[XW1n5t0nX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by uchihabro77

Exactly. Even after I joined this site I had no idea what the hell Kamen Rider really was for a couple months

Sure itd be cool to see Rider SHF in stores, or hell Rider merchandise in general, but it wont happen for awhile.

It probably wouldn't in a store like Barnes and Noble simply because it isn't mainstream enough or well known enough to warrant them buying an inventory of them. They're not some comic shop or Japan shop or anything along those lines that will bring stuff over like that because they know there's a fanbase for it. Kamen Rider is mostly known in the states for Masked Rider and Dragon Knight, but those are shows which aren't really all too known unless you followed MMPR as a kid or are into those types of shows as a whole. I'd love to walk into B&N and be able to pickup some Ryuki SHFs but it isn't going to happen. It would take Kamen Rider being released in the states and getting a lot of attention all around for a big chain like Barnes and Noble to even consider stocking KR figuarts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guyver Spawn

That makes no sense to me because how come Ginga gets a free pass and not Gaim? Kamen Rider is more popular then Ultraman. Kamen Rider gets more fan sub support then Ultraman does. Over-Time pretty much drop the ball on Ginga and Max never got finished.

Also look at the Super Robot Chogokin line too. Nearly all that line expect for some of the Sentai/Power Rangers mecha are obscure as hell if you're a huge otaku. The only mecha anime that most US residents know about is Gundam and Evangelion. No one seems to know what Mazinger Z, Getter Robo, Grendizer and Brave Reideen are. You will be lucky to bump into one someone at the age of 10 - 25 that knows what Gigantor is.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Powerman293

Slightly off topic but then why does B&N carry Gundam stuff then? I know it was on TV but that was like 10 or 15 years ago when that was popular. And they have stuff from Build Figthers. So there's no reason why they shouldn't have KR stuff.

I think the difference for the Gunadam and more anime related stuff is simply because while it is to a degree a niche market, anime is a big cultural thing in America and has been for years. They know that if they stock anime/manga related products that they will probably sell them. Tokusatsu is something your everyday American will only know because of PR and Kaiju films, specifically Godzilla (though people do know Gamera pretty well). Kamen Rider though is something that was only brought over twice and just faded away rather quickly to where only fans of the genre know about them. Anime is a big market that made the successful leap from Japan to America, toku has only been able to do that with a few things and Kamen Rider isn't one of them.

I can't really comment on Ultraman simply because that's one that could be argued both ways. And as somebody with very little knowledge about the franchise, I can't really say anything about it being brought over.