January hauls

[Gomess]

I only just thought of this, actually: Does Bandai control the Power Rangers toy brand as well as Super Sentai? Because that's an inordinate amount of work, surely. That'd be like if they'd controlled Gobots as *well* as Machine Robo back in the day. Surely there's a modern equivalent of Tonka that handles the Power Rangers end of things.

[Onslaught Six]

Nope, it's straight Bandai, always has been. What's even worse is that it's not even like the US PR line is just a slightly shittier copypaste of the Japanese toyline like it used to be--American Zords often have entirely new moulds made that are smaller and shittier.

JT: I seriously think that's exactly Bandai's plan. Take the relaunched MMPR line from a few years back where the individual figures were sold for only $5--a friggin' miracle in 2010. But compare those figures against GI Joe or Marvel Universe and they're worse off, featuring less articulation (no ankles or waist, swivel head joints as opposed to ball joints, etc.) and cheaper quality. (Some of the multipack figures don't even have their backs painted. Yes, seriously.) On the other hand, I was able to easily find all six (!) standard Rangers at retail (The White Ranger wave never came out properly, I don't think) without much difficulty over a period of 'several months,' and the $5 pricepoint made it very easy to bite.

But then the villain figures were awful. No Lord Zedd was released carded (just in shit multipacks) and Goldar had literally two points of articulation. It was bad.

[BWprowl]

But then the villain figures were awful. No Lord Zedd was released carded (just in shit multipacks) and Goldar had literally two points of articulation. It was bad.

Zedd actually did make it out carded later, in the same wave with the Super/Shield Red, Black, and Blue rangers. I think White and Super Green might have technically been part of that wave too, but no one ever saw them at retail. Hell, I only saw Zedd the once, when I bought him.

You're right that it was way too easy to pull the trigger on all six MMPR 2010 Rangers, mediocre as they were. Goldar is where I drew the line though, there was no excuse for that toy. The Putty was actually pretty good though.

[Onslaught Six]

But then the villain figures were awful. No Lord Zedd was released carded (just in shit multipacks) and Goldar had literally two points of articulation. It was bad.

Zedd actually did make it out carded later, in the same wave with the Super/Shield Red, Black, and Blue rangers. I think White and Super Green might have technically been part of that wave too, but no one ever saw them at retail. Hell, I only saw Zedd the once, when I bought him.

You're right that it was way too easy to pull the trigger on all six MMPR 2010 Rangers, mediocre as they were. Goldar is where I drew the line though, there was no excuse for that toy. The Putty was actually pretty good though.

When you look at it objectively, you got a team of six Rangers for $30. In this day and age, where can you get that? And as long as you were expecting what you got, it wasn't that bad. (I think all of us collectively grabbed Green to start with and instantly went, "Okay, some flaws, but good enough.")

I didn't like the Putty's oversized hands (Yeah, I know, they had them occasionally in the show too) and the fact that his joints just seemed so...'visible.' I don't normally let things like that bother me on toys but when it comes to the MMPR costumes they were just so 'whole' and complete that most of the time breaking them up looked bad, and especially so on the Putties with their minimal detail. Most Marvel figures, for example, will try their damndest to hide articulation joints by using injection-moulded shoulders and by designing the joints around muscle lines and paint washes, while the MMPR toys did...none of that. And it was especially jarring on the Putties, to me. (On the other hand I would have totally bought a Z-Putty remould.)

I didn't know about Zedd being carded later though, was he worth it? Does he run for much on the secondhand market? I know White Ranger is still hard to find.

[BWprowl]

(I think all of us collectively grabbed Green to start with and instantly went, "Okay, some flaws, but good enough.")

Well yeah, it’d be hard for most 90’s kids to see a neat little Green Ranger toy on shelves for a mere five bucks and not go “Yeah, okay”. Buying Red at the same time is what put me over; it was really easy to justify just four more toys after those two, and the Putty was just gravy.

I didn't know about Zedd being carded later though, was he worth it? Does he run for much on the secondhand market? I know White Ranger is still hard to find.

Zedd’s pretty good for what he is. He’s only got the front details painted on, but it’s not as noticeable on a design like his, and he’s got all the posability that the Rangers have (I think the earlier multi-pack version had more limited articulation), plus he comes with his staff. I’d say he’s at least as good as the Rangers. I’m glad I got him, it’s nice to have a good villain figure, and he completes the pair with that Rita figure that was released in the Samurai line (and is hilariously now shelfwarming like a bitch, contrary to my earlier concerns that she’d be hard to find. Whoops!)

Bandai is trying a *little* harder with the American line, it seems. They imported the SH Figuarts toys of ShinkenRed and Gold as TRU exclusives. Given that those seem to have performed pretty well, maybe we’ll see more higher-end Sentai imports in the future (I’d love to be able to Just Buy that upcoming Chogokin DaiZyuJin, and if Bandai wanted to bring the Chogokin Shinken-Oh over here too, I wouldn’t complain).

Spoiler

They’re also allegedly going to be making a third attempt at getting Kamen Rider to catch on in America, which I kinda have some thoughts on, maybe I’ll talk about that over in the relevant thread (See, Dom? I’m trying!)

[Gomess]

Leather trousers.

Yeah, and?

[138 Scourge]

Leather trousers.

Yeah, and?

Assuming that's a haul and not some odd British exclamation that I was previously unaware of, that's actually pretty cool. Was a time I'd have tried that, too, but at this point in my life I don't see when I'd be using 'em.

[Gomess]

at this point in my life I don't see when I'd be using 'em.

Well, I ain't coming off a speeding bike wearing anything less! *sensitive legs*

[Dominic]

I normally do not post pre-emptive hauls. But, I have to to explain the anti-haul.

Lewis ordered the Fan Club Battle Chargers on my behalf. (I have pretty much given up on getting Tracks. But, I like the mould and these two are accessible.) I am paying the same price, and ordering through his account.

Why go through the extra step of ordering through a friend you ask? Simple.

If I order the figures directly, I have to join the Fan Club. And, joining the Fan Club obligates me to get their newsletter, which is loaded with terrible comics and content by David Willis. I do *not* want that in my mail box. Yeah, I could give the Fan Club a friend's address. But, I would still have to go there and get my toys eventually. And, that would also saddle the friend with the problem of having terrible comics in their mail box. (And, really, what kind of a friend would that make me.)

But, Lewis is a glutton for punishment, and is already a member of the club and suffering their terrible newsletter. He is already taking the worst part about ordering these figures, thus there is no moral quandary.


In short: I dodged getting the Fan Club's newsletter, which is probably the best thing anybody is posting in this thread. (Seriously, unless somebody gets a fancy car, a house or a pet, I am calling this "haul of the month", maybe the year.)


Dom
-seriously, the comics are almost uniformly bad, and Willis content... Ewwww....

[Shockwave]

In all fairness, Willis only writes the "Recordicons" strip on the back which is less than half a page. I've been able to read most issues and ignore it completely.

Shockwave
-Ignorance is bliss.