What will Hasegawa do next?

[Thom]

I can see being upset about exorbitant handling fees, but if the others issues are shipping and tariffs then there's not much they can do about that., 

[Big s]

1 hour ago, Thom said:

I can see being upset about exorbitant handling fees, but if the others issues are shipping and tariffs then there's not much they can do about that., 

I haven’t checked handling fees elsewhere, but yeah, the tariffs are unfortunately out of their hands, shipping is unfortunately due to lack of options that were available before are kinda missing now.

[KOG Water Dragon]

17 hours ago, Thom said:

I can see being upset about exorbitant handling fees, but if the others issues are shipping and tariffs then there's not much they can do about that., 

My main problem is they are no longer at all reliable at fulfillng pre-orders. But they don't want you to cancel when they can't fulfill your pre-order. They don't want you to be free to cancel and buy somewhere else.

I have open, unfulfilled pre-orders at HLJ for the following:

HG VF-22S Max

HG VF-22S Miria

HG VF-31C DX

HG VF-31C decals

RG Wing Zero EW

MG Gundam Barbatos Lupus

MGSD Aerial

Armored Core VI 30MM Open Faith

Armored Core VI 30MM VE-40A

Armored Core VI 30MM Weapon Set 06

Kotobukiya AC Steel Haze

Hasegawa VT-1

HG GquuuuuuX decal set 1

HG GquuuuuuX decal set 2

ALL of these were pre-ordered right when pre-orders went live. ALL of these are still unfulfilled. I've bought most of these local now. For the MGSD Aerial, I already bought 2 local. But under HLJ's new policy, I can't cancel these. They're just supposed to sit there. Until maybe they get stock in a year or 2, by which time I no longer need them to send me a kit because I got it local.

And this is JUST stuff unfulfilled lately, I had to cancel a ton of stuff before they changed their cancellation policy. I bought almost all my HG macross, Armored Core VI 30MM, and recent RG and MG Gundam kits locally, after pre-orders with HLJ all failed.

It's the lack of ability to fulfill pre-orders, paired with the new policy of not letting you cancel pre-orders that they fail to fulfill, that sucks.

Edited January 3 by KOG Water Dragon

[Thom]

1 hour ago, KOG Water Dragon said:

My main problem is they are no longer at all reliable at fulfillng pre-orders. But they don't want you to cancel when they can't fulfill your pre-order. They don't want you to be free to cancel and buy somewhere else.

...

It's the lack of ability to fulfill pre-orders, paired with the new policy of not letting you cancel pre-orders that they fail to fulfill, that sucks.

Unable to cancel an item!? Yeah, that is sucky! WTH!? What happens if you just leave it? Is restocked (with a fee) or sent automatically?

[Big s]

With how rough it’s becoming for the average hobbyist, maybe we should start a thread to explain the different issues with certain sites and where the best spots for preordering and best spots for shipping or lowest costs overall kind of discussions for our favorite models. Like some just won’t offer Bandai kits while a place like Hlj might not get a guaranteed amount in their shipments or how some items won’t be available to people in the U.S. and options for finding those.

[sh9000]

https://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/topic/49497-general-discussion-of-stores-store-policies-and-practices-shipping-and-handling-and-types-of-packaging/page/8/#comments

 

[KOG Water Dragon]

1 hour ago, Thom said:

Unable to cancel an item!? Yeah, that is sucky! WTH!? What happens if you just leave it? Is restocked (with a fee) or sent automatically?

I assume if you leave the pre-order in place, it'll either stay there forever unfulfilled, or they'll charge you in 2-4 years when they finally have stock for you. Well after you don't want it from them anymore.

[electric indigo]

Ok back to Hasegawa everyone 😀

I love the texture here:

 

[Bolt]

Nice job with the pilot.

[KOG Water Dragon]

The power armors are very cool but I feel like Hasegawa has forgotten what it means to do a new tool fighter in 1/72 or 1/48.

 

🥲

[Papa Rat]

1 hour ago, electric indigo said:

Ok back to Hasegawa everyone 😀

I love the texture here:

 

That mottled effect is is beautiful. 

[Rock]

First example of the new Hase Minmay resin kit?

 

https://x.com/i/status/2007356411785949532

[Big s]

6 hours ago, electric indigo said:

Ok back to Hasegawa everyone 😀

I love the texture here:

 

Looks great, can’t wait to eventually get mine.

