Takara Missing Link G1 Series
- Thread starter MrBlud
- Start date
Question: What's the retail situation looking like over here for these things?
I've only seen Hasbro Pulse listings and overpriced Amazon reseller import listings, and I assume BBTS and the like have it, but has there been anything about brick-and-mortar retail?
I'd really like to get Optimus, but the more local it can be, the better. Particularly after the ZAP Astro Megazord fiasco; I'm not buying anything in triple-digits directly from Hasbro if I can help it.
I've only seen Hasbro Pulse listings and overpriced Amazon reseller import listings, and I assume BBTS and the like have it, but has there been anything about brick-and-mortar retail?
I'd really like to get Optimus, but the more local it can be, the better. Particularly after the ZAP Astro Megazord fiasco; I'm not buying anything in triple-digits directly from Hasbro if I can help it.
GameStop MIGHT carry one of the flavors, but that’s a definite “YMMV” situation. I don’t know if you have a local, independent, toy/collector shops available, those might be an option.
But a quick look at EE and BBTS showed them to be out of stock, and I guess Amazon is as well since it’s just resellers. The only affordable option I found WAS from Pulse. Might have to suck it up, but given this is a shared production run with TomyTakara, I’d be a bit more optimistic on the QC.
But a quick look at EE and BBTS showed them to be out of stock, and I guess Amazon is as well since it’s just resellers. The only affordable option I found WAS from Pulse. Might have to suck it up, but given this is a shared production run with TomyTakara, I’d be a bit more optimistic on the QC.
all else fails, it’s Convoy. They’re going to reissue him within the year.
Not unless you live in Japan.
Yeah this is clearly a Takara-initiated thing that Hasbro is just importing because of the brand-unification, there is like 0 chance that these will show up at regular retailers outside Japan.
Ugh...
Doesn't mean I have to like it when it happens!
Preorders for Bumblebee and Cliffjumper are up at various places. I took the plunge on both but man, they are pricey. $80+ for the whole shooting match. My brain is still trying to work out how these two little dudes together are ten bucks more than Prime w/o his trailer. Oh well, I suppose it's the cost of doing business in 2024.
I do think the price is too high. But to be fair, the R&D costs for this line probably suck. Trying to match the shapes as closely as possible to the original toys is a whole layer of work they don't normally have to do.
I think it's a little high, but yes I think they probably have a lot of R&D behind them. And I think all that poseability requires a significant number of parts. And all the ones so far have die-cast parts and rubber tires. Those things add up.
-ZacWilliam, I would have preferred like $25 to $30 but I can do $40 at least to start.
-ZacWilliam, I would have preferred like $25 to $30 but I can do $40 at least to start.
I got Bumblebee. I don't plan on going crazy on this line, as much fun as it is, but I wanted to get at least one and BB seemed like a good entry point. Would have been happier at around $30, but that extra $10 won't break me.
If they make their money back, it's not an issue. I could see it being a fun line to work on. Challenging, but interesting and fun.
I can’t see this line being sustainable if they want $40 for something so tiny.
Depends if people will spend $40 for something this size.
I am.
-ZacWilliam, but likely I'll decide that on a toy by toy basis.
I am.
-ZacWilliam, but likely I'll decide that on a toy by toy basis.
I wonder when Bandai's going to respond with some Missing Link style Chogokin. There's a few that would tempt me.
Probably watching how this does long-term first. Convoy did well but Optimus always sells regardless.
Convoy was also one of the easiest designs they could have done. Takara has an opportunity to keep the wow factor going if they can pull off some harder designs.