DrClay

$50 or $75 for a Yamato macross toy is a great price!

personally I have only complained about the Q-Rau's high price. and it seems to me that the recent "too expensive" arguement has been over the q-rau, exclusively.

official price at Hong Kong here is around $75 USD ($620 HKD)

add a $30.5 shipping fee to US still $105.5 USD($842.9 HKD)

the official price is 12800YEN,

convert the rate to HKD is $889.6

but I get it at $599~!

= 8618 YEN

if the price is $620HKD ,

= 8921 YEN

the highest price at HK I seen is $800HKD (JUST ONE SHOP)

=11511 YEN

but most of them are selling at $680HKD

=9784 YEN

very close to 9800 YEN

----is that a clue for something?

so,anyone know why I said this Q-RAU is not worth selling 12800 YEN now?

as I know, this Q-RAU originally is design for a 9800 YEN class product,

even it can selling at a lower price -- 7800 YEN.......$542 HKD/ $67.8 USD

the official markup price 12800 YEN just a crazy number.

agree completely. I know how everyone just LOVES typing long essays about how Yamato is a small company, and how Macross is a niche market, and how they surely only produced a small amount of Q's in the initial run... but taking all this into account (and looking at the other 1:60 that, while smaller, would probably cost a similar amount to produce) a FAIR price for the Q-rau would be $80 by the time it got to my local anime shoppe. This price is 500% of that of a comparable toy... and 150% of a comparabe Yamato Macross toy. It is obvious that after the success of the 1:48, Yamato is seeing if they can get us to pay $100+ based on the size of the toy... and obviously they can. the next step (I recon) would be to change their minds about the 2 seater 1:48's and make them... but taking into account that they would be slightly bigger than the Q-Rau and that they have a transformation scheme and that there are some die-cast matal parts, and that they would have to sculpt some new parts... it would HAVE to cost $300+. Then some people would claim price gouging was occuring, and others would chastise them, saying that all Yammies are expensive and citing the aforementioned reasons NOT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THAT THERE IS A MAJOR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE EXPENSIVE PRICES OF PRE-QRAU YAMMIES AND THE UNREASONABLE PRICES OF ALL MACROSS RELATED MECHA FROM THE QRAU ON!

Yes, yamato's macross toys have to be expensive... but there a varying levels of expense $80 IS EXPENSIVE... but fair. $150 for THIS toy IS price gouging.

hells YES! as long as it doesn't cost as much as $80 (or thereabouts) I'm totally getting one.

$400 for MIB Star Convoy

Can I be down wit y'all?

NO!

right after MPC Convoy came out, I saw some website trying to sell him for $399 US

Somehow I don't think a car is THAT small compared to a VF-1......

the binaltechs are 1:24... just take a pic and halve the size of the Car... looks right to me... picture a 1:48 pilot next to that... if anything it might be too big?

it looks like that Gundam is about to fok that Vf-1S

I do believe you would become the god of customs if you were to do such a thing...

*a big non-transforming monster fan - not everything needs 3 modes just to be cool

if that were true, then Gundam would be cool.

I know you can customize like.... like... someone who is very good at customizing, but are you planning to make such a thing?

With all the whinning and bitching ocurring everyday I hope not cause the poor guy in charge of reading this board would surely get depressed and shoot himself.

I´m quite sure Yamato used to pay attention to these boards in the veeeery long past , but nowadays I think they´ve preferred to ignore us , meaming they have (to my conclusion , i could be very wrong) limited the info they pass onto Graham or anyone else with access to Yamato´s secrets so we don´t start speculating and guessing what could actually be in their plans.

When was the last time we got a scoop ahead of anyone else anyway ?

I feel nowadays we´re passing through a drought of info as the only info or fotos we get now is throught hobby magazines.

This is not to say Graham holds any responsability over this situation , on the contrary , it is obvious that is Yamato who´s limiting the info that is eventually revealed to the public and since that close relationship has slowly dissipated in time it is obvious that they don´t feel the need to go through these boards anymore , specially when we don´t prsent any relevancy in their incomes as they real market is Japan.

