Because I know you're wrong I went back and searched through the Gaim episodes to count Takatora's appearance as Melon and Melon Energy. And would you look at that, he barely makes 8 appearances as Melon Energy (the 8th time being when he's betrayed by the other Energy Riders and Micchy takes the lockseed) and 6 as classic Melon.

So much for "far far more". It is more, but not on the large scale you try to sell here. It's rather even IMO.

Here's the thing: They didn’t make it hard to get. Web-Exclusives are meant for the Japanese market only, they explicitly state that Web-Exclusives won't be sold overseas. We can only get them because middleman services exist.

For every Japanese collector it was as easy as going to Amazon to buy one of these, and that's the only thing Bandai cares about.

And for why the figure is a Web-Exclusive to begin with: Gaim has an onslaught of suits. Bandai had to make the decision early on which they would sell in stores. And when not even characters like Gridon, Kurokage or Bravo can be sold in stores it's pretty obvious that they wouldn’t sell a power-up for a secondary Rider in stores.

About the Kiva-La thing: I suspect this one lands in stores because cutesy females in armor with metal cleavage are easier to sell in Japan. Even people who have no idea about Kamen Rider might like the design enough to buy it.

But no matter how much you like Melon Energy, it's not the base form. And that's why it isn’t an odd choice for me.

Well, it's actually 9 episodes, and three movies (and the Gaiden), but you're absolutely right, and I stand corrected. I think all the times Mitchy also used the suit blurred in my mind and made me think Takatora used it more than he did. I think it's also because Takatora in the first arc was a much more minor character and when we started seeing more of him in the Yggdrassil arc he had already switched. My mistake.

That is something I didn't fully consider, and I'll concede that.

To clarify, I've...never actually said anything about how much I like Melon Energy or anything? Not that I couldn't, but it's not like I'm complaining about it being a web exclusive just because I like it or I think it's the base form, but because the way I see it (even putting aside this stuff with Takatora) it's a very important suit and leaving it as something of a side release is odd.

The other Armored Riders were never particularly important characters and they never really became main players. I mean, Kurokage was in a handful of episodes and then he died, while Gridon and Bravo stayed in the background for much of the series before the final stretch of the show. Zangetsu Shin was an upgrade form for not one but two of the main characters in Gaim, as well as the posterboy for the New Generation Riders. That second thing is what gets to me the most--the fact that the New Generation Riders had no representation whatsoever in the mass retail releases. That's the weirdest thing to me, and why I said it was a mistake to have it as a web exclusive. Honestly not even sure how I started an argument about the stuff with Takatora, but I did and that was my bad.

I just auto-assumed you like Melon Energy more because it's your favorite representation of the character :lol

But it's cool dude, I think we're on the same level now. And quite honestly something like Web-exclusive shouldn’t even be a thing outside of limited repaints because while not intended it does limit the options of people outside of Japan. Everybody should be able to get a Melon Energy Zangetsu and not pay 100 bucks for it.

In other news, Agito is starting to ship out and Shishioh has his gallery up:

http://shishioh-image.sakura.ne.jp/i...FORM/bnr-5.jpg

Goddam it's pretty. Can't wait to get mine.

What I'm a little bit sad about is that Tamashii isn’t re-releasing the Machine Tornador... that's one of my favorite bikes and I think it works well with the new Agito, but it's rather expensive now.

To be fair, I totally do. Regular Zangetsu Melon Arms is basically just Gaim Orange Arms with a different color scheme, a helmet I like less and a less iconic weapon. Melon Energy looks far more distinct, and, like with every Energy Rider, those soda eyes and armor are damn cool.

Everybody including Japanese collectors! Honestly the high price it fetches even in the Japanese aftermarket is I think a sign that it would have seen a lot of success as a retail release--not even popular designs released at retail like Kachidoki reach such heights. Even if it wasn't as much, the limited release was certainly restrictive even there. But oh well.

Anyway.

Agito looks great, as do all the Shinkocchou Seihou figures. Doesn't seem to come with much, but not having seen the show I'm not sure what he could have come with. Regardless it looks like a fantastic release.

I have one preordered, but I'm not getting it until like, November. So that's great. Then again hopefully by that time I'll have actually gotten to watching the show. Definitely looking good though.

His bike is his only accessory really. He uses no weapons in this mode, and there was no real iconic scene where he had to hold onto something.

The alternate head is the biggest factor here and probably the reason why he has "only" four pairs of hands.

And yes, watch Agito, it's a fantastic show.

So through my Marika taking a little longer to arrive than usual I discovered that the ever wonderful Nippon Yasan had actually changed half my outstanding orders to be for an address I haven't lived at for 2 years :/

Thank god I still live near enough to go and grab the parcel card. Would have noticed a lot sooner if they were like any other retailer and printed these addresses on their correspondence emails.

Wait, what? Didn’t that happen sometime before to someone around here? I remember reading something exactly like this like half a year ago. What the serious fuck NY.

So is your Marika already in the post-office too?

Yeah I just picked her up now. I was lucky because in a few days' time she would have been returned to the sender. I probably should have just checked sooner but after 2 years of the same address you just don't think to.

