Tamashii Movie Realization Star Wars

[CrankbaitJon]

Marvel side has shown the Captain America prototype this SDCC, so it's not dead yet. I hope at least they make Wolverine they showed in concept previously because I'd love to retool one to make some badass custom for Star Wars haha.

Thanks, I might have to start collecting that line too if the do release the Capt.

 

[Zkuva]

To be fair, a Snowtrooper would be mostly a retooling of an existing figure too.. just add slightly different face with a veil, and different armor on the thighs, the backpack can be retooled from the sandtrooper and painted white.. I too would have prefered the snowtrooper over the shadowtrooper but I'll take anything this line throws at me, it's right up my alley.

Something like this?
The other picture is just for showing off. Only archer is outofthebox, all others are customs

Sorry for orientation of the pics.

 

[DarkChocobi]

That's precisely what a Shadow Trooper is, what you're thinking of is a Death Trooper, that appeared in Rogue One. Shadow Troopers are basically black-armored Stormtroopers. In the (non-canon) lore, the only difference with regular troopers was that their armor had a cloaking device (hence shadow trooper).

But throughout the whole series, Rogue One was the only movice that Shadow Troopers did show up very clearly... so I picture them as "specialist" though > was it ?...not sure about the comic.

Wish they could make him a little bit more "bulky" or extra armor/accessories option like the red Royal Guard/Archer... or at least make his katana pure black to distinguish with normal troops.

 

[Zkuva]

are there better pics of Ackbar and other panel designs?

 

[Spark Extractor]

are there better pics of Ackbar and other panel designs?

Best I could find.

 

[dukefett]

Best I could find.
snip

So Ackbar is just a helmet? Super weird; hope they just do another character. Are they afraid of creating human faces for this line?

 

[Spark Extractor]

So Ackbar is just a helmet? Super weird; hope they just do another character. Are they afraid of creating human faces for this line?

Video on FB page for starwarsactionnews. Starts about 34:00. The designer is "interested in creatures", so it seems that humans aren't necessarily a priority, but who knows what the future holds. At least we have 3 coming before the end of the year and more concepts (that we've seen already) on the possible drawing board. Looks like this line still has legs, so I'm happy enough about that.

 

[CrankbaitJon]

Hope we get some photos from the show relating to this line tomorrow.

 

[CrankbaitJon]

I really dig the mask concept. As long as they are uniform with blending face mask and helmets for the various alien looks, I think they will look great. I would really want to see the gamorrean guards and even greedo.

 

[tuChunky]

really wished the next 3 figures would have been completely new characters. I love the Darth Maul but releasing Jango Fett (after Boba Fett and Proto Type Boba Fett) and the Shadow Trooper (after bunch of Storm/Sand Troopers) is a bit disappointing. In the video, there are other concept arts I would rather see come first. But I understand that Jango and Shadow are easier to produce due to prior parts/molds. Oh well - just keep the line coming.

On another note - finally opened and displayed the Proto Type Boba Fett and that thing is beautiful. Happy I didn't skip out on it.

 

[CrankbaitJon]

really wished the next 3 figures would have been completely new characters. I love the Darth Maul but releasing Jango Fett (after Boba Fett and Proto Type Boba Fett) and the Shadow Trooper (after bunch of Storm/Sand Troopers) is a bit disappointing. In the video, there are other concept arts I would rather see come first. But I understand that Jango and Shadow are easier to produce due to prior parts/molds. Oh well - just keep the line coming.

On another note - finally opened and displayed the Proto Type Boba Fett and that thing is beautiful. Happy I didn't skip out on it.

Yes and I think based on their track record, Bandai might release Boba Fett again in Holiday colours. It might actually look cool with that and Jango to have four knights looking figures displayed together. I do agree that we should get different looks, at least a different head sculpt instead of the repaint for the Shadow Trooper. I thought the Shadow Trooper would be a con exclusive for next year or something initially.

 

[momaw]

Video on FB page for starwarsactionnews. Starts about 34:00. The designer is "interested in creatures", so it seems that humans aren't necessarily a priority, but who knows what the future holds. At least we have 3 coming before the end of the year and more concepts (that we've seen already) on the possible drawing board. Looks like this line still has legs, so I'm happy enough about that.

They've only managed one figure release in the last 12 months. 3 by the end of the year with none currently on PO seems wildly optimistic.

 

[CrankbaitJon]

If you ask me, I think the widely available bootlegs have hurt this line in some way. We will see if we get any more prototypes next year.

 

[momaw]

If you ask me, I think the widely available bootlegs have hurt this line in some way. We will see if we get any more prototypes next year.

I said that a long time ago but the bootleg supporters shouted me down. Pretty much proved my point.

 

[Runnen]

They've only managed one figure release in the last 12 months. 3 by the end of the year with none currently on PO seems wildly optimistic.

Well, at SDCC they announced Jango Fett and Maul for a release this fall, so pre-orders could be any time now. The Shadow Trooper was display only so it's unsure they'll produce it but it's not an expensive figure since it's entirely old parts, so they'll probably release it.

I said that a long time ago but the bootleg supporters shouted me down. Pretty much proved my point.

