Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1

[Alan Molina]

Sorry had to do it lol 

 

 

 

[spacemanoeuvres]

Received my copies from AJ and MyKombini.  Contemplating a third because...why not 

[max]

Just got my DHL confirmation for Roy after placing an order on Dec 1 from Okini. Feels like it's been a week but only been 3 days haha.  First valk purchase in 12 years, i guess i'm gonna get sucked in again . . . . "where can i get a Strike pack" . . . "will there be a GBP coming out" . . . "oh i definitely need to get that variant"

[Jade20X]

Finally got mine from Nin-Nin yesterday.  The packaging inside merely consisted of one layer of small bubble wrap around the entire Valkyrie, and the shipping box was less than 1 inch free around the item's packaging (sides and top).  Not impressed as the box could/should have been better protected (couldn't they have at least done two layers of bubble wrap?!), and there are very minor creases and dents on the item's packaging (most likely from the shipping as the outside shipping box looked haggered).  I'm at least grateful that Nin-Nin fulfilled my order (considering the bad reviews I read about them earlier in the year).

Now waiting for my second one from Okini which is arriving next week, and then the fast/strike pack from Anime-Export.  Hopefully, these two places package their items better.  I think AE does from past purchases I've had with them.

Edited December 4, 2020 by Jade20X

[sqidd]

19 minutes ago, Jade20X said:

Finally got mine from Nin-Nin yesterday.  The packaging inside merely consisted of one layer of small bubble wrap around the entire Valkyrie, and the shipping box was less than 1 inch free around the item's packaging (sides and top).  Not impressed as the box could/should have been better protected (couldn't they have at least done two layers of bubble wrap?!), and there is very minor creases and dents on the item's packaging (most likely from the shipping as the outside shipping box looked haggered).  I'm at least grateful that they fulfilled my order (considering the bad reviews I read about them earlier in the year).

Now waiting for my second one from Okini which is arriving next week, and then the fast/strike pack from Anime-Export.  Hopefully, these two places package their items better.  I think AE does from past purchases I've had with them.

Better packaging generally comes with an increased shipping rate. Especially with DHL. There is a point where the box size really impacts the rate. 

I think now tat DHL is becoming the norm the shippers should offer two ways of shipping. As small as possible at a lower rate. Or protected from asteroid strikes for a higher rate and leave it up to the customer.

[Shawn]

Awesome that prices are dropping. Maybe I can secure a 2nd one and lower my average purchase price

[DYRL VF-1S]

3 hours ago, Alan Molina said:

The Eagle has landed !!

 

Nice! And I see you have DJ'ing gear too.

[Jade20X]

21 minutes ago, sqidd said:

Better packaging generally comes with an increased shipping rate. Especially with DHL. There is a point where the box size really impacts the rate. 

I think now tat DHL is becoming the norm the shippers should offer two ways of shipping. As small as possible at a lower rate. Or protected from asteroid strikes for a higher rate and leave it up to the customer.

Agreed. My total cost for Roy cost about $350 from Nin-Nin, and even though that’s a high cost for this item, I would have paid more for more protective shipping had that option been available to me.

I had assumed early on that I wasn’t even getting this item until 2021 since EMS to the US is no longer an option until the Coronavirus is under better control. But NN surprised me with a change in shipping services to DHL.

[sqidd]

21 minutes ago, Shawn said:

Awesome that prices are dropping. Maybe I can secure a 2nd one and lower my average purchase price

Dropping? Where?

[Alan Molina]

11 minutes ago, DYRL VF-1S said:

Nice! And I see you have DJ'ing gear too.

another hobby :P cheaper than macross lol

[treatment]

1 hour ago, sqidd said:

Better packaging generally comes with an increased shipping rate. Especially with DHL. There is a point where the box size really impacts the rate. 

I think now tat DHL is becoming the norm the shippers should offer two ways of shipping. As small as possible at a lower rate. Or protected from asteroid strikes for a higher rate and leave it up to the customer.

[sqidd]

2 minutes ago, treatment said:

I love the shipping gif's.

[mantisfists]

46 minutes ago, treatment said:

That GIF must be from either Ducati's or Aprillia's warehouse, as that pretty much explains every package I've ever received ordering directly from them, ever (did I mention ever?).  Oddly enough, I've never had a problem with the Honda shipping boxes being mangled.  They must think the parts are for a VR-052 or something.   All parts are in 1/48 scale, of course, to keep it on topic.

[Shawn]

1 hour ago, sqidd said:

Dropping? Where?

Well you have to remember I am starting from my $400 focker, so if I can get a 2nd one $310 shipped , I'm working towards my own personal DX price normalization.

