[Kiwami]

Quote:

Originally Posted by barnstenchfartface

I don't think 3 times is that many, even if Takatora didn't use Zangetsu Shin in every episode he still used it far far more than the original

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.

Quote:

Originally Posted by barnstenchfartface

Anyway, I'm not saying that they should have released the original as a web exclusive instead or anything. But for such an important suit, I do think Bandai messed up making it so hard to get--especially since they didn't even release any other New Generation Riders as retail figuarts.

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.

Quote:

Originally Posted by barnstenchfartface

I do understand why they only released the main four, and except for Gaim, only the base forms...but since Zangetsu Shin was both basically the base suit of one of the main characters as well as the poster boy of the New Generation Riders....It's just a bit of an odd choice.

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.