As for the bootlegs hurting this line, well obviously the money going to bootleggers isn't going to Bandai, but I'd argue that that money would never have gone to Bandai anyway in the first place. The problem with why people are buying bootlegs is two-fold : Bandai isn't re-releasing figures that are hard to find/gone, so people that started late and want those figures have two options : buy a bootleg or buy second-hand on the aftermarket, both options give no more money to Bandai. The other situation where you'd buy bootlegs is to armybuild or to customize, both of which are very expensive quickly if you get a lot of figures, and the pricing on these has gone through the roof. My first stormtrooper and Vader were priced at like 60€, but prices have steadily increased and the line is becoming unaffortable for armybuilding very quickly.

Either way, people wouldn't give more money to Bandai that they do now, so what needs to happen for bootleg companies to go away is for Bandai to continue to release products that went out of stock, and to keep their prices more reasonable. Both seem unlikely, so we'll see more bootlegs I assume.

My personal guess as to why this line is going slowly is because it's a very niche market that is slowly gaining popularity, and it's an original concept that's not for everyone. Every time a new one is announced, Star Wars or Marvel, forums and blogs everywhere have comments like "woah this is awesome I need it!" then when they see the price tag they go "Oh.. nevermind then..". Cool concept, but niche market for that price, and that's why they're taking their time.

 

[DrewYojimbo]

You do have some good points about the bootlegging but it doesn't account for everyone that is buying them. Some examples are people who aren't as well versed in this line and can't tell the difference that end up buying bootlegs from sites like otakubowl. Another being the fact that if you truly are a fan of this line and want to army build you will be forced to suck it up and put down the money for multiples of the real deal. If these bootlegs are easy to get in China and knowing my fellow Chinese people, a lot of them don't give a damn if it's real or not. That's a lot of lost sales. I know this first hand as I worked for Lego for years and the Chinese bootleg market is a huge challenge for the company.

Bootlegs are 100% taking money away from Bandai. The real question is to what extent.


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[Runnen]

You do have some good points about the bootlegging but it doesn't account for everyone that is buying them. Some examples are people who aren't as well versed in this line and can't tell the difference that end up buying bootlegs from sites like otakubowl. Another being the fact that if you truly are a fan of this line and want to army build you will be forced to suck it up and put down the money for multiples of the real deal. If these bootlegs are easy to get in China and knowing my fellow Chinese people, a lot of them don't give a damn if it's real or not. That's a lot of lost sales. I know this first hand as I worked for Lego for years and the Chinese bootleg market is a huge challenge for the company.

Bootlegs are 100% taking money away from Bandai. The real question is to what extent.

You're correct in that my argument didn't take into account the people who buy the bootlegs unknowingly, and those sales DO take money away from Bandai. But if you take my personal example, I'm a beginner customizer, I've done customs only on this line ever, and as such I would say that there is no way I'd experiment to that extent (full repaint/resculpt) on a 90€ figure. But when I see a Boba Fett for 18€ with shipping included, I jump on it because then I can do a repaint into Holiday Special or Jodo Kast. My budget wouldn't allow me to buy multiples of these if the bootlegs didn't exist, and as such my money would not go to Bandai in either case.

That said, I have given zillions to Bandai over the years (I collect Saint Seiya Myth Cloth, Myth Cloth EX, Dragonball Figuarts, Megaman D-Arts, Movie Realization Star Wars, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Nintendo figures from them) so I don't really feel bad about not giving them a few more bucks.

 

[D.R.37]

Began collecting these guys when they first released Vader, Fett and the Trooper $65-$70 US since then their retail price has jumped significantly where I may only purchase one that stands out to me out of the years release. That case was the drummer Stormie, which got knocked down when the previews of the archer stormie were released. This was last year and I have yet to pick him up. Been directing my collecting funds to 1/6 stuff since one of these Bandai figure prices is nearly half or more for some 1/6 figures in shopping for. So I am one of those are saying "Wow thats super cool and I wanna get that!" but then see the price hikes and change my mind.

 

[CrankbaitJon]

Well, at SDCC they announced Jango Fett and Maul for a release this fall, so pre-orders could be any time now. The Shadow Trooper was display only so it's unsure they'll produce it but it's not an expensive figure since it's entirely old parts, so they'll probably release it.



As for the bootlegs hurting this line, well obviously the money going to bootleggers isn't going to Bandai, but I'd argue that that money would never have gone to Bandai anyway in the first place. The problem with why people are buying bootlegs is two-fold : Bandai isn't re-releasing figures that are hard to find/gone, so people that started late and want those figures have two options : buy a bootleg or buy second-hand on the aftermarket, both options give no more money to Bandai. The other situation where you'd buy bootlegs is to armybuild or to customize, both of which are very expensive quickly if you get a lot of figures, and the pricing on these has gone through the roof. My first stormtrooper and Vader were priced at like 60€, but prices have steadily increased and the line is becoming unaffortable for armybuilding very quickly.

Either way, people wouldn't give more money to Bandai that they do now, so what needs to happen for bootleg companies to go away is for Bandai to continue to release products that went out of stock, and to keep their prices more reasonable. Both seem unlikely, so we'll see more bootlegs I assume.

From the people I have talked to, I can say for sure that Bandai lost potential revenue as some would have saved to get a genuine figure if they did not find the cheap bootlegs on the market.

You see fake Bandai products all the time for bigger lines but for a smaller line like this it will definitely hurt them.

 

[DrewYojimbo]

I'm not speaking on the ethics of buying bootlegs only on the financial impact it could be having on Bandai and it's decision to continue the line.

I agree that buying the real deal just to play around and customize them would be very expensive and probably not worth it. The bootlegs absolutely come in handy for that purpose. I personally like seeing the custom work you guys do.


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