Japan bound toys

[Cdisdope]

I was recently PMing with another member about finding Yamato(s) in Hong Kong. The member then stated that collectors in Hong Kong would rather look for the toys that were sold in Japan, saying that the toys that are shipped to Japan are of higher quality (especially with Bandai). I was wondering if any of you know this to be true? And does that mean that the Yamato(s) that we order from Angolz and HKCollections are low quality? Or is that member wrong about the whole thing?

[Lolicon]

I have a few Yamato toys from various Hong Kong shops, and I've not seen any differences between them and the ones I've bought from Japanese shops.

All my Bandai units were purchases from Japanese retailers, so I can't comment on those.

[Graham]

I've never noticed any difference in quality between toys bought in Japan and toys bought in Hong Kong.

All Bandai and Yamato toys are made in factories in China before being shipped to the end desination, whether that be Japan or Hong Kong.

Graham

[Cdisdope]

Thanks for the help!

[Kicker773]

Hey Graham are all of the Yamato toys sold out in HK?

[GXPT2000]

It's just a common misconception in Asia all around, where Japan sold items have better QC and are therefore sold at a higher price.

No, of course it's false, it is only a way to get customers to pay more money for the same thing.

[takatoys]

I think there are differences but are minimal. Maybe a slight discoloration or a part not well glued, goes to retailers in Hong Kong.

And those toys usually don't have the little hologram sticker from Big West, Toei, or other companies.

I bought an Ultraman diecast car from Japan and it had the Tsuburaya sticker on it. Months later, I found the same toy in Hong kong at half the price but without the aprooved license sticker. I bought several of those. The toys looked allright except for some parts not well aligned and some slight marks on the paint job.

[Cdisdope]

I think there are differences but are minimal. Maybe a slight discoloration or a part not well glued, goes to retailers in Hong Kong.

And those toys usually don't have the little hologram sticker from Big West, Toei, or other companies.

I bought an Ultraman diecast car from Japan and it had the Tsuburaya sticker on it. Months later, I found the same toy in Hong kong at half the price but without the aprooved license sticker. I bought several of those. The toys looked allright except for some parts not well aligned and some slight marks on the paint job.

Interesting...I'm gonna look at the recent valks I bought and see if they have a Big West hologram on them.

[Graham]

If a Yamato toy was sold without the Big West licensor sticker then it was illegally produced and sold by the factory without the knowledge of Yamato or Big West.

It is relatively common for factories in China to do this.

Yamato would commission a factory to make say 5,000pcs for example and supply the factory with 5,000 Big West stickers. The factory would then secretly produce a few hundred extra pcs which they would sell wholesale through there contacts in the toy industry.

Graham

[Valkyrie23]

You mean all the toys I panic-purchased from HK Collectibles are factory seconds?

I'll have to check my boxes again. I swear all of the Yamato boxes had the Big West stickers on them....

Edit: Graham's response makes more sense. I'll still have to check my HKC purchases in the morning though.

Edited April 18, 2013 by Valkyrie23

[Graham]

Hey Graham are all of the Yamato toys sold out in HK?

Last time I checked which was a few weeks ago, most shops were sold out.

Graham

Hey Graham are all of the Yamato toys sold out in HK?

Last time I checked which was a few weeks ago, most shops were sold out.

Graham

Hey Graham are all of the Yamato toys sold out in HK?

Last time I checked which was a few weeks ago, most shops were sold out.

Graham

[D_Unit]

went through my containers of flatten boxes and they all have the stickers... even the ones i got from HKCollectibles & Angolz.

[Chet]

Sounds like the whole "SOC - Japan Edition" thing all over again.

[miro79]

I orderd 2 valks from HKC and they both have a "Big WEST" sticker on them.

[Mommar]

None of my Valks from HKCollectibles seems any different in any way from the Valks I've received from Japan. I think that's just psychological perception nonsense, unless it's well and truly a knock-off piece.

[jenius]

I'm pretty sure this rumor stems from the 80s when toys were made at numerous factories and shipped to different regions. Toys sold in Japan came from the Japanese factory which usually had the highest quality control. Gakken of Japan vs Gakken of Singapore is a good example.

[Duymon]

How many Japanese toys are manufactured today in Japan? very little if any.

It's all manufactured in China now so the perception that Japan-bound toys are better is out of date.

I mean, If Japan-bound toys supposedly had better QC how could Aoshima let the Legioss remakes turn out oh so badly O_O

Edited April 18, 2013 by Duymon

[Mechapilot77]

ok so this is an interesting topic actually. i do not know what it is like in this specific case but a couple things are for certain.

