Arcadia 1/60 VF-4A ‘Flashback 2012’ Premium Finish & Regular Release

[Anasazi37]

The AJ price still seems pretty high compared to what AE listed several days ago. That's surprising, since AE isn't afraid to charge more when they think they can get away with it (e.g., DX Hayao TWE). Still not listed on Arcadia's site, so I wonder if the actual MSRP is still TBD. Waiting to see what HLJ and AmiAmi list for price before I decide what to do. I wouldn't be surprised to see the AJ price come down in the next day or two.

[Corrinald]

I am waiting for a more official announcement on the release too, as well as info on PF. Did these sites jump the gun a bit?

[ErikElvis]

Well I’m definitely in. Just waiting for other retailers. Maybe one clean finish and one PF. 

[Alex GS]

Supposedly these are new photos for the coming Arcadia VF-4A, posted today in Supre Mecha Facebook. 

Maybe today at night will be posted in AmiAmi and HLJ websites, if MSRP is 32,780 I think in the general store will be at 28 000 Y I guess, definitely getting one  

Edited August 2, 2020 by Alex GS

[yman1437]

So no PF version announced?

[Corrinald]

The Normal Version is up on HLJ now too. 

https://www.hlj.com/1-60-scale-kanzen-henkei-vf-4a-lightning-iii-hikaru-ichijyo-use-normal-version-aca82154

I am holding out for word on the Premium

[Chronocidal]

Oh, good, I'm glad I jumped on it and placed an order with AE early then, the price went up since that listing.

Still, their listing was mis-marked, or maybe adjusted afterwards, because the listed price of about $260 came out to more like $280 through Paypal.  The yen is almost dead on 100 to a dollar right now, it looks like.

 

[kajnrig]

I haven't followed this at all. Is this a different release from their original VF-4? ...was there an original VF-4?

[Chronocidal]

One of Yamato's final releases before closure was the VF-4G... not the one from FB2012, but the gray scheme from one of the VFX video games.  It was a pretty heavy sticking point for a lot of people, and it was never really clear why they didn't do Hikaru's FB2012 scheme, but most of the assumptions boiled down to licensing issues.

Arcadia re-released that same gray VF-4G as one of their earlier releases, but now they're finally giving everyone the scheme everyone wanted on the VF-4 in the first place.  

[Anasazi37]

37 minutes ago, Corrinald said:

The Normal Version is up on HLJ now too. 

https://www.hlj.com/1-60-scale-kanzen-henkei-vf-4a-lightning-iii-hikaru-ichijyo-use-normal-version-aca82154

I am holding out for word on the Premium

I'm really surprised that AE is lower than HLJ. It's usually the other way around.

[Mommar]

Just now, Chronocidal said:

One of Yamato's final releases before closure was the VF-4G... not the one from FB2012, but the gray scheme from one of the VFX video games.  It was a pretty heavy sticking point for a lot of people, and it was never really clear why they didn't do Hikaru's FB2012 scheme, but most of the assumptions boiled down to licensing issues.

Arcadia re-released that same gray VF-4G as one of their earlier releases, but now they're finally giving everyone the scheme everyone wanted on the VF-4 in the first place.  

It's a little bit more confusing though.  At the previous Con they showed a panel-lined and highly tampo'd version.  This one up for sale now has neither of those things.

[Chronocidal]

Just now, Mommar said:

It's a little bit more confusing though.  At the previous Con they showed a panel-lined and highly tampo'd version.  This one up for sale now has neither of those things.

I thought that's Arcadia's usual method though?  They always release a standard one before the premium finish releases.

Only difference here was that they advertised the PF version beforehand, which, honestly, is something I think a lot of people here wished for, so they wouldn't be suckered into buying the normal version first.

The difference here seems to be that they're bumping up the level of their premium finishes to include panel lining, maybe even weathering to push them closer to the recent VF-0D release.  Frankly, I was happy with tampos, and have no interest in panel lining and weathering finishes, so if that's the route they take, I'll stick with the standard releases from here on out.