 

4 hours ago, KOG Water Dragon said:

The power armors are very cool but I feel like Hasegawa has forgotten what it means to do a new tool fighter in 1/72 or 1/48.

 

🥲

One day. Maybe in a few years

[KOG Water Dragon]

HLJ got my VT-1 gerwalk in. Better late than never.

[lochness]

On 1/4/2026 at 8:41 AM, electric indigo said:

Ok back to Hasegawa everyone 😀

I love the texture here:

 

Looks great!

I'm going to try and see if I can get the same effect with dry brushing only and stippling layers of the color on. 

[SteveTheFish]

I've been to HLJ and I spent a day there, got a tour, had lunch with the gang, etc. Even got some lovely parting gifts I wasn't expecting. I saw the private warehouse where they keep stuff on hold for customers. It's pretty amazing that they even do this because other online retailers won't do this. I know people there and they let me just take a look around at everything. It was pretty cool. However, if everyone is having stuff put on hold, then they're going to need to do something about that since space isn't limited. 

[KOG Water Dragon]

8 hours ago, SteveTheFish said:

I've been to HLJ and I spent a day there, got a tour, had lunch with the gang, etc. Even got some lovely parting gifts I wasn't expecting. I saw the private warehouse where they keep stuff on hold for customers. It's pretty amazing that they even do this because other online retailers won't do this. I know people there and they let me just take a look around at everything. It was pretty cool. However, if everyone is having stuff put on hold, then they're going to need to do something about that since space isn't limited. 

I'd love to get my stuff shipped from HLJ.

But right now, the cheapest way to ship my Queadluun Rau TV version is over 13000yen. That's almost triple the kit cost. It's insane.

Queadluun Rau TV version plus Glaug? Over 25000yen to ship.

So really, what am I supposed to do?

[lochness]

I know what you mean. I have two Q-Rau TV versions in my Private Warehouse where shipping will cost me about 20% more than the price of the kits combined.

I don't see any option around it as I really want the kits. In hindsight, I probably should of bought only one. But, if I was to buy one of these kits locally they would easily cost 2.5x as much as the HLJ price. So either way it'll be expensive for me.

From now on, I'll just need to be more conscious of potential shipping costs. 

[Bolt]

23 hours ago, KOG Water Dragon said:

HLJ got my VT-1 gerwalk in. Better late than never.

I saw that. Still going to hold off as i would only be getting it for the figures. And with the crazy shipping costs, it's not very interesting.

 

9 hours ago, SteveTheFish said:

I've been to HLJ and I spent a day there, got a tour, had lunch with the gang, etc. Even got some lovely parting gifts I wasn't expecting. I saw the private warehouse where they keep stuff on hold for customers. It's pretty amazing that they even do this because other online retailers won't do this. I know people there and they let me just take a look around at everything. It was pretty cool. However, if everyone is having stuff put on hold, then they're going to need to do something about that since space isn't limited. 

That sounds like a fun visit. I hope you waved hello to all my stuff languishing in the warehouse 

 

31 minutes ago, KOG Water Dragon said:

I'd love to get my stuff shipped from HLJ.

But right now, the cheapest way to ship my Queadluun Rau TV version is over 13000yen. That's almost triple the kit cost. It's insane.

Queadluun Rau TV version plus Glaug? Over 25000yen to ship.

So really, what am I supposed to do?

I shipped one if my Rau's and a Glaug and a VF-11w boosters and Rim world vF-171 and a few other items. Ouch! 

But it's arriving today 

The next shipment is going to cost more..

[KOG Water Dragon]

2 hours ago, Bolt said:

I saw that. Still going to hold off as i would only be getting it for the figures. And with the crazy shipping costs, it's not very interesting.

 

That sounds like a fun visit. I hope you waved hello to all my stuff languishing in the warehouse 

 

I shipped one if my Rau's and a Glaug and a VF-11w boosters and Rim world vF-171 and a few other items. Ouch! 

But it's arriving today 

The next shipment is going to cost more..

I fully expect it would cost me over a grand to ship all my stuff.

[SteveTheFish]

8 hours ago, Bolt said:

That sounds like a fun visit. I hope you waved hello to all my stuff languishing in the warehouse 

It was fun. That was maybe 8 years ago. If you ever watched HLJ's YouTube channel, that's them. One guy I met that day told me at lunch that he was at a pawn shop somewhere in Japan and found a new-in-box sofubi of the Nostromo  ship from Alien by Halcyon just sitting out in front for a cheap price because the shop didn't know what it was. Now there are a lot of new people I don't recognize, but I know those who've been around a long time. I used to watch Gunpla TV when it was Syd and Ryan, but while I got to meet them, those two  are no longer there.  The next time I attend a hobby show, I'll have to go for at least two days because I end up talking to so many people that I don't get to see everything I want to see. 

