Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1

[shogun221]

On 6/20/2020 at 5:43 PM, sil80jdm said:

Anybody know what’s up with ssp from nippon yasan?? Mines been bought and paid for since day 1 and won’t even reply to my messages

 

On 6/20/2020 at 6:00 PM, drumondo said:

Same here. 

They replied to me, apologised for the delay and said they'll ship when when they have them. That's about it.

 

I'm also in that boat with NY, although I haven't bothered to try and reach out to them as of yet.

With the state of the world today, I don't mind being patient, but I'm debating with myself if I should start worrying about NY not coming through at all.

[RedComet]

34 minutes ago, fenrir72 said:

April 2019 or April 2020? And was the company you ordered from JP based or otherwise? JUst getting the general situation. All of my orders are JP based and sent via DHL. The delays came from my local Customs clearance.

April 2020 from Nin-Nin Games, I think they are Japan Based, but it's my first time using them.

[fenrir72]

3 minutes ago, RedComet said:

April 2020 from Nin-Nin Games, I think they are Japan Based, but it's my first time using them.

Been reading general JP updates related to the beerbug and if accurate, Manda too has openned all their branches. Unless there is something the JP media aren't telling (same with Manda) or their shipments from China may have met delays.

I'm going for the latter. (I know how much sucktitude it cost me for my own country's customs delays which might also have something to do with the beerbug )

[DYRL VF-1S]

41 minutes ago, Anasazi37 said:

Glad to hear that yours made it to Tenso! I received my shipping notification from AE last night. Nothing is showing up in the Japan Post tracking system yet. They're taking their sweet time with my sets, apparently. Maybe they just printed the address label so they could mark the order as shipped, and will actually mail it later, which is straight out of NY's playbook. I'll report back as soon as I have an update.

Haha! I hear ya. The only option to ship was boat, so I made the request for DHL over email. Let you know the total of that if you care to hear.

[RedComet]

Here's a question I have had kicking around my head for a while, and this is as good a place as any to ask it I figure. I collected MP transformers for a while but that world is just lousy with knockoffs of varying quality. It made it difficult to get an MP TF from anyone except maybe a forum member with a sterling reputation. My question is this, with what Bandai DX figures (overall, not even just Macross) sell for, why haven't there been knockoffs?!? Don't get me wrong, I am GLAD there don't seem to be any as that's a huge headache for most collectors. But what is it that makes the difference? Are transformers just an order of magnitude more popular? Does Bandai just have really aggressive lawyers that Takara lacks? Any info, or even wild conspiracies would be great 

[Slave IV]

26 minutes ago, RedComet said:

Here's a question I have had kicking around my head for a while, and this is as good a place as any to ask it I figure. I collected MP transformers for a while but that world is just lousy with knockoffs of varying quality. It made it difficult to get an MP TF from anyone except maybe a forum member with a sterling reputation. My question is this, with what Bandai DX figures (overall, not even just Macross) sell for, why haven't there been knockoffs?!? Don't get me wrong, I am GLAD there don't seem to be any as that's a huge headache for most collectors. But what is it that makes the difference? Are transformers just an order of magnitude more popular? Does Bandai just have really aggressive lawyers that Takara lacks? Any info, or even wild conspiracies would be great 

It’s a combination of what you mentioned but if you look at the grey market thread, you’ll see there are KOs and the DX VF-31 KOs seem to be on the way. Also, there have been KOs of Macross since the beginning and I think if anything, the first time I’ve seen widespread KOs of figures were of Macross. But I think for the most part, Macross is too niche a market for it to be as widespread as we see for Transformers. As for not being able to get genuine MP Transformers, that’s odd. It seems to me to be very easy to choose between getting official and KO with many people, myself included opting for the cheaper KOs in many cases because they are often better, improved, offer different sizing or decos or a combination of all the above. 

[jeniusornome]

I think it's a combination of Macross being more niche than Transformers, so there isn't as big a market for it, and the DX VFs having a ton of tiny little unnecessarily complicated parts.

There's a listing at a store for a KO of the DX VF-31J that's been in preorder for a couple years now. The price they list at is a little less than you find the legit figures on the secondary market. But that figure has thin pieces, little pieces that fold and rotate, tiny clips, a bunch of stuff where the tolerance needs to be right or the whole thing will flop and wobble or it won't compress right and hold together. And all the painted details.

If a KO company is going to make one and put in enough QC to make sure it all comes together and works (because if it was a floppy mess no one would pay $150+ for one), they might as well just be Bandai.

As far as getting MP TFs that aren't knockoffs - yeah, if you miss the normal availability window and you're trying to find something on ebay, it's a crapshoot.