Well that's a relief... Jesus, these guys and their bullshit. I'm fairly certain this already happened at least once around here.

I can only remember that it happened to Den-O once with an HLJ order.

You Pmed me on here??? I don't see anything from you, send again man. I'm sorry I didn't mean to ignore your or anything.

Ugh, that happened to me with Purolator not two weeks ago. I never understand how it happens.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...pskw4wioat.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...psgwroqwsm.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...pspgsbvdft.jpg

Respectfully relieving Hibiki of his status of "Favourite."
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...psmd9irrvx.jpg

Just a couple of really badly dressed people!
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...psmiy1k7mh.jpg

"Whoops."
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...psmmyl0hpn.jpg

Awesome shots dude!

But you know that the "Let's see some cool stuff"-topics exist, use them! :lol

Yeah, but I didn't want to spam both, and this thread lacks pics and I was already talking about Gaim before. :x

Every time I see other people's Gaims I get so jealous of how theirs have feet that are apparently molded properly and their lockseed holders remain securely attached to their belts.

Also there aren't any random chinks on their armor and no weird paint overflow on the legs. That seems nice too. Jealous, I'm telling you. Sigh.

Really need to get me a new one.

Both the Musou Saber sheath and lock holder are secure on mine, the feet look moulded properly to me, but the open lock seed does fall out now and then. (though it seems to mostly be a result of the torso armour hitting it)

Though with the powerful USD, a new Gaim is $26 from HLJ not counting shipping. maybe they fixed a lot of the quality issues when they reissued it?

I kinda want a new one too, but it's not high on my priority list.

Seems unlikely, considering that the one I have was the rerelease. :lol
I'm actually thinking of aiming for an older one, to try and get that first release bonus stage.

But yeah, mine's left foot has the area where the toe hinge is mismolded on both sides so the back end of the toe was just jutting out down there. As one can imagine, that severely interfered with basic things like "standing up properly" and "holding poses." I was sort of able to sand down the toe to make things better, but it's not entirely fixed and also I accidentally did away with some of the foot logo (truly a tragedy since that's one of my favorite things about the figure). Whereas the lockseed holder fell off about two seconds into handling him. I've been able to jam it back in, but it's a recurring thing. Definitely restricts what I can do with his right leg anyway.

There's a lot of other little grating things that I wouldn't mind on their own, but piled on top of these two big things it makes me quite an unsatisfied costumer.

And even then he's still one of the prettiest figures I own. :lol


I do really want a new one, but other Gaim figures are higher priority...And I'm getting a Pine Gaim in a few days, hopefully he's issue free and lets me forget about orange's issues for a while...

You could always swap the issue-y parts from Pine on Orange if it's better quality. :p

Just paid for Agito. Hopefully he'll be here next week.

Had the chance to pay for my Agito too, but I decided to ship it with the Mark 45 coming out later this month instead.

A word of caution on Gaim Pine Arms: the large metal ring that connects the chain to the pineapple end is not so strong (or at least it wasn't on mine), and can get bent out of shape easily. If you want to display it with the chain dangling down, you may want to use a stand arm to take some of the weight off.

(Unrelated: assuming they actually release Suika Arms, I'm curious as to whether it will include an Arms-free Gaim, or if Arms-free Gaim/Baron will be separate exclusives, given that they also showed a Baron Suika Arms at last year's Tamashii Nations.)

I'm also curious how Suika will work. Whomever's clad in it is quite visible, and you need at least a partly-articulated inner rider.

Considering that Suika Arms is probably going to cost two arms and a leg anyway, I am kind of hoping they chuck in both a Gaim and a Baron in there. They can mostly reuse the existing figures and they don't need any other accessories at all, so...

On the other hand, Baron used it all of once, so if it's just Gaim it'll be fine really.

What I'm wondering though is if Suika arms will be able to assume the other forms besides Yoroi. Looking at it it doesn't exactly look like it can, but you never know with Figuarts.

Me thinks Suika is gonna come with an armless Rider.

Well, that answers that.

I assume it can do Gyro mode, but I doubt it can do wrecking ball mode.

Well, it kind of has to have watermelon eyes, so it's not exactly Armsless, but yeah.

Could come with an alt head.

Baron <3

http://s6.postimg.org/xxhnnuzoh/B1_VAVpc_CAAAkbs_C.jpg

All I can say is: please don't make me buy two.

I guess there has not been any word for any future Rider reissues besides Kuuga right now?

Old Nigo in October, Black RX in November.

I'm actually gald, since I can focus on getting caught up.

Thanks just double checking. I guess it will be a while before Kachidoki Arms gets a reissue.

;(

Still not paying aftermarket prices, though. How is Pine/Magno the same price as a regular release. I'd still rather have a Kiwami rerelease that has a better chest, though. No smoky trans cover over a creased sticker, please. Would it really be too hard to tampo/paint the chest?

My type technic just shipped today. First time in months NY hasn't delayed shipping by a week.

Mines on the way too so yay :D

I thought a re-release was already solicited. I know BBTS started taking pre-orders again months ago, similar to the Orange Arms re-release. (I also know that's irrelevant depending on the country you're ordering from.)