FA-78 MSIA figure for the US???

[Apollo Leader]

I was scanning through www.gundamofficial.com during the last few days and made the discovery that they have a picture of a MSIA of the FA-78 Full Armor Gundam. Does anyone know if this was ever released in the US yet or is this figure still sitting in the same limbo that the Zeta figures are sitting in (a 2004 release)?

[motley]

the FA-78 is definitely tied up in figure limbo with the Zeta line. same goes for the next two figures in the Arch Enemy line. the figures are obviously ready for the shelves, and what they've shown of the Zeta line has been out for the asian market for quite some time, with the exception of the MSV Gundam Mk III. but the domestic MSiA market has really tanked of late what with the overused battle scarred figures and the not short packed enough G figures, its rumored that walmart is going to give up the line like they did the figure and vehicle sets. Zeta itself is still in limbo, we know its getting a dvd release next year, with the box set presumably to be available from the start, but its getting no TV time, and SEED is instead planned for a second or third quarter release, along with a "Relaunch" of the gundam franchise. so we may not see Zeta or F-91 until after SEED debuts. the lack of MSiA of late is probably due to a fevered attempt to get a SEED toy line ready for the US, as SEED's ADMSiA line is definitely not suited to the US market.

[Apollo Leader]

Just to add a few more thoughts:

1) According to Toyfare, the Zeta toys will be released as early as next spring, though the main concentration will be SEED (gag ). Since the Toyfare article pretty much let the cat out of the bag, I will say that this has been the whole reason for the delay of the Zeta series and related merchandise - those Gundam Wing lovin' fruit loops over at Cartoon Network refusing to show Zeta.

2) I've been told that the Arch Enemy Gundam and Gelgoog will be released in the spring... I will definitely buy two of each!

3) As for MSIA's on the decline in the US, it's been those silly G Gundam figures that are hurting sales. At the stores I frequent, it's mainly the G Gundam figures (regular and Battle Scarred) that seem to be collecting dust.

[Keith]

Nope, the Zeta box sets will ship first quarter! THEY WILL!!!

The individual disc release however is another matter, I can see that not happening until after Seed.

[Vostok 7]

3) As for MSIA's on the decline in the US, it's been those silly G Gundam figures that are hurting sales. At the stores I frequent, it's mainly the G Gundam figures (regular and Battle Scarred) that seem to be collecting dust.

Much like the equally crappy Wing MSiAs. <_< I wonder when Bandai will figure out that EU just won't do as well over here? UC stuff can't be kept on the shelves, while anything EU just languishes. And yet, they're planning on bringing SEED over. Bandai is teh smrt.

When is the FA-78 being released in Japan? If it's not coming over any time soon, I'll source it elsewhere.

Vostok 7

[Magnus]

I'm not sure about that...... When Wing first came out in Canada, the figures sold unbelievably well. They were literally flying off the shelves. It was the UC figures that ended up being shelf-warmers (even now there are still some old Guncannons floating around). The shows were never aired up here, which is probably part of the reason they shelf-warmed and the line died (the reason they weren't aired was because the UC stuff was deemed too violent for our poor canadian children or somesuch). But with Seed coming out, I have a feeling we'll be seeing that up here this time around (after all, if they could show Wing, they could show Seed) and the line will probably get a major jumpstart again.

And i'm sick of this Wing bashing. From what I understand, it was ALL thanks to Gundam WING and the popular reaction to it that convinced Bandai to bring the rest of the UC Gundam series over to begin with, with the crappy results that ensued. They didn't even show all of the 0079 series on CN because the ratings tanked, didn't they?

I definetely think the market needs something like Seed, and it will arguably do MUCH better than Zeta ever could over here (I think Seed is far superior personally, and before you yell at me i'll say that i've seen every single gundam series out there, except G-saviour, and I still think Seed is one of the best of them)

If Seed does well, (which it most likely will) that will mean more MSIA's being produced, and the increased likelihood we'll see more stuff stateside like double zz, V, F-91 and X, along with MSIA's for them all. So how is this a problem?

[Vostok 7]

Wing did reasonably well until they flooded the market. Same thing happened with G-Gundam. UC stuff has historically flown off the shelves reletively fast except for the somewhat unpopular figures like the Zeon Amphis and some of the lesser characters.

But UC stuff has not been brought over to the extent here as any of the EU stuff has, and therefore the EU stuff sits and collects dust. I can walk into a store and expect to see tons of battle damaged G-Gundam POCs, as well as regular G-Gundam figs, the big ones they made, G-Gundam model kits, etc. Every now and then I'll stumble accross the occasional UC deluxe set (Gouf Custom, that sort of thing) but very rarely now. Generally model kits don't sell well either (understandably).

It reminds me exactly of Star Wars figures... The ones you wanted (in my case, UC stuff like Zakus and etc.) are nowhere to be found because they're short-packed or super-popular, while the crap (ugnauts anyone? lando calrissian? ep1/2 figures? G-Gundam, battle damage and Wing Gundam?) sit and collect dust going nowhere.

And trust me, my hate for G-Gundam goes way deeper than my hate for Wing Gundam. Some of the Wing Gundam designs were actually good.

Vostok 7

[motley]

the reason bandai seems to emphasize the AU figures is that the AU shows were far more popular than MSG, and i suspect the UC OVAs as well. i'd say there's a disconnect between the people buying the toys and the people watching the shows. which i don't find surprising in the least.

and as for CN not airing Zeta, from what i gather they'd have to cut so much stuff to even fit it on their late night shows that it wouldn't be worth the bother. oh, well, i'd rather buy a box set and watch the subtitled version when i have the time than trying to fit a bad dubbed version into my schedual.

[Jolly Rogers]

Well, for better or worse, the SD Gundam figures and model kits are 25% off at Toys R Us until Nov. 22nd. Time to grab them before they jack the price back up unless you absolutely despise the show.