[Anasazi37]

6 minutes ago, Chronocidal said:

I thought that's Arcadia's usual method though?  They always release a standard one before the premium finish releases.

Only difference here was that they advertised the PF version beforehand, which, honestly, is something I think a lot of people here wished for, so they wouldn't be suckered into buying the normal version first.

The difference here seems to be that they're bumping up the level of their premium finishes to include panel lining, maybe even weathering to push them closer to the recent VF-0D release.  Frankly, I was happy with tampos, and have no interest in panel lining and weathering finishes, so if that's the route they take, I'll stick with the standard releases from here on out.

Yeah, I'm good with the look of the standard version if the premium one is going to have panel lining and weathering. It's impressive, but I'd rather put the extra money towards another purchase. The standard version is expensive enough as it is.

(clicks the Purchase button on HLJ)

Edited August 3, 2020 by Anasazi37

[MacrossJunkie]

Wow, that's like a $38 price difference currently between AE and HLJ.

However, AE says that all shipments to the US are temporarily suspended and that they'll hold all shipments until the suspension has ended. Which could be a long time...

From their words, it doesn't sound like they are offering any alternative methods of shipping. So yeah... definitely sounds like a bad idea to go AE despite the lower cost unless one doesn't mind waiting an indefinite amount of time to get what they paid for.

Edited August 3, 2020 by MacrossJunkie

[sqidd]

19 minutes ago, MacrossJunkie said:

Wow, that's like a $38 price difference currently between AE and HLJ.

However, AE says that all shipments to the US are temporarily suspended and that they'll hold all shipments until the suspension has ended. Which could be a long time...

From their words, it doesn't sound like they are offering any alternative methods of shipping. So yeah... definitely sounds like a bad idea to go AE despite the lower cost unless one doesn't mind waiting an indefinite amount of time to get what they paid for.

Or use a Tenso address.

[sqidd]

I kinda bummed. I like buying Valks. But this one really isn't calling to me. I'm usually either "TAKE MY MONEY" or "Hard pass". I'm in the middle here.

[technoblue]

I'm one of the hold outs for news on the premium finish version, and so I wait. 

It isn't easy. 

[Anasazi37]

11 minutes ago, sqidd said:

Or use a Tenso address.

Yeah, Tenso is an option. AE will probably charge about $10-15 to ship it across Tokyo (not kidding), then there's Tenso's handling fee plus their markup on shipping. It's not a big markup, but when it's all said and done, AE+Local Post+Tenso+DHL will probably be fairly close in price to HLJ+(DHL or FedEx).

[Anasazi37]

36 minutes ago, MacrossJunkie said:

Wow, that's like a $38 price difference currently between AE and HLJ.

If you go by AE's conversion from Yen to USD, but it's not accurate for some reason. Their price is ¥28,310 and HLJ's is ¥29,800, so the actual difference is ¥1490 ($14). I didn't notice the error until @Chronocidalpointed it out.

[treatment]

so, to recap so far for the non-PF version:

hlj is at 29,800y  (which is msrp, i think) (shipping unknown)

ae is at 28,310y  (shipping unknown)

amj is at 28,343y (as of this posting) (shipping is dhl 3211y placeholder (usually 1600y) )

ami == ?   31,100y (shipping unknown)

hs == ?

cdj == ?

 

 

Edited August 3, 2020 by treatment
updated

[VF-Zer0S]

I understand production cost go up and so do licensing fees but this is a straight re paint lol. That’s Premium pricing we are dealing with. That said...I got one from AJ 

[F360]

It's been awhile since the last Arcadia preorder so it seems some of you are already forgetting which store can offer better preorder pricing.

This is for Arcadia products only 

HLJ were normally the one that offers the least amount of discount .  (The only exception was the PF VF-1S STRIKE VALKYRIE HIKARU ICHIJO CUSTOM MOVIE VER)

Anime-export would normally offer better pre order pricing that HLJ

Nippon-yasan normally offers the best pre order discount for Arcadia products.  ( Their pre order price with slow shipping is around the same as HLJ price before shipping)

 

Of course now that Amazon japan is in the game then I would recommend preordering with them for the lowest total with fast DHL shipping. 