1. Factories in china definitely do unauthorized runs on tooling not owned by them. not every factory does it but there are definitely those that do. Usually there will be some minimal differences between official run products and illegally produced (though on same premise and tooling) ones. again i'm not sure how or even if this applies to bandai or yamato product.

2. There is a history/cuatlure of actual companies (not just the factory) specifying lower quality components for "domestic" (read: china) destined product than for things meant for overseas consumption. for examples in the electronics industry some components are rated to certain failure rates or certain tolerances etc. Now there are other components that function the same but have higher failure rates or wider tolerances that work just fine when they work. A device that is domestic product may use the lower grade (though equivalent function) components while the exported versions of the same model have higher grade components. This is a fairly common practice actually. The thought is that the chinese market (replace china with any low cost developing nation doing manufacturing as this isn't new) consumers are not as discerning or don't care as much and that the "brand" name should not be diluted overseas in the more developed nations (read: nations where the profit margins are higher for a given product). Again i have no idea if this applies to yamato and bandai.

[Shaorin]

Last time I checked which was a few weeks ago, most shops were sold out.

Graham

Last time I checked which was a few weeks ago, most shops were sold out.

Graham

Last time I checked which was a few weeks ago, most shops were sold out.

Graham

ECHO!!

ECHO!!

ECHO!!

(every Yammie MACROSS product i've ever gotten has had the BW label in place, as my lone Yammie GARLAND had an AIC label on it's own shipping box...)

Edited April 18, 2013 by Shaorin

[takatoys]

I rarely see a Macross toy without the BW label. Only bootlegs did not have it.

But with Saint Seiya myth cloth toys, it does happen. There are some that come with the Toei label and others don't.

[CF18]

Heh the VF-17S I just received from HKC last night do not have a Bigwest sticker, but the VF-17 fast pack that was shipped together has it. The VF-17S seems fine and transform OK with the usual Yamato quark. The VF-19S I got from HKC 2 weeks ago has the sticker.

[stillAkid]

My vf17s from angolz doesnt have the bigwest sticker. And the gun pop out handle has glue stain.

Other than that im not sure becauae i havent transform it. But my vf17s super pack and vf11b from hkc has bigwest sticker

[Loop]

I rarely see a Macross toy without the BW label. Only bootlegs did not have it.

But with Saint Seiya myth cloth toys, it does happen. There are some that come with the Toei label and others don't.

When I got my YF-19 from HLJ years ago, it did not have the Big West license sticker applied. I got really paranoid, but figured either it had poor adhesive and fell off or the person at the factory forgot it. The toy itself is like any other YF-19 I have seen, so I just forgot about it and did not worry.

[stillAkid]

my vf-17s that did not come with a sticker?

the cockpit was never successfully lifted. i ended up pulling the whole cockpit and ejection seat out.

the right leg hole for super part was glued ( saw some shiny residue) now i'm trying to pry it off, other wise my 50USD super part is useless. the super part for left wing top can hardly fit. sigh. should have get other toys.

[Cdisdope]

my vf-17s that did not come with a sticker?

the cockpit was never successfully lifted. i ended up pulling the whole cockpit and ejection seat out.

the right leg hole for super part was glued ( saw some shiny residue) now i'm trying to pry it off, other wise my 50USD super part is useless. the super part for left wing top can hardly fit. sigh. should have get other toys.

Which store did you purchase it from?

Edited April 21, 2013 by Cdisdope

[stillAkid]

angolz.

Which store did you purchase it from?

[GU-11]

How many Japanese toys are manufactured today in Japan? very little if any.

I think Gundam kits are still manufactured in Japan. If I recall correctly, I checked the sprues on my Exia once, and it said "Made in Japan."

[Cdisdope]

angolz.

Wow...that's pretty scary and shady. Sorry that you experienced that.

(or)

Are you someone who works for hkcollectables and are trying to pick up sales?

[stillAkid]

Lol. Im sure angolz and hkc are busy enough.

And its yamato's fault. Angolz din mfg it

[raptormesh]

I think Gundam kits are still manufactured in Japan. If I recall correctly, I checked the sprues on my Exia once, and it said "Made in Japan."

Yup I recall watching a video where they were showing off their factory floor in Japan and their latest multi-color moulding machines.

[Dimis]

`Just got a VF-19P and a VF-11B from HKCollectibles. They both had the BW stickers. Great customer service too by the way! (I don't work for them, nor do i get commission!)