Encore 23 Fort Max

[GoktimusPrime]

oh and Gok you can complete that Fort Max you have now if it's just the radar and a few guns, cheaply I may add. But knowing you, you're probably averse to getting resin replicas to substitute for the real thing. You've seen my Brave Max guns right - same stuff but cheaper - I got mine for $50 but this costs less. pm if interested so Ill send you the ... oh wait you dont have an ebay account oh for crying out loud get an ebay account will yah!!

Pppffftt! eBay's for... people who use eBay. Besides, once I get Encore Fort Max, this'll all be irrelevant -- I'll have all the accessories I need! Yesss... Plus a minty new Fort Max that isn't all faded and yellowed like mine. Also, I can display the reissue in robot mode and the original in battleship mode!

NOOOO E hobby should not do this, why because they charge FREAKIN MUCH!! It should just be a regular Taktom Encore release, E-hobby just ruins any savings by charging for items like it's gilded in gold or something - e.g. Omega Sentinel costs double of what Encore Omega Supreme costs - unreal!! and its not even colored well, just plain jane blue and white! BS pricing....

Encore Omega Supreme's RRP is 10,000JPY ($125) and eHobby GADEP's RRP is 13,000JPY ($163) -- so it's a price difference of 3000JPY ($37.53, or a 20% increase; possibly to cover the cost of the exclusive packaging and comic book -- most eHobbies just come in that generic packaging). Although at the time 13000JPY was more like $200 because the Australian Dollar was so weak. But still... certainly nowhere near being "double" the RRP of Encore Omega Supreme. And GADEP was the most 'inflated' eHobby toy (i.e. compared to the cost of their regular retail counterpart's RRP). The majority of eHobby exclusives' RRPs are 'uninflated' though.

I hope that there'll be enough market demand for Encore Fortress Maximus and he doesn't languish as a shelfwarmer like other big expensive Encores. Already we're seeing people here talk about how they can't justify the cost of getting this toy because they either have the original G1 toy or Brave Maximus... or they just don't want to get such an expensive item at all. I really don't know if there's enough demand to warrant a regular retail release of an Encore Grand Maximus -- releasing both in the mainstream market would have them cross-competing with each other. You and I may buy both, but a lot of people wouldn't. That's why I think it makes more sense to have it as a more limited eHobby exclusive -- not to shaft fans/collectors, but to make it viable for TakaraTOMY to do it without suffering a loss.

[Paulbot]

This was a big surprise last night and I quickly put a preorder in a BBTS since why not? Doesn't cost me anything yet.

Then in the morning I woke up and looked at my (still quite new to me, but a bit worn) Fortress Maximus sitting on my drawers and wondered do I really need two?

Fortress Maximus. Fun gimmicks and just by pure size it's damn impressive looking in any collection. But I think part of what made Fort Max such an appealing toy to buy was that it was, until now, generally unobtainable.

Due to price and rarity, having a Fortress Maxmius was a status symbol. It showed you're a little insane to spend so much on a figure, but that you were truly committed to your Transformer collecting . You hunted down parts, or used chemicals to get the white back. You didn't acquire a Fort Max lightly (unless you fluked an opp shop find as has happened).

Now that it's a newly mass-produced figure, that specialness has gone. When the orders start coming in and twenty people in a row post their Fort Max acquisition it wont be the same as the rare acquisitions they've been in the past.

Perhaps Grand Max will fill that void now? Or an intact Black Zarak? Or another Japanese figure. I don't think any other Western release will quite match Fort Max as a object of desire, and that's a little sad.

I'm kind of hoping the Brave Max prices drop. It might happen since I think a lot of the interest in that figure was that it was the cheapest way to get the mold. (And I need one to finish my RID show cast collection)

Regardless getting a nice new MISB version of a G1 toy is great. Long live the Encore line.

[SkyWarp91]

PRE-ORDERED. WOOO!

[GoktimusPrime]

Fortress Maximus. Fun gimmicks and just by pure size it's damn impressive looking in any collection. But I think part of what made Fort Max such an appealing toy to buy was that it was, until now, generally unobtainable.

Due to price and rarity, having a Fortress Maxmius was a status symbol. It showed you're a little insane to spend so much on a figure, but that you were truly committed to your Transformer collecting . You hunted down parts, or used chemicals to get the white back. You didn't acquire a Fort Max lightly (unless you fluked an opp shop find as has happened).

Now that it's a newly mass-produced figure, that specialness has gone. When the orders start coming in and twenty people in a row post their Fort Max acquisition it wont be the same as the rare acquisitions they've been in the past.

Meh, I don't feel that way at all. IMO unless you intend on selling your toy, reissues shouldn't make a difference to the way you enjoy your toys.

Perhaps Grand Max will fill that void now? Or an intact Black Zarak? Or another Japanese figure. I don't think any other Western release will quite match Fort Max as a object of desire, and that's a little sad.

Your Fort Max toy is every bit as awesome as it ever was, regardless of whether it's been reissued or not. The only thing that would be affected would be the aftermarket sale price. If that's what you're worried about, then you'd better sell your Fort Max now before the reissue comes out. IMO it's a win-win situation for fan/collectors. People who don't have Fort Max now have a more affordable option to get one MISB, or get an original G1 for a lower price than before. The only potential losers would be sellers. When a reissue comes out of a toy that I already have, and I don't want the reissue, I just think, "Meh... this means nothing to me, but it's good news for people who don't already have this toy (or set)." e.g. Predaking

P.S.: ...as you all know, I don't do online shopping... but just out of interest, how does the cost of shipping from BBTS compared to getting it sent directly from Japan?

