Cyclone Trooper

In recent years, I've limited myself to the Vintage Collection figures. I purchased the $150 "supersized" Millennium Falcon back in 2008, and decided that I was going to only purchase ESB-era figures to crew the ship with. It's taken two years, but with Bespin Luke, Hoth Leia and the new C-3PO, I'm finally done. Of all the new Vintage figures, I'm most impressed with Threepio. FINALLY we get a fully-posable protocol droid with elbow joints! I also like how most of his "gold plating" can be removed to reveal his "Episode I endoskeleton" underneath. I mostly like the fact that we now have a Threepio that can assume the proper stance, both with his arms and legs.

Here are the pics of the Emergency Booster set. It includes the thruster assembly, the launch catapult base, 2 footpads, 2 adjustable handrails, 2 back adapters for the ARX-7, 2 alternate hands for the ARX-7, and a clear plastic "in-flight" pose arm that attaches to the base. The rear shot of the Arbalest shows how the back adapters plug in where the Lambda Driver attachments would normally be. The M9 mecha don't require the plug-in adapters to use the booster. The catapult base closely resembles the deckplates of Mechanical Chain Bases 004, 005, and 006. All in all, a really nice addition to the Side AS lineup. I used my old Nikon D50 with the busted lens, so the pics aren't all that great, so apologies all around for that. I also included a pic of one of the gray Savages I was able to snag from www.tisinc.com...possibly the only online store in the US that still had them in stock.

Since Chogokin has it's own dedicated thread, I thought I'd start one for Robot Spirits figures so we don't have dozens of related threads scattered all over the forums. Here, we can discuss our Robot Spirits collections, upcoming releases, and anything else pertaining to this awesome line of mecha figures.

I started my RT (Robot Tamashii, not to be confused with Robotech) love affair with the Full Metal Panic figures, and have been extremely impressed with each and every one of them. I have all of the FMP mecha, including two next-to-impossible-to-find Savages. I just received the web-exclusive MITHRIL Emergency Booster set in the mail today and was surprised at how much it's launch catapult resembles some of the MSG Mechanical Chain Base sets. The booster itself is a nice one-size-fits-all design for all versions of the M9 and the ARX-7. In launch mode, the catapult footpads raise up between 45 and 50 degrees, resembling "starting blocks" that track runners use. Overall, it's an awesome accessory for the Side AS figures...which makes me even more excited for the Gray/White Arbalest and Weapon Set in November. I know some people hate the way Bandai releases add-ons like this as aftermarket sets, but I like being able to expand on the figures I already have in my collection.

(Photos coming soon)

I haven't ventured beyond the FMP series with these figures, but as time goes on, and Bandai adds new series to its lineup, I'm sure I'll branch out...

The Alter Arbalest was apparently a super-limited 1/60 scale figure, as it seems to be listed on sites like HLJ and AmiAmi for purely historical significance. The prices I've seen for it range from $150 US to around $400 US, depending where you come across it, but it's stock status is always "Discontinued". Aside from the slightly larger size and the opening cockpit feature, it has identical range of motion and gimmicks as the Robot Tamashii (Spirits) ARX-7 made by Bandai. The RT Full Metal Panic figures are getting a whole lot of love from Bandai lately, offering a boatload of web exclusive paint schemes and weapon sets. I just snagged the Emergency Booster set off of eBay for $50, and I was able to preorder the upcoming Arbalest in M9 color scheme/weapon set with the help of Tokyohunter. While Alter's version gives you an Arm Slave big enough to go toe-to-toe with your Yammies, the RT versions have excellent sculpting and are just downright fun to play around with.

Didn't he also compose Chariots of Fire and the Blade Runner soundtrack? :-P

Graham

BA-ZING!

Found two Savages (gray color scheme) on tisinc.com...FINALLY. They're on their way, so mods, you can lock this thread...

...and just got a response from tisinc99.com about the eBay auction. It was indeed a mistake and is being edited.

This seller is apparently tisinc99.com. Upon enlarging the photo of the figure on the eBay auction, it gave me the direct link to Treasure Island Sports, Inc.'s website. On a whim, I went to the website...and guess what? Savages in stock! I just ordered two gray versions for $30 each plus got UPS 2nd Day Air shipping...so my grand total was still under $84.00 US. The auction HAS to be a misprint. I'm a happy camper now!

eriku, I've checked all the usual haunts (AmiAmi, Hobby Search, HLJ, Angolz, HKCollectibles, etc.) with no luck. The FMP hero mecha are in stock with relative abundance. I have no problem finding the Arbalest, the Melissa Mao M9, the Kurtz M9, or the M9 Faulk. But I already have all of those figures. But tracking down a Savage has proved to be next to impossible. I'm on more than one "email me when they're back in stock" email list for the Savage. I found only one site located in Spain that still has them in stock, but they're going for around $110.00 each after the currency exchange...and that's before shipping! The most I've paid for a RT figure has been around $60, including shipping.

I left a question with the seller about the price of the figure out of sheer morbid curiosity, just to see what kind of pull-it-out-of-his-ass answer I get about how uber-rare it is to justify the $1k price point. Can't wait to see what kind of answer I get. Hopefully you're right, Vifam7...this is an input error on the seller's part. But if not, then good luck to the seller with unloading it! This single RT figure could buy 5 Yammie VF-1s!

Anyone who's seen my thread in the Wanted forum knows that I've been searching around for a Robot Tamashii Savage figure. These particular enemy mecha have been nonexistent on nearly all online e-tailer sites, so, as a last resort, I went on eBay this morning and found this...

