Where are you looking? Mandarake? It's usually up to the demand there that adjusts the price. Not Japan entirely. Blades is still $40-$50 on Amiami and Saber is still $30.

It's not uncommon for this to happen, considering Zero-One floats around 5000 yen while Vulcan Shooting can be found for 4000 yen. Maybe 3000.

Didn't most of us anticipate this? Vulcan and Zero-One were the same way. Main Riders are just more popular.

Blades pretty much just came out, though, so I think we know where this is headed.

3000-2000 yen Blades here we go!

Would be great for some customizers, too. Like what if someone wanted to do Fantastic Lion.

Yeah it's just I always felt his retail price was overpriced even if he comes with those small accessories. I know prices dip for certain releases but I don't think I seen something drop so fast.

I was able to score a Blades for 3000 yen on Mandarake but I've seen unopened box listings for 3500 yen.

Blades started out being my favorite Rider from Saber but he's been very boring lately. I'm sure that will change, but my interest in a Blades SHF as completely evaporated, though I still plan to pick up his Converge figure.

Buster on the other hand will never not be great.

Which is why I feel the main riders should be released early on to capitalize on it

I'll go back through my accounts and try to calculate a lead time between PO announcement and actual release dates. I want to say Saber and Blades went up around the same time in Nov/Oct.

In the case of Blades, I think the writing team just sidelined him too long to the point he felt like an afterthought

Yes, both Saber and Blades went up for pre-order around October. So, you were able to get both of them after 4-5 months. If you live in Japan or use a fast shipping service.

In theory that's not a bad turnaround time but for the debut figures of the line I'm not a fan of that when you know so much stuff happens in-show between that time frame such as new forms being introduced.

That's only a real issue to me when a form is quickly replaced by that new form. you will be missed Pink Jin. But when it comes base forms, especially Saber and Blades where Brave Dragon and Lion Senki still show up in the show every now and then, it's really not a big deal.