Toynami 1/100 line

[jenius]

I'm a huge fan of the Hi-Metal toys. I think they're well worth MSRP. I'm really bummed to see the line die because with the newest VF-25 V2 toy costing 75% more than original with shipping and currency fluctuation, now seems like the perfect time to invest in a smaller scale line with a much lower MSRP. As far as Toynami goes, they weren't sophisticated enough to deliver good Robotech merchandise and they shot themselves in the foot with the brand and now can't make money with it. Since they can't make money with it there's no incentive to release the toys even if there is a minority still wanting their remaining products badly. I'd love to see the Glaug and the 1/100 VF-1 toys make it to release... but I know there aren't a whole lot of people like me.

[ae_productions]

I'm a huge fan of the Hi-Metal toys. I think they're well worth MSRP. I'm really bummed to see the line die because with the newest VF-25 V2 toy costing 75% more than original with shipping and currency fluctuation, now seems like the perfect time to invest in a smaller scale line with a much lower MSRP. As far as Toynami goes, they weren't sophisticated enough to deliver good Robotech merchandise and they shot themselves in the foot with the brand and now can't make money with it. Since they can't make money with it there's no incentive to release the toys even if there is a minority still wanting their remaining products badly. I'd love to see the Glaug and the 1/100 VF-1 toys make it to release... but I know there aren't a whole lot of people like me.

It is too bad about the hi-metal! That line had a lot of potential. And oddly enough, from what I have been told, it sold decently. Curious as to why BanDai pulled the plug? Do smaller scale figures mean smaller profit margins? Obviously. But I would think QUANTITY would make up for that? With the market being as bad as it is, it's a little easier to swallow to spend 100 bucks on a Hi-Metal toy than 300 on the 1:60 VF-19! (Apples and Oranges, Yamato and BanDai)...

As far as Toynami goes, I have heard the line is still alive. Steve Yun said at one of the conventions this year that the line was still going... But, sometimes what he says and what happens, are two things entirely. (But not always his fault).

Toynami had some pretty promising releases on the horizon. With the Elintseeker, Super Ostrich, the GBP and VT-1D...not to mention the glaug...

All releases I know many fans would love to get their hands on.

Time will tell. I hope we see more.

Edited August 9, 2011 by ae_productions

[AcroRay]

Bingo. Toynami is the worst toy company on the planet. I think ANY other toy company could capitalize on the name brand, but instead the poor management at Toynami sits around wondering why they suck at their jobs...b/c everyone from the management up doesn't know how the hell to do their job right.

I want those 1/100 toys big time, but Toynami will likely never release them.

Toynami must know how to do their jobs to some extent if you're so enamored by their product that you're inspired to flame the whole company and all its staff so rudely for depriving your poor little self of their products.

Jeeze. If you're so disgusted by the sandbox, then just get out and find something else on the playground to play with.

The next North American exclusive Macross product is made and sitting in China, waiting to ship to a country where there just isn't enough Macross interest to make the minimum order... even though you can preorder the things all over the place and they've been pushed to every retailer who might even be remotely interested. Who's fault is that? And how stupid would Toynami have to be to launch into even more Macross products for a market that isn't quite interested in the last inexpensive, nicely made one that 'fans demanded'? I think that sadly says more about the Macross hobby here in North American than it says about Toynami. It says the reality is that Macross/Robotech fans in North America are organized and vocal enough to make their demands heard, but not anywhere nearly as populous enough as manufacturers and importers hoped would justify new products.

Unless you're making Lego-mates, PVC superhero figures or have Hasbro's credit line, it looks damn tough to be a toy company in North America trying to make or sell Japanese robots.

Edited August 11, 2011 by AcroRay

[Mechapilot77]

so basically people haven't preordered enough of them and retailers haven't ordered enough...guess we are a dying breed. i've preordered both upcoming versions of the regult battlepod (light and heavy artillery) at BBTS, and have the 2010 SDCC one sitting in my POL there. Damn i want that GLAUG so badly too. i'll probably pick up a VF-1S strike too at some point (those are available readily apparently).

[DarrinG]

Have the first Regult and I am ready for the Glaug - but skipped on the 2 missile versions.

So it looks like I'm part of the problem.

BUT - let's consider how this causes issues when they try to milk the easiest next release to death before coming out with something more exciting:

HOW BOUT INSTEAD - Beagle and Toynami:

Reg Regult THEN Glaug (even though you have the other regult missile versions ready to go!), THEN Light Missile (since revoltech did the heavy missile already), THEN SCOUT Regult, THEN Heavy Missile - wonder how that would have affected Sales??

