omega666 wrote:prmlove1 wrote:I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I respect thaty but I must admit that it is terribly irritating to hear people constantly talking junk about Hasbro and their versions of figures as compared to Takaras. Have any of you realized that these toys are catered to two wide different markets? In Japan these toys are geared more towards collectors whereas here in the states they are geared moreso to kids although Hasbro is trying to remember the collector also by remaking classic characters. If these figures were geared more towards the collector in America then they would likely be made exactly like the Takara versions. Of course if you like the Takara variations better (no harm in that), then you are welcome to pay $30.00 instead of $11.00 for the stateside version. One more thing, when a crappy figure comes out can't blame Hasbro complete ly because Hasbro/Takara have equal hands in the invention of the actual toys (not talking about the paint schemes).Rant over, I'm sorry. Had to get that off my chest.
The Takara versions do look good but I can buy three Generations figures for the cost of one United figure.
And it's equally irritating toe always hear "in the states they are geared moreso to kids" blah, blah, blah. WE KNOW these are for kids but they shouldn't have to get inferior looking versions.
Naked Magnus wrote:prmlove1 wrote:I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I respect thaty but I must admit that it is terribly irritating to hear people constantly talking junk about Hasbro and their versions of figures as compared to Takaras. Have any of you realized that these toys are catered to two wide different markets? In Japan these toys are geared more towards collectors whereas here in the states they are geared moreso to kids although Hasbro is trying to remember the collector also by remaking classic characters. If these figures were geared more towards the collector in America then they would likely be made exactly like the Takara versions. Of course if you like the Takara variations better (no harm in that), then you are welcome to pay $30.00 instead of $11.00 for the stateside version. One more thing, when a crappy figure comes out can't blame Hasbro complete ly because Hasbro/Takara have equal hands in the invention of the actual toys (not talking about the paint schemes).Rant over, I'm sorry. Had to get that off my chest.
Preach it! I am tired of this complaint as well. Little Johnny age 8 does not care about chrome wheels or a G1 accurate paint scheme, especially since he is going to play the hell out of the toy. He has been saving up his precious little allowance for a few weeks and when he goes to the toy store, he has a choice to make. If all that extra Takara paint jacks up the price, then he will move onto another product. Also, all of that Takara paint does not hold up after hours of play. Normal play will produce lots of scratches, leaving little Johnny disappointed. Meanwhile in Japan, Takashi, age 34, loves all of that metallic paint. Since he has a full time job, he does not hesitate to pay a higher price. When he takes his toy home he transforms it carefully. Takashi probably only transforms each of his toys a total of three to four times. He places them on his shelf and admires the sheen of the metallic paint.
Due to the Japanese low birth rate, the market for children's toys over there has shrunk. Toy companies have been compensating by catering to adult collectors.
Hasbro is trying to cater to both children and adult collectors. I must say that I think they are doing a really good job.
Rated X wrote:I love these Takara/Hasbro discussions !!! I support both companies for their good points but I also trash both companies for the B.S. they often deliver in the form of excuses.
1. Paint apps do cost extra money. United Jazz and Bumblebee painted in metallic finishes does justifiy a higher price. However, a different color of plastic does not. Plastic colors are made by mixing powders. They have it down to a science as the measures of color are done by computer. But when someone screws up we start seeing variants on each run like ROTF Breakaway. Why Hasbro chooses not to go with G1 accurate colors sometimes in beyond me because it costs the same. And kids could care less about color variations of a slight difference. But collectors do. So why not kill 2 birds with one stone and get the most out of your product by mixing the right shade of plastic Hasbro ??? Stop lying about the cost because it's the same damn price !!!