 

[Kenny G]

I ended up with an extra Roy and it is now in the BST section if anyone is interested. 

[mantisfists]

9 minutes ago, Shawn said:

Well you have to remember I am starting from my $400 focker, so if I can get a 2nd one $310 shipped , I'm working towards my own personal DX price normalization.

 

There's one in the For Sale Section for just under $300 plus shipping.  Also, Amazon.jp has them for just under $305 shipped.

Edit: Sorry Kenny G.  Didn't see your post.  Didn't mean to repeat what you'd said, as I believe the Valk in the FS Section is yours.

Edited December 4, 2020 by mantisfists

[Drad]

5 hours ago, sqidd said:

Wall of Awesome.

But it's not at MY house, damn it. 

[Kenny G]

5 minutes ago, mantisfists said:

There's one in the For Sale Section for just under $300 plus shipping.  Also, Amazon.jp has them for just under $305 shipped.

Edit: Sorry Kenny G.  Didn't see your post.  Didn't mean to repeat what you'd said, as I believe the Valk in the FS Section is yours.

No problem, doodski

[sqidd]

17 minutes ago, Shawn said:

Well you have to remember I am starting from my $400 focker, so if I can get a 2nd one $310 shipped , I'm working towards my own personal DX price normalization.

 

Ahhh, gotcha!

[Paco Grande]

5 hours ago, Alan Molina said:

The Eagle has landed !!

 

Possibly a dumb question, but how are you getting the plane tilted so much on the stand? On mine if I try to use either of the tilting slots on the adapter that fits on the jet the adapter interferes with the rest of the stand. If I push it on all the way it will break something for sure. So I'm tilting my jet at 15 degrees or whatever the first angle is because the 15 degrees in the other part won't work. It's not even close. Following the instructions is not helping either. Are you just not pushing the adapter on all the way? Thanks!

 

 

[rdrunner]

25 minutes ago, mantisfists said:

That GIF must be from either Ducati's or Aprillia's warehouse, as that pretty much explains every package I've ever received ordering directly from them, ever (did I mention ever?).  Oddly enough, I've never had a problem with the Honda shipping boxes being mangled.  They must think the parts are for a VR-052 or something.   All parts are in 1/48 scale, of course, to keep it on topic.

Speaking of box sizes and packaging, I really like how showzstore handles their packages.  The outer parcel may look a bit beat up at your door, but once you remove the shipping box, the inside is adequately bubble-wrapped with corner protectors and the original packaging is very well preserved.  

My DX Roy from mykombini had a couple of creased corners, because of the small clearance between the bubble-wrapped DX and the shipping box.  

So instead of paying for bigger shipping boxes and packaging material, why can't they just add a few corner protectors?

[sqidd]

35 minutes ago, mantisfists said:

That GIF must be from either Ducati's or Aprillia's warehouse, as that pretty much explains every package I've ever received ordering directly from them, ever (did I mention ever?).  Oddly enough, I've never had a problem with the Honda shipping boxes being mangled.  They must think the parts are for a VR-052 or something.   All parts are in 1/48 scale, of course, to keep it on topic.

I used to have a Ducati deanship and before that worked at one that had Aprilia. I can confirm.

[pafy6285]

if you read the VF-1S Roy review/comments in AJ, seems like locals (Japan) are complaining about availability and the price due to resellers. They're wishing that the VF-1S Roy movie ver., when released be a PBandai (or I think the sentiment is that really popular ones like Roy be a PBandai and not a general release)

Edited December 4, 2020 by pafy6285

[rdrunner]

6 minutes ago, pafy6285 said:

if you read the VF-1S Roy review/comments in AJ, seems like locals (Japan) are complaining about availability and the price due to resellers. They're wishing that the VF-1S Roy movie ver., when released be a PBandai (or I think the sentiment is that really popular ones like Roy be a PBandai and not a general release)

Yeah I saw that too a couple days ago, and their frustration is understandable and justified.  Scalpers (I am not as nice to call them "resellers" myself haha) are really making this hard for all of us, and with no money down at all, it's almost a guaranteed profit for each PO they can secure. In my opinion, TWE release would be the much better way to go, because everyone who wants one CAN get one, and scalpers will have to commit with real money themselves.

[sqidd]

10 minutes ago, pafy6285 said:

if you read the VF-1S Roy review/comments in AJ, seems like locals (Japan) are complaining about availability and the price due to resellers. They're wishing that the VF-1S Roy movie ver., when released be a PBandai (or I think the sentiment is that really popular ones like Roy be a PBandai and not a general release)

I have a hard time feeling sympathy for people who aren't under the thumb of HG and BW.

