reeoyuy

It seems that only the online stores are hit with this limitation. May be Bandai afraid Macross will out sell Gundam or become very well known in overseas market if the produce it more? After all, Bandai owns full right on Gundam and it takes them a lot of effort to make Gundam well known and accepted by many cultures and countries.

Gundam and Macross are just cows that Bandai can milk money from. Why satisfied with just one if you can get both Gundam and Macross popular? The one with emotional attachment to Gundam would be Sunrise the animation studio not Bandai the parent company. I don't really think a toy company gives a damn about franchise rivalry. Especially when both owned by the company itself.

Good post, what I foresee as a problem though is that that they doen't build enough time in for the initial release of the item, it sells REALLY well, but then they get "gun shy" about how much to produce for a rerelease because they figure most people already got one, so the cycle continues.

Chris

That, and voice of dissatisfied customers who got burned out. How many people here swore to never give their money to Bandai again after the preoder fiasco? Assuming they monitor boards like this of course.

Thanks for writing this. It makes a lot of sense.

I also remember reading that a number of Chinese toy making factories recently closed down. I'm sure that hasn't helped.

I suspect that too. That can explain the recent rarity and preorder rush situation. And probably the reason why some Bandai toy line seems to be gone as the remaining assembly lines are prioritized for more popular item.

Does anyone here worked on manufacturing industry? I do, and although mine isn't toys, the whole concept is pretty much the same. My theory is that the DXs shared the same factory or even same assembly line with other Bandai toys line like, maybe, similar stuff like SOC or even radically different SH.Figuarts. Therefore the production must be scheduled accordingly far ahead. And as the line will be used for another product, the production will be stop when it's scheduled to stop. Changing the molds and adjusting the machines are hard, even more so for toys which have assembly and painting by hands ( as you need to "adjust" the workers too ). So you can't just change the schedule or product quantity on the fly. This is also why re-release took months, instead of just mere days after the sales number from pre-order or launching day confirmed that the product is selling well and fans demand more.

One might notice that Yamato doesn't suffer the same problem as Bandai. I'll just point out that toy line variety of Yamato is nothing like Bandai; so they don't have to cram so many different things in tight schedule. As big as Bandai is, I don't think they can afford one factory per each toy line, or even specialized assembly line for each separate toy line. Not in this economy. I'm sure that the designers and everyone involved in creation (NOT production) of the toys are also fellow hobbyists and really care what fans and customers want. But once the design leave the office and entering the production phase, it's all getting industrial there.

Just what I thought based on my experience as human cog in assembly line . And before someone blame Gundam for this, it's the same for Gundam figures too. Model kits are different as they are made by different division in Japan factory, not made in China like Tamashii division figures.

...comedic premise really puts the show out of touch with hardcore fans.

...I haven't seen the rest of the Heisei-era shows to fully judge them.

Have you watched Den-O? I don't like Den-O myself, but nobody can't deny how wildly poplar it is. Multiple movies, far exceeding any other heisei shows, spin-off anime for the imagin, etc. You get the idea, comedic premise sold well and that's what Toei care about. For hardcore longtime fans...maybe just movies like The First and manga like Spirits. Similar to Gundam and Macross, it's standard business model for longtime, decades-old franchise.

I haven't seen Kuuga or Agito. Are they worth it?

Oh yes they do. I like to think of them as "J-Drama with kamen rider in it". They're the last of non-toyetic/gimmicky/colorful rider.

I'm still waiting on something dark and kick ass esque which hasn't happened in nearly 7 years.

You have to remember target audience of Kamen Rider. I think some Riders in past 7 years are dark enough for kids' show.

If anything, I hope Legacy sell well so the developer can see that Strangereal universe is still profitable.

Speaking of AC2, is it true that AC:AH Legacy for 3DS is a remake of AC2? I remember I saw the name and logo of TSF Scarface and something about coup (the plot of AC2) in early trailer.

Sukhoi Superjet-100 with 44 on board for a demonstration flight has dropped off of the radars in Jakarta.

The wreckage has been found. It's on a steep cliff (which actually near the area of my old workplace). From what local news show, it looks bad.

This is what I'd call "disturbingly catchy".

I was talking about fans actually. My point is that those fans we ridicule now will also look down on newer fans. In future version of MW, those Frontier fans will write WTF in big bold letter expressing their disbelief on shameful act of new fans, And claimed that they would never do that. Then when confronted that Frontier also have fanservices and silly stuff they claimed that it's not as bad as newer ones. And then goes on and on how the franchise isn't what it used to be . See, it's a circle not one way to degradation.

On the other hand, I just remember I liked Gurren Lagann a lot. Even if GL was full of fan-service, they weren't as cringe inducing as some of the ones from Frontier. =p

GL has advantage for being a new franchise. If it was a sequel of 80's anime, people will complain on its fan-service. It doesn't matter if they're relevant/well-executed or cringe inducing. People, or specifically old fans will complain because it's not what it used to be.

Ah, simply delightful! Now if we can get the next Macross series to look as good!!

By the way, do you think Alberto was looking at his sister's behind? I know I was!! Dang she's

pretty hot for a 55 year old anime character!!

IIRC, Martha Vist is his aunt. Also, people who read the novel said

yeah. it just really isn't what it used to be. just look at the new generations of fans.

am pretty sure us fans of the older series wouldn't be doing this shenanigan:

http://www.animenews...hich-do-you-eat

srsly, Frontier-fans?

W T F ?!

Oh I'm suuure fans of older super robot genre in 1982 also complained on how the genre and its fans is not what it used to be.

yeah. it just really isn't what it used to be. just look at the new generations of fans.

am pretty sure us fans of the older series wouldn't be doing this shenanigan:

srsly, Macross-fans? Cheesy love triangle and pop idol in our robot anime?