Robot Spirits FMP Savage

Apparently frogs wearing medieval armor are ridiculously popular among collectors to be fetching prices that high. Oh...wait...its on SALE!

I filed a dispute with Paypal regarding Overdrive. Today, I go to check my account and noticed some new activity. Looks like they refunded all but $8 of my $206. Either they had phantom merchandise and didn't detect it until I placed an order or they figured I was more trouble than I'm worth.

Still, I'm wondering why they're trying to keep $8?

I stopped doing business with Overdrive a while ago for this very same reason. Two separate orders were "completely ignored" (for lack of a better term) by Overdrive after getting my money. The first was for a GPB-1S/Hikaru VF-1J. I paid around $230 for it and after many weeks, I still hadn't gotten any shipping notice. No responses to my emails, no updates to my order history, no nothing. I finally contacted Paypal to get a refund...and miraculously, Overdrive responded to the refund request. In good faith, I ordered a much cheaper item a few months later...a Revoltech Queen's Blade figure. Not nearly as expensive as a Yamato VF-1, but nonetheless I met with the same "thanks for your money, but we'll get around to your order sometime before the end of the decade" lack of response. Twice burned, I'll never order from Overdrive again.

I have no idea what's happened with that particular online store. Many others here on MW have had no problems whatsoever with Overdrive, while others of us have only gotten horrible customer service (if by CS, I mean a complete lack of it).

Either Bandai does EXTREMELY limited runs on its Robot Spirits figures, or they sell like hotcakes! I've been trying to track down a Savage figure everyplace I know to look. HLJ, AmiAmi, HobbySearch, Angolz, Toy-Wave, etc. all list both the gray and desert beige versions of this particular figure as either discontinued or indefinitely out-of-stock. These are enemy grunt mecha, not the special-edition Savage painted like the Arbalest (that one IS in stock and is around $70 US), so I'm puzzled as to why they seem to be so popular. I mean, they resemble frogs wearing medieval torso armor, so they aren't the most attractively designed units ever conceived...

Anyway, I'm wondering if there are any members here on MW who would be willing to sell me one of their Savages. Either color variant is fine...

I have an entire platoon of the 08th MS Team RX-79 (G)s, both in the original gray and desert paint schemes. The desert versions even came with different numbers on their shields. The only thing is that they aren't MOC and I don't have the beam sabers that came with them anymore. Is that a big issue? All other weapons are included. PM me if you're interested...

how many mechanical chain base that u use? and what series are those?

I used a total of 10 MCBs to make a hanger measuring 3 squares long x 2 squares wide. I got the majority of them through HLJ and HobbySearch for about $10 each. As far as which ones I used, it was built using the following:

001 x 1

002 x 1

003 x 1

004 x 4

007 x 1

008 x 1

009 x 1

And here's an M9 Gernsback being brought out of Storage Bay 1 and going through a pre-mission maintenance check.

Well, here it is...

My finished MITHRIL hanger from Full Metal Panic. I know its technically in the wrong forum, but it's mostly just to show off my modeling skills (or lack thereof, depending how you look at it). It's nowhere near the professional-level that some here on MW are capable of (the SDF-1 comes to mind), but it suits my purpose. I'm actually proud of how it turned out. It looks like a functioning mecha staging bay, complete with an armory along the outer bulkhead, human-sized access doors, mecha-sized bulkhead hatches that lead to other parts of the base/starship, floor and wall markings, etc. The equipment and robotic vehicles have a very "used" industrial look to them that says they've seen quite a bit of action. I used leftover Yamato VF-1 decals, which gave it a nice bit of detailing, IMHO. I finally found a use for the Electrical Shock Hazard stickers!

VF-1S, you've even moved die-hard TV version SDF-1 fans to tears with this. Amazing job, my friend...

Here's something new in the M.S.G. diorama series. Mecha transports (wheeled and treaded) using the same designs as the Mechanical Chain Bases. No idea if they're prepainted or not, but I preordered the beige one from Angolz.com

This is a work-in-progress, so it's not nearly finished yet. I still have to track down two more 004 bases (which seem to be out of stock every place I check) to complete the hanger. I'm trying to go for a true industrial/mecha hanger feel with lots of yellows, steel and reds. My old Nikon camera lens literally came apart while shooting this, so you'll have to excuse the blurriness of the Arbalest. But I was able to capture the detailing of the hanger itself...

I ordered a Robot Tamashii M9D Falke and a few more Mechanical Chain Bases from HLJ the day the Paypal free shipping offer started, and didn't even realize I wasn't charged for EMS shipping until I got my order confirmation email.

"Battle Stations" by Winger is a good all-purpose heroic "fight" theme that can be used for everything from Macross to Gundam.

But they're obviously a cheap knockoff. For the REAL cheap hamburger experience, you want a Macrossnalds!

Nah...if you want a true cheap hamburger experience on the DYRL SDF-1 that'd be Humburger Po Po (actual spelling; look it up). All the pop idols eat there!

Yeah, that Arbalest in M9 colors looks pretty sweet. I also like the weapon set, as it lends to a lot of customizing. Alas, I'll just have to wait until October when all this stuff actually comes out to see if I can snag any of it. I'm not holding my breath though, since all of them are web exclusives inside Japan only...

Hi everyone. I gotta hold of the repair sets and hands for the DYRL suit. If you need it PM me. No charge just pay for shipping. First come first serve. Thanks!

YES! PLEASE!