Stick Ride Armor THEN FUKE, THEN Ray - Then Yellow

Stagger the releases to keep interest high, more jack up front, but the line continues and build customer loyalty...

[DarrinG]

Oh - and this would go for Inbits too Toynami (that will be unlikely at all now),

INSTEAD of the Purple Shock Trooper with Guns - then without Guns, and then Special Battle Damaged Shocktrooper (and by this time most have tuned out the line),

Shock Trooper and Scout both without Guns - THEN Green Command Ship - Then Shock Trooper and Scout With Guns - THEN Purple Command Ship - Then Blue Pincer Type - The 3 pack of Scouts with Guns and Space Boosters - THEN Gray Command Ship...

But it is OH-SO TEMPTING to milk when you've already got the tooling and molds done for the trooper and scout (or regult) - but this is a tricky niche market and you must be wise in your releases....

[DarrinG]

JEEEEZZZZ - OH - WEEEZZZZ I could go on here!

YAMATO - How about a 4 PART Chain Base / Repair Bay for the Destroid releases!?!

And YOU HAVE TO GET ALL 4 TO COMPLETE THE HANGAR? One comes with a crane to be hoisting a top half into place, etc etc...

I'm only a fan and customer but I would think we'd have our Phalanx and Spartan by now...

(p.s. spartan would have come out 2nd or 3rd EVEN THOUGH the easiest path is the 3 similar ones all first, see previous posts about staggering releases to keep interest high)

[AcroRay]

I've got one each of the 3 Regults so far (standard, heavy, DYRL).

Variations of a design so early at the outset can cause buyer fatigue, certainly. But on one hand they are probably very much in a position where they have to maximize profit off of the first design to re-invest in the line for later, new product. They've likely made a bet that due to a long history of demand for the underserved Regult and the relatively cheap price of the products, people would be much more willing to purchase them even if the are initially only a short series of different styles of the same product.

But, Mechapilot77, it's unfair to consider you or purchasers like you to be a 'problem'. I mean, there's only so many resources many collectors have to spend on a particular interest. Some collectors simply don't need every variation of the Regult, even if they're relatively cheap. Those are just the challenges of developing product - even the best of products - and the decisions on investing in when, where and how to sell them. Personally, I would probably only get one or two of the various styles of these myself if they weren't just within the range of what I can spend, and spaced out rather evenly over time. If they all came out at once, I'd probably only be able to get one or two and be forced to pass on others unless they remained available for a long time.

It's a gamble Toynami has made around a number of factors. Sometimes that's all you can do.

But, d4mning the company and all its staff just because some of their latest product is stalled is unfair and, frankly, indicative of some serious ignorance. I've got a lot of friends making livings in the independent segments of the toy industry, and it just personally burns me up when some people vomit up crap all over message boards about folks like that. It's rude and very tiny-minded.

Edited August 13, 2011 by AcroRay

[ps99042]

AcroRay, I don't think it's unfair to call out Toynami as they've actually had a pretty poor track record in regards to most of their Robotech releases. Many of their items (before the Regults were even a glimmer in their lineup) experienced significant delays regarding release. These delays were often compounded by inferior quality control on a consistent basis as well which you would think the delays would help minimize. Moreover, these delays were seen during times when the product, according to those great honest guys at HG, was so popular that they couldn't keep them in stock. And we weren't even in the economic crisis we're in now back then.

I also don't think it's very accurate to say that there aren't enough Macross fans buying product in North America or that they aren't interested in an inexpensive item. First, it's an enemy mecha and enemy mecha never sell as well as those of the "good guys". Heck, even Hasbro follows this practice by always producing more autobots than Decepticons in their toy lines. Perhaps Toynami could adjust their marketing by releasing a Valkyrie in between Regult releases or do so concurrently to minimize buyer fatigue. Afterall, variability in a line can do wonders with sales. Also, Macross fans tend to go pretty crazy when it comes to purchasing (just look at the collection people post on this forum) so the interest and money is there to be had if Toynami gets their act together. Afterall, they have the license to produce Robotech toys so they should produce Robotech toys, not just Battlepods.

[JET7]

sticking to the topic, i like the 1/100 macross toys of toynami.. infact i would rather buy the exploding knee caps 1/100 toynami valk/battroid rather than the transforming revoltech vfs..

the fact that its cheap..its fun and bashable.

