Can someone just ask Bandai why they're being such a bunch of A&#0

[Kicker773]

I blame Harmony Gold...they're my go to scapegoats.

Don't blame them. I was their panel last night.

[Vifam7]

Does anyone here worked on manufacturing industry? I do, and although mine isn't toys, the whole concept is pretty much the same. My theory is that the DXs shared the same factory or even same assembly line with other Bandai toys line like, maybe, similar stuff like SOC or even radically different SH.Figuarts. Therefore the production must be scheduled accordingly far ahead. And as the line will be used for another product, the production will be stop when it's scheduled to stop. Changing the molds and adjusting the machines are hard, even more so for toys which have assembly and painting by hands ( as you need to "adjust" the workers too ). So you can't just change the schedule or product quantity on the fly. This is also why re-release took months, instead of just mere days after the sales number from pre-order or launching day confirmed that the product is selling well and fans demand more.

One might notice that Yamato doesn't suffer the same problem as Bandai. I'll just point out that toy line variety of Yamato is nothing like Bandai; so they don't have to cram so many different things in tight schedule. As big as Bandai is, I don't think they can afford one factory per each toy line, or even specialized assembly line for each separate toy line. Not in this economy. I'm sure that the designers and everyone involved in creation (NOT production) of the toys are also fellow hobbyists and really care what fans and customers want. But once the design leave the office and entering the production phase, it's all getting industrial there.

Just what I thought based on my experience as human cog in assembly line . And before someone blame Gundam for this, it's the same for Gundam figures too. Model kits are different as they are made by different division in Japan factory, not made in China like Tamashii division figures.

Thanks for writing this. It makes a lot of sense.

I also remember reading that a number of Chinese toy making factories recently closed down. I'm sure that hasn't helped.

[MechTech]

Man! With prices like this, it's good to be more into models than toys - phew!!! - MT

[reeoyuy]

It seems that only the online stores are hit with this limitation. May be Bandai afraid Macross will out sell Gundam or become very well known in overseas market if the produce it more? After all, Bandai owns full right on Gundam and it takes them a lot of effort to make Gundam well known and accepted by many cultures and countries.

Gundam and Macross are just cows that Bandai can milk money from. Why satisfied with just one if you can get both Gundam and Macross popular? The one with emotional attachment to Gundam would be Sunrise the animation studio not Bandai the parent company. I don't really think a toy company gives a damn about franchise rivalry. Especially when both owned by the company itself.

Good post, what I foresee as a problem though is that that they doen't build enough time in for the initial release of the item, it sells REALLY well, but then they get "gun shy" about how much to produce for a rerelease because they figure most people already got one, so the cycle continues.

Chris

That, and voice of dissatisfied customers who got burned out. How many people here swore to never give their money to Bandai again after the preoder fiasco? Assuming they monitor boards like this of course.

Thanks for writing this. It makes a lot of sense.

I also remember reading that a number of Chinese toy making factories recently closed down. I'm sure that hasn't helped.

I suspect that too. That can explain the recent rarity and preorder rush situation. And probably the reason why some Bandai toy line seems to be gone as the remaining assembly lines are prioritized for more popular item.

[BeyondTheGrave]

Hmm.... I think its a culmination of everything mentioned. Lack of manufacturing lines, high demand, engineering issues (hip joints and ozma's neck) and having possibly one too many toy lines to manufacture