VF-4G: Why the astronomical prices?

[w8kbrder]

Im fairly new to this scene. Whats with the super crazy asking prices on the VF-4G? For something that was barely seen on film and its such a bas

ic no frills vehicle that is super top heavy....whats the deal?

Was this just something that no one wanted at the time of its release and now there are few to go around? Super rare or something?

Fill me in cause the prices on that thing intrigues me

Edited April 19, 2015 by w8kbrder

[anubis20]

Limited production, Yamato's farewell piece before they went bankrupt.

[Scyla]

There are several factors:

First it was a made to order toy that was pretty expensive when it was released so probably only people that really really wanted it got one and the stores didn't bother with ordering many extra units for latecomers.

Second it is a really good Valkyrie toy with a pretty unusual transformation scheme. It's also pretty solid

Third it was the last Valkyrie before Yamato (the company that made it) went belly up so the collectors tried buying up all the copies they could get because they feared (maybe rightfully so) that this will never be produced and the molds are lost forever this happened before Arcadia stated that they have the mold (they never confirmed that they have the VF-4 explicitly but they confirmed that they have the molds from the VF-1 V2 onwards).

[jenius]

The fact it also may have not warranted enough demand for a bigger production run also makes the likelihood of seeing more of it diminished. Also, it was never cheap, MSRP was also high. The good news is that it seems very likely Arcadia has the mold so if they can pony up for the license we may see another run some day.

[w8kbrder]

What was the MSRP originally?....USD speaking......and what is considered a fair price for it currently....not inflated ebay prices.

Edited April 19, 2015 by w8kbrder

[Mommar]

What was the MSRP originally?....USD speaking......and what is considered a fair price for it currently....not inflated ebay prices.

I paid $310 for mine on release. It was anywhere between $290 and $330 depending on where/when you pre-ordered. It was a short, made-to-order run. Literally, these things shipped and a day later the company who made them closed its doors. Given it's likely to never be produced again and the stock was extremely limited on release "fair" is relative to how badly you want it.

Edited April 19, 2015 by Mommar

[Tochiro]

Oh I somehow doubt that the VF-4 is gone for good. My hunch is that it will pop up again at somepoint. Just not necessarily anytime soon. ;-)

[jenius]

Yeah, anything that demands a secondary price of double MSRP a short time later has got to indicate to the right people that the audience is still there. If anyone can, they're bound to cash in on it eventually.

[505thAirborne]

Arcadia (If they truly do have the molds) would be foolish not to re-issue the VF-4G and make a VF-4 Flashback version. I really would like to have the VF-4 but not at these insane aftermarket prices.

[jenius]

It's speculation but I think Arcadia is very much hamstrung right now by what BigWest will allow them to do. The rumor was that Bandai was making a big push to secure licenses when Yamato went under so that might have driven some costs way up.

[dodiano]

I was lucky managed to get one for $450... Still expensive but it was my only chance to get one.

[skullmilitia]

The VF-4 is Arcadia's, but not the licensing for the most popular variant.

It's in BW hand's as to whether or not we see one. They know it's money.

[spanner]

The VF-4 was definitely a very significant piece especially considering the happenings on or around its release.. and generally speaking its probably the finest most complex Valkyrie ever built so far by either Yamato-Arcadia & Bandai..

Its certainly a very beautiful looking Valkyrie in fighter mode! Probably the best overall actually! but personally I feel its let down by its other modes.. Not at the fault of the toy itself, but more so what it was modeled from in the anime which in some ways seemed like a heavily compromised design resulting in strange looking alternate modes. Like it was only ever intended to be seen in fighter mode and the other modes designs came after once needed. I have always felt that the more you transform it, the worse it gets.

Still it was a very worthy toy and definitely worth a lot more than its original rrp.. but is it worth up to or beyond $1000 which seems to be the common prices going for these days.. I think not. I paid a healthy $550 (aud) for mine nearly 3 years ago so they were super expensive even back then and maybe just maybe I would have gotten a second one but when the prices just kept climbing it simply became just too much to justify.

Will they ever re-release the VF-4 under the Arcadia banner!? a good deal of folks would certainly hope so I'd imagine but my deep down gut feeling is no. Well at least not any time soon! But hey I could be wrong!

[Valkyrie addict]

Also, many people were expecting to be q shelf warmer due to its high price to try and get a better deal a few months later like with every other Yamato valk, when Yamato went bust, prices went up quickly and people payed desperately for it.

I love my VF-4G, the best valk ever done.

[anubis20]

Also, many people were expecting to be q shelf warmer due to its high price to try and get a better deal a few months later like with every other Yamato valk, when Yamato went bust, prices went up quickly and people payed desperately for it.

I love my VF-4G, the best valk ever done.

Yup guilty of this! I wasnt expecting yamato to go out. By the time i decided it was time to get one or forever regret it i had to fork over almost $500 for it.

