Ahem.
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I wouldn't disregard them that much. Bumblebee is on preorder for $137.90+GST - less than $15 less than Cordon ex-GST. I'd count on this figure being far closer to $300 than $200 on preorder.
Also I call BS on this tech-jump/price-jump argument. Cordon is in the exact same technology jump bracket as Bumblebee and co and Bumblebee is practically the same price as it.
A more likely explanation for the cost situation and why we're likely to be just as rorted on BA as every other upcoming MP release, is that the loss of the Pokémon license to Bandai did such a number on TT that much like a drowning person who tries to stay afloat by dragging the closest person down with them, TT are bleeding lines like Transformers dry, in a panicked, floundering effort to stay afloat.
Heck, Takara have given Siege Jetfire, a figure whose Hasbro release has an RRP of $79.99USD, a Japanese RRP of $238.68AUD, or to compare apples and apples, $170.22 USD. To run the sums the Japanese RRP is 112% more than the US RRP for the exact same figure!
If I'm right, the pricing of the Masterpiece line isn't being done rationally, but reactionarily and it is only going to get worse until something gives out - which sadly could very well be the Masterpiece line itself before things improve.
People need to stop pretending these price hikes by Takara are even remotely fair, reasonable or rational and are anything other that Takara charging ridiculous prices to suck their customers dry in a desperate attempt to stay afloat.
This current pricing trend is nothing but blatant exploitation by Takara of its customer base. To support it and justify it given the current state of play, is not only an act of enabling bad behaviour, but an act of blatant masochism.
The problem is, while any of this could be true... once the price goes up and people pay it, it won't go down again.
Does this mean we'll be getting a wrist-rest mousepad?