Overseas Sightings: Taiwan

[GoktimusPrime]

Went to Man Tian Commercial Building (萬年商業大樓) in Ximen (西門) today. Saw a lot of collectable stores, but most of them didn't have Transformers - one place had just a HA Bumblebee. Bah. Then I went downstairs and found a small place that had TFs - Generations, United, Japanese Animated and some ROTF and DOTM figures (i.e. Voyager Optimus and Sentinel Prime).

The United toys were pretty expensive at 1200 Taiwan Dollars (AU$38.50), though not quite as bad as AU$43 that they were charging in Beijing. I tried to haggle with the storekeeper over United Wheeljack, but he wouldn't have a bar of it. I asked him where I could find another store that sells Transformers and he recommended checking out the subway market strip in Taipei Main Station (台北車站)... NOTHING there. Gee that was a waste of time... so I went back and bought Wheeljack. Gah.

Also went to the night markets in Shilin (士林) and found a baby-sized licensed Autobot T-shirt for my daughter.

[jazzcomp]

Hope you can find Generations Warpath UN Frenzy/Rumble

[tron07]

checkout the Sogo shopping complexes, the last time I was there, there were on sale and pretty cheap. There is one at Ximen, another near the 101 tower.

[sanbot]

The big department stores sometimes have TF's but not sure if they have the most recent stuff. I've seen masterpiece TF's and reissues before.

[GoktimusPrime]

Yeah, I'm not seeing anything newer than Sergeant Kup and Scourge.
And the stores here open heaps late too! I went out this morning at 09:00 to Sogo, but they were closed and the signs said that they open at 11:00!!* So I went to the Living Mall and the same thing happened there, so I bummed around for nearly 2 hours down at CineMark - watching trailers for Thor, Captain America, DOTM, Cowboys & Aliens, Kung Fu Panda 2 and the upcoming Pirates of the Carribean movie. Then went for a walk about before coming back at 11:00 -- checked out a small toy store on level 5 then TRU... the small toy store had a Japanese Animated Ironhide for about 1000TWD and TRU had nothing notable. Although their Deluxes are like AU$16... tempted to get Fallback if I can't find anything else in Taipei at that price. TRU had several Transformers toy ads playing on a small flat screen at the TF aisle -- saw ads for PCCs for the first time. Then I had to get back to my hotel cos I got a lunch appointment at midday today. I'm gonna check out more places today -- might try Taipei 101 too.

The hunt continues!!

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*Although they close at 22:00, which when I think about it, I would prefer. It's only a hassle for me now cos I'm on holidays here, but if I were living here it would totally rock. I reckon I'd prefer it if Australian stores had these hours (though AU has higher labour costs, particularly after hours).

[GoktimusPrime]

Well I traversed across about half of bloody Taipei today and NO sign of Warpath or Frenzy/Rumble.

Found some Alternities, Disney Label TFs, one Device Label iPod dock Convoy, one MP Ghost Starscream (4980TWD/AU$156) and quite a few Japanese Animated toys. So after a LOT of walking and commuting I ended up getting a Japanese Animated Armourhide (Ironhide) just as a "pity purchase" cos I didn't want to walk away empty handed from today's hunt -- paid about AU$32 for it. (-_-)

Went to the night market in Shilin again tonight and bought some TF stickers -- allegedly hand-crafted by the lady who was selling them. One of them was a bumper that said something like, "If you don't get away from me I'll transform!" -- cute. Probably would've bought it if it was in English.