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Post by Sagat on Aug 13, 2010 7:24:35 GMT -5
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Post by repairtechjon on Aug 13, 2010 8:20:12 GMT -5
Must be VERY regional availability. My local TRU didn't have any (but DID have the new big ATAT! Woo!*ahem*), and when I asked the Cust.Service girl to check any stock, or shipments, Zippo, Nope, nada. Maybe this or next week. Have to check some other stores.
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Post by Cyrano on Aug 13, 2010 23:22:13 GMT -5
Are his dino-toes less shiny than before? I don't remember that from the previous images. Does anyone here have both versions to compare?
His page keeps disappearing and reappearing on the TRU website. Haven't found him instore yet. Frustration. Plastic bloodlust. The hunt.
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Post by Chen on Aug 14, 2010 7:52:32 GMT -5
It looks like the Toys R Us version has gold painted toes while the MP version has gold chrome ones.
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Post by OJA on Aug 14, 2010 7:59:09 GMT -5
The TRU version has gold colored plastic for the toes. Only the chest and the crown are gold plated.
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Post by jay27 on Aug 14, 2010 11:44:41 GMT -5
atleast on the hasbro TRU exlusive version you get to own a KING grimlock rather owning a taktomy waiter grimlock... plus the super fact that it's super cheaper than the other MP versions.
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Post by Chen on Aug 14, 2010 12:03:58 GMT -5
I'm gonna see if my local TRU's has one, but yeah the Hasbro version will be cheaper just based on the sheer numbers there gonna be shipping out to stores. The MP version was basically a Japan only product while the Hasbro version will pretty much be seen worldwide. Which is good because I remember when the first anniversary Prime hit the stores, I literally saw mountains of the toys and after a couple months they were red tagged and going for around $25 each! Same thing with the DVD Prime, not sure about Skywarp but last I saw there were still tons at my local Wal-Mart.
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Post by rizuan76 on Aug 14, 2010 13:08:48 GMT -5
It looks like the Toys R Us version has gold painted toes while the MP version has gold chrome ones. The TRU version has gold colored plastic for the toes. Only the chest and the crown are gold plated. I just wanna reassure some of the bros here, I have the first Taktomy MP-08 Grimlock & the toes on it isn't chrome plated at all. The toes are gold painted & it's die-cast metal.
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Post by robwhit1 on Aug 14, 2010 14:34:37 GMT -5
I'm gonna see if my local TRU's has one, but yeah the Hasbro version will be cheaper just based on the sheer numbers there gonna be shipping out to stores. The MP version was basically a Japan only product while the Hasbro version will pretty much be seen worldwide. Which is good because I remember when the first anniversary Prime hit the stores, I literally saw mountains of the toys and after a couple months they were red tagged and going for around $25 each! Same thing with the DVD Prime, not sure about Skywarp but last I saw there were still tons at my local Wal-Mart. Most Walmarts cut the Skywarps down to $15 - they cleaned out pretty quick then. Mine had 7-8 sitting there for weeks that disappeared within the week they got marked down. I always buy the Takara releases though. I don't like the wait and you never know if Habro will be doing the release (and how it may change). That plus the MP packaging looks so good, I normally don't mind paying the extra up front. I have the Takara Grimlock and love him - probably the best MP after Prime. Good luck on finding him.
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Post by OJA on Aug 14, 2010 20:39:41 GMT -5
In terms of production numbers. You'll expect a limited run for TRU exclusives. Obviously there is a big difference when a figure is mass released thru wallyworld than when it is thru toysr'us. What is the ratio of Wamarts to ToysrUs in any given city? Go figure. So I don't expect the price to go down dramatically.
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Post by Cyrano on Aug 14, 2010 22:19:34 GMT -5
I actually found him today! Called around and the closest TRU to Bloomington (about an hour away ) said they didn't have any. But then the nice girl on the phone decided to check in the computer rather than trusting the sales floor...and found 6 stashed in the stockroom. By the time I got there another employee had taken mine out of the hold area and put it back on the shelf, but there were still two left. A colorful experience all around, but a success! I'm ever-so-slightly worried about the gold plastic doing the gold plastic thing and getting all brittle and crumbly in a few years, just because it's happened all too often in the past. Fingers crossed though. The toes look totally fine in person. I'm really glad to have him! So here in Australia, during my lunch break I go to the Toys'R'Us store. I thought if everyone in the USA and Canada can buy MP-08 Grimlock from their local TRU store, it might be already here in Australia. Especially if everyone else can buy it form TRU at US $60 (which is approx AUD $66 ) I go to the Transformer section and there it was! Woohoo! Hasbro MP-08 Grimlock! But I noticed there wasn't any price label underneath it. So I take it to the price check scanner... AUD $149.95 !!!! (approx USD $134) Might as well just get the Takara one.
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Post by Sagat on Aug 15, 2010 6:27:42 GMT -5
Might as well just get the Takara one. I have.
