Was pretty interested in the MMPR 2010 DX Dino Megazord (USA-exclusive) since its sighting in CSC two weeks ago, but was slightly discouraged by the S$120.00 price tag.
So I was at CSC today for a couple of recent releases, and went to check out if the DX Dino Megazord was still available. Turned out that it was, and I managed to reach out and took a better look due to the shift to a lower shelf.
I was quite disappointed that it was not brand new, as the stickers were already applied and the box condition was not that great either. In that case, the price tag of S$120.00 is definitely not worth it no matter how much I wanted to justify it.
Anyway, I asked the shop owner about the toy and was told that it was a consignment. After he contacted the owner, I was told that the best price was S$115.00 so I declined the offer right away.
Honestly, I would have considered buying if the pricing was S$120.00 only for a brand new one. Or if he offered S$100.00 for this one, I might have considered a little but S$115.00 is too ridiculous for something that was already used.
Considering that the DX Dino Megazord was retailing for US$24.99 (approx. S$31.58) in the United States, or following the trend of imported releases at S$69.95 (like RPM and Samurai Megazords), the maximum amount I would justify is around S$30.00 more which is about S$100.00.
Hence, the conclusion is NO.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Saturday, January 14, 2012
S.H. Figuarts GokaiYellow with GokaiDarin
Collected the S.H. Figuarts GokaiYellow from Ng's Collections today. My 2nd favourite character from Gokaiger. :)
LoL. The Uncle was so disappointed that I paid the full amount upfront (S$65.00) during the pre-order because he was so looking forward to counting money!
Again, Gokaiger was so popular that people are willing to pay S$95.00 (the non pre-order rate that Uncle is charging) for the figure but why not pre-order it in the first place? That way, you could have saved S$30.00... it's a lot of money!
Since this is an exclusive release, the GokaiDarin is packaged together with the Figuarts so that it can fit into the cardboard box (only for exclusive releases).
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Gashapon Ranger Key Series 07 + Rouse Card Archives Pre-Order
[1] Gashapon Ranger Key Series 07
Auntie gave me a S$2.00 discount from the usual S$70.00 price tag (S$68.00).
This set is considerably more expensive than the other ones because the number of Gashapon-exclusive keys are lesser (7 in total). Nonetheless, this Ranger Key collection has no turning back so there is really no point in debating on whether to get it or not. Bandai Japan triumphs again in collector's psychology.
[2] Kamen Rider Blade Rouse Card Archives (Pre-Order)
Pre-Ordered this Bandai Premium Exclusive Set at La Tendo with a deposit of S$100.00.
Damn expensive for a stack of cards but would be interesting to have the official prints of my favorite Kamen Rider Series. Hopefully, the quality would justify the money spent.
A normal person would think that I'm crazy but oh well, working gives the very same person the spending power so... here I am.
Auntie gave me a S$2.00 discount from the usual S$70.00 price tag (S$68.00).
This set is considerably more expensive than the other ones because the number of Gashapon-exclusive keys are lesser (7 in total). Nonetheless, this Ranger Key collection has no turning back so there is really no point in debating on whether to get it or not. Bandai Japan triumphs again in collector's psychology.
[2] Kamen Rider Blade Rouse Card Archives (Pre-Order)
Pre-Ordered this Bandai Premium Exclusive Set at La Tendo with a deposit of S$100.00.
Damn expensive for a stack of cards but would be interesting to have the official prints of my favorite Kamen Rider Series. Hopefully, the quality would justify the money spent.
A normal person would think that I'm crazy but oh well, working gives the very same person the spending power so... here I am.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
DX Samurai Megazord: A Brief Review
Merry Christmas! Hohoho!
First Impressions
Surprisingly, Bandai America managed to surpass its own standards again. The Samurai Megazord was a marked improvement from the RPM DX Formula Megazords in terms of both plastic quality and joint structure. Despite the light weight, the whole Megazord was very solid and sturdy. In comparison, the RPM Megazords were kinda flimsy... (You may have noticed that at this point, I have yet to touch on the functionality aspect).
After all, the Samurai Megazord is manufactured in the same Thailand factory which is responsible for many quality Bandai Japan products. Again, the US$30 price point could have been a factor in the increased quality.
The paint applications were decent in the Megazord mode, but glaringly lacking in their individual Folding-Zord modes.
