What makes the Macross toy line hold their value so well?

[Shermantank]

I'm very knew to the Macross scene I'm usually collecting vintage G1 Transformers. I have a few Macross toys and I absolutely love them but why are prices so high and how do they hold their value so well?

[spanner]

I'd say its due to multiple factors..

To the Macross community in particular they are very desirable.

They are quite expensive to begin with.

Are a very technical / complicated toy in order to be as close as possible to perfect transformation and faithful to the anime.

Many variants are now extremely rare or have been long unavailable.

Generally not produced in vast quantities which will also drive the price up in order for the manufacturers to maintain a profit which also directly effect their resale.

But there are some you can still get at reasonable prices such as the Arcadia VF-1J 30th AE as they don't appeal to everyone.. but they too will eventually creep up in price as they slowly disappear.

Im sure there are other reasons too which will be posted shortly!

[no3Ljm]

Almost everyone here says it's a niche market when it comes to Macross. And not everyone is exposed to it. Transformers on the other hand is somehow more worldwide in scope because of merchandising, cartoons, and Hollywood movies even though it's not faithful to the concept.

Macross on the other hand has a small audience. And they just focus really within Japan only. But with the help of Harmony Gold before it reaches the US shore and other continents. But due to their involvement legally it causes some backlash regarding collectible toys. Hence, the distribution of Macross toys in other parts of the world is not as good as Transformer toys.

Another factor also for the new toys is the up and rising cost of productions and materials. But for the old toys because it's just that they're vintage that's why the prices is going high.

Anyways, here's some old helpful threads regarding this topic. Hope that helps.

Have Macross become out of reach for collectors

http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=40391

Toys worth the high price?

http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=7049

VF-4G: Why the astronomical prices?

http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=42461

[Shermantank]

Thanks guys I'm going to continue collecting Macross just love it but very slowly. So far I have some reissue 1/55 and a couple of 1/60 renewal frontier figures

[Valkyrie Driver]

A friend of mine noticed my Macross collection and as he looked at them he basically said, "These must do something other than just look good on display." To which I responded casually that they transform. He called BS, and then I transformed one right before his eyes.

I think a big part is the engineering. They look like fighter jets in fighter mode, and there's no real indication that they transform, to the uninitiated. You look at one and think, "This is a really cool jet" and "OMG! IT TRANSFORMS!". You look at most transformers and there's a vehicle, like starscream and you look at the top and it's a fighter jet. Look at the side (First run MP-03 Starscream) and it still looks like a fighter jet, but then you turn it over and, oh hey there's a robot in here somewhere. Then there's the cartoon accurate MP-11 which from the side has visible robot underkibble.

In contrast, Valkyries try very hard to achieve a clean fighter mode, by stowing all the robot bits as efficiently as possible, and trying to stow as much of the fighter bits as possible in robot mode to make it as clean as possible. Some designs do this better than others, like the VF-1, the VF-11, the VF-17/171. While others fall a bit short, like the Y/VF-19, YF-21/VF-22, VF-25/27 YF-29/30, but still look fresh and clean.

I might be off the mark. But that's all I really wanted to add.

[spanner]

It was just over this last weekend that a mate of mine was over and saw my collection for the first time. He didn't spot it either until I showed him that this one, this one and this one are the very same vehicle! He was pretty much gob smacked! His response was.. "bull$hit! No way thats just nuts!" "They look so good in each mode!" I then explained the whole perfect transformation thing and he was mighty impressed. He told me he had transformers when he was younger and his son has some too now but he thought they never really looked any good. No disrespect to the TF fans out there of course! He even asked for the websites where to buy Valkyries from as he was particularly interested in the VF19 Advance!