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Post by Chen on Aug 15, 2010 6:58:11 GMT -5
In terms of production numbers. You'll expect a limited run for TRU exclusives. Obviously there is a big difference when a figure is mass released thru wallyworld than when it is thru toysr'us. What is the ratio of Wamarts to ToysrUs in any given city? Go figure. So I don't expect the price to go down dramatically. It won't be as high if it was a non-exclusive but you can bet the numbers produced will be in the ten's of thousands. There may be more Wal-Marts in North America but Toy's R Us is a international company. Plus the Primes I saw that were price slashed were at Toy's R Us.
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Post by Sagat on Aug 15, 2010 9:42:38 GMT -5
High price on release. When sales are stagnant - slash prices to make room for stock (new products) on the shelf.
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Post by emerje on Aug 15, 2010 14:02:08 GMT -5
TRU is incredibly unpredictable when it comes to exclusives. They tend to overstock the cheap repaints and under stock the really popular stuff. This is especially true if it's based on G1 it seems, I think the over stock of G1 reissues five years ago has scared them off. Sadly I've never seen any of their Titanium exclusives, only saw Soundwave once, and the Insecticon reissues have been long gone (Perceptor isn't moving, though). At the same time I'm still seeing Universe and Movie exclusive repaints from two years ago piled high on the top shelf at full price. Their marketing department has no clue what's actually popular with consumers, they think that if something has a movie or TV show to support it then it'll sell really well and over order it, but if there's nothing it wont sell and under order which is entirely wrong and they end up with a glut of crummy repaints. Sadly TRU is a long ways away from me and I probably wont make it back to TRU this year so I have no confidence in actually getting my hands on a Grimlock.
I wish this was a Walmart exclusive again, there's still 9 Skywarps sitting at one of the local stores for $30.
Emerje
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Post by mpchi on Aug 16, 2010 15:42:18 GMT -5
TRU is incredibly unpredictable when it comes to exclusives. They tend to overstock the cheap repaints and under stock the really popular stuff. This is especially true if it's based on G1 it seems, I think the over stock of G1 reissues five years ago has scared them off. Sadly I've never seen any of their Titanium exclusives, only saw Soundwave once, and the Insecticon reissues have been long gone (Perceptor isn't moving, though). At the same time I'm still seeing Universe and Movie exclusive repaints from two years ago piled high on the top shelf at full price. Their marketing department has no clue what's actually popular with consumers, they think that if something has a movie or TV show to support it then it'll sell really well and over order it, but if there's nothing it wont sell and under order which is entirely wrong and they end up with a glut of crummy repaints. Sadly TRU is a long ways away from me and I probably wont make it back to TRU this year so I have no confidence in actually getting my hands on a Grimlock. I wish this was a Walmart exclusive again, there's still 9 Skywarps sitting at one of the local stores for $30. Emerje Seem that way. Animated Arcee is very popular (anyone with some TF knowledge would know that Arcee figures sell, since there were barely any figures of her made in the past), but TRU had so little of her. But we get boat loads of Ratchet for no apparent reason. MP Grimlock is a big deal for many, but again, we only see 2 or 3 per shipment if you are lucky, but mostly empty handed with none being seen. When they can stock up big piles of Movie Prime repaints ($50 each), but can only afford 2 MP Grimlock, which is only $20 more? Come one now...
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Post by mpchi on Aug 17, 2010 15:33:33 GMT -5
Opened my 2 Grimlocks (was going to open just one...). Hip joints are a bit loose, causing the figure spreading the legs too easily (fixable). Knees ratchets are too tight (fixable). Scratches on chrome parts, accessories & visor (not fixable). One hip joint has broken parts that glued back together from factory (that Grimmy is going back for a refund). Inconsistent tightness on joints, as they are quite different on each figure. QC on the Hasbro version is a bit iffy, and so glad I managed to get 2 (with 1 as backup).
Overall, a decently nice figure, interesting structure design on the legs. but I am glad I didn't pay premium price on this one, and waited for the cheaper version. Its a good buy for $70, but not sure about $130...
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Post by Cyrano on Aug 17, 2010 16:57:13 GMT -5
Hey all, just an update - The Hasbro Grimlock still has metal dino-toes and elbow pieces. It's just a different finish on them. Definitely not plastic, though. It's amazing what leaving your partially metal toys in the vicinity of an air conditioner can reveal.
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Post by mpchi on Aug 17, 2010 18:01:35 GMT -5
Hey all, just an update - The Hasbro Grimlock still has metal dino-toes and elbow pieces. It's just a different finish on them. Definitely not plastic, though. It's amazing what leaving your partially metal toys in the vicinity of an air conditioner can reveal. Yeah, thats one nice thing about it, the little diecast on this guy is intact. Don't forget the middle red pelvis is also diecast. So we have: - Diecast dino claws (painted gold) - Diecast bot mode shoulder connection (painted gold) - Diecast bot mode center pelvis/crotch (painted red)
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Post by Dead-Man on Aug 19, 2010 21:38:06 GMT -5
Here is a Youtube Video review for the Masterpiece Grimlock "Hasbro" Version
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