Design and Prototyping
A considerable amount of redesign was put into the Megazord torso and legs which resulted in a more streamlined outlook (highly consistent with Bandai America's methodology for Megazord aesthetics). This has its advantages in certain aspects; the Samurai Megazord was able to hold its own when displayed beside its Japanese counterpart, Shinken-Oh.
To fit the cheaper price point, 4 Folding-Zords lost their Emblem Modes (except for Turtle) and also had some drastic changes to the appearance and transformation mechanics.
The Lion Folding-Zord somewhat resembled the Shishi Origami despite the major retooling in the transformation mechanism. Unfortunately, the obvious missing paint applications hurt the overall presentation.
The Dragon Folding-Zord (or Puppy Folding-Zord) looked nothing like a dragon. It had the most drastic retooling in structure which gave it the crappy looking form, plus the missing paint applications didn't help at all. Like the Ryuu Origami, it can house the Megazord Helmet and as an added bonus, the Megazord Katana can be used as the tail?! How "impressive"!
The Turtle Folding-Zord is the only functional Zord which managed to make the 100% transition over: Emblem Mode and Full Paint Applications.
The Bear Folding-Zord was relatively decent but still had the same issues of missing paint applications.
The Ape Folding-Zord looked terrible with minimal paint applications. The stripping of the Emblem Mode would proved problematic for future combinations, notably DaikaiShinken-Oh and Samurai Ha-Oh.
Having said, the 5 individual Folding-Zords were rather unimpressive (or pathetic) but this shouldn't matter to kids who would mainly play with the Megazord mode. In terms of accessories, the Megazord Katana (Sword) was a little nice touch as the blade was sharper and both sides managed to retain the same calligraphy design. Noted that there was no Shield included with the Samurai Megazord which doesn't seem to make sense until... (the BeetleZord will act as the Shield)
Conclusion
The DX Samurai Megazord is a remarkable piece of toy for kids to connect with the popular Power Rangers Samurai series. It is unlikely that they would notice the lack of the Emblem Modes as well as some of the transformation functionalities. However, I don't foresee paying more than S$50.00 for it given its playability.
For collectors on a budget, the Samurai Megazord serves as a good display piece since it is more streamlined in the looks department. As long as they do not mind the lack of Emblem Modes, the Samurai Megazord can be considered as a decent representation of the in-show version. Another added bonus would be the ability to swap the arms and legs with the MMPR 2010 Dino Megazord (American-Exclusive).
At first, I was a little apprehensive towards getting the Samurai Megazord because of the uncertainty to combine into the Samurai "Ultrazord" (Samurai Ha-Oh). However, the good news is that Bandai America will release the Bull-Zord to enable that combination, so budget collectors who cannot afford the expensive Japanese Shinkenger Mecha can settle for the American version instead.
Compared to the RPM series, I would say that the Samurai Megazord isn't really an actual improvement (except for the plastic quality and joint designs) because I am very particular about core features which are the inaccurate transformations and Emblem Modes in this case. The 4 RPM Megazords still win in this regard. Therefore, the Samurai Megazord is really just for leisure playing.
For fans of Shinkenger, it is certainly more rewarding to get the Shinkenger Mecha especially when they offer more accurate functionalities and Bandai Asia is now re-issuing them at a cheaper price.
First Impressions
Surprisingly, Bandai America managed to surpass its own standards again. The Samurai Megazord was a marked improvement from the RPM DX Formula Megazords in terms of both plastic quality and joint structure. Despite the light weight, the whole Megazord was very solid and sturdy. In comparison, the RPM Megazords were kinda flimsy... (You may have noticed that at this point, I have yet to touch on the functionality aspect).
After all, the Samurai Megazord is manufactured in the same Thailand factory which is responsible for many quality Bandai Japan products. Again, the US$30 price point could have been a factor in the increased quality.
The paint applications were decent in the Megazord mode, but glaringly lacking in their individual Folding-Zord modes.
Design and Prototyping
A considerable amount of redesign was put into the Megazord torso and legs which resulted in a more streamlined outlook (highly consistent with Bandai America's methodology for Megazord aesthetics). This has its advantages in certain aspects; the Samurai Megazord was able to hold its own when displayed beside its Japanese counterpart, Shinken-Oh.
