratch on a plastic low vis. And paint chips imo happen more frequently than damages to the plastic in my own experience. (of course this may vary with different people - I'm only stating my own experiences like when my yf21 thigh started with a small chip, then gradually got worse and worse with less and less resistance to chipping the more I started to transform it, to a point where each time I touched part of the legs, tiny sheets of paint started coming off on my finger)

Edited October 9, 2004 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[LORD KUNGFU]

Take a cardboard box vs a cd jewel case. The plastic of the jewcase can shatter and crack when dropped. The cardboard box will absorb some of the shock and flop to the ground harmlessly protecting the content inside, and being less weighty cause less damage because there is less gravitaional pull.

How about we take a diecast cd case vs. a cardbaord cd case.

heat: Diecast will block out heat ----- cardboard will let heat transfer and melt cd

drop test: diecast will not break or shatter ---- cardboard will not break or shatter

being ran over by car: diecast will not break if flat cd case style ----card board survival(not a chance in hell)

moisture: diecast will block out moisture ---- cardboard will absorb it and be limp

transportablilty: diecast has limited amount you can transport in a back pack due to weight. ---- you can carry more in with cardboard case.

if you get shot: diecast case will block the bullet ---- cardboard will not

as a weapon: diecast case can be throw at someones head like a ninja star. ---- carboard case can be thrown also, but will not be effective.

stranded on island: diecast case can be polished, then can use the reflection of the sun to signal aircraft flying overhead ---- cardboard does not reflect the sun well enough.

This is fact, and not an opinion: Winner - Diecast!

[LORD KUNGFU]

However if the entry level price was to high because of the diecast, less people will be able to buy the "higher quality" toy and price will remain artificially higher than what it would if it was a normal plastic toy. I wonder how much a 1/48 would cost in diecast. I know for sure that I would pay for a plastic one over the diecast one and use the savings to pay for another plastic 1/48. (assuming yamato gave a choice)

Thats the only reason that they dont make diecast robots anymore, the cost is to much for toy companys. So they just keep making stuff out of craplastic.

[EXO]

Wow, I can't believe you're willing to waste multiple just to make people digest your biased opinion.

The need for die-cast should be taken in a case by case basis. As for transformable toys, I think I would rather stick with plastic... all those pieces rubbing together is a sure fire way to peel or sratch the paint. I love the Takara BTs but I'm more impressed by the quality of the Alternators. The paint looks great on the plastic as well. And there's no way to mold diecast to the color desired... it has to be painted on.

Would you prefer all your action figures in diecast? Diecast is clearly not the the right material for figures, so obviously plastic is better there.... unless it's robocop or the termonator endo, then I'd have to wish for die cast.

The Toynami Alpha is another good example... why the hell would you make the forearm boosters die-cast? It served no purpose and it made the arm to heavy to pose effectively. PLastic was clearly the better material in that case.

The only toy I would love in die-cast right now is a 12" robocop, if they ever made one. Or a vanship from Last Exile... that would kick ass...

I'm glad the Konig will be mostly plastic, I can imagine all the parts that is moved in transformation would be in danger of scrathes.

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

Kung Fu:

Well given that the toy is cheaper, who cares if you let it get run over? Just buy a new one because they are in more abundance and cheap. When an old tv requires repairs and the parts are hard to get becasue they're are hard to find, isn't it much cheaper to buy a more modern one than to pay the costs to get the old one fixed? Same with computers, if they were way out of average people's price ranges would we see quick advances and leaps? The profits made lead to better and more efficient ones for the future. Who cares what materials they were made of if the new ones perform better and there is continued advances thanks to the prices being kept down? You know sometimes the most abundant and cheap things: like water is also the most important. (can man survive without it? Just because it is abundant and cheap doesn't mean it is not valuable to many people)

Nothing lasts forever, even a chunky monkey can be blown to bits by a mere hand grenade which would make it fail the stringent durability tests of the UN Spacy.

Price to strength/durability ratio is the key. It will be a long time before I let my 1/48 get run over by cars because I never play on the roads. But in terms of chipping, hell yeah, if it was diecast and I transformed it or accidently scratched it, I'd be doing lots more damage to the toy from *normal use. Matchbox cars are a great example. Who here can honestyl say they have never ever chipped a matchbox car from playing with them as kids?

*normal use being defined as just playing and transforming it without abusing it.

Edited October 9, 2004 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[LORD KUNGFU]

Wow, I can't believe you're willing to waste multiple just to make people digest your biased opinion.

Whats multiple? Is that forum jargon?

The need for die-cast should be taken in a case by case basis. As for transformable toys, I think I would rather stick with plastic... all those pieces rubbing together is a sure fire way to peel or sratch the paint. I love the Takara BTs but I'm more impressed by the quality of the Alternators. The paint looks great on the plastic as well. And there's no way to mold diecast to the color desired... it has to be painted on.

Metal can be anodized nowadays. Not only painted.

Would you prefer all your action figures in diecast?

Yes, I have diecast gi joes, and they are BETTER.