[auberondreaming]

My VF-4 is the highlight of my collection, and I am happy I got one at release thanks to this price increase. I think the general attitude at that time toward Yamato was both the reason they went under and why the VF-4 is so expensive now. People thought they could wait it out and get a deal when these became "shelf warmers" even though Yamato was explicit in stating they were made to order. No one believed that. No one knew they were going under, so everyone was waiting for the "inevitable mold milking." Go read jenius' review of this valk, where he has a section putting out this idea as part of the review! Yamato did this to themselves, they milked molds and made too many variants in too large of production runs. Thus made to order turned out to be a fairly small number of units being produced. And it's an amazing piece of work, the most impressive to this day in my opinion.

As an aside, as you are new to the hobby I will tell you my opinion, this is why Arcadia is pricing toys at what those of us who have been collecting for a number of years consider to be high prices. We got spoiled on bad business practices. Yamato would give us every color variation in huge numbers so we could pick up vf-1's for under $100 shipped even back when the Yen was stronger. We gripe and gripe about $300 toys, but these are amazing works of art and real engineering accomplishments. I regularly pay $200+ for hottoys, and those are just highly detailed dolls. Yamato gave us amazing products for way cheaper than they should have, so now we sit around griping that "if I pay $300 for a toy, it better damn well be perfect in every minute detail." That's on Yamato and Arcadia is their ghost, trying to do a better business model with spoiled rotten fans. I feel bad for them, but that's where we are. Valks are going to be expensive, unless you can grab a Bandai, but 1) good luck with that, and 2) their product in my opinion is not as good as either yamato or arcadias.

Edited April 20, 2015 by auberondreaming

[Gakken85]

The fighter mode is growing on me. But not 500-800 bucks worth. It's the worst batroid mode ever devised though.

After Arcadia announced the VF-1 reissues you could grab a few for less than 400 on Man, but those days are gone as the panic prices are almost back.

If Arcadia makes a new one I'd pick it up just for fighter.

Edited April 20, 2015 by Gakken85

[Offswitch]

Its certainly a very beautiful looking Valkyrie in fighter mode! Probably the best overall actually! but personally I feel its let down by its other modes.. Not at the fault of the toy itself, but more so what it was modeled from in the anime which in some ways seemed like a heavily compromised design resulting in strange looking alternate modes. Like it was only ever intended to be seen in fighter mode and the other modes designs came after once needed. I have always felt that the more you transform it, the worse it gets.

The fighter mode is growing on me. But not 500-800 bucks worth. It's the worst batroid mode ever devised though.

After Arcadia announced the VF-1 reissues you could grab a few for less than 400 on Man, but those days are gone as the panic prices are almost back.

If Arcadia makes a new one I'd pick it up just for fighter.

As a newb to the scene also, I'm unfamiliar with the background of the VF-4.... The battroid mode never even appeared in the anime, right? It only showed up in the VF-X video game? If so, I can understand how the alt modes could've been somewhat of an afterthought.

As far as the pricing goes, I have to echo Gakken85's sentiments here... As lovely as the fighter mode is, it's not the current asking price lovely! If you're patient and this isn't a must-have for you, I say just wait for Arcadia to drop the re-release... whenever that'll be

[Mechapilot77]

My VF-4 is the highlight of my collection, and I am happy I got one at release thanks to this price increase. I think the general attitude at that time toward Yamato was both the reason they went under and why the VF-4 is so expensive now. People thought they could wait it out and get a deal when these became "shelf warmers" even though Yamato was explicit in stating they were made to order. No one believed that. No one knew they were going under, so everyone was waiting for the "inevitable mold milking." Go read jenius' review of this valk, where he has a section putting out this idea as part of the review! Yamato did this to themselves, they milked molds and made too many variants in too large of production runs. Thus made to order turned out to be a fairly small number of units being produced. And it's an amazing piece of work, the most impressive to this day in my opinion.

As an aside, as you are new to the hobby I will tell you my opinion, this is why Arcadia is pricing toys at what those of us who have been collecting for a number of years consider to be high prices. We got spoiled on bad business practices. Yamato would give us every color variation in huge numbers so we could pick up vf-1's for under $100 shipped even back when the Yen was stronger. We gripe and gripe about $300 toys, but these are amazing works of art and real engineering accomplishments. I regularly pay $200+ for hottoys, and those are just highly detailed dolls. Yamato gave us amazing products for way cheaper than they should have, so now we sit around griping that "if I pay $300 for a toy, it better damn well be perfect in every minute detail." That's on Yamato and Arcadia is their ghost, trying to do a better business model with spoiled rotten fans. I feel bad for them, but that's where we are. Valks are going to be expensive, unless you can grab a Bandai, but 1) good luck with that, and 2) their product in my opinion is not as good as either yamato or arcadias.

