TRU MP Soundwave & A/Storm prices and codes

[GoktimusPrime]

Because they're not needlessly marking up the price like TakaraTOMY has been doing. (-_-) The old Masterpieces were better value IMO; relatively cheaper for what they were.

The first price hike I noticed was in November 2008 with MP07 Thundercracker; a toy that retailed at 10500JPY ($116) whereas MP Starscream and Skywarp sold for 10290JPY ($113) each. The weakened Aussie Dollar in latter 2008 (post Lehmann Bros. collapse GFC) made it even more painful. After that we just saw the price of Masterpieces skyrocket...
+ MP-8 Grimlock = 13650JPY ($150); the Hasbro version ended up costing the same, but at least you didn't have to pay for postage on top of it
+ MP-9 Rodimus Convoy sold for 17640JPY ($194); I saw this toy in a store when I was overseas, so I had the chance to buy it without needing to pay for shipping, but even then I still couldn't justify paying that price. I later learnt of this toy's quality control/manufacturing issues. :/
+ MP10 Convoy = 22000JPY ($242). Yes, it has much nicer colours than the Hasbro version, but not $90+ nice IMHO!
+ MP-11 Starscream & MP Sunstorm = 13650JPY ($150) each. What a massive hike in price. The retooling and addition of crown and cape aren't worth paying an additional 3650JPY ($40) for! (IMHO) Hasbro's MP Acid Storm is set to be $50 cheaper!
+ MP-12/14 Lambor/Alert = 6000JPY ($66). For such a small toy (and especially with the dodgy shoulders) - totally not worth it. I'm glad I got preorder discount on my Lambor (paid about $50).
+ MP-13 Soundwave = 16000JPY ($176). Hasbro's version's gonna be cheaper than this, and it has ALL the Cassettes! The Cassettes cost 4400JPY ($48) each, so in total getting the TakTOM version of Soundwave and all the Cassettes at RRP costs 20840JPY ($230); so anyone getting the local version here will be saving $80 off the Japanese RRP (and that's not even including postage costs).

We pretty much saw a slight increase in the price of MPs in Japan in Nov. 2008, then we saw a much more significant jump in the cost of MPs since 2009. Then in 2011 we saw a new smaller scale kick in with continuing high prices!

[Nevac]

Is MP Soundwave's head on a small ball joint that easily comes off? Reason I ask is I have MP Soundwave but for some reason they had to make his insignia slightly off center on mine so there is more white paint on the right of the insignia instead of being even on both sides. Love to get the Hasbro one and just switch the heads over provided they center his chest insignia properly on the one I get. The yellow eyes just don't do it for me, I guess I could paint them but I don't have any experience with it and I'm worried I'll botch it.

[GoktimusPrime]

If the insignia application is that poorly done, perhaps you could contact your seller to get an exchange or refund... or maybe they can source a spare part from TakaraTOMY for you. Also I think the blue on Hasbro's MP Soundwave is a slightly different shade than on TakTOM's (I think it's a bit brighter), so swapping heads might make it look out of place.

Here, I nabbed pics of TakTOM and HAS MP Soundwave off the net and put them together for comparison. You can see that the difference in the blues.

[Nevac]

Yeah too late to get an exchange now and back then they were sold out by the time I got mine so I didn't think to contact them. That and I wasn't sure if it warranted a replacement being a minor thing although it does bug me still. Shame about the colors being different how would I go about contacting Takara-Tomy for a replacement tape door?

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.n...30596500_n.jpg

[GoktimusPrime]

On the back or bottom of any TakaraTOMY Transformer packaging are their customer call centre numbers. But be aware:
1/ TakaraTOMY only service toys that are purchased from their market (i.e. Japan). If you purchased your MP Soundwave from a retailer located outside of Japan then you'll need to contact that retailer who in turn can contact TakaraTOMY to source the part for you.
2/ TakaraTOMY customer call centre staff don't speak English, so you will need to be able to communicate in Japanese (either yourself or elicit the help of a Japanese speaking friend).

[nsm034]

bbts has Masterpiece Acid Storm $119.99 and soundwave for $200

[GoktimusPrime]

bbts has Masterpiece Acid Storm $119.99 and soundwave for $200

Impatience tax much (esp. when you incl. postage).
I'll just wait for November and get Acid Storm for $99.99.

[drifand]

kind of funny if everyone can't wait and you end up a surplus in Aust. Are we last to get these?

[1orion2many]

kind of funny if everyone can't wait and you end up a surplus in Aust. Are we last to get these?

Yes, Perth will be the last to get these. Originally slotted for an earlier release in Australia they pushed it back until November. I actually hope we do end up with a surplus so I have a chance of getting one unlike the MP-10 fiasco

[crankcase76]

Just checked out TRU in Penrith for these two and an interesting thing showed up on the system, they still don't have them yet but they now have a shipping in movement ( SIM )on them. So does any one knows what this means?.