[GXPT2000]

sticking to the topic, i like the 1/100 macross toys of toynami.. infact i would rather buy the exploding knee caps 1/100 toynami valk/battroid rather than the transforming revoltech vfs..

the fact that its cheap..its fun and bashable.

i thought the revoltechs were rather nice.. with the scale and poseability in robot mode( although it does suffer a bit..)

I am still longing to get a 1/100 1J...still havent got a chance to grab one..(the toynami robot proportions just look really bad...personally i think)

[Jasonc]

I wouldn't blame Toynami for the lack of interest in their toys. They market it under the big Robotech banner, and it's a banner that as of a long time already, they haven't really worked too hard on marketing the product. They stick to only marketing at anime conventions, and if you haven't seen the panel, they talk about the toy products for maybe 2 minutes. Even the toys they market as Macross, and not Robotech, people just usually tie them as Robotech toys, and most people I know, when talking about Macross toys, refer to Bandai or Yamato. I think the guys at Toynami are smart, and they aren't going to put out something if previous releases of a similar product haven't sold too well. That's one of the problems with HG's idea of marketing only to anime conventions.

[atreyu2112]

I think a lot of it really has to do with 3-4 straight releases of the same thing, but with missiles. Let's be honest, I already have 3 Reguld's... I want something else now. I do want a Light Artillery & a Tactical - but I really want that Glaug first, and the other Valks.

Make a business plan out of it! Don't release the same thing back to back to back. Like (no particular order here) Standard Reguld, 1/100 Valk (VF-1D), Glaug, 1/100 Valk (Elint), Heavy Reguld, 1/100 Valk (Ostrich), Light Reguld, 1/100 Valk (TV Max), Reguld (Tactical), Valk (TV Kaki), etc...

Release 1 a month or every other month. Do what Mattel did with He-Man, and now Ghostbusters & DCU - offer a subscription. Commit to 1 year of the line. If it works - continue the line. If it doesn't, well, at least you satisfied the core of your market.

Even if they went deeper into the enemy mecha, there are enough characters and deco's to justify costs as each mold would get at least 3 separate releases out of it. There are still at least 5 Valk deco's, Nousjadeul-Ger, Queadluun-Rau, Gnerl Fighter Pod... the list goes on. At a $20 - $30 price range (which is great) and enough of a product line, the line would generate interest on it's own. Then you'd have all of us talking about the releases getting more people into it.

Just mho rant & 2 cents!

[protostar8]

You know what's a better strategy? Dump the license on a company that can actually sell the products they have toy makers create instead of shelfing them only to show other ones that will never see the light of day. Maybe they could give that a try instead of sucking so hard???

[ae_productions]

I think a lot of it really has to do with 3-4 straight releases of the same thing, but with missiles. Let's be honest, I already have 3 Reguld's... I want something else now. I do want a Light Artillery & a Tactical - but I really want that Glaug first, and the other Valks.

Make a business plan out of it! Don't release the same thing back to back to back. Like (no particular order here) Standard Reguld, 1/100 Valk (VF-1D), Glaug, 1/100 Valk (Elint), Heavy Reguld, 1/100 Valk (Ostrich), Light Reguld, 1/100 Valk (TV Max), Reguld (Tactical), Valk (TV Kaki), etc...

Release 1 a month or every other month. Do what Mattel did with He-Man, and now Ghostbusters & DCU - offer a subscription. Commit to 1 year of the line. If it works - continue the line. If it doesn't, well, at least you satisfied the core of your market.

Even if they went deeper into the enemy mecha, there are enough characters and deco's to justify costs as each mold would get at least 3 separate releases out of it. There are still at least 5 Valk deco's, Nousjadeul-Ger, Queadluun-Rau, Gnerl Fighter Pod... the list goes on. At a $20 - $30 price range (which is great) and enough of a product line, the line would generate interest on it's own. Then you'd have all of us talking about the releases getting more people into it.

Just mho rant & 2 cents!

I have to disagree.

The Mattel MOTU classics line has turned into a butchered over priced market driven by scalpers leaving most of the fans in the cold, forcing to buy prices beyond the already inflated Mattel on-line price.

Toynami has the right idea about their 1/100 line. It's inexpensive. Customizable. And let's face it, the most fun you'll ever have for 20 bucks. :-)

I do like their enemy mecha. But, I agree that the line should have been broken up.

A great example of this is Beagle. They had an amazing product with their Mospeada Bikes. Had they released the Fuke (or even Yellow for that matter) as the 1st or second release, we probably would have had 3 MOSPEADA releases instead of 2.

