From what I understand, "damaged" usually means that the box has a small tear or crumple on it somewhere. The stuff Mandarake sells was typically bought, fiddled with briefly (often for photo reviews), then carefully repackaged and sold to the store. I have never heard of anyone getting a used Figuart from there and it not being in great condition.

This exactly. Anytime they say anything remotely close to opened or damaged they're referring to one corner of the box maybe having a frayed edge. There is absolutely nothing to fear when ordering form Mandarake. I make at least 3-5 orders there a month and have never gotten anything where the item itself is damaged or in poor condition.

They tell you AFTER you order, so no. Although you could check shipping rates from japan to get a rough estimate.

Well let's hope the Dx Decade Driver doesn't cost too much.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8015/7...8c0f7d6eb3.jpg
IMG_7036 by Transform23!!, on Flickr

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IMG_7042 by Transform23!!, on Flickr

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IMG_7044 by Transform23!!, on Flickr


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IMG_7038 by Transform23!!, on Flickr


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IMG_7040 by Transform23!!, on Flickr

The Transformers figure in the pic is actually TF: Prime Ratchet. and yep, he was also included. So was a Beast Wars Trade paperback, but it's not on the pic. In all my years of buying online, this is one the best deal I've gotten.

What the others have said. It was my first order from Mandarake and I'll be honest, despite reading positive things online, I was a little worried too. I knew I'd be getting the figures in good condition, didn't know how the packaging would be. And I'm the kind of guy who likes his packagings in pretty good shape. Fortunately, everything was perfect :)

So I've ordered Shadow Moon, does someone want to let me in on this "fixing the leg" thing that his mold appearantly suffers from?

I have no idea what you mean - my Shadow Moon's legs are perfect.

Someone said the "new" hip joints are breaking apart and Shadow Moon contains them.

Mine has no problems. As far as I know, he came out before the problems with the "type 1" hips started popping up. I'm pretty sure it started with the Tiger & Bunny releases (at least, that's when I started hearing about it).

Yeah, I'd say Black feels a little more solid in construction than Shadow Moon. Probably because his design is so much more streamlined and his antennae don't need to be pointy. Also, on my Shadow Moon, his inner shoulder joints feel really loose, even though the hold positions fine. And I've certainly had to deal with those kneecaps flying off and landing directly in my rug.

I have a couple figuarts whose kneecaps tend to fall off, one is a Kuuga figure, and one is Ixa, if I recall.
Why aren't they glued on? Is there any reason that I shouldn't glue them on?

I have Ixa and his kneepads feel like they bend a bit when they're on his knee joint, and kind pushes the kneepad out of the 'keyhole'. Gluing them on doesn't sound like the best idea.

Hmm, i haven't really investigated it enough to notice that. Maybe just thicken up the peg so it doesn't pop off as easily?

I have problems with kneepads on all of my Fourze figuarts. Trying to plug the knee into any module usually shoots them across my desk. Elek, Fire, Rocket, and Base States. Hell Base states is the worst one for it.

One of my Amazon's kneecaps popped off all the time. I just glued it on with a dab of gorilla glue. Haven't had a problem since.

I can no longer keep PuToTyra's kneecaps in. At all.

The Hyper Kabuto I finally got in today has no such problems though! :D

Yeah, Hyper Kabuto is pretty nice. Makes me want to focus more on watching the series, so I can see it in use.

I like that the sword has all the Zecters from the other riders, except Gatack? And that they're removable. Why doesn't the SIC version do that?

The SIC's Zecters aren't removable? That's pretty surprising.

And there's a reason Gatack isn't here, but you should watch the series for that. :P Literally the first thing I did was pull off all the Zectors and played around with them. I wasn't expecting much out of them, but was at least pretty happy that Sasori's tail moves. Drake taking part of the sword with him is dsappointing, though. And my only complain about TheBee is it lacking in color.

I really wish he came with a (non-flipped) Kabuto Zecter to join the others. Even the Hyper Zecter comes off! (Speaking of, that thing has no paint. What's up with that?)