[sqidd]

1 minute ago, rdrunner said:

Yeah I saw that too a couple days ago, and their frustration is understandable and justified.  Scalpers (I am not as nice to call them "resellers" myself haha) are really making this hard for all of us, and with no money down at all, it's almost a guaranteed profit for each PO they can secure. In my opinion, TWE release would be the much better way to go, because everyone who wants one CAN get one, and scalpers will have to commit with real money themselves.

There are a hundred ways that Bandai could stop scalping. They choose not to. IMO the blame lies with them. The resellers are just capitalists. The same economic system that makes things like high end toys, iPhones, nice cars, big TV's, etc available for us to buy. Don't hate the player, hate the game. In this analogy, Bandai is the game.

 

[pafy6285]

  

11 minutes ago, sqidd said:

There are a hundred ways that Bandai could stop scalping. They choose not to. IMO the blame lies with them. The resellers are just capitalists. The same economic system that makes things like high end toys, iPhones, nice cars, big TV's, etc available for us to buy. Don't hate the player, hate the game. In this analogy, Bandai is the game.

 

 

Hopefully if enough locals which is Bandai's main market complain, they might do something about it. And hopefully that would also be beneficial to us outside.

Edited December 4, 2020 by pafy6285

[Lolicon]

25 minutes ago, pafy6285 said:

if you read the VF-1S Roy review/comments in AJ, seems like locals (Japan) are complaining about availability and the price due to resellers. They're wishing that the VF-1S Roy movie ver., when released be a PBandai (or I think the sentiment is that really popular ones like Roy be a PBandai and not a general release)

It's what I've said before: it's completely ass backwards that Bandai makes its own customers go through so much hassle and frustration to buy their stuff. Yes, the blame is with Bandai.

I agree with the reviewers. If Bandai is so goddamn afraid of their stuff spending a whole five minutes sitting on a store shelf, then get rid of the shelf and make all Macross releases TWE. What retailer is going to miss it? There's so many other more popular properties they can stock their shelves with, and they do. Walk into a large shop like Amiami or Yodobashi and you'll find aisles and aisles of Gundam but maybe a shelf of Macross, if you're lucky.

[rdrunner]

I agree that most of this is Bandai's doing, and perhaps a TWE system for every preorder could curb a lot of the scalping activity.  I just think that for a capitalist to make a profit, they should have to take commensurate risk for the return they are targeting.  I don't have a problem with resellers selling for a profit, but they should have to commit upfront.  I have been fortunate enough to have bought my TV VF-1J, VF-1A and Roy 1S all at retail (with the exception of my second Roy from mykombini), but I really feel the pain of other collectors who just want one but have to pay a heavy markup for it.

[sqidd]

2 minutes ago, rdrunner said:

 I don't have a problem with resellers selling for a profit, but they should have to commit upfront.  

Yes

[peter]

13 hours ago, rocketblast said:

Check it out check-check it out.  Not my photo (I don't have this many of these!)  But take a look.

How does one guy get so many, when I stay up in the middle of the night and can't even get one?  

 

Not going to lie, I'm a little peeved about seeing this sort of thing.

 

Edited December 4, 2020 by peter

[sqidd]

7 minutes ago, peter said:

How does one guy get so many, when I stay up in the middle of the night and can't even get one?  

 

Not going to lie, I'm a little peeved about seeing this sort of thing.

 

You do realize you can buy them on release day too right? Actually, you can still buy that many right now.

 

[orbitalharvest]

4 hours ago, Jade20X said:

Finally got mine from Nin-Nin yesterday.  The packaging inside merely consisted of one layer of small bubble wrap around the entire Valkyrie, and the shipping box was less than 1 inch free around the item's packaging (sides and top).  Not impressed as the box could/should have been better protected (couldn't they have at least done two layers of bubble wrap?!), and there are very minor creases and dents on the item's packaging (most likely from the shipping as the outside shipping box looked haggered).  I'm at least grateful that Nin-Nin fulfilled my order (considering the bad reviews I read about them earlier in the year).

Now waiting for my second one from Okini which is arriving next week, and then the fast/strike pack from Anime-Export.  Hopefully, these two places package their items better.  I think AE does from past purchases I've had with them.

got one from nin nin and okini.  same exact packaging

[orbitalharvest]

9 minutes ago, sqidd said:

You do realize you can buy them on release day too right? Actually, you can still buy that many right now.

 

much like the sneaker game, and many others... the bots are descending... 

[peter]

15 minutes ago, sqidd said:

You do realize you can buy them on release day too right? Actually, you can still buy that many right now.

 

Not for 18,900 yen