[fenrir72]

1 hour ago, RedComet said:

Here's a question I have had kicking around my head for a while, and this is as good a place as any to ask it I figure. I collected MP transformers for a while but that world is just lousy with knockoffs of varying quality. It made it difficult to get an MP TF from anyone except maybe a forum member with a sterling reputation. My question is this, with what Bandai DX figures (overall, not even just Macross) sell for, why haven't there been knockoffs?!? Don't get me wrong, I am GLAD there don't seem to be any as that's a huge headache for most collectors. But what is it that makes the difference? Are transformers just an order of magnitude more popular? Does Bandai just have really aggressive lawyers that Takara lacks? Any info, or even wild conspiracies would be great 

TFs are hot in China. Molten hot. Macross isn't that hot. So the market for KO Macross' isn't to profitable for KOers. 

As for legit MP Tfs, go the JP way from you know where mentioned here a bouts (Jungle Planet, etc etc).

Avoid ebay like a plague!

Edited June 23, 2020 by fenrir72

[Knuckles7173]

It's coming. This will be one uber PO-madness.

https://www.taghobby.com/archives/460784?fbclid=IwAR0lxrh7LNQW9DldcQ3Zhu65UXWBoEC6JIwDUlXULMRutZ88AntMLupJ9zs

[sqidd]

5 hours ago, RedComet said:

Here's a question I have had kicking around my head for a while, and this is as good a place as any to ask it I figure. I collected MP transformers for a while but that world is just lousy with knockoffs of varying quality. It made it difficult to get an MP TF from anyone except maybe a forum member with a sterling reputation. My question is this, with what Bandai DX figures (overall, not even just Macross) sell for, why haven't there been knockoffs?!? Don't get me wrong, I am GLAD there don't seem to be any as that's a huge headache for most collectors. But what is it that makes the difference? Are transformers just an order of magnitude more popular? Does Bandai just have really aggressive lawyers that Takara lacks? Any info, or even wild conspiracies would be great 

Bobby Skullface just posted a video about 3P and KO's. He went into the history of them getting shut down, raided, etc to give context to I can't remember what company just got raided (supposedly). Apparently companies like Bandai and Disney wield a lot of power and go after KO's HARD. I suspect it's a matter of them having more money for bribes than the KO company does.

I suspect that Macross stuff is not heavily KO'd because it's not actually that big of a market and that companies like Bandai that have a really big stick can do some damage. Watch this video. Some of these KO's are loosing massive amounts of money in seized/destroyed product, getting huge fines and higher ups are doing jail time. It's pretty interesting. I was shocked at how much inventory some of these places have. I imagined KO's to be smaller scale.

 

[sqidd]

11 minutes ago, Knuckles7173 said:

It's coming. This will be one uber PO-madness.

https://www.taghobby.com/archives/460784?fbclid=IwAR0lxrh7LNQW9DldcQ3Zhu65UXWBoEC6JIwDUlXULMRutZ88AntMLupJ9zs

I alreday have three (shipping soon) thanks to @RedComet. Thanks RedComet!

I'm going to have to pick a few more up though. It will be a bloodbath........that I'm not going to mess with. I'll wait for release day like I did the VF-1S Hikaru and scoop a couple up. Did I end up paying more in the long run? Sure. But not a ton. And I didn't need to worry about the stress. Heck, I had my Hikaru's faster than most people who PO'd them. A lot faster.

 

[juice14]

15 minutes ago, Knuckles7173 said:

It's coming. This will be one uber PO-madness.

https://www.taghobby.com/archives/460784?fbclid=IwAR0lxrh7LNQW9DldcQ3Zhu65UXWBoEC6JIwDUlXULMRutZ88AntMLupJ9zs

Finger training in progress.... fastest fingers!

[MKT]

21 minutes ago, Knuckles7173 said:

It's coming. This will be one uber PO-madness.

https://www.taghobby.com/archives/460784?fbclid=IwAR0lxrh7LNQW9DldcQ3Zhu65UXWBoEC6JIwDUlXULMRutZ88AntMLupJ9zs

Looks like it is a TV version with TV Roy pilot figure. Roy's figure also looks bigger, a nice touch. And great that it comes with the stand like Hikaru's VF-1J.

But is it going to be a normal release or Tamashii web exclusive?

[Guyffon]

Nice that its a new pilot mold, also it comes with a limited edition stand. good thing is, I am not going the order this, good luck to the rest of you

Edited June 23, 2020 by Guyffon

[Rogueload]

Oh man a tv Roy!! Even better! I think this one might get me to get in the 1/48 game! 

[Lolicon]

Woohoo! And a properly sized pilot too? Is Bandai tacitly admitting to screwing up the previous pilots?

Now I'm really hoping for travel restrictions to be eased so I can just pick one up in person. 