Those minor grievances aside, he's a simply fantastic figure. There isn't a thing wrong with him.* Being able to make him hyper clock up is tons of fun. And mmm! Those wings! Simply magnificent.


*...Except the eyes. I scoffed at people complaining online about how inaccurate the eyes were, because I didn't think it was such a big deal. But wow. These are really blue. They're too blue. And I have a feeling the teal would've been beautiful too...

Yeah, that is like that too, especially his right shoulder.

Wow, you guys must handle your figuart more than I do, I didn't even know the kneecap can come off!

The SIC sword comes with no Zecters. All you get is the plain sword, and the handle doesn't rotate, and the hand guards don't fold up.

I was very surprised that the Figuarts version (which i got later than the SIC) had the Zecters on it, and that they were removable.

I didn't really do anything. I bent his leg when I was getting ready to take my photos and they just popped off.

Like Dr Kain, I didn't do much. I'd say you're in fact just pretty lucky.

I've had issues with both Ixa's kneecaps as well, but they stay in most of the time. Oh, and Dark Kiva's. But... He fell off my dresser in the middle of the night so I'm going to say one kneecap falling off to be a good thing in this case.

Black has die cast parts as opposed Shadow Moon so he feels almost feather light. He also has unique shoulders opening on the arms instead of the body.
As for kneecaps, Kickhopper is the worst offender in my collection.

It's one of those issues that plagues some certain molds - Shadow Moon, Amazon, others I don't know of offhand.

But that's the thing, I have both Shadow Moon and Amazon, and nothing has popped off thus far, and Amazon has fell down quite a few times when I was trying to get him into the perfect pose, that's why I'm shocked that the knee cap can actually detach, I thought it was a joint? None of my figuarts has ever had a knee cap pop off (knock on wood), and my son's Shinken Red and Gold never had that problem either.

BTW, anyone in the market for a Wild Tiger "1 Minute"edition? I have an extra.

KickHopper and PunchHopper would make awesome body guards for Shadow Moon.

Yup... its Yamcha.... :rolleyes

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Shoot, if I don't hurry and sell Trunks, I'm going to be sucked into the DBZ line too.

Ahhhhhhh. Good old Ox King. It's about time he got a new figure. :lol

Cell will be bought and placed on only the finest most exclusive of tamashii stages!

Cant wait to see cell. I hope we see one at sdcc, if not sooner. Optic, where did you find that picture? I wish they did a first release exclusive with him. I'd love to have a squad of cell jr's.

Edit: nvm I just checked my facebook. Good'ol bluefin!

blasted shame they only re-released Kick...trying to track down a punch that doesn't cost an arm and a leg...

Hahahah, KickHopper and PunchHopper cost an arm and a leg together. :)

Dang, I was lucky when the market was flooded with Punchhopper. Back then, him and Kamen Rider Drake were practically being given away.

I'm so glad Cell is coming soon. I don't collect the DBZ figures, but I will buy Cell for sure. Same if they release a Majin Buu figure. And then I would ONLY get SSJ2 Gohan and SSJ3 Gotenks(if they make one) so I can make the cool fight scenes.

Actually, there was a Punchhopper release not that long before the Kickhopper one - maybe six months earlier at the max. The demand for both is pretty high, though, and once they sell out they start really increasing in price.

So what Sentai figures have come out? I know they have the Shinkengers and Gokaigers sort of out in full teams, but what others outside of the 3 Akiba red rangers and the actual AkibaRangers?

The only one you missed was Gosei Knight.

Really, that is it? Wow, they have a long way to go. I figured that since they have like 80 Kamen Rider items out, they would have at least that many Sentai figures out.

I'm half and half on the Sentai ones. I think I am going ot pick up ShinkenRed to see what the Sentai ones are like, but I am honestly upset they aren't making it easy to get an entire team. I hope that when they finally get to DaiRanger, they do the entire team and make every character easily accessible.