WORLDWIDE SHORTAGE ON HENKEI ALERT!

[kurdt_the_goat]

Afaik Hasbro's not making Red Alert. But TakaraTOMY cannot produce extra figures to satisfy demands from importers living outside of their market region. This is due to a legal contract that exists between TakaraTOMY and Hasbro which forbids them from intruding onto each other's markets. TakaraTOMY cannot touch Hasbro's markets without permission from Hasbro and likewise Hasbro can't touch TakaraTOMY's market without permission from TakaraTOMY.

I learnt this in a telephone conversation I had with Takara in 2003.

This sounds to me like they can't *directly* intrude on the other's markets - ie actually releasing TT branded toys in the US. I bet there's nothing stopping TT assessing worldwide demand and releasing to Japan only, a shitload more figures than Japan would normally consume. Who's gonna ever know how many go outside the country anyway? That said, i doubt they've done that.. unless recent experience with Henkei seekers etc has enlightened them to the (i assume) high demand from overseas.