Diecast is clearly not the the right material for figures, so obviously plastic is better there.... unless it's robocop or the termonator endo, then I'd have to wish for die cast.

The Toynami Alpha is another good example... why the hell would you make the forearm boosters die-cast?

Thats true, they should have made it all diecast.

It served no purpose and it made the arm to heavy to pose effectively. PLastic was clearly the better material in that case.

IF the diecast is to heavy for the joint to pose, then make the joint better.

The only toy I would love in die-cast right now is a 12" robocop, if they ever made one. Or a vanship from Last Exile... that would kick ass...

Yup!

I'm glad the Konig will be mostly plastic, I can imagine all the parts that is moved in transformation would be in danger of scrathes.

[LORD KUNGFU]

I never said that plastic was not good. Or that diecast was indistructable. or even worth a price increase. A lot of the items are great in plastic, and toys are great in plastic too. I never said diecast was a nessecity. Just better in diecast.

You people are comparing modern day plastic technology to old diecast tech. Your missing the boat. You saying that plasitc now a days is better than diecast 20 30 years ago. DUh! but modern diecast has also improved tremendously with modern plastic. Yeah, the old diecast was chunky, and to heavy for joints. So, there could a lot of improvements made. I consider the metal robots a work of art. Diecast isnt a nessecity, but its better. YEah, so the paint scrapes on the joints where it swivels. So, put a plastic shim there, powder coat the metal, anodize the metal, it could be made to work. The reality is, a toy company will not do it because there is no profit in it. You ever see that scratch built VF that was completely machined from metal? IF youve seen that , and you tell me that you think plastic is better, then you have not seen it.

Im not a plastic hater. In fact, an all diecast toy would not be the greatest. But a good balance of plastic and metal is the best. I think takatoku had it nailed and lot of the toys in the 80s, just good quality plastic, with metal in the right spots.

[Panzer]

I SEE IT LIKE THIS:

The Japanese toys we are buying are basically made for the Japanese market. I think diecast has always held a certain prestige for the japanese consumer (and us hardcore yank fans)-- look at the original Bandai VF's box art, "HI METAL" stamped right on the upper left corner of the box. diecast equals value, its precious metal. it requires work, imagine the manufacturers pouring the melton ore into the mold (or something like that).

Its like the difference between a hubcap and an alloy rim.

now this paint fleckling problem you are talking about is typically a Yamato thing. i farted on my VF-19 and some paint came off So lets just make sure we are talking about Yammie diecast work and not diecast application as a whole.

i think diecasting is a crucial selling point, it don't mean squat to little kids buying toys but its grown men who design them and its truely grown men (or maybe one woman ) who collect them on a hardcore level. my point? lets look at everything on the menu before we write off the whole noodle stand and draw lines between diecast and plastic and dump on one or the other. uh i guess thats a good analogy lol

(look at the time of my post, Panzer is up all nite abusing stuff )

Edited October 9, 2004 by Panzer

[Drad]

weaponry:   diecast can bash 10 peoples heads  -----plastic can only bash 1 head before breaking.

conductivity:   diecast will shock you if inserted in socket  ----plastic will not

These are actual facts and not my opinions.

So as far as a toy aspect, diecast is the clear winner making diecast "BETTER". 

Yeah, I guess diecast is better if you're the type who likes going into a fight situation with an armload of toys.. or sticking them into electrical outlets and electrocuting yourself.

Supporting your opinion with facts still doesn't keep it from being an opinion in this case. No matter how much reasoning or how many facts you give.

Again, whether or not diecast makes a "better" toy depends on how you're going to use it, which you and I agree upon. If having a diecast toy fulfills all the criteria for being a better toy for you, and this is the key.. for you.. then yes, it is better in that case. But everyone's different, as are their opinions as to what makes good toys. My nephew Riley is about nine months old. He's got some of my hand-me-down Tonka trucks lying around the house. They can certainly take more of a beating than most of his plastic toys. They're still as bright and strong as they ever were when I and then my brother enjoyed them, if a little worn for the experience. Does he care? Not likely. He's got a red plastic Elmo toy that he absolutely loves. It's not much, really. Just a simple chunk of red plastic with eyes, nose and a smile. For him, Elmo is the better toy. When he gets older, he'll probably find the Tonka trucks more appealing, and hence, better. But right now, he likes his plastic Elmo just as much as you like your diecast toys, for who knows what reasons. I'm sure they're not the same reasons that you have for appreciating toys that have a lot of diecast in them. It's all about preference. For the time being Riley chooses Elmo over Tonka. Preference doesn't have to make sense. Everyone knows those Tonka trucks are bigger, tougher and more complex than that red plastic Elmo. But Riley still loves it to death and pays far more attention to it than the trucks.

Preference, my friend. Opinion.

If my nephew can figure it out, I'm sure you'll have no problems.

Edited October 9, 2004 by Drad

[LORD KUNGFU]

I guess that the sky is blue being a fact isn't anymore since my opinion is that its blue?

[Panzer]

^^^ just read my post above, i like my opinion.