2. For Henkei figures that share the same plastic color as the Hasbro version, stop lying about how much the few extra paint apps cost and bring the figures down to a fair price of $20. Perfect examples are Drift and Wreck-Gar. Painting a chest red or a few extra stripes and a grill does not cost an extra $20. So why are you charging $20 more than Hasbro ??? I heard Henkei was using a factory in China. Im not sure if this is true, but if it is then that means they probally have 1000 factory workers working 12 hour shifts for 50 cents an hour. So Henkei, I love you guys but get real !!!
Anyone wanna see how the Henkei factory operates watch the quick video on this link :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX1iplQQJTo
Counterpunch wrote:They should offer the Takara versions as Premium versions on their very own website and stop making us go through middle men to get them.
zodconvoy wrote:Counterpunch wrote:They should offer the Takara versions as Premium versions on their very own website and stop making us go through middle men to get them.
...I'd be down for that.
rpetras wrote:zodconvoy wrote:Counterpunch wrote:They should offer the Takara versions as Premium versions on their very own website and stop making us go through middle men to get them.
...I'd be down for that.
Yea, so would I.
I'm happy enough with my Drift (unless it happens to be standing next to the Takara version), and I can fix the missing paint apps on Jazz, but if I could get them for a price a lot closer to the street price if a regular deluxe, I'd do it.
And if this was SOP for Hasbro, so collectors could more easily pick and choose the versions that they prefer, that would be great!
JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:rpetras wrote:zodconvoy wrote:Counterpunch wrote:They should offer the Takara versions as Premium versions on their very own website and stop making us go through middle men to get them.
...I'd be down for that.
Yea, so would I.
I'm happy enough with my Drift (unless it happens to be standing next to the Takara version), and I can fix the missing paint apps on Jazz, but if I could get them for a price a lot closer to the street price if a regular deluxe, I'd do it.
And if this was SOP for Hasbro, so collectors could more easily pick and choose the versions that they prefer, that would be great!
Actually, Hasbro did start a website offering Japanese Beast Wars toys back in 2000, called Hasbrocollectors.com. Put mildly, it flunked.
JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:rpetras wrote:zodconvoy wrote:Counterpunch wrote:They should offer the Takara versions as Premium versions on their very own website and stop making us go through middle men to get them.
...I'd be down for that.
Yea, so would I.
I'm happy enough with my Drift (unless it happens to be standing next to the Takara version), and I can fix the missing paint apps on Jazz, but if I could get them for a price a lot closer to the street price if a regular deluxe, I'd do it.
And if this was SOP for Hasbro, so collectors could more easily pick and choose the versions that they prefer, that would be great!
The fact that many of those four HTS exclusive "Special Editions" figures ended sitting on line and then finally ended up at Marshals isn't helping that cause either. I'd be all over it, and Mattycollector does some great things with the Ghostbuster and MOTU lines, so Hasbro just needs to get it right.
I think it's a bit of a pride thing too, they don't want the sell what looks to be "superior" Takomy product on the same site as the rest of the product they sell. Makes them look kinda bad.
Actually, Hasbro did start a website offering Japanese Beast Wars toys back in 2000, called Hasbrocollectors.com. Put mildly, it flunked.
Counterpunch wrote:JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:rpetras wrote:zodconvoy wrote:Counterpunch wrote:They should offer the Takara versions as Premium versions on their very own website and stop making us go through middle men to get them.
...I'd be down for that.
Yea, so would I.
I'm happy enough with my Drift (unless it happens to be standing next to the Takara version), and I can fix the missing paint apps on Jazz, but if I could get them for a price a lot closer to the street price if a regular deluxe, I'd do it.
And if this was SOP for Hasbro, so collectors could more easily pick and choose the versions that they prefer, that would be great!
Actually, Hasbro did start a website offering Japanese Beast Wars toys back in 2000, called Hasbrocollectors.com. Put mildly, it flunked.
That was 2000 with crappy Beast Wars toys. This is now, with better toys and a more invigorated fandom.
WeatherManNX01 wrote:Counterpunch wrote:JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:rpetras wrote:zodconvoy wrote:Counterpunch wrote:They should offer the Takara versions as Premium versions on their very own website and stop making us go through middle men to get them.