For Aegis!, the glass is half empty (and deserves to be completely empty, for that matter)

Ford Focus vs Ford Gt??? Hmmmm both fords, both cars.

according to you, they should be the same price. Also, you say the only valid comments that can be made require previously handeling one, then you say we talk with our wallets.... so let me get this straight, I can only tell Yamato that I don't want to buy one AFTER I've bought one? I mean, that's the only way I could handle one is to buy it... then if I didn't like it I could let Yamato know by what? not buying two?

you are absolutely right about how yamato is feeling out the market to see how much it can charge for macross toys. But does that mean I'm not allowed to tell other that I think they've crossed the line? Do you honestly believe that the price/demand sweet spot for this item needs to be this high or higher without complaint? Remember how much Takatokus USED to go for at the low point of Macross toy availability? If we all shell out more $$$ for each of Yamato's successive releases regardless of quality of product without criticism (aside from the "valid" coments like "After buying this toy, I feel like I wasted my money... Shame on you Yamato. I've pre-ordered the max re-paint of this same toy and after I get it I'll post on MW if you've met my expectations") I can imagine a time when a new, non-limited release of anything Macross related goes for $300+ and the same arguement will be going on.

and... we shouldn't hold the Q-rau to the same high standards as the 1:48, but we should pay the same high price? I know the Q-rau doesn't transform, but take away the 1:48's ability to transform and you still have a robot action figure with higher articulation, better poseability, and more features... and that's not even considering the possability that if the 1:48 were non transformable it would have more Hasegawa-esque proportions.

$80 is a good price for this toy, and if you stop and think about it $80 IS A LOT OF MONEY! especially for a plastic toy (even from li'l ole'Yamato) This is the economical sweet spot for other collectables of this caliber... if we don't say "no" with our wallets and we don't vocalize why we are saying it, then demand will raise the price back to where we will all be fighting over who gets to pay $500 dollars for Yamato's latest ultra-rare limilted prodution release: 1:144 scale Yf-19 PVC left arm...

I think transform or not transfrom not the main point

but --- I seems this Q-RAU just like a

big scale " first grade " gundam model kit

sale at $120USD

if this really worth $120 USD

then the 1/48 VF-1 must selling at $240USD

exactly

the q-rau box is smaller than the elint/super-o box, except in depth of course. behold the power of not wasting space in the box

I'll agree with you there, the Q-rau appears to have the best box Yamato has ever put forth.

Toynami=crappy quality (though they may surprize us this time), and 80 bucks for that tiny thing vs 115 for the HUGE Q-rau is a big difference.

that "huge q-rau" is barely bigger than a toynami Vf-1.

Exactly as big as it should be at 1/60. To add the (inaccurate and QC-ridden) 1/55 MPC to this mix is invalid.

And with that, I'm done arguing.

maybe I'm the only one who's read the pinned "what's wrong with my..." thread (doubt it) but Yamato doesn't EXACTLY have a great QC record... in fact, personally, the one toynami I was fooled into buying (didn't think my judgement of it was fair if I didn't have one... HA!) didn't have any quality control issues... and the Q-rau's sculpt is inaccurate... backpack is augmented to accomodate the pilot figure... pilot has wrong uniform... interior is SDF macross, exterior is DYRL?

don't get me wrong, the toynami still sucks... but so does this Q-rau. Maybe it sucks slightly less, but it more than makes up for it in overprice.

Toynami=crappy quality (though they may surprize us this time), and 80 bucks for that tiny thing vs 115 for the HUGE Q-rau is a big difference.

that "huge q-rau" is barely bigger than a toynami Vf-1.

as usual...with every new release come the complaints 

yeah, all opinions that disagree with yours are just so much mindless, pointless bleating.

People can make valid points about the good quality of new Yammies such as "it rules"

but no one could possablly point out negatives... they must be just saying "no, no, I DON'T LIKE ANYTHING"

Trust me I've been hard on Yamato before and I'm sure this release will have a few quirks. I believe I called the YF-21FP a piece of crap last week lol

I love my yf-21... it has at least one more thing going for it than the Q-rau has.

is it diecast??? let it be diecast!!!

I picked up the 21 for $55...and thought that was fair, even tho I didn't like the thing. and I'll gladly pick up the q-rau for that price too.

die cast is one thing it has going for it. I don't understand why everyone is so anti-diecast now... the diecast content isn't the reason for the 21's floppiness. and no one has complained about scratchin' the paint on the yf-21 (that argument is saved for the yf-19)

ever since Yamato decided to use only plastic... anyone who likes diecast metal toys is some stupid idiot.... "look at the stupid fanboy who still likes die-cast metal... Yamato's already told him that it sucks... if he can't accept lack of metal as a feature, how is his simple mind going to be able to accept the idea of limited poseability, inaccuracy of sculpt of a non-transformable toy, and compromises wherever any part is supposed to move as reasons to continue to pay more and more $$$ per toy?"

