Bandai/Toynami/Tamashi 1/55 Valks Delayed

[VALKYRIE-EXCHANGE.COM]

Just heard back from George Sohn/Toynami and he indicated the 1/55 line-up won't arrive now until 2009. That's all the info I was given.

Kevin

[Lonely Soldier Boy]

Toynami strikes again. Now I'm more worried about the domestic Beagle Ridearmor than I was before. Might as well go for the japanese release. Same for the 1/55's but I'm not into those.

[jenius]

I wonder if the Tamashi deal has fallen apart under closer scrutiny by Big West.

BW: "So you're going to sell this in America huh, how'd you pull that off?"

Bandai: "Oh, it was clever, we're going to do it under one of our subsidiaries."

BW: "Oh, our license let's you do that?"

Bandai: "We think so."

BW: "Tell you what, why don't you give us some time to figure out whether or not we're going to sue you."

[Apollo Leader]

If the deal fell through, there would be no future release window period. Since I got such a large air force of VF-1's already and my money's tied up enough as it is, I'm in no rush.

[Salamander]

I wonder if the Tamashi deal has fallen apart under closer scrutiny by Big West.

BW: "So you're going to sell this in America huh, how'd you pull that off?"

Bandai: "Oh, it was clever, we're going to do it under one of our subsidiaries."

BW: "Oh, our license let's you do that?"

Bandai: "We think so."

BW: "Tell you what, why don't you give us some time to figure out whether or not we're going to sue you."

I don't think that would work, because Bandai could very well tell them they won't make any Macross products anymore (and perhaps also other BW licenses) - read: BIG OUCH for BW due to loss of license money.

[TheLoneWolf]

Thanks for the info, Kevin. Whenever Toynami's involved, I never expect anything to be released on time.

[jenius]

I don't think that would work, because Bandai could very well tell them they won't make any Macross products anymore (and perhaps also other BW licenses) - read: BIG OUCH for BW due to loss of license money.

While I do hope the deal hasn't fallen through, I disagree. If BW gave Bandai a license that has certain stipulations Bandai would have no right to throw a fuss when BW told them to honor those stipulations. For example, if the license says it's non-transferrable and valid only in Japan then Bandai wouldn't have much of a leg to stand on. Hopefully this isn't the case but still... we haven't heard about Yamato making a new division to sell their toys in the US and you would expect that - if what Bandai's doing is valid. Then again, Graham says the Yamato guys don't much care for the Toynami guys so maybe Yamato just isn't doing this to avoid having to deal with Toynami as a distributor.

[MyClone]

Kevin:

Please forgive me for being obtuse, but does this delay relate to (1) the Toynami imports of the "Origin of Valkyrie" 1/55s with no box changes (e.g., the DYRL VF-1A Super Max and Hikaru), or (2) the Toynami-boxed 1/55s with new heads, like the VF-1D concept shown at Comic-con? Or both? PLMK.

Thanks,

--MyClone

Edited September 24, 2008 by MyClone

[VALKYRIE-EXCHANGE.COM]

Kevin:

Please forgive me for being obtuse, but does this delay relate to (1) the Toynami imports of the "Origin of Valkyrie" 1/55s with no box changes (e.g., the DYRL VF-1A Super Max and Hikaru), or (2) the Toynami-boxed 1/55s with new heads, like the VF-1D concept shown at Comic-con? Or both? PLMK.

Thanks,

--MyClone

I believe it applies to ALL. I was suppose to get the VF1S and VF1J Reissues in July. That didn't happen. The Super 1/55s are out so I expected Toynami to have everything inbound or in hand by now. I inquired several times with no answers. Finally raised it up the chain and received the delay notice from George Sohn. I wasn't told the deal is off the table and Toynami will not be releasing them, just delaed.

K

[AcroRay]

Before I'd start suspecting that the Tamashii/Toynami deal fell through or that Big West is causing them friction, I'd look to the simple fact that the economy is just complete crap right now, and a lot of us are really straining to make fuel & grocery bills - let alone buy collectible toys - as the reason for the delay.

I'm sure that's going bit take a huge chunk out of Toynami's retailer preorders and their manufacturing orders to Bandai. You can't just order a whole container load of $85 giant robot toys destined for a market of 30-somethings who are having trouble paying rent/mortgage.

