Tamashii Soul of Chogokin C-3PO & R2-D2

[urutoraseven]

I will wait for a miracle discount at HobbyLinkJapan to get one.

 

[Coolest Board Name]

I was really disappointed about the plastic dome, it takes away from the real "value" of that collectible, its uniqueness.
But the online photos have persuaded me to get it despite this "flaw" : it still really does look like the best R2 figure ever done in that scale.
Just like their 3po is the best 3po ever. Period. And I'm certainly not going to wait for that R2's price to be jacked up the way the C-3po's did. Because Hot Toys or not, we all know that's what 's going to happen in the end.
Plus I know from experience that Hot Toy products could never hope to attain Bandai's products durability, and overall quality. In the long term you're always winning with Bandai products, while I have had too many HT figures literally just fall apart

So Tamashii R2 : ordered (HLJ)

 

[TaliBane]

Interested to see side-by-sides with this and the HT R2. Seems like a lot of pics of the HT next to the SSC and the Tama next to the SSC but not a lot of the two newest R2's side-by-side.

 

[TonTon]

I was really disappointed about the plastic dome, it takes away from the real "value" of that collectible, its uniqueness.
But the online photos have persuaded me to get it despite this "flaw" : it still really does look like the best R2 figure ever done in that scale.
Just like their 3po is the best 3po ever. Period. And I'm certainly not going to wait for that R2's price to be jacked up the way the C-3po's did. Because Hot Toys or not, we all know that's what 's going to happen in the end.
Plus I know from experience that Hot Toy products could never hope to attain Bandai's products durability, and overall quality. In the long term you're always winning with Bandai products, while I have had too many HT figures literally just fall apart

So Tamashii R2 : ordered (HLJ)

I think the jacked up price for 3PO was just the regular retail price.

 

[Lejuan]

I think the jacked up price for 3PO was just the regular retail price.

yup. I dodged a bullet by receiving a defective one from Sideshow at $400 + shipping. I returned it and ordered a replacement one from HLJ for well over a hundred bucks less.

 

[Rudimus]

Everyone at NYCC is getting this, but nobody's posting pics! Pictures please fellas.

 

[Lejuan]

This arrived today. I've only briefly inspected it, but all that's been said here before applies. I do like the weight of this in hand - like the C-3PO the build quality is absolutely solid. The head removes easily (pops straight on and off) for AAA battery replacement. Lights and sounds are easy to activate. The detailing is excellent

Like DCFett said a lot earlier on, if you want to look for a seam you can see it - just - under very close scrutiny. Plastic looking finish aside, the paint app on the dome is very well done.

The other issues that I was waiting to be bothered by are of course the prominent rivets and notches on the compartment doors. The rest of the figure is so well detailed and constructed that these are only mildly irritating. If I had to rectify only one of these it'd be the rivets, as the notches at least have a valid and necessary function.

I have absolutely no regrets choosing this one over the HT. The SS was always a placeholder until something better came along, but even at around half the price it in no way measures up. Especially as a companion for 3PO, this would be the one to get imo.

 

[TonTon]

Looks pretty amazing in those shots, Lejuan. Congrats!

 

[Rudimus]

This arrived today. I've only briefly inspected it, but all that's been said here before applies. I do like the weight of this in hand - like the C-3PO the build quality is absolutely solid. The head removes easily (pops straight on and off) for AAA battery replacement. Lights and sounds are easy to activate. The detailing is excellent

Like DCFett said a lot earlier on, if you want to look for a seam you can see it - just - under very close scrutiny. Plastic looking finish aside, the paint app on the dome is very well done.

The other issues that I was waiting to be bothered by are of course the prominent rivets and notches on the compartment doors. The rest of the figure is so well detailed and constructed that these are only mildly irritating. If I had to rectify only one of these it'd be the rivets, as the notches at least have a valid and necessary function.

I have absolutely no regrets choosing this one over the HT. The SS was always a placeholder until something better came along, but even at around half the price it in no way measures up. Especially as a companion for 3PO, this would be the one to get imo.

Thank you Lejuan! Quoting so that everyone can see those awesome shots.

 

[TurdFurgusonsHat]

Meh..the Hot Toys is better...
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just jokes, thanks for the pics Lejuan

 

[Lejuan]

Looks pretty amazing in those shots, Lejuan. Congrats!