[Valkyrie Driver]

It was just over this last weekend that a mate of mine was over and saw my collection for the first time. He didn't spot it either until I showed him that this one, this one and this one are the very same vehicle! He was pretty much gob smacked! His response was.. "bull$hit! No way thats just nuts!" "They look so good in each mode!" I then explained the whole perfect transformation thing and he was mighty impressed. He told me he had transformers when he was younger and his son has some too now but he thought they never really looked any good. No disrespect to the TF fans out there of course! He even asked for the websites where to buy Valkyries from as he was particularly interested in the VF19 Advance!

Now to get him to watch the anime... And new convert!

[spanner]

Now to get him to watch the anime... And new convert!

absolutely! He did ask what the series were like and is a Neon Genesis fan so he does like this sort of thing.. just gotta be careful which series to show him or it'll put him off! Certainly NOT M7! LOL!

I was thinking either Macross Plus or Macross Frontier!? I think even Macross Zero might be a little on the trippy side too..

[chyll2]

Macross remains a niche market outside of Japan, this is all thanks to Harmony Gold

[SaitouSad]

absolutely! He did ask what the series were like and is a Neon Genesis fan so he does like this sort of thing.. just gotta be careful which series to show him or it'll put him off! Certainly NOT M7! LOL!

I was thinking either Macross Plus or Macross Frontier!? I think even Macross Zero might be a little on the trippy side too..

I always felt DYRL, Plus and then Frontier, and to a certain extent, the original Macross are the must-watch, though DYRL is a good replacement for the original for new comers as the latter hasn't aged well. Though do skip the nonsensical fillers of Frontier (perhaps just skip straight to the movies).

[Lolicon]

I'd skip the Frontier movies, unless you really must see Alto use the YF-29 to its lowest potential.

[spanner]

yeah I much preferred the Frontier series over the movies! SDFM and DYRL are kinda the same but different and I liked them equally. Loved Plus! and MD7 was better than M7 for sure! M7 was a total brain drain to watch.. and Zero was cool.

[Mommar]

Short answer, niche show and niche product.

Long answer, the show can only be distributed legally in Japan due to oddities with program broadcasting in the US in the 80's combined with a miserly US company that has strong armed it's way into blocking all Macross broadcasts from outside Japan. Thus, smaller market, smaller batches of toys produced, toys are difficult to obtain outside of Japan.

I always felt DYRL, Plus and then Frontier, and to a certain extent, the original Macross are the must-watch, though DYRL is a good replacement for the original for new comers as the latter hasn't aged well. Though do skip the nonsensical fillers of Frontier (perhaps just skip straight to the movies).

If you don't already know the story DYRL is the most confusing bunch of beautifully animated BS. It does not hold up on it's own. You would have to watch it with whoever was viewing it and explain the original as you go to have it make any sense. It was truly "for the fans" and doesn't even attempt to be clear to newcomers.

[chyll2]

If you don't already know the story DYRL is the most confusing bunch of beautifully animated BS. It does not hold up on it's own. You would have to watch it with whoever was viewing it and explain the original as you go to have it make any sense. It was truly "for the fans" and doesn't even attempt to be clear to newcomers.

In this case, DYRL only made sense after I watched the original series.

[Sildani]

I vote for Plus as being a good entrée into this craziness. You'd just have to quickly explain the Zentraedi race and why there's a giant robot sitting in a pool on Earth. Everything else is pretty much self-explanatory and easy to grasp.

[Valkyrie Driver]

I'd say Plus first, for a number of reasons.

1) It's a self contained story, that requires little background information, and it's easy to follow, without the Macross Background.

2) It hits all the Important bits of Macross, the love triangle and the sweet mecha fights.

3) It gets to the action pretty quick, and keeps the pace going. It doesn't drag, so it's easy to watch.

4) It's short, sweet, and to the point.

5) The music is pretty catchy, and makes a nice set piece for the story.

Final reason, it cuts out a lot of the esoteric pacifist bullcrap (Last thing you want to do is slap someone in the face with philosophy right at the jump). No Basara or Kaifun like shenanigans, just two old friends, who had a falling out, competing over a military project and a woman, and beating the hell out of each other because of it.

Not to mention the animation has held up pretty well, and the main mecha are just friggin cool.