...I'd be down for that.
Yea, so would I.
I'm happy enough with my Drift (unless it happens to be standing next to the Takara version), and I can fix the missing paint apps on Jazz, but if I could get them for a price a lot closer to the street price if a regular deluxe, I'd do it.
And if this was SOP for Hasbro, so collectors could more easily pick and choose the versions that they prefer, that would be great!
Actually, Hasbro did start a website offering Japanese Beast Wars toys back in 2000, called Hasbrocollectors.com. Put mildly, it flunked.
That was 2000 with crappy Beast Wars toys. This is now, with better toys and a more invigorated fandom.
I'm not sure about putting them on their own site, but I've often thought that probably the best way to reach the collector market would be sites like BBTS and TFSource, since that's where a lot of us go in the first place. And not just for current figures, but perhaps for reissues as well (such as the BBTS Seacons).
On the other hand, perhaps they don't do this for exactly that reason - BBTS and TFSource, et al. If they are already offering Takara figures, why should Hasbro step in and muddy the waters with the same figures? I know it's about cost of the figures on our end, but perhaps it really just isn't worth the time, effort, and money for Hasbro to do this.
I don't know. In an ideal world this would work. However, we do not live in an ideal world.
Counterpunch wrote:WeatherManNX01 wrote:Counterpunch wrote:JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:rpetras wrote:zodconvoy wrote:Counterpunch wrote:They should offer the Takara versions as Premium versions on their very own website and stop making us go through middle men to get them.
...I'd be down for that.
Yea, so would I.
I'm happy enough with my Drift (unless it happens to be standing next to the Takara version), and I can fix the missing paint apps on Jazz, but if I could get them for a price a lot closer to the street price if a regular deluxe, I'd do it.
And if this was SOP for Hasbro, so collectors could more easily pick and choose the versions that they prefer, that would be great!
Actually, Hasbro did start a website offering Japanese Beast Wars toys back in 2000, called Hasbrocollectors.com. Put mildly, it flunked.
That was 2000 with crappy Beast Wars toys. This is now, with better toys and a more invigorated fandom.
I'm not sure about putting them on their own site, but I've often thought that probably the best way to reach the collector market would be sites like BBTS and TFSource, since that's where a lot of us go in the first place. And not just for current figures, but perhaps for reissues as well (such as the BBTS Seacons).
On the other hand, perhaps they don't do this for exactly that reason - BBTS and TFSource, et al. If they are already offering Takara figures, why should Hasbro step in and muddy the waters with the same figures? I know it's about cost of the figures on our end, but perhaps it really just isn't worth the time, effort, and money for Hasbro to do this.
I don't know. In an ideal world this would work. However, we do not live in an ideal world.
So, we should quit and not look for ways to improve a situation?
Counterpunch wrote:I really think Hasbro should stop skimping out on their "heritage" figures...
OR
They should offer the Takara versions as Premium versions on their very own website and stop making us go through middle men to get them.
Stormrider wrote:Counterpunch wrote:I really think Hasbro should stop skimping out on their "heritage" figures...
OR
They should offer the Takara versions as Premium versions on their very own website and stop making us go through middle men to get them.
Perhaps Hasbro's new marketing strategy is "Pissing people off".
Counterpunch wrote:Stormrider wrote:Counterpunch wrote:I really think Hasbro should stop skimping out on their "heritage" figures...
OR
They should offer the Takara versions as Premium versions on their very own website and stop making us go through middle men to get them.
Perhaps Hasbro's new marketing strategy is "Pissing people off".
I suppose you're being facetious since you know damn well that's not what I was getting at.
The point is, that the heritage figures are so close to being what they should that it seems like there is little cost in going the extra distance like Takara is doing or at least making those Japanese versions available easily to customers who want them. It's not like the people who buy the Japanese figures don't buy the western releases as well...
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