Thank you Lejuan! Quoting so that everyone can see those awesome shots.

Meh..the Hot Toys is better...
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just jokes, thanks for the pics Lejuan

Thanks TonTon, Rudimus, TurdFurgusonsHat! I've really scaled back on my collecting this year - this was my first for 2017, so I'm glad it didn't disappoint

 

[DeadLeaves]

He looks swanky, nice pics Lejuan.

 

[TaliBane]

The rivets are much more noticeable in LeJuan's pics than they are in the pics from the Tama/Bluefin website several months ago (pic below.) Tamashii themselves also wrote in relation to that pic "you'll notice in the photo the rivets are painted and inconspicuous. We think you'll be happy with the final production version."

 

[Darth Fok]

Can’t wait to get this. I’ll still keep my SS one as I like the accessories it comes with. Always room for another R2 to displayed with another character.

 

[Lejuan]

He looks swanky, nice pics Lejuan.

Thanks DeadLeaves, this has been a long time coming

The rivets are much more noticeable in LeJuan's pics than they are in the pics from the Tama/Bluefin website several months ago (pic below.) Tamashii themselves also wrote in relation to that pic "you'll notice in the photo the rivets are painted and inconspicuous. We think you'll be happy with the final production version."

That's the toy maker equivalent of "just the tip, I promise"

I can see how the rivets would be a deal-breaker for a lot of folks. If you hate the idea of them then there's no hiding them outside of sneaky studio lighting. I took these pics with a phone, and that's how they look in hand. Very curious design decision. I've played around a bit more since I got it and it is a lot of fun to handle - my daughters love it too, the lights and sounds are awesome.

 

[agen_kolar]

I'm still completely baffled by the choice to include the rivets - how that got through many layers of approvals I will never understand. I really wanted them to look better in hand, but alas. I will have to stick with my SSC R2 for the time being.

EDIT: Honestly, it looks like the rivets were not included in Dejuan's photos. Just the holes for them. In the photo from the Tama/Bluefin site, there are actually rivets in the holes.

 

[Adam1138]

Has anyone in the U.K Ordered this from Nipon Yasan? I pre ordered this from them back in March and haven't had any email to say that my order has shipped. To make matters worse, for some reason my password for their site is not valid anymore and they aren't sending me emails to reset my password. Because I paid through Paypal back in March, they ( paypal ) can't help me because the payment is now beyond their time limit cover. Does anyone have any ideas of how I might be able to get hold of Nipon yasan. I have also raised a "ticket" with Nipon explaining the situation but still no response

 

[DCFett]

Lejuan!!!! Congrats bro! Did you pick up from comicon or got it in the mail? I ordered one from HLJ and didn't notice the wack shipping option and ended up sending it post so now I'm waiting.... It's in SF so not too far from the OC! Cant wait. Your pics are awesome and I do hope this is all you expected it to be as a companion to the 3PO. I think it's truly awesome and a great piece to end the set. I don't see us getting any more Chogokin figures any time soon, so I think this is a grail piece to have, especially if you have one of Jazz's dioramas!!! I have the SS set and closing in on a 4/5 year wait for this set. I'm done with these droids for the time being. HT would have to do something even better than Sphero to make me purchase more.
Glad you're liking your R2. Kinda bitter sweet cause this thread, after so many years, will probably be dead by Xmas. Maybe we could have a SW Chogokin reunion ever 5 years to commemorate our desperate and diligent wait for this amazing set to be finished!

 

[Lejuan]

Cheers DCFett, I'm in Australia and ordered from amiami. This thread waited around 700 pages and 7000 posts to finally earn the "R2-D2" in the title. I don't have one of Jazz's insane dioramas sadly, but hopefully this thread will feature a few pics of the droids in the Tantive IV corridor or in the Death Star for a while yet. I thought I was done with R2, but now I've got my eye on the sphero - if my daughters get their way I'll be adding another R2 to the household at Christmas time

 

[DCFett]

Dude I've been buying everything I can from Jazz but since I'm in this little ass condo in Orange County, I can’t display SHEIT! I would so love to set them up and shoot out some cool ass shots. One day soon I hope.
Cheers, brotha!