As for holding their value, I'm in agreement with Mommar on this. Outside Japan, people will pay premium prices for these toys that are hard to get outside Japan.

Edited August 17, 2015 by Valkyrie Driver

[Knightdramon]

Just to chime in...

Most Macross modern releases carry a relatively high price point anyway. There are a few that were overproduced and even 3 years later can be found at great, discounted prices [looking at you, Yamato VF19S, VF19Kai and VF17S]. There are some relatively obscure repaints/retools that came out in fewer numbers and are harder to get.

And there was a specific period, circa 2010-2012 or so [might be off a year or so either way] where Yamato produced too much of almost everything, general stock went on clearance multiple times, Pretty much every release I got at that point was at least 20-30% clearanced. I got two FP/Strike packs for the price of one, a VF1 Kakizaki, a VT Ostrich and more at around 50%.

Bandai used to underproduce most of their releases to a ridiculous amount until relatively recently, so that drove up their prices as well. Preorders closed within minutes.

Onto getting "newbies" into Macross, yeah, go for Plus, but that is actually the least Macross-like series of them all. It is very good but not as great as everybody is making it out to be. All Macross series besides that one are of a love triangle, pop music stopping evil aliens, yada yada...Plus is a bit more mature in comparison, but still drags.

[ArchieNov]

I actually think the Frontier TV series is the best way to introduce a new fan to Macross. The story is relatively easy to follow, has a little bit of everything to satisfy most viewers, and also has easter eggs here and there that may inspire them to watch the other series just to learn more about them.

[treatment]

I'm very knew to the Macross scene I'm usually collecting vintage G1 Transformers. I have a few Macross toys and I absolutely love them but why are prices so high and how do they hold their value so well?

Scalpers.

[spanner]

Scalpers.

[Mechapilot77]

I'm very knew to the Macross scene I'm usually collecting vintage G1 Transformers. I have a few Macross toys and I absolutely love them but why are prices so high and how do they hold their value so well?

its simply supply and demand. supply is low because macross is a niche market traditionally. frontier has brought it to a wider audience (and thus bigger production numbers i guess on the bandai dx chogokin line), but its still niche. also people tend to hold on to what they think the "best" version of a macross valk is. simply people don't let them go which makes secondary market supply low (especially outside japan).

demand is high because well macross fans are voracious partly I guess because we have to try so hard to be a fan and follow the series and get the toys. partly the low supply makes the items even more desireable. lastly most of the stuff we like on here is at least mid level to mid high level for toy collectors. There are no $30 valks...well there are but those are relegated to a "lesser" shelf of toys. lol.

[Chronocidal]

Demand for some items is also really high specifically because of Bandai's marketing shenanigans. Most of the really highly sought after add-on packs for their valks are limited to a one-and-done release schedule, and only sold from their Japan-only web-shop. So, if you're late getting into the series, or miss that precious pre-order, you may never see the item being sold again for anything near retail.

Anyone trying to get a hold of Ozma's VF-25 armor pack at this point is probably shelling out 2-3x what the valk itself cost.

Their sales schedule for the valks themselves is sometimes not much better, but there's at least a chance that a re-release will happen.

Also, entirely agree with Plus as an intro to the universe. It's just a nice self-contained chunk of the franchise that stands on its own, and brings out some of the best music and action the franchise has to offer as a whole.

[Valkyrie Driver]

Frontier would be my second choice for introducing someone to macross. It is more Macross-y than Plus, while keeping some of the same positives. Down side is that it's not as accessible as plus, as plus had a dub. I didn't finish SDFM until I got the full DVD set.

As far as the toys go, you really tend to get what you pay for. I wish the Hi-metal line was a bit more affordable, or that there was something in between the Toynami 1/100's and the Hi metal line. Unfortunately there is not.

[arrow]

I wonder how much the pre-owned frontier toy prices will adjust when the new show comes out. I'd love to get some more pieces from frontier but can't make myself pay it.