Saturating a market with the same mold only works in Transformers, GI JOE and Star Wars lines.

Many bash Toynami. But I still support them. Some of their products are fantastic. This includes the 1/100 line.

And, even though I am a little tired of the Regult/Battlepods, I have made several purchases of each hoping to help pave the way for the Glaug, Elintseeker, GBP, Super Ostrich and the VT-1D 1/100 toys.

I agree that everyone has a right to express their opinion. But if you hate Toynami and/or Robotech, then to paraphrase another member....go play in another sandbox.

[EXO]

I don't know about fantastic or cheap. These are still overpriced for what they are. And to get a valk with FP how much does that end up being? These are low run toys and are maybe at the best mediocre in their success so they'll always be retailed more than they are worth. Their final price is not decided by retail, it's either they end up in the bargain bin or because the runs are so low, they end up being more expensive because they are scarce and completists and speculators are idiots. The only real draw about the Regult is that it's the only ready to display "toy" released in the market. And should vinyl even be considered toys? They're really just soft statues. I think you get more play from a 1/72 kit. But toy people don't want to pay that much and still have to build it (and I don't blame them). So all of a sudden this toy is considered awesome. If someone released a 1/100 non transformable valk in the market, would it be called awesome? No. It's called a gashaphon.

And the credits of the awesomeness of the Beagle does not go to Toynami... who do they go to? The people that are designing Yamato toys. They just finished the 1/60 Fire Valk. Toynami is just the distributor. And even their worldwide license couldn't save a great toy. I mean the whole debate about whether or not Big West should deal with HG is so that we can get imported products at a lower price. But we're they able to to give it a much wider distribution that we got it at an affordable price? Granted it was less, but the whole point is that they'd have enough muscle worldwide to advertise and and increase the number of units per run, do you think we got that from HG?

And after all the crappy unplayable toys, do you really need new reasons to not like Toynami? That's not crap in your sandbox left by the haters... those are just the toys you bought from Toynami.

[JET7]

"they end up being more expensive because they are scarce and completists and speculators are idiots"

- ouch this hurts, they may be costly in some countries (that i dont know why) .. but here in my location its cheap (atleast where i buy/store em from). Thats why i like 'em. I let my kid play with it rather them touching my yamato/bandai/takatoy.

peace guys

[EXO]

OK. Maybe that was a bit harsh... I meant Robotech/Toynami completists...

[JET7]

there you go lets just keep the passion for macross toys guys. may these toys be cheap or expensive.

[m0n5t3r]

i hate speculators.... and hoarders... and when toy companies enable these speculators and hoarders.

[DarrinG]

Can someone clarify what a 'speculators and hoarders' are?

If you mean a person who buys 10 thinking they can sell them later and make a profit - what would be wrong with that?

I can't afford to, but I would think 7 out of 10 times you'd get burned and 'speculate' wrong anyway, and lose money.

But if I could have bought 5 Stick Beagles and sold 4 later I would have - maybe that's bad in some way, that's why I'm asking...

[jwasko]

Can someone clarify what a 'speculators and hoarders' are?

If you mean a person who buys 10 thinking they can sell them later and make a profit - what would be wrong with that?

I'm pretty sure that's what he meant.

Technically, it's no different than anything that goes on in American capitalism...it's just that everyone who has to pay extra because they can't find one at retail price thinks it sucks when they have to pay a speculator/scalper twice retail price.

[m0n5t3r]

...it's just that everyone who has to pay extra because they can't find one at retail price thinks it sucks when they have to pay a speculator/scalper twice retail price.

people don't just think it, it actually does suck... it's not a figment of anybody's imagination. heck, even the speculators and hoarders will admit and say - "heh, it sucks for you, but you have no choice but to get it from me now at the price that i dictate..."

Edited August 25, 2011 by m0n5t3r

[jwasko]

people don't just think it, it actually does suck... it's not a figment of anybody's imagination. heck, even the speculators and hoarders will admit and say - "heh, it sucks for you, but you have no choice but to get it from me now at the price that i dictate..."

Oh, believe me, I've had to pay inflated prices before (pretty much the entire "classics" line of Transformers) and absolutely hated it. I was just approaching it objectively.

[EXO]

Can someone clarify what a 'speculators and hoarders' are?

If you mean a person who buys 10 thinking they can sell them later and make a profit - what would be wrong with that?

I can't afford to, but I would think 7 out of 10 times you'd get burned and 'speculate' wrong anyway, and lose money.

