And I just don't understand why you feel the necessity to swoop in and defend the practice every single time this happens and belittle everyone disagreeing with you as just being cranky children. Honestly more tired of seeing that predictable response than the predictable complaints. Meanwhile, people not wanting to pay more for something they see of equivalent value makes complete sense to me.

Added up, if you want more than the occasional exclusive, that increase really starts matters to people. It's great that you don't see it as a big deal to keep paying more and more for the things you want and can apparently still afford it, but damnit, to some it just is. That shouldn't be hard to see and understand.

I'm just happy that we have all the in series stuff announced with this one.
And since most of the movie forms are just slightly different from already existing forms it gives me some hope that they will actually complete this line.

THIS

Guys, web exclusives are NOT all that difficult to get ahold of these days, especially now that we have sites like Mandarake.

It more so has to do with the fact that this disscussion takes place EVERY time a new batch of web exclusives go up.

Honestly, it's just as annoying as people complaining about the lack of Figuarts Kiva.

Web exclusives get thrown up based on the popularity of the said character, that's all there is too it.

Fact is: it's far easier for Bandai to release a pre existing mould as a mass retail release than it is a compltely new design like Type Trideron, especially this late after Drive.

You have to remember that even if it is a Web exclusive, to japanese collectors it's almost as simple as buying the thing on Amazon. Only us non japan based fans have to pay a middleman. We are not the target audience so it's pretty useless to lambast bandai/tamashii for their practices when it's perfectly serviceable to their home Base. It's also a form for a show that's ended already so it's risky to be releasing it like this that's why it's a Web exclusive so they don't over produce it.

This is sort of the point I was trying to hit home. We as western fans feel entitled to a certain degree of ease in collecting that we shouldn't be when we're buying items from a market that isn't local to us, or frankly really even intended for us. It's great when things work in our favor. But in this case it's only logical that this release would turn out the way it has. Furor over Bandai/Tamashiis reasoning behind making Tridoron an exclusive is misplaced though, and that's whats' most frustrating about the situation.

[QUOTE=Kiwami;629418]Easy pass on both. It's just bad comedy to release freakin' Gold Drive at retail but make this as a Web-Exclusive. Like, what the hell were they thinking?QUOTE]

Business. They're thinking business. I don't like exclusives either, but I understand the reasons behind making something exclusive. It's business. As was pointed out to me on Twitter if they feel a figure won't sell they make it exclusive as a way to cover loses. And as I said in the same conversation, they also make something exclusive if they know it'll be popular. It's a way of generating revenue. Bandai doesn't make these for the love of the series, or for the joy of it, you know? They make these and sell them as a way of generating money. It's the same reason the shows exist in the first place (I know that might come as a shock to some). So the answer to your question is... business and money. Simple as that.

But back on topic, I love how this looks. I was worried with the solid red it wouldn't look right as a toy. Sometimes when a toy goes for one solid color like that it ends up looking somehow cheap. Like Mach TK. But I love how Trideron looks, I'm just waiting for some in-hand images before pulling the wallet-trigger.

We're still missing quite a few Gaim forms (Fresh Orange comes to mind), so I wouldn't count on it. But, anything is possible I suppose.

Honestly, the fair point is the matter of how easily accessible the other parts were for them. They already had Drive's head, arms, legs, and belt molds ready from the original Drive release, and then they got the Proto Drive chest mold when they made him. So for Gold Drive to be retail was easy for them cause they had all the parts necessary. Tridoron is practically 95% new sculpt, so they probably went with the exclusive route to try to make back the money lost from making those new molds. I understand it's infuriating for all of us to want a retail release, but as past releases have shown, most of the time, post-show releases get regulated to Exclusive status.

Though in my statement, don't know why Gold Drive is retail but Zero Drive, who uses all the same parts, is exclusive. Might have to do with the amount of items packed in the release schedule

Fresh Orange/Pine/etc were always gonna be iffy as HBV/special video forms. Sadly those never get made. So we're never going to see them, much like Drive Type High Speed, Wizard Flame Dragon Falco Mantle, Fourze Rocket Drill States, etc :(

It's like the world's easiest repaints... Argh.

I agonize over the lack of Kamuro and Ringo Baron daily. I expect I'll do the same over Mach Chaser.