KO MP21 Bumblebee by TAKASA TONY

[griffin]

So basically, if you want to own a Masterpiece toy now, you must make sure you get it within 6 months of its release, or else risk getting a KO, as some people won't be charging the cheap price that gives it away. (some will think they just got a great deal on the real thing and then resell it as the real thing for profit)

[ampoldj]

I noticed this at ebay last Saturday and thought it is very cheap even free postage. But then i checked it why it is Takasa Tony brand whadda

Edit: with Battle Mask as well just like Wheel Jack with suitcase

[BruiseLee]

Had a look at the listing and others like it and they all seem to be using stock images. If the box is like the Wheeljack and Exhaust ko boxes, they should have Takasa Tony on the top right and a C where the autobot logo is on the bottom left. There was a pic of this in the KO Wheeljack thread. Some auctions say Takasa Tony which is the giveaway for people like us but none of them mention that it's a ko with some then even saying it's a Takara prod. Not a fan of ko prods and even less so when they word the auction so that less informed people think they are getting an official prod.

[griffin]

Had a look at the listing and others like it and they all seem to be using stock images. If the box is like the Wheeljack and Exhaust ko boxes, they should have Takasa Tony on the top right and a C where the autobot logo is on the bottom left. There was a pic of this in the KO Wheeljack thread. Some auctions say Takasa Tony which is the giveaway for people like us but none of them mention that it's a ko with some then even saying it's a Takara prod. Not a fan of ko prods and even less so when they word the auction so that less informed people think they are getting an official prod.

So if the boxes have something wrong on them (hopefully intentional to help people spot the fakes), then that would be good if you see it in person... but listing the product with the official images is indeed deceptive without any mention of it being a fake, and I would hope people do charge-backs.
(out of packaging or an unsealed boxed toy would probably still be a risk if the toy is identical).

[drifand]

So basically, if you want to own a Masterpiece toy now, you must make sure you get it within 6 months of its release, or else risk getting a KO, as some people won't be charging the cheap price that gives it away. (some will think they just got a great deal on the real thing and then resell it as the real thing for profit)

The trend of waiting for an original release and reviewed before deciding to buy one has gone. The saving grace is that mps do not get sold out within seconds.

As suggested Takara should have left a period of time to build to order for the second batch of bumblebess etc...

[GoktimusPrime]

I thought that part of their decision to move manufacturing from China to Vietnam was to combat counterfeiters (the other being cheaper labour as Chinese cost of labour has purportedly been increasing), and MP21G is made in China. Other toys like some Bot Shots, Combiner Wars etc. have been made in Vietnam -- have these toys been counterfeited? Perhaps if/when MP production also shifts over to their Vietnamese factory then we might see a reduction in counterfeiting of these toys, I don't know. </speculation>

So basically, if you want to own a Masterpiece toy now, you must make sure you get it within 6 months of its release, or else risk getting a KO, as some people won't be charging the cheap price that gives it away. (some will think they just got a great deal on the real thing and then resell it as the real thing for profit)

Or wait for the local TRU release. It may be dearer than preordering from Japan, but at least you're guaranteed that it's legit. And TRU's prices for the imported MPs are about the same as what you'd pay for a legit one off the secondary market anyway; e.g. I paid $100 for my MP Alert off the secondary market, which is the same as what TRU charges for their imported MP Cars. Plus the bio/instructions are in a language that you can read.

[ampoldj]

^Takaratomy mall has indicated MP26 Road Rage will be produced in Vietnam...so probably it should start with Tracks to avoid counterfeit on that mold

[griffin]

Or wait for the local TRU release. It may be dearer than preordering from Japan, but at least you're guaranteed that it's legit. And TRU's prices for the imported MPs are about the same as what you'd pay for a legit one off the secondary market anyway; e.g. I paid $100 for my MP Alert off the secondary market, which is the same as what TRU charges for their imported MP Cars. Plus the bio/instructions are in a language that you can read.

Not really.
If there is an issue with quality from the KO compared to the original, someone could buy one from TRU, swap out the toy with the KO, seal it back up and then return it to the store for a refund.
It might be unlikely, but there is now no guarantee when buying one from any source once the KOs exist.

[drifand]

Not really.
If there is an issue with quality from the KO compared to the original, someone could buy one from TRU, swap out the toy with the KO, seal it back up and then return it to the store for a refund.
It might be unlikely, but there is now no guarantee when buying one from any source once the KOs exist.

May not be a nice thing to do. Not sure if it's already happening with some of the mp.

I actually thought someone may bought the tru for gok"s work and then swap with the normal jpy version but never thought of the Ko

[Sinnertwin]

They just need to improve security at their factories, regardless of which country they're being manufactured in.
You don't need an