Raving Toy Maniac

Thundercats is what I was most looking forward to. The fact that nothing new was shown doesn't seem like a good sign unless Bandai already has the retailers orders locked in for the coming year. The series being in limbo on CN probably doesn't help either.

I just got the Classics Lion-O 6"er last night and have to say that I dig it, but, man, I can't believe I'm paying 15 bucks a pop for toys these days.

I've bought all of the 4" figures and have come REALLY close to snagging the 6" line-- especially as one of my local stores has modern Lion-O, Panthro, and Cheetara all in stock. I really hope that this line continues as it's one of the lines that has caught my attention the most in this past year. (Sadly the G.I. Joe Renegades stuff was 2nd and that's all but done now.)

Bandai usually has a pretty stocked showroom from what I can recall of going to Toy Fair. The fact that they didn't show anything is a bit troubling.

How were the ratings for the TV series? I've watched it and been utterly SUCKED IN by it.

Someone on the international site asked about it, and Bandai's response was "no comment."

Cartoon Network makes it hard to sell a property, though. Ben 10 has been on long enough and shown in enough repeats to make that line prosper, but not so with Tcats. We got about 4 episodes before a few weeks of repeats, then a few more and some weeks without. I also noted little new from Young Justice from Mattel, another show with the same problems.

Cartoon Network's (usual) mishandling of the show can't be ignored, but I think Bandai's choices for the 4" line's second series are deadly. Did anyone actually want Claudus this early, or that big golden mech..suit, or whatever it is? Another Panthro? Why is Slythe a foolishly-gimmicked Deluxe? There are several one-off villains far better suited to toys than anything they chose for Series 2. The Conquerdore comes to mind.

The Classics scale shift was also a terrible move, particularly when coupled with the silly head sculpt they chose for the 6" Lion-O.

I'd think the retail line is dead, with Classics becoming con exclusives.

Oh well...

-JJJ

Panthro 2 represents a major story point, and Claudus was a major part of the first story, so I can see those, but those are the only really different figures in the whole second series. A good part of the case is figures from series 1. It's way too early in the line to have only one or two truly new figures, I agree, but I don't think they'd have enough sales data from figures that just came out to decide to can the line (if that is what's happening). Either there's bad news on the cartoon front (which I hope isn't the case; I didn't have high hopes for this re-boot, but the show is very well written and executed) or on the sales from the first series. Either way, it would be a shame for the line to end; the voice chosen for the sound chips is awful (I swear the guy has a slight Texas twang, which is utterly out of place here), but the overall figures are pretty well done with good articulation for a comparatively reasonable price.

One other note, if Bandai WAS going to change the Classics' scale, why not make them 7" so they fit with MOTUC? I don't care about that, but I know a lot of people do. I may be wrong, but I don't think anyone clambered for Classics displayable with the new series 6"ers. Bandai switched from a scale too big for MOTUC to one too small. Pointless.

-JJJ

As a collector of the bigger scale, I would have been far more upset if they went with a totally new scale just for the sake of it. As it is, I was a little upset but can at least understand the desire to scale these with the modern line.

I still can't get into the smaller scale of figures, especially the face sculpts. I bought a friend's kid the Thundertank, and while it looks great, the thing falls apart at the slightest touch. Hopefully the mumm-ra one is a bit more stable. I've seen the new Panthro and the SD set in stores (and the big gold armor), but have yet to see 6" modern Tigra, which is surprising since I've seen a lot of Cheetara. Is he shortpacked? I can't believe he's that popular.

I guess we should be happy we got the entire team in one form of scale at least. I do like the 6" scale and really liked the Cheetara I picked up a month back and I would have loved to have seen all the classics but I agree that they will probably turn up as SDCC exclusives. To be honest though there wasnt much of a character choice to do for later waves, classic villians havent been introduced onto the show yet so Bandai was limited to what they could make. From the get go this line was handled strangely Target didnt carry it, Walmart didnt carry the deluxe, TRU was overpriced etc so maybe sales just wernt as high as they planned?

Though I do find it funny that we are talking about it how many days after Toy Fair? I completely forgot about them durning the TF

JJJ remember that MOTUC is the exception for scale. Most superhero toys are 6". It's just Mattel that didn't want to make MOTUC a friendly scale.

I do like the 6" Classic Lion O more than I thought I would. He fits with the new cats, and the screaming head looks much better in person. Think of him as going HOOOOOOOOOOOO!

That said I don't understand why swappable heads didn't catch on for the US toy industry. Almost every Japanese figure has it now.

I know MOTUC is the aberrant scale, but they beat Classic Thundercats to the marketplace, so, my point was if Bandai was going to give in to "fan demand" or whatever they called it, why not change the scale to MOTUC scale since that's what the All My Toys Need To Be The Same Scale crowd wanted?

Saying that, I also understand the desire to have all Thundercats, classic and new, in the same scale, though I don't sure that, either.

-JJJ

I agree, I really hate how the Classic line changed sizes. My Mumm-Ra is now not at all to scale, poo on that. The Lion-O has this really bad looking face that looks like someone kicked him in the gut and he's crying out in pain. As for the new series figures I think they are great, and are some of the best toys Bandai America has made in years. (Bandai Japan makes stuff like the Megaman D-Arts and Saint Seiya). Bandai America doesn't sell to small stores, and only wants really, really big orders (minimum 10 thousand dollars). This of course limites how many stores can buy from them, and thus limits how many orders they get for a certain toy line. I think this is a bad move as many smaller stores would love to carry stuff like Thundercats, but can't fork up 10 grand at one time. The big box stores are cutting back on toys in general (just look at walmart) and are making less, and less orders. This of course will affect toy lines like Thundercats. Bandai really should drop the minimum order to more reasonable numbers allowing more smaller stores like comic shops and mom and pops to place orders. If a ton of small stores could also order, it would be the same if 3 big box stores placed an order. I don't know why they don't do this.

- Matt

Because no one else did:

Thundercats, NO!

Economies of scale.

1 walmart order = 1000 figures sold + 1 x truck and 1 x payment processing

10 small orders = 1000 figures sold + 10 x truck and 10 x payment processing

It's a lot more effort (and cost) for the same cash.

And my cats are in scale (ducks)

True enough, but the market is changing. Target barely seems to have noticed the Cats, and Walmart is scattershot as to what they carry. To rely only on the big box orders is a downhill path right now; as has been noted, toy aisles are shrinking, especially at Wally World. When it comes down to 10 small orders vs. NO Walmart orders, Bandai may need to rethink its strategy as long as there's still a sufficient profit in it. A changing market means you have to change with it or get left behind...

My 3 3/4inch Cheetara is cool but wish I'd gotten the 6-inch one instead- her hip joints are really wierd and hard to pose so she can stand up. Otherwise awesome figures tho- hope these make it to Canada [picked Cheetara up while on vacation- have only seen the 8-inch figs at TRU here]