while i somewhat agree, there is no excuse for charging nearly $180 for VF-1 reissues (no fast packs) where they've more than made the money back years ago. Where Yamato went wrong is they thought people loved M7 enough to pay $300 MSRP for a valk without being "built to order". Those larger M7 valks were the ones always on DEEP discount. Granted the less popular color schemes of the VF-1 did too (poor kakizaki gets not love) but by that point the money was already made on that mold. There is a reason takara tomy can release mp-10 in every color of the rainbow and sell out every run...its a popular character and design. Yamato clearly behaved liked they could do the same with any valk when its basically only true for the VF-1 (and arguably the vf-0 and yf-19 and its no coincidence these were the ones arcadia worked on). so in conclusion, low demand valks should be high priced and built to order. high demand valks should be priced competitively and reissued and released every so often as a cash cow.

[no3Ljm]

Too bad this went by under my radar during the first release. Was not into collecting Macross 1/60 back then. I started I believe when Yamato folded so I paid $200-300 most on my first 1/60 v2 VF-1 valks. Never again will I pass up on anything new or anything that I really like even the price is astronomical. I will do my best to buy it so that I will not regret in the future for not buying it cheap. So Arcadia, if ever you're reading this, rerelease VF-4G.

As for now... VF-4G + Kanedas Bike = Holy Grail.

[xrentonx]

1/6 Kaneda's bike for me too

Back then I was only going to get one 4G but ended up with two. I feel very fortunate and it really is one of the best Yamato releases. Also signifies the end of an era

[no3Ljm]

Good for you xrentox. Up to now, I'm just waiting for his PM if ever he's going to sell another one.

[M'Kyuun]

Fearing I'd miss out, I preordered one from two different places. I missed the cancellation window on one, and so now I have two in my collection: one to display, and one to keep pristine. It's one of my favorite valks, and was a long time coming, so I'm very thankful that Yamato made it, and that I was able to get it. It'd be great if Arcadia did a rerelease, if only another limited made to order release to give those who want one another chance to score, and to give Arcadia the faith in its fans/consumers that certain items are worth rereleasing. This is certainly a mold that could be milked through various paint schemes.

I'm not sure if the battroid was an afterthought as someone mentioned, but I personally love it. My only complaint about Yamato's is the fixed shoulders, which is a fault with Kawamori's design rather than Yamato's figure. It's fighter mode is beautiful, and ties with the YF-19 as my favorite.

[mechaninac]

Definitely glad I got my one VF-4 when I did from HLJ, and a bit bummed I cancelled the one I had on pre-order with N-Y... could've had my display piece and an extra to unload at 2-2.5X MSRP, and prospective buyers would still consider it a bargain; but spilled milk and all that...

Edited April 21, 2015 by mechaninac

[derex3592]

If I could only go back in time and buy a case of them! Oh well. Glad I got my one at the time of release. One of my all time favs!

Edited April 21, 2015 by derex3592

[Mommar]

I own two and I'm quite happy with my Battroid/FIghter powed pair and all of the decaling work I put into both of them. I only wish I could have bought a third for Gerwalk mode as well.

[jenius]

While it's a shame the shoulder pylons aren't articulated, the bottom of the toy still lets you have some fun. I really love it, very glad to have it in my collection.

[David Hingtgen]

I'm still waiting for a better/different color scheme. It was expensive when first new, and I wasn't going to pay that much money for a valk wearing the 2nd-blandest scheme of all. (M7 VF-11C being THE blandest)

[M'Kyuun]

Well, the line-art didn't really give them alot to work with deco-wise. It's stark, admittedly, but on the Frontier valks, they make up for it in spades, esp the VF-171 Plus.

I don't think it'd be as bare if Yamato had tampoed tail numbers, no steps, and various other general aircraft markings. Applying decals sucks. But, yeah, there's plenty of potential for various schemes if they ever decide to haul it out of mothballs.

[Silverstreak]

Picked one up a few months ago for a reasonable price (have seen them go for MUCH higher since). It looks awesome. Probably my second favourite after the YF-19

[no3Ljm]

VF-4G in fighter mode... FTW. I really wish before I retire from this hobby there will be an official VF-4G Flashback 2012 version. Well, and a 'reworked' YF-21.

[funkymonkeyjavajunky]

I snagged one from Nippon Yassan for $388 (shipped) while they were still available. The exchange rate at that time was pretty bad.

Edited April 21, 2015 by funkymonkeyjavajunky

[no3Ljm]

$188? When was this? That's a steal, man.

[funkymonkeyjavajunky]

$188? When was this? That's a steal, man.

Whoops, that's a typo. I meant $388. I've revised the post. Apologies.

Edited April 21, 2015 by funkymonkeyjavajunky

[dapro]

Whoops, that's a typo. I meant $388. I've revised the post. Apologies.

$388 still a steal!