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Posted

Probably not going to get the two out of stock kits I ordered then. Still no payment request on anything either.

Maybe in the long run this will actually be a good thing though. If the sales for the domestic crap fall into the toilet compared with under-the-table deals and Ebay sales for foreign products, maybe the local companies will wise-up and actually produce something people will buy.

Not holding my breath for it though. The mass market is still going to eat up the massive truckloads of stuff made domestically. It's just going to be the collectible market that gets to sit and spin on a lightsaber.

Posted (edited)

Aaaand HLJ has fallen victim to at least the new kits ban. They are up on their Japanese site but not their English site. I've read that some stores will or can honor existing orders so maybe that's why the old kits are still up on HLJ? At any rate, it's going to require other means to get Bandai Force Awakens kits. :(

Chris

Edited by Dobber
Posted

Oh, even Figuarts will soon banned.

I tend to prefer Hot Toys over Bandai anyway.

Oh well, that would be a bummer if this is true. On the other hand I only had the Darth Vader reissue preordered so no harm there. One less line of toys to take care off (and fundings toward it). Maybe I should buy a SoC Gunbuster instead. :p

Posted

Just got confirmation on the bandai 1/72 x-wing, y-wing, and normal tie fighter, so those got in under the block I guess.

Will have to wait and see if I get charged for Vader's tie, and the 1/48th x-wing kit.

Posted

^^Yes and no.

Considering that these are labeled "exclusives," Hasbro and/or Walmart will jack up the price on these even more than usual.

Considering the lack of accessories, the not-so-great face-sculpts, and the Russian-roulette you'd deal with in terms of paint apps quality, I guess you would be paying for the fancy looking box?

Besides, I don't think I saw Captain Phasma's name in that super-articulated list.

Posted

Fortunately I've never been that interested in the figures (unless they go with a vehicle), and the various exclusive vehicles are generally easy to find on the assorted online shops for the various retailers. I know I got several X-Wings, an A-Wing, and a B-Wing that way.

I really would like to see a re-release of the classic B-Wing scheme though, I only was able to get a "dagger squadron" repaint. It's not bad, but I love the classic look.

Posted

HLJ running out of stock.

Hopefully the 1/48 X Wing backorder will go ahead. It is currently listed as discontinued. Went with the 1/48 AT-ST and Snowspeeder.

1/72 folks could wait for the 30cm tall AT-AT moving edition.

Posted

Unless it's in stock HLJ has removed all other listings. :( I think they are just selling off their existing stock and honoring preorders for Fett and Slave 1.

Chris

Posted

Bandai...

attachicon.gif01.jpg

Okay, where is that one available from!?

I believe it says available October

http://bandai-hobby.net/sw/products/ep07_force/mc/mc01.html

(but probably in Japan only due to the recent Disney decision to enforce the Japanese license and only let North America have Revell crap)

Posted

I believe it says available October

http://bandai-hobby.net/sw/products/ep07_force/mc/mc01.html

(but probably in Japan only due to the recent Disney decision to enforce the Japanese license and only let North America have Revell crap)

If nothing else, that page's pics are probably the best reference for the new X-Wing available.

Posted

Guess I'm glad the new design does nothing for me then, one less thing to worry about getting a copy of. :p

Hopefully somewhere down the line Disney will just let the companies fend for themselves, and sell where they want.

Posted

This all goes back to Kenner's 1976 license to make Star Wars figures and toys. This license was, apparently, exclusive to Kenner for US sales. Of course, Kenner folded to Tonka in 1987 and Tonka was bought by Hasbro in 1991, who have manufactured Star Wars toys for the US market ever since. (Often using the same designs from the original Kenner license) Over time, Hasbro also picked up many of the international Star Wars merchandise licenses.

Primarily, Bandai's figures were subject to sales restrictions due to licensing, but that has since been extended to their entire lineup as Revell and AMT have put pressure on the Japanese toymaker in addition to Hasbro's impossibly large legal threat. Disney has decided to enforce this tradition, rather than open the market with renegotiated licensing. Which sucks for us, but was completely to be expected given that it's Disney.

It's just too bad. I will say this has put me off of official Star Wars merchandise for a long time to come though. I'm not gonna support Disney's decision to continue the licensing in this way.

Posted

Down to three available kits at this moment...

That went fast! When I posted not even a half an hour ago they had all the ships available.

Posted

So is this ban of Japanese Star Wars products only for model-kits or also all other stuff of merchandise like action figures and so on?

I don't think that Hasbro wants to pass out on this to ensure more SW Black Series sales. ^_^

Posted

So is this ban of Japanese Star Wars products only for model-kits or also all other stuff of merchandise like action figures and so on?

I think it's on everything made for the Japanese market by Japanese companies.

Posted

So is this ban of Japanese Star Wars products only for model-kits or also all other stuff of merchandise like action figures and so on?

I don't think that Hasbro wants to pass out on this to ensure more SW Black Series sales. ^_^

The whole point of this ban originated from Hasbro not wanting to compete with other manufacturers' figures, and spread from there. So, all Japanese-made Star Wars merch is blocked from international sale.

Posted

This all goes back to Kenner's 1976 license to make Star Wars figures and toys. This license was, apparently, exclusive to Kenner for US sales. Of course, Kenner folded to Tonka in 1987 and Tonka was bought by Hasbro in 1991, who have manufactured Star Wars toys for the US market ever since. (Often using the same designs from the original Kenner license) Over time, Hasbro also picked up many of the international Star Wars merchandise licenses.

Kenner / Hasbro were not just limited to the U.S. market, they were also available in the UK / Europe. I remember contacting Hasbro UK directly in the 90's to purchase my Star Wars figures when I was young

I am becoming less and less enthusiastic about TFA toys and in part towards the movie. None of the 'western' merchandise is appealing to me and Disney's actions have soured any excitement I had.

Posted

Kenner / Hasbro were not just limited to the U.S. market, they were also available in the UK / Europe. I remember contacting Hasbro UK directly in the 90's to purchase my Star Wars figures when I was young

I am becoming less and less enthusiastic about TFA toys and in part towards the movie. None of the 'western' merchandise is appealing to me and Disney's actions have soured any excitement I had.

In the 70s and into the 80s, it was another company- I can't remember which- that was making UK toys. But by the early 90s, Hasbro had bought up most of the international licenses to go along with its recent Kenner acquisition.

But it's definitely true that the Western Star Wars toys, figures, and models don't hold a candle to the Japanese releases. And of course, instead of stepping up quality to compete, Hasbro is doing the American thing and shutting down its competition.

Posted

Of course, there's absolutely no way to get any of those Poe figures to do anything like that pose hanging off the X-Wing. <_<

Regarding Hasbro and Disney's actions, Hasbro's been screwing up its toylines long before the Mouse came along.

Look back to the past five years, and you'll see complaints about distribution, inability to find figures in the stores, absolutely mind-boggling decisions on case assortments (which figures to pack--and worse, re-pack--with each wave), a decision to over-produce figures in support of the Phantom Menance's 3D release :rolleyes: , fewer accessories included with the figures, and missed opportunities galore to have figures released in support of media, cartoons, and video games (later season Clone War figures, figures for the main heroes in Rebels, Satele Shan or any other Jedi from Star Wars: The Old Republic).

The cracks really started to show with the distribution of the Vintage line, but probably started even earlier than that.

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