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.

[griffin]

Hasbro Taiwan is having a "warehouse" sale, clearing out thousands of old and recent toys, with most being Transformers.

The prices are pretty good on most items too, with some of the older things appearing to be about a quarter the price.... and some really recent items too. (being a Hasbro Asia market, they get both Hasbro and TakaraTomy toys)

If you can see the attached images and read some of the price tags, one AU$ equals about 23 Taiwan Dollars.

Damn that would have been a lot of fun... even if you didn't buy anything.

[UltimateGalvatron]

Autobots... TRANSFORM AND ROLL TO TAIWAN!

[Bladestorm]

aw man! I'm gunna be in Taiwan in early December... How often do they do these kinds of things?

[RokDog]

aw man! I'm gunna be in Taiwan in early December... How often do they do these kinds of things?

Once a year, so sadly you won't get to experience this in December. I was fortunatle enough to have a mate there who picked up UW Superion and Swerve/Tailgate for me

Hasbro AU used to something similar at their warehouse years back, but after a few incidents with feral crowds they no longer do them.