[Paulbot]

No it's not about the resale value or what I think about my own toy. And it's great that so many people that wanted Fort Max can get one easily.

But Fort Max was so hard to get (due to rarity and price) that whenever someone finally got one, it was a big moment. I never thought I'd own one, and then I got a good deal from a fellow member and it felt like a significant landmark in my collecting. An achievement. With the Encore release it wont be that achievement for others, and I can't think of another Western release toy that will fill those shoes.

[GoktimusPrime]

I just called TakaraTOMY... the operator hasn't heard of any reissue Fortress Maximus and she's told me that they have no plans on reissuing Fortress Maximus. But TFwiki's now updated their Fort Max page to include the upcoming reissue.

Hmmm... I remain optimistically cautious until we hear an official announcement from TakaraTOMY. It could be that TakaraTOMY's systems show no release plan for Fortress Maximus. <shrugs>

But Fort Max was so hard to get (due to rarity and price) that whenever someone finally got one, it was a big moment. I never thought I'd own one, and then I got a good deal from a fellow member and it felt like a significant landmark in my collecting. An achievement.

Yeah, I felt the same when I got my Fortress Maximus too. But the reissue won't change that for me.

With the Encore release it wont be that achievement for others, and I can't think of another Western release toy that will fill those shoes.

I can only see that as a good thing. Yes, getting Fortress Maximus did feel like a big achievement, because as you said, it was something I thought I'd never get. One reason why I got Brave Maximus in 2001-02 was because I thought I'd never get it, so Brave Max would have to suffice. And sufficed he did for a few years until I finally got a Fort Max from another member. But honestly, I actually wish that Takara had reissued Fortress Maximus years ago and saved me $300 buying a faded/yellowed second hand loose Fort Max with no accessories -- I'd much rather spend that money buying a MISB reissue.

Anyway, I think Fortress Maximus is the one G1 toy that a lot of fans wanted TakaraTOMY to reissue (out of the moulds that we know they still have).

[Slag]

I would agree.. Hypothetical example ..Now... A (non-transfan) mate comes around and comments on your giant red,white and blue robot....

Mate - "Cool robot"

You - "Yeah, thats Fort Max , made in 1988,, blah blah, biggest transformer blah blah. Took me ages to find one in good condition and to track down all the parts". etc, etc,

You and mate - (sigh of admiration) beer?

The Future..... Mate comes round..

Mate - "cool robot"

You - Yeah, that's F-(cut off by mate)

Mate - Yeah, little johnny got one last year for Christmas. He absolutely loved it, but he left it outside and i accidentally ran over it with the car! Luckily we managed to find him another one a week later, hehe. cool toy..

You - (tumbleweeds, silence, gentle wind gusts etc) NO! thats an original Fort Max , made in 1988,, blah blah, biggest transformer blah blah. Took me ages to find one in good condition and to track down all the parts". etc, etc,

Mate - (Tumbleweeds) Umm . i just remembered, i need to, do, something......else...goodbye..


Still good that everyone can get one now, but makes me wonder what else is coming and do we really need to worry about hunting down all the rare G1 stuff
if it's possible or even likely that they will all be re-issued one day. I guess this is the first legit HM re-issue.

[UltraMarginal]

it all depends on how long you are willing to indefinitely wait for something.
it's the same reason a lot of 3rd party stuff sells so well (there's no other better example of X available right now). the third party Soundwave would have sold gangbusters till Takara released the information on MP soundwave.

Sometimes it's better to spend the extra cash and time finding and putting together that special character/toy that you want in your collection so you have it.

I've always been envious of those with a fort max, now I can hopefully get one, but it'll still be the re-issue, and Paulbot's will be the original.

There is still a difference and it's really collectors that will appreciate it the most, just like a car collector can appreciate a 60 year old car that doesn't have any of the modern conveniences when most people can't understand the value of that because it's hard to start, hot in summer, cold in winter and generally uncomfortable and no where near as safe. but it's the original car that the collector finds the appeal in.

[GoktimusPrime]

1987

Meh, none of my friends would ever say that, cos they're all nerds like me. Who cares about what ignorant Mundaners think. As long as you're happy with the toy, that's all that matters. Little Johnny with an Encore Fortress Maximus? That's not so bad... what about Little Johnny with an original G1 Fortress Maximus?! Last year I found this (see below) in a baby's play room... that baby was only a few months old (even now he's only about 1.5yo) and he has an original G1 Fortress Maximus as one of his play toys!


So I think I can cope with seeing Little Johnny with a reissue... even though the reissues are marketed at Ages 15 and Up.

[5FDP]

Now that it's a newly mass-produced figure, that specialness has gone. When the orders start coming in and twenty people in a row post their Fort Max acquisition it wont be the same as the rare acquisitions they've been in the past.

^ This. I couldn't agree more. Encores are great for new collectors however I sometimes feel for the committed fans who save every last penny to buy that allusive vintage item / holy grail.

I guess all of that poses the following question - if you had Fort Max as your 'holy grail' item, would you consider it obtained if buying the Encore version? Personally, I wouldn't.