That's the economy, gang. It likely has nothing to do with anything shady in Toynami/Bandai's dealings. Subscribe to PLAYTHINGS if you want the industry's perspective, and expect to see more of the same.

Edited September 25, 2008 by AcroRay

[Guest sh002]

damn i want my reissue vf-1j and super vf-1a max and hikaru already

[Renato]

we haven't heard about Yamato making a new division to sell their toys in the US and you would expect that - if what Bandai's doing is valid.

You are forgetting Sunwards -- the overseas venture of Yamato, which made a big deal about getting their distribution license directly from BW. And they still got blown off anyway by HG. That's why I was really annoyed at this Bandai/Tamashii BS. Yeah, I'm all for valks going international, but it's all a dirty power struggle. The whole world deserves to experience a 1/48.

I don't think that would work, because Bandai could very well tell them they won't make any Macross products anymore (and perhaps also other BW licenses) - read: BIG OUCH for BW due to loss of license money.

Good riddance. They never made very many anyway, and the ones they did look awful. If they give up the franchises they're currently sitting on (MacF, Mac7), they may give a company who's willing to try a chance to make a proper VF-17 or Fire Valkyrie with Sound Boosters.

Having said all of this, I think the current industry problems in toy manufacturing within China may have more to do with the delays than anything else.

[ntsan]

I am sure Yamato and co will be very happy if Bandai loss their license ha, consider how well Macross F did in Japan as whole (video games, merchant, ost etc)

Edited October 27, 2008 by ntsan

[Vifam7]

Why does every thread have to turn into an anti-Bandai thread?

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

Why does every thread have to turn into an anti-Bandai thread?

Because the loyal Yamato supporters feel the need to show their admiration. Hell it's not like it's needed on this site of all places, it is blatantly obvious which company nearly everyone here is loyal to.

I hope we hear something soon regarding the reissues, haven't seen any new chunkies since the VF-1A DYRL Super pack bundles.

Edited October 27, 2008 by Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0

[Renato]

Why does every thread have to turn into an anti-Bandai thread?

Oops, you're right, where are my manners. Macross 7 is gay, Robotech sucks, and Vader has small hands. There.

(Seriously, though, I do think it's just the situation in China -- half of the distributors have closed shop and lab tests for lead and such have gotten much tougher very recently.)

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

Seriously, though, I do think it's just the situation in China

Same here. Even the big toy companies are feeling the heat too.

[Vifam7]

Same here. Even the big toy companies are feeling the heat too.

Perhaps this news report is fitting : http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081019/ap_on_...na_factory_woes

snippet

Already, China's toy industry is hurting. The official Xinhua News Agency reported this week that 3,631 toy exporters — 52.7 percent of the industry's enterprises — went out of business in 2008. The causes: higher production costs, wage increases for workers and the rising value of the yuan, the report said.

Nor is Christmas likely to make much difference. Big toy giants generally put in their Christmas orders months in advance so toys can be shipped to them in time.

Even before the financial crisis, China's exports were dropping because of the slowdown in America and Europe. For the first time in three years, the growth rate for Chinese exports in the first quarter of 2008 declined, according to customs figures.

Chan Cheung-yau, chairman of toy and games subcommittee under the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong, agreed that the outlook was gloomy for toy makers. He predicted that thousands more factories would close in China next year.

Edited October 27, 2008 by Vifam7

[Renato]

Thanks, Vifam7. That's actually one of the articles I was thinking of referencing here.

[Guest sh002]

if i were to originally buy them from hlj would i have received them in the US?

[jenius]

Of course, why wouldn't you have?

[Guest sh002]

tried to save a little bit through buying with valkyrie exchange instead of hlj. imo the extremely long wait isn't worth those extra bucks.

[jenius]

Yeah, but no one could have anticipated this extremely long (probably indefinite IMHO) wait. It seemed that these were going to be released immediately following the Japanese release originally. Kevin, has there been any more word from Toynami? Are you going to carry any other Toynami products any time soon?

[DarkHawk]

Are these supposed to be the 1/55 scale bodies with retooled and more anime accurate heads?

[jenius]

whoa late to the party....

These were just Bandai origin valkyries being released in the US (they're essentially reissues of the 2001 reissues). There was talk of more 1/55 later down the road with different heads but it was stuck in the "gauging interest" arena.

Edited December 15, 2008 by jenius