That should save me a few bucks.

An accessory that has nothing to do with the figure, and is completely pointless for any fan either getting the figure because they are a fan of Ninja Storm or Hurricanger.

I get all the rest of the arguments in this thread, they are perfectly solid, but I have very little respect for the argument 'BUT CHEST PIECE!'

Exactly this. With the way people are going on in this thread you'd assume Bluefin literally kicked them in the nuts, rather than just removing a chest piece a very niche collecting audience will even appreciate in the US.

You know, I just remembered something: why exactly can't they release the Akibaranger accessories now?

From what I understand, the original reason was that Saban had the rights to Akibaranger merchandise as a part of their contract concerning Toei's Super Sentai footage. Saban wasn't cool with Bluefin distributing something Saban could make monies off of, I get it.
But, since now Bluefin is bringing over Power Rangers designs with Power Rangers titles (Red Ranger, Green Ranger, White Ranger, now Red Wind), why can't they release Akibaranger things too?

Is there something I'm missing?

Because Akibaranger doesn't "have a market" or something in the USA or some shit. Toei has to individually approve every S.H. Figuarts release that happens in the U.S. that has to do with their brands. It's a backward-ass system that on top of many other factors makes it amazing that we're even getting these stateside.

Even if Toei approves it? They still have Bandai of America to slog through as they are still contracted to have "Exclusive Power Rangers toy rights" in North America. Even if Bandai of America approves it? They have Saban to slog through (which is easier than the other two because all you have to say is "HEY THERE'S MONEY".)

Again: BACKWARD-ASS SYSTEM.

Based on this, it sounds like BoA doesn't want America to know of a Sentai that may or may not have a Power Rangers equivalent before said equivalent is released. Maybe a few years later, when they may or may not release the Power Rangers equivalent of Akibaranger, they'll include the weapons that came with Bouken Red, Deka Red, and Red Hawk with the American equivalent of the Akibarangers.

A Power Rangers Akibaranger sounds just as likely as me being cast as the lead villain in a toku show, to be honest...

Don't get me wrong, I don't see it happening either, but Saban's indecision regarding what to do with that series seems to be the only thing keeping them from letting the accessories slide.
Even if there's supposedly no market in America for Akibaranger, I don't think making a special run of the figure with a removed accessory is really that effective. And again, I point to Red Hawk and Black Condor.

Black Condor didn't have anything removed.

True he didn't. But he never had anything to remove anyway. In Japan he was a Web Exclusive unrelated to Akibaranger and the Bluefin release is literally the same thing. Same box, hell same brown japanese shipper box as well. Red hawk however had a new box made for him because they removed the second tray from it which contained the Jet Winger. Since they had to size a new box to fit the smaller tray size they also went so far as to create English packaging.

I was referring to the Jetmen because they were an example of when Bluefin released something with "no market" like Akibaranger.

Once again.

Sentai Fans =/= Akibaranger Fans.

Just because there is a market for one doesn't mean there is a market for the other and vice versa.

The argument made - the figure is being released for let's say $35 and it comes with an additional chest piece in the Japanese release.

But the US version that's coming out is missing that chest piece and costs $41.

So you're paying $6 more for something that's not coming with everything the Japanese piece had.

I don't think it has anything to do with Akibaranger, TOEI, Sentai vs Power Rangers, or anything of the sort. It's basic math - with the Japan release, I get more for less. What's the big stink about it, and why does it have to spread out from the forum to social media no less?

See, I'm in the other camp, I want Akibaranger-related merchandises, not just Sentai-related merchandise, so whether it costs more or less, that's my objective, obtain the version most relevant to my interest. I think that's what most people in this thread is doing, posting their preference. I want BlueFin to succeed, especially when I have Amazon Prime, but if they are not carrying an item that's relevant to my interest, they are not going to get my business.

The extra costs from the U.S. versions come from license and royalty fees from companies not present in Japan that own power rangers licenses...won't name any of them, but obviously you can tell the fees are fairly high.