Tamashii Soul of Chogokin C-3PO & R2-D2

[Invictus Sol]

...Before Bandai's Threepio was released, making the figure metal seemed like overkill, aesthetically as well as financially. Now that I can hold the end-resulting product in my hand, the thing makes total sense.

Totally get what you're saying but 3PO is a one-off (plus no desire to display him levitating), whereas Iron Man will have endless iterations at $300.00+ each. Doesn't really affect me as I only want one or two, but I definitely have some sympathy for completists or those now priced out for something that strikes me as a little fadish. Also think it's still pretty experimental. If in a few years all our 3PO's and Iron Men start flaking like HTs Captain America shield is prone to do, we might not appreciate the heft so much. Not saying it will happen but I'd rather rule out the possibility altogether.

 

[CaptnRex]

Yeh, I'm wondering how much I'll be out of pocket if they accept the return. I'll have to FedEx it back to them, and it'll cost around $80 to do that I'd guess. SSC will refund that amount, hopefully in Oz dollars so I don't lose out on the exchange rate.

It's a pain, I laughed when a member here said in a post a while back, that if you aren't happy/don't like a particular figure then just return it. Not so easy. It's bad enough if you "have" to return a figure.

Mine is still a month or so away, hoping I don't have any issues.

 

[creature4000]

Has the R2-D2 been released yet? I'm confussed in this thread for some reason.

I'm on the fence... This C3PO looks great and I'm thinking of adding this to my potential C3PO display.

I wonder if SS will make one 1/6th?

 

[anwe]

New month, new debts. Just ordered one from AmiAmi.

Just to put things in perspective for some of you here. Before I have it in my grubby little hands I will have paid probably close to 480USD. If I'm extremely almost inconceivably lucky and avoid customs and tax it will come down to about 380USD.

Some stores across Europe has if for about 5-600 USD with shipping. I don't know how many they sell at that price though.

 

[Invictus Sol]

Has the R2-D2 been released yet? I'm confussed in this thread for some reason.

I'm on the fence... This C3PO looks great and I'm thinking of adding this to my potential C3PO display.

I wonder if SS will make one 1/6th?

No R2 yet but the plan is to release him next year. The 3PO seems to have been a collaboration between Sideshow and Tamashii, so I doubt we'll see a SSC 3PO for many years and I doubt it would equal the Tamashii in quality. Anyone here who has one would recommend it, so I say pick it up while it's in good supply.

 

[Mad Old Lu]

Eamon had Brant Bridges from Sideshow Toys on his Hottoycast and Brant mentioned that a fully loaded R2 was coming soon, which I thought was strange. First off, why start with R2? And secondly, if it's "soon", they will compete with the upcoming Tama version. Do they really want to have those 2 options going head to head?

Now I wonder if Brant was just referring to the Tama R2. Looking at Threepio's box again, Sideshow's name is fairly prominent on it. I really have to wonder if this is IT for Sideshow's droids.

It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if this was truly it. But if it is, Sideshow's doing a terrible job in pushing the figure(s).

One of the reasons I thought the Tama droids would NOT be Sideshow's only droids was because of the enormous price tag. Sideshow's always been the more reasonable alternative in the high-end 1/6 world, staying below HT's prices. Now with HT's Iron Men being made with die cast and the price jump that goes with it, all bets are off. I can see the Tama droids being Sideshow's droids despite the huge bill.

 

[Pixelpiper]

According to Sideshow, the C-3PO *IS* theirs. No one outside of the companies involved knows how much of the design process can be attributed to any one company. Sideshow always has their products made in Asia, and they often work with other names companies such as Hot Toys. These droids are co-productions and from all information available online are as much Sideshow products as they are Tama/Bandai.

It's not unreasonable to think that Sideshow may, after the premium die-cast products, release lower-priced non-premium figures. I wouldn't count on this happening within the same year. On the other hand, typically you'd want the premium stuff to be released after, not before the lower-priced versions.

I think the bottom line however is that these droids are the Sideshow droids you're looking for.

 

[Mad Old Lu]

I just took a look a the Sideshow page and yep, pixelpiper, I think you're right. The manufacturer reads "Sideshow Collectibles and Tamashii Nations." Notice that they even put Sideshow first.

Now compare that with HT Luke where it says it's manufactured by Hot Toys only.

 

[galactiboy]

325 domestic?