But if I could have bought 5 Stick Beagles and sold 4 later I would have - maybe that's bad in some way, that's why I'm asking...

You can do it and it might work, but it's the worst thing to do with your money. There's so much way better investments out there. You have to already have money to do such a thing first of all and then be willing to sit on it for a year or two in hopes that it'll triple in value. And what if in the time you hoped they accumulated that much there's a rerelease or a newer better version that another company decided to produce? The only way you can make real money off toys is to just make it a real business and treat as such and then be good at it because there's plenty of competition. Speculating and hoarding toys won't make you rich.

[eugimon]

people don't just think it, it actually does suck... it's not a figment of anybody's imagination. heck, even the speculators and hoarders will admit and say - "heh, it sucks for you, but you have no choice but to get it from me now at the price that i dictate..."

I love the whiny posts of speculators bemoaning the loss of value of their precious toys.

pro-hint, if toys are your retirement fund, you fail.

[ae_productions]

I love the whiny posts of speculators bemoaning the loss of value of their precious toys.

pro-hint, if toys are your retirement fund, you fail.

For me, they are not retirement. You'll have to pry my Valks from my dead fingers.

But getting a hold of some of these toys or being forced to get them on the secondary markets suck.

Damn you Japanese Web exclusives!

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

Although I am not a toy hoarder myself I can see why people do it.

Especially with respect to characters in some toy series that are really not easy to get. I paid a lot of money to get the legios and tread from cms but I am only willing to pay that much because the series is unpopular. Its very annoying having to pay it but if its the only company doing it then what can a guy do?

Marvel legends figures? My brother has 4 juggernauts. He just likes that character a lot so I can see him helping to feed the ebay collector hoarder who held on to lots of that particular thing for a long time.

Yeah go ahead and bash them now but if you couldn't buy a certain item anymore from shops and all you had left was ebay and the toy hoarder to get your stuff from, I bet you'd be the first to jump in and buy all the items yourself and become the very thing you despise. It's much easier to hate those guys when you have lots of choice.

Edited September 12, 2011 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

You can do it and it might work, but it's the worst thing to do with your money. There's so much way better investments out there. You have to already have money to do such a thing first of all and then be willing to sit on it for a year or two in hopes that it'll triple in value. And what if in the time you hoped they accumulated that much there's a rerelease or a newer better version that another company decided to produce? The only way you can make real money off toys is to just make it a real business and treat as such and then be good at it because there's plenty of competition. Speculating and hoarding toys won't make you rich.

I reckon the reason some people do it is not really to make money though.

Having something that is highly valued is just something that makes them feel good. Like people who own a ferrari and know that only a few others could ever attain it because it was limited to a few hundred ever made, or something like that.

They just like ferrari, like having something they love personally, and like that others might want one later too, so by owning a lot of it they are 'preserving the thing's memory' or whatever by holding on to them whilst at the same time gaining something from it in future.

I think what people generally do is wait until something is really cheap on those big sales and then they start to buy multiples in the hope they can then sell something for a lot more later, but not because they want to solely rely on that as an income stream which is what people here are suggesting, but more that they do that AS WELL as other things. You know what I mean? They are just fans of the thing they hoard and when they see a bargain they can't help themselves wanting to buy multiples if they can afford to.

It becomes hard to find some things more than others, that's all. And I suppose if it was not certain a toy would sell well that puts pressure to get it early and maybe even buy up as many as you can while they are still available. You see it all the time with transformers figures where people get angry that it is hard to find a particular figure and don't want to spend ages looking all over the place for that one character, so they end up caving in and buying from an ebay guy who wants to sell it at an inflated cost. lol

Edited September 12, 2011 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[EXO]

Well, yeah. That's just part of collecting. I'm not saying that everyone that makes a profit is an idiot. I'm saying if you THINK you'll get rich off speculating on SOME toys then you might be one. You can make money off anything if you treat it like a business, but as a hobby then that's just gambling. And some ppl have the money to gamble on it... but I don't think the odds are that enjoyable or profitable.

[protostar8]

So any further news on these? Like a release date or something?

[Maiden Japan]

Light Artillery Battlepod finally landed to our wherehouse. Prepare for invasion!

[ps99042]

Why does it have to say "Robotech" on it?

[Old Man]

FINALLY!!! I had pretty much forgotten about this thing.

So how long are we gonna have to wait on the Glaug?

Is there any chance we'll get a Queadluun-Rau???

[UN Spacy]

How long did it take for that cargo ship to arrive?