 

[slide]

1 minute ago, treatment said:

ami == ?

https://www.amiami.com/eng/detail/?gcode=FIGURE-610909

[treatment]

8 minutes ago, VF-Zer0S said:

I understand production cost go up and so do licensing fees but this is a straight re paint lol. That’s Premium pricing we are dealing with. That said...I got one from AJ 

The Arcadia VF-4G was at 29,700y msrp:  http://arcadia.ac/products/detail.php?product_id=228

 

6 minutes ago, slide said:

https://www.amiami.com/eng/detail/?gcode=FIGURE-610909

Thanks!  Wasn't posted when I checked earlier.

As usual,  Ami's always adding the Tokyo-Tax with their 31,100y pricing for us importers.

 

 

[Sanity is Optional]

38 minutes ago, sqidd said:

I kinda bummed. I like buying Valks. But this one really isn't calling to me. I'm usually either "TAKE MY MONEY" or "Hard pass". I'm in the middle here.

I figure I need one for my 1/60 VF-0 to VF-31 lineup. Still need a 4, a 9 (the VF-9 kit is still in the mail system), and a 17.

[MacrossJunkie]

Ended up getting it from Amazon JP. The price on the site says ¥31,177, but when you actually add to cart, it says, ¥28,343.

I wonder if my Amazon Prime credit card still gets 5% points from Amazon JP orders as I would with orders from Amazon.com. That would be a nice side benefit if so.

[MacrossJunkie]

8 minutes ago, Sanity is Optional said:

I figure I need one for my 1/60 VF-0 to VF-31 lineup. Still need a 4, a 9 (the VF-9 kit is still in the mail system), and a 17.

Is that VF-9 kit in 1/60 scale?

I kind of want one of each VF also, including a VF-5000, VA-3, and VF-14.

[Lolicon]

28 minutes ago, MacrossJunkie said:

Ended up getting it from Amazon JP. The price on the site says ¥31,177, but when you actually add to cart, it says, ¥28,343.

I wonder if my Amazon Prime credit card still gets 5% points from Amazon JP orders as I would with orders from Amazon.com. That would be a nice side benefit if so.

Amazon subtracts the tax for foreigners when we check out.

Ordered one because who knows how long it'll be before we see the next PF.

[claude grant]

Up at Amiami

https://www.amiami.com/eng/detail?gcode=FIGURE-610909

sorry this was posted already

 

Edited August 3, 2020 by claude grant

[Alex GS]

Got one from AmiAmi. 

[Sanity is Optional]

1 hour ago, MacrossJunkie said:

Is that VF-9 kit in 1/60 scale?

I kind of want one of each VF also, including a VF-5000, VA-3, and VF-14.

Yeah, it's a 1/60 resin cast by @valhary of @Xigfrid's 3D model.

[Sanity is Optional]

1 hour ago, F360 said:

Nippon-yasan normally offers the best pre order discount for Arcadia products.  ( Their pre order price with slow shipping is around the same as HLJ price before shipping)

Not this time, looks like.

¥29,260 at Nippon Yasan 

That's a hard pass from me, purchasing from NY that is.

[chyll2]

NY strategy changed now. they used to offer the cheapest shipped price and people are okay with the delays as long as the price is right.

[Chronocidal]

2 minutes ago, chyll2 said:

NY strategy changed now. they used to offer the cheapest shipped price and people are okay with the delays as long as the price is right.

I don't think they were ever the cheapest for Yamato or Arcadia.  When the original VF-4G was released, I placed an order for two with them before anyone knew if they would be widely available.  I later cancelled that order and went with HLJ, because they were a fair bit cheaper, both on base price, and for shipping.

[F360]

10 minutes ago, Chronocidal said:

I don't think they were ever the cheapest for Yamato or Arcadia.  When the original VF-4G was released, I placed an order for two with them before anyone knew if they would be widely available.  I later cancelled that order and went with HLJ, because they were a fair bit cheaper, both on base price, and for shipping.

Are you talking about the Yamato version or the Arcadia version. ?