-yah, no gimmicks, simple easy design, no diecast...all explained before.

What could they have added to justify the price you were already aware of?

-whatever that was missing from above question...and even if they added a poseable figure, diecast, and a crazier looking sculpt, I'd STILL have to consider if it's worth it or not at $120.

I would get one if it had just ONE of those missing features... just pic one of the things that this toy is lacking and that can be THE straw that broke the camel's back.

as usual...with every new release come the complaints 

yeah, all opinions that disagree with yours are just so much mindless, pointless bleating.

People can make valid points about the good quality of new Yammies such as "it rules"

but no one could possablly point out negatives... they must be just saying "no, no, I DON'T LIKE ANYTHING"

Trust me I've been hard on Yamato before and I'm sure this release will have a few quirks. I believe I called the YF-21FP a piece of crap last week lol

I love my yf-21... it has at least one more thing going for it than the Q-rau has.

as usual...with every new release come the complaints

yeah, all opinions that disagree with yours are just so much mindless, pointless bleating.

People can make valid points about the good quality of new Yammies such as "it rules"

but no one could possablly point out negatives... they must be just saying "no, no, I DON'T LIKE ANYTHING"

beautiful

I think Customs are MW's greatest feature.

For me, look at the side by side with the 1/48 and tell me it's not worth it.

I looked at it, it's not worth it.

If you hold this toy to the same satndards as the 1:48 it is sorely lacking.

not exactly. i was kinda skeptical with the 1/48 when it came out (stupid me!!) with little die cast. i was wrong, but i think it took me actually getting my hands on one to know that i loved it (or hated it, whatever the case may be). sure its a lot of cash, but i think saying that its a POS is a bit premature if you don't have it sitting in front of you....

i acknowledged the 1:48ths greatness, it's not JUST the lack of diecast metal... It's the fact that this toy (according to Graham's list of "features" and KakiZaki's hand's on post) doesn't hold a candle to the 1:48 in battaloid mode, even if the 1:48 DIDN'T transform it would be larger and more poseable (and according to kakizaki, able to maintain balance better)

everyone acts like the 1:48 is great BECAUSE it has no diecast metal (and ONLY because it has no die cast metal) but I say that there are other factors that make the 1:48 sooo great and this toy looks to not have any of them.

but yeah... I'm jumping to conclusions, I can't make a decision based on Graham's review... I must lose $120 before I can know that I wasted $120 on this pre-made, barely painted, inaccurate model kit.

So what exactly did you find wrong with it, or is this just the usual bitchiness?

no one can be disappointed with anything?

Essentially, Graham's review is influenced by two ways of thinking... Like all reviews ever, it makes a subjective judgement. Paraphrase: I LIKE IT!

but like all good reviews [which this is DEFINITLY a good review (no one misunderstand)] it makes objective points about its subject. Paraphrase: Slightly smaller and less intricate with less features than Hasbro's 13" Darth Vader action figure, but for 6 times the price!

I love the 1:60 line despite what everyone else says about it, I was about to die waiting for this toy... but I was expecting too much, die cast metal (Iknow what everyone thinks of horrible, horrible metal, but I love it) keeping the metal parts in the legs using ratcheted joints, the center of gravity would be low and help balance, even the 1:60 scale hip joint problem could be easily avoided in such a large, non-transforming toy by 2 or 3 ratched joint mechanisms in the hips. At least as much articulation as the 1:48 int battaloid mode... even if it were all plastic and not very articulate, if it was a big as it was in the prototype pics (as compared to 1:60 Roy) I would understand the price and buy it up quick... but it has been scaled down (look at Graham's comparison pics, and read how scale is not listed) and it doesn't even have the ability to open its missile pods (I know that would be a feat of engineering, but look at the 1:48 and its MANY amazing engineering feats, that's why the 1:48 is worth the price)

but hey, you're right! if i don't like being disappointed then I am a bitch. And if I explain my reaction... that's just more bitchiness. And if I don't pony up $120 for this 11" plastic action figure, then I am an idiot.

EDIT: also, you can buy 2 20th anniversary Optimus Primes for the price of this 1 figure.