Stores selling Transformers in Japan

[heroic_decepticon]

kurdt_the_goat and jetfire, thanks again for the tips and the map for TF hunting in Japan. It is much appreciated (if you guys, or anyone on the Board, goes to HK, I will be able to return the favour with info of similar quality! ).

Transformers-wise, it has been a great trip and I managed to fill many holes in my collection.

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Video Clip of a Mandarake Store (yes, I slipped one by them for the team... erm the Board I mean).

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after sorting through hundreds of pics, here's one taken on the hotel bed on the night I acquired them (no, I didn't sleep with them).



Raiden Giftset.
I still can't believe how minty this is for the asking price. 3 of the 6 sticker sheets are unused.



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More to come.

[kurdt_the_goat]

Hah! I'm guessing they let you sneak that clip since you offloaded so much dosh into their registers Maybe now Goktimus will believe G1 toys can be found in Akihabara! Where'd you find the other Mandarake not shown on my map?

[heroic_decepticon]

There's a Mandarake in Shibuya (which my wife found through a HK guidebook on Tokyo).

And then, there is their main store at Nakano Broadway. Mandarake occupies 3 levels of this 4 storey building. The amount of stuff in this store is staggering and definitely beats the Akihabara one in terms of scope, quantity and "vintageness" (amongst other things this place has vintage anime sketches and cells and also lots of vintage US comics!). It's a little confusing to navigate the store, and I think a solid 4-5 hours will be needed to comb the place in detail.

I found the Nakano store from their website while I was in Japan. This is a full list of all their stores - Mandarake Stores in Japan. Clicking on each link will lead you to a diagrammatic map.

Both the Shibuya and Nakano stores are less than 20mins by train from Shinjuku station which was near where I stayed.

[kurdt_the_goat]

Damn, i should have looked at that website sooner! Which store is your video from? I guess they all look similar-ish, enough so that i thought it was the Akihabara one anyway. 4-5 hours combing would have my wife pulling out her hair! (it'll grow back

[heroic_decepticon]

yup. vid is of the Akihabara store (where I splashed the most dosh in your words, heh).

I went to Nakano on the day I was due to fly out and so only spent 1.5hours there. Fortunately, my wife acted as my second pair of eyes and pointed out the TF stuff that I missed in my excitement.

She's very in tune with my TF collecting and knows what I like and wouldn't like and what I have and do not have. So it was an epic fail on my part when I wanted to buy the individual Jap box Contructicons at Nakano (as an upgrade to my Devastator), when she said hey "you already have these, buy something else you don't have".

[5FDP]

Very nice purchases heroic_decepticon!

[gamblor916]

Nice pickup HD, loved the clandestine video too!

[GoktimusPrime]

I was in Akihabara when Beast Wars was still out... and at that time I never saw these stores (and I was actively hunting Transformers). Either they weren't there or perhaps they were but didn't stock Transformers (and thus didn't garner my attention)... or maybe I was just unlucky and didn't come by these stores despite my efforts.

Here's me on one of my numerous TF hunting expeditions in Tokyo:

On this particular day I went to Ikebukuro where I'd just purchased Rhinox vs. Shadow Panther (the versus set is inside that blue plastic bag I'm carrying). Ah, memories.

[heroic_decepticon]

ladies and gentlemen, I am very happy to present my Tokyo G1 specific report in the following chapters, each packed to the rafters with photos (yes, I slipped one pass them more than once!)

Enjoy!

~ HD

PS: Goktimus Prime, would like to hear what you think the title of the "TV artbooks" in Chapters 4 and 5 should be translated as.

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Chapter 1: In which the purpose is unveiled
Chapter 2: In which we visit the Mandarake Complex
Chapter 3: In which we visit Mandarake (Shibuya)
Chapter 4: Mandarake Complex Akihabara Redux
Chapter 5: In which we visit Mandarake Nakano
Chapter 6: The Acquisitions
Chapter 7: The Japan January 2010 "Best Of" Tally

[bboy-toransufoma]

VERY very nice...people'd have a hard time topping that...ok, I admit it...I'm jealous!