[lochness]

16 hours ago, SteveTheFish said:

It was fun. That was maybe 8 years ago. If you ever watched HLJ's YouTube channel, that's them. One guy I met that day told me at lunch that he was at a pawn shop somewhere in Japan and found a new-in-box sofubi of the Nostromo  ship from Alien by Halcyon just sitting out in front for a cheap price because the shop didn't know what it was. Now there are a lot of new people I don't recognize, but I know those who've been around a long time. I used to watch Gunpla TV when it was Syd and Ryan, but while I got to meet them, those two  are no longer there.  The next time I attend a hobby show, I'll have to go for at least two days because I end up talking to so many people that I don't get to see everything I want to see. 

I used to love their Youtube channel! Syd was so enthusiastic about Gundam that it became infectious. Got me to start picking up some of those kits.

Then one day Syd was no longer there. 🙁 

Edited Thursday at 08:59 PM by lochness

[electric indigo]

Shots of the completed kit:

 

[Morgen Black]

I know that this might not apply to everyone, but I found the Hasegawa Nousjadeul-Ger (Theatrical Version) at Plaza Japan for about $10 cheaper than HLJ.  I have used Plaza Japan before and there packaging and shipping are excellent.  You have a few days to cancel your pre-order at HLJ before you cannot, if you are interested.  Here is the link: https://www.plazajapan.com/4967834657359/

MB

[Papa Rat]

5 hours ago, electric indigo said:

Shots of the completed kit:

 

Such a great build! That’s my favorite version. Can’t wait to finally ship mine home next month. 🤣

Edited yesterday at 06:22 PM by Papa Rat

[KOG Water Dragon]

On 1/6/2026 at 12:28 PM, KOG Water Dragon said:

HLJ got my VT-1 gerwalk in. Better late than never.

I also just got notice on my Kotobukiya Steel Haze. So I guess it's still mostly a case of HLJ having problems fulilling Bandai orders. And maybe a chance of delay with other popular products.

[Big s]

45 minutes ago, KOG Water Dragon said:

I also just got notice on my Kotobukiya Steel Haze. So I guess it's still mostly a case of HLJ having problems fulilling Bandai orders. And maybe a chance of delay with other popular products.

They pretty much are the only ones in Japan that do Bandai preorders to overseas customers, so I guess I could see that they probably get a lot of preorders for Bandai stuff, and I get the feeling that Bandai tells them that there will be more product on initial release. Luckily it usually doesn’t take long for the restocks. I do think that the U.S. sources are a decent option though these days unless the item is Japan only.

[KOG Water Dragon]

28 minutes ago, Big s said:

They pretty much are the only ones in Japan that do Bandai preorders to overseas customers, so I guess I could see that they probably get a lot of preorders for Bandai stuff, and I get the feeling that Bandai tells them that there will be more product on initial release. Luckily it usually doesn’t take long for the restocks. I do think that the U.S. sources are a decent option though these days unless the item is Japan only.

Oh I know. Most of my Bandai stuff is bought locally now.

I just wish HLJ wouldn't open pre-orders until they're sure how much stock they're getting. It seems like they just guess how much they'll get.

I'll keep using HLJ for non-Bandai. They've been great for getting the new PLAMAX stuff, kotobukiya stuff like Ikaruga kits and Legend of Galactic Heroes ships, moderoid stuff like the Horizon Zero Dawn kit, and Hasegawa in general. I also get my hobby mags there.

[Bolt]

Received my Miria 639 yesterday. It's interesting to note , I received another order a few days before that i had shipped weeks after. Maybe they're finally catching up on shipping orders..

[electric indigo]

9 hours ago, KOG Water Dragon said:

I'll keep using HLJ for non-Bandai. They've been great for getting the new PLAMAX stuff, kotobukiya stuff like Ikaruga kits and Legend of Galactic Heroes ships, moderoid stuff like the Horizon Zero Dawn kit, and Hasegawa in general. I also get my hobby mags there.

Don't you have a localized Goodsmile & PLAMAX shop? I use the EU outlet, and the retail prices are a bit higher than in Japan, but that is easily compensated saving customs & shipping costs.