[Kyp Durron]

Any idea as to when preorders for the TV Roy will be open?

[sqidd]

10 minutes ago, Rogueload said:

Oh man a tv Roy!! Even better! I think this one might get me to get in the 1/48 game! 

What's the difference between TV and DYRL again? The pilot figure and a marking on the head or something???

[spacemanoeuvres]

Hope it’s a web exclusive. It was tough to get kaki but it’s doable. 

[Lolicon]

I don't see any black arrows on the battroid head or ejection seat markings. Could just be because it's a prototype but considering it's just a repaint of an established mold, it sure looks like Bandai is once again taking a step back.

Maybe they'll throw in a movie pilot figure and some decals for the head arrows. That's all they would need to do to make it a movie version.

[MKT]

Don’t think Bandai’s gonna bother with a single tiny black arrow marking to differentiate between TV & movie.

But it will be nice if they include a movie Roy figure as well. Yet wouldn’t put it past them to make it as a separate Tamashii item. 

[chyll2]

looks like it is light (ehrm when compared to DYRL release) on marking like 1J

[sqidd]

13 minutes ago, MKT said:

Yet wouldn’t put it past them to make it as a separate Tamashii item. 

$52

[Ignacio Ocamica]

42 minutes ago, Lolicon said:

I don't see any black arrows on the battroid head or ejection seat markings. Could just be because it's a prototype but considering it's just a repaint of an established mold, it sure looks like Bandai is once again taking a step back.

Maybe they'll throw in a movie pilot figure and some decals for the head arrows. That's all they would need to do to make it a movie version.

Yes, there's a yellow arrow 

We need someone who can read Japanese.

It's a low resolution pic, but is Fockers 1S head slightly different??

Edited June 23, 2020 by Ignacio Ocamica

[Corrinald]

The overall head proportions and visor do look very slightly different.

Also, yay VF-1S Roy! This ought to be pleasant to try to buy 

Edited June 23, 2020 by Corrinald

[spacemanoeuvres]

1 minute ago, Corrinald said:

The overall proportions and visor do look very slightly different.

Also, yay VF-1S Roy! This ought to be pleasant to try to buy 

Oh jeez, it’s going to suck. I anticipate spinning wheels and getting cart jacked all night long. 

[Ignacio Ocamica]

1 minute ago, Corrinald said:

The overall head proportions and visor do look very slightly different.

Also, yay VF-1S Roy! This ought to be pleasant to try to buy 

I can spot a more pointy jaw in Fockers 1S head, and it also has bigger neck and softer edges.

[Alphahorizon]

I knew something was up when I woke up and saw 20+ emails in this topic. Great news. I will sleep through this one as I have learned its less stressful. Slight increase in price is okay.

[Lolicon]

42 minutes ago, Ignacio Ocamica said:

Yes, there's a yellow arrow 

We need someone who can read Japanese.

It's a low resolution pic, but is Fockers 1S head slightly different??

Wow those yellow arrows were hard to see!

Yellow text at the top says the pilot figure and battroid head unit are all new.

The paragraph immediately below goes on to say that the head unit was created to match what's seen onscreen on the TV version (then why are the arrows yellow, Bandai?). Then it says again the pilot figure is newly created, and the last part says "as a 3D object it's an item without compromise!" 

So yeah, claiming to be the TV version while giving us the DYRL version is what I would expect from Bandai. 

Edited June 23, 2020 by Lolicon

[Kyp Durron]

4 minutes ago, Lolicon said:

Wow those yellow arrows were hard to see!

Yellow text at the top says the pilot figure and battroid head unit are all new.

The paragraph immediately below goes on to say that the head unit was created to match what's seen onscreen on the TV version (then why are the arrows yellow, Bandai?). Then it says again the pilot figure is newly created, and the last part says "as a 3D object it's an item without compromise!" 

If that's the case and it's to match the TV version, then it's the TV version for sure. Pretty sure they'll change the Yellow arrows to Black before release. 

[nathans82]

I cannot wait for Roy, it's been too long! On the NY note, I got my SSPs in last night from them, so miracles do happen.

[sh9000]

Cool.  I’ll just need a TV Kakizaki after this Roy 1S and I’m done.  Nice differences with the DYRL head being more angular and the TV head being more rounded.  I like that the Roy pilot figure will be bigger.

[Lolicon]

1 minute ago, Kyp Durron said:

If that's the case and it's to match the TV version, then it's the TV version for sure. Pretty sure they'll change the Yellow arrows to Black before release. 

We'll see come November I guess.

[Rogueload]

Typical Bandai though.  They release movie version SS parts and now we'll have to wait a while after the TV Roy for TV Supers.  Ugh. 

[Corrinald]

It would be more traditional Bandai if the head arrows remain inaccurately yellow