W T F ?!

To look down upon young uns and told yourself you the wisest one would never act like them is a sure sign that you're getting old :P

This is the ultimate heresy that history has tried to cover up then ...

Graham's argument was something like "Just because I hired to do my job, doesn't mean that I'm a fan of it"

Back to the topic, the split between UN and Anti-UN would make more sense if Zero universe is alternate of ours. Like how in Full Metal Panic!, Soviet and KGB still exists up to present day. But in Macross, history deviates only after ASS-1 crashed. Unless there are official publication about geopolitics in earth sphere before the events of Zero.

Kawamori is a Gundam fan

Psst, be careful. Last time someone mentioned that, Graham steps in and telling people to stop mentioning such blasphemy as if being a Gundam fan is an ultimate sin .

GM Cannon II and Blue Destiny Unit 1. Although I'm not too sure about Blue Destiny since it has RX designation instead of RGM. But It does look like a variant of Ground GM.

Those pictures first came out in April 1st y'know. And suddenly high-res full colored art without "proper" sequence as blurred scan (or silhouette tease), no official twitter or Gundam.info confirmation.

EDIT: From episode 27

Guld, is that you ?

Funny how adults can be as selfish as kids. Want the characters to be all adult so they're relatable to US? Well we're not the only one the show is trying to market. One look at Frontier and we can see it's more targeted to teens of 2007 with pretty teenage boys and moe girls acting like teens should be, flashy 3D CG, and catchy J-Pop. Are those bad things? Maybe not for old folks like us but we can't hog Macross for ourselves. Yeah, I agree that bad writing is universal in every era and I don't mean that "targeted for teens" means it's OK to dumb it down. But then again judging quality of writing is something very subjective and often clouded by our own perception. Like how we want the characters to act like us and our own standard. And if anyone insisted that their own standard, their own view is the best one then they're just getting old.

I've just finished replaying Legend of Dragoon last month, after over a decade or so. Loving the world, cities, and the music. Characters are bit cliche though, but bonds between them are well developed. Other than additions that hard to master there are many weird design choices for that game. Like, limiting inventory to just 32 items. And I wish I can change additions mid-battle so it'd be less monotonous. To hear Dart yelling "Volcano!" over and over again is grating.

you mean a GN drive that constantly falls apart and and doesn't come with the actual LED units unless you buy the limited DX version that costs twice as much.

of course you'll also be able to buy the LED units sperately, at 8$ a piece plus shipping via mail away that's only open to Japanese residents.

That's just Hobby Division's common practice. Tamashii Division do it differently. That is, rarely or almost never putting light-up gimmick on their figures. So I won't get my hopes up. They're already missing their chance with MB 007S, doubt they'll will do it with Exia.

Confirmation for next Metal Build, Exia as already said here.

Thanks, I'll give it a watch.

BTW, what's the reason to slowly release the episodes? It's not very Gundam like?

Simply because Unicorn is OVA. I'm sure you know what OVA is and that they have high production value and took sweet time to make quality animation.

Just like Macross Zero, you'll understand.

Yeah, this show is beginning to get repetitive, with no real story development going on and the action slowing down a considerable amount.

I disagree. This episode pretty much shows Hiromu's determination to save his parents and everyone who disppeared 13 years ago. More explanation on Metaroid-Megazord connection (logical explanation in Sentai? Blasphemy !). That Enter is not just brainless french-mumbling villain, he actually can cook up some nice schemes and in this episode, he's pretty much achieved his goal. Not to mention Commander sternface character got fleshed up a bit. It may not much, but c'mon, it's only 4th episode. And no way I'd call the action slowing down, that Cutteroid is damn scary and its Megazord equivalent almost give Red Buster giant pizza cutter to his face.

I like it so far. I haven't watch any sentai for years, maybe a decade or so since the last one I fully committed to watch is Megaranger in local TV. Not even Gokaiger. So I have advantage of not having too high expectation. I'm surprised with all new stuff they cram in sentai.

I really like logical explanation and details they throw here, at least by sentai standard. How come the base can watch real-live footage of Gobusters fighting? They threw sticky cameras before. Weapons out of nowhere? Clearly seen transported from base. Gobusters arrived in time? Network of chutes. All those working gauges in Buster Machine cockpit, maintenance people in hangar, visible damages on Buster Machines, etc. Story-wise, I like sense of urgency in last week's episode and tension in this week's episode. Only minor complaint so far is that Yoko's actress clearly don't know how to act as a tsundere and I can see Hiromu's overprotective sister will annoyingly nag Hiromu to leave Gobusters.

According to initial plan, Flit is supposed to live for the whole three generations. It may change though. But imagine final battle with Flit, his son, and grandson in their respective Gundam doing final shooting pose together .

It's not easy victory. Many EF units slaughtered although all named characters survived (even Woolf got damaged). And maybe one or two Darwin-class cruisers sank off-screen. EF got the advantage for being in defensive position, and it's not like their defensive forces inferior to that Vagan. We even saw another Diva-class ship deployed. Needless to say they went all out. Plus they have competent commander, superior tactics and most importantly POWER OF GUNDAM!

We should get some t-shirt shirts printed with "I survived the great Bandai VF-171EX preorder fiasco of 2012"

LOL!

Graham

And every SHFiguarts collectors will laugh at us because they must endure similar situation many times since long ago. Like, every release.

Ah yes, this thread is more suitable to talk about that game. It's good to see SEED MSV units got some attention. Now I'm curious what kind of PS Vita gimmick ths game will use, touchscreen, back touchpad, or simply twin stick. Huh, this must be the first Gundam Battle series that will use twin analog stick (or maybe not ).