Yep, picked it up from a boardie. C-3PO is currently in Denver making his way to me

 

[Origami]

So when is R2 from this series being released?

 

[Mad Old Lu]

Next year.

 

[Origami]

Thanks! Glad I didn't get the medicom one.

Next year.

 

[sithlord13]

I just took a look a the Sideshow page and yep, pixelpiper, I think you're right. The manufacturer reads "Sideshow Collectibles and Tamashii Nations." Notice that they even put Sideshow first.

Now compare that with HT Luke where it says it's manufactured by Hot Toys only.

If this is so I wish they would to on record as such.

 

[FLOSI]

Yep, picked it up from a boardie. C-3PO is currently in Denver making his way to me

I can't wait to hear what you think! It's 325 well spent.

 

[Pixelpiper]

If this is so I wish they would to on record as such.

If this is meant to read "go on record" - they have. It's all over their product page(s). Even the specs page lists Sideshow as co-manufacturer.

Heading for the figure:

C-3PO
12" Perfect Model
Sixth Scale Figure
Item Number: 901863
Manufactured by: Sideshow Collectibles and Tamashii Nations

Summary page:

Sideshow Collectibles and Tamashii Nations proudly present the C-3PO 12" Perfect Model Chogokin figure.

Specs page:

License: Star Wars
Product Type: Sixth Scale Figure
Dimensional Weight (DIM): 6 lbs *
Int'l Dimensional Weight (DIM): 10 lbs *
Manufactured by: Sideshow Collectibles and Tamashii Nations

 

[galactiboy]

I can't wait to hear what you think! It's 325 well spent.

Yeah, I was thinking I'd try to wait out for a sub/$300 figure; but this is just a tad over and still quite a bit less than retail. So my savvy spending senses are satisfied.

Altough, I still believe this will see a good dip in price before too long, I just don't feel like waiting for it

If this is meant to read "go on record" - they have. It's all over their product page(s). Even the specs page lists Sideshow as co-manufacturer.

I assume not only are they the license holder for this, but maybe they were more involved with the R&D side of it than when HT has used a license (Terminator, Star Wars, etc.).

Or maybe Sideshow just had a stronger bargaining position when it came to having Tamashii produce under their license.

 

[Mad Old Lu]

If this is meant to read "go on record" - they have. It's all over their product page(s). Even the specs page lists Sideshow as co-manufacturer.

A lot of people here are skipping this Tama Threepio in hopes or plain old anticipation of an "official" Sideshow version which would presumably be plastic and cheaper. I know I held off on the Tama version for a while with the same belief. I think everyone here would like to know definitively if this IS or IS NOT the "official" Sideshow Threepio or if they are planning on a plastic and cheaper version to come sometime in the future. This knowledge will help them make a more informed buying decision.

Basically we would like to hear the words, "This is it folks--this is our Threepio and the only future Threepio releases might be a "X" version or a "Y" version". OR "Hang tight, folks--we have our own plastic and cheaper version coming next year!"

Sideshow's playing it a bit too close to the vest with this one. The best we can do is infer from what's on their product page that this is it. But it's still just conjecture.

Either way, being secretive is not helping their sales. People are holding off hoping there's a future official Sideshow version, which means a loss of sales on this version. If Sideshow admits this is the one and only, you would see plenty more people jumping in.

 

[galactiboy]

Have to agree with you Lu... I seem to think that it's been unofficially said that Sideshow will still be releasing their own take on the droids. But maybe that's being hushed now in an effort to keep the sales of this figure up.

But no word is having the same effect. I was tempted by the Medicom figures a few times, but the scale and hope that Sideshow would come through kept me away. Now with this one it's a bit of a crap shoot... and honestly this has turned out so nice that it seems unlikely that a Sideshow version could improve upon it... maybe just be cheaper.

But with the $10 rise in each realeased figure; a Sideshow version could well be $200 or more by the time it happens.

 

[Pixelpiper]

Osbourne Effect. You don't talk about unreleased product when you're trying to sell an existing one. As far as I'm concerned, this is the official and only 1/6 droid release we'll see from Sideshow. Things may turn out differently, but making that assumption leaves one pretty safe. Albeit with a potentially lighter billfold should one decide to jump on this release.

 

[sithlord13]

Mad old lu.

Absolutely spot on. If Ssc ain't going to make another lets see it. Like when they used to have ask sideshow.

Ild really like this but it's a lot of cash and my wife would proper kill me. If this is it I would think again.