To fit the cheaper price point, 4 Folding-Zords lost their Emblem Modes (except for Turtle) and also had some drastic changes to the appearance and transformation mechanics.
The Lion Folding-Zord somewhat resembled the Shishi Origami despite the major retooling in the transformation mechanism. Unfortunately, the obvious missing paint applications hurt the overall presentation.
The Dragon Folding-Zord (or Puppy Folding-Zord) looked nothing like a dragon. It had the most drastic retooling in structure which gave it the crappy looking form, plus the missing paint applications didn't help at all. Like the Ryuu Origami, it can house the Megazord Helmet and as an added bonus, the Megazord Katana can be used as the tail?! How "impressive"!
The Turtle Folding-Zord is the only functional Zord which managed to make the 100% transition over: Emblem Mode and Full Paint Applications.
The Bear Folding-Zord was relatively decent but still had the same issues of missing paint applications.
The Ape Folding-Zord looked terrible with minimal paint applications. The stripping of the Emblem Mode would proved problematic for future combinations, notably DaikaiShinken-Oh and Samurai Ha-Oh.
Having said, the 5 individual Folding-Zords were rather unimpressive (or pathetic) but this shouldn't matter to kids who would mainly play with the Megazord mode. In terms of accessories, the Megazord Katana (Sword) was a little nice touch as the blade was sharper and both sides managed to retain the same calligraphy design. Noted that there was no Shield included with the Samurai Megazord which doesn't seem to make sense until... (the BeetleZord will act as the Shield)
Conclusion
The DX Samurai Megazord is a remarkable piece of toy for kids to connect with the popular Power Rangers Samurai series. It is unlikely that they would notice the lack of the Emblem Modes as well as some of the transformation functionalities. However, I don't foresee paying more than S$50.00 for it given its playability.
For collectors on a budget, the Samurai Megazord serves as a good display piece since it is more streamlined in the looks department. As long as they do not mind the lack of Emblem Modes, the Samurai Megazord can be considered as a decent representation of the in-show version. Another added bonus would be the ability to swap the arms and legs with the MMPR 2010 Dino Megazord (American-Exclusive).
At first, I was a little apprehensive towards getting the Samurai Megazord because of the uncertainty to combine into the Samurai "Ultrazord" (Samurai Ha-Oh). However, the good news is that Bandai America will release the Bull-Zord to enable that combination, so budget collectors who cannot afford the expensive Japanese Shinkenger Mecha can settle for the American version instead.
Compared to the RPM series, I would say that the Samurai Megazord isn't really an actual improvement (except for the plastic quality and joint designs) because I am very particular about core features which are the inaccurate transformations and Emblem Modes in this case. The 4 RPM Megazords still win in this regard. Therefore, the Samurai Megazord is really just for leisure playing.
For fans of Shinkenger, it is certainly more rewarding to get the Shinkenger Mecha especially when they offer more accurate functionalities and Bandai Asia is now re-issuing them at a cheaper price.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Hunt for the RPM Megazords (Part 6) + X'Mas Mega Haul
The hunt continues, and I'm back in Orchard Road again.
My first stop was Tangs, but I forgot it doesn't sell toys at all! Hahah. After that, I went to Kinokuniya to look at other stuff and stumbled upon the Super Sentai 35th Anniversary Official Visual Book which I ended up buying.
In the end, I also didn't get why I bought the book in the first place. Granted that it has some nice photos of the various teams but that's all. Quite useless if you compared it to the 30th Anniversary Encyclopedia. Probably not really worth S$30.20. Retail therapy perhaps after hunting for ValveMax Megazord for so long without any luck?
The price was not the worst thing because I only discovered that some pages inside were torn and damaged after I opened it at home. It was not visible on the outside because it was all wrapped up. ~!@#$%^&*
My next stop was the Takashimaya Christmas Toy Fair at B2 where Power Rangers Samurai toys were at 20% off. It's a good marketing move to promote sales rather than waiting for them to warm the shelves and only clear them when the show ends. Furthermore, kids get to play with the Megazords at the booth which in fact did helped the sales by quite a lot.
Then one kid was like screaming "OctoZord!" at my face. LoL~ You can imagine his excitement. Anyway, I bought the DX Samurai Megazord with a $20 voucher from my friend on top of the 20% discount. It was a good S$35.96; can't beat that price even with the clearance later on. Had to be a little smarter after the RPM disaster.
The third, fourth and fifth stops were Paragon Metro, Toys 'R' Us and Robinsons which yielded nothing. Not surprising at all. Really at this point, to find any RPM toys in Orchard Road seems like a bonus!
Since I'm already in the vicinity, it made sense to go over to OG to look at the DX GokaiGun. By then, all the GokaiSabers were gone and only 2 GokaiGuns left. This was quite an obvious sign that I should get it before it's sold out which I did. Again, the 20% store-wide discount came in very handy and I ended up paying S$57.55.
No doubt that the main purpose was for the DX GokaiBlue Ranger Key, the GokaiGun was a decent toy on its own. One shortcoming when compared to the GokaiSaber was the lack of the flashing LED lights for the "Final Wave" finisher attack. It's a pity that the design and build was unable to support this feature.
Having said, this marks the end of my hunting journey with an expenditure of S$123.71.
My first stop was Tangs, but I forgot it doesn't sell toys at all! Hahah. After that, I went to Kinokuniya to look at other stuff and stumbled upon the Super Sentai 35th Anniversary Official Visual Book which I ended up buying.
In the end, I also didn't get why I bought the book in the first place. Granted that it has some nice photos of the various teams but that's all. Quite useless if you compared it to the 30th Anniversary Encyclopedia. Probably not really worth S$30.20. Retail therapy perhaps after hunting for ValveMax Megazord for so long without any luck?
The price was not the worst thing because I only discovered that some pages inside were torn and damaged after I opened it at home. It was not visible on the outside because it was all wrapped up. ~!@#$%^&*
My next stop was the Takashimaya Christmas Toy Fair at B2 where Power Rangers Samurai toys were at 20% off. It's a good marketing move to promote sales rather than waiting for them to warm the shelves and only clear them when the show ends. Furthermore, kids get to play with the Megazords at the booth which in fact did helped the sales by quite a lot.
Then one kid was like screaming "OctoZord!" at my face. LoL~ You can imagine his excitement. Anyway, I bought the DX Samurai Megazord with a $20 voucher from my friend on top of the 20% discount. It was a good S$35.96; can't beat that price even with the clearance later on. Had to be a little smarter after the RPM disaster.
The third, fourth and fifth stops were Paragon Metro, Toys 'R' Us and Robinsons which yielded nothing. Not surprising at all. Really at this point, to find any RPM toys in Orchard Road seems like a bonus!
Since I'm already in the vicinity, it made sense to go over to OG to look at the DX GokaiGun. By then, all the GokaiSabers were gone and only 2 GokaiGuns left. This was quite an obvious sign that I should get it before it's sold out which I did. Again, the 20% store-wide discount came in very handy and I ended up paying S$57.55.
No doubt that the main purpose was for the DX GokaiBlue Ranger Key, the GokaiGun was a decent toy on its own. One shortcoming when compared to the GokaiSaber was the lack of the flashing LED lights for the "Final Wave" finisher attack. It's a pity that the design and build was unable to support this feature.
Having said, this marks the end of my hunting journey with an expenditure of S$123.71.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Received Candy Key Series 05
Consistent! Took 10 days to reach Singapore via SAL as well.
As mentioned previously, all 5 Ranger Keys are relevant for collection since none of them have DX versions/or only have Gashapon versions. Nice to have more Ranger Keys from my favorite Sentai team - BoukenBlue!
As mentioned previously, all 5 Ranger Keys are relevant for collection since none of them have DX versions/or only have Gashapon versions. Nice to have more Ranger Keys from my favorite Sentai team - BoukenBlue!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Hunt for the RPM Megazords (Part 5)
Just "so happened" that I was meeting a friend for dinner in Orchard, and had some time to do a little hunting after that.
I decided to try my luck at Isetan Shaw House because it was the first place where I managed to find the High Octane Megazord when it was sold out in most places. Unfortunately, as with all the rest of the departmental stores, there were no more RPM toys in sight.
Sigh... The chances of finding a ValveMax Megazord at this point is really close to zero.
I decided to try my luck at Isetan Shaw House because it was the first place where I managed to find the High Octane Megazord when it was sold out in most places. Unfortunately, as with all the rest of the departmental stores, there were no more RPM toys in sight.
Sigh... The chances of finding a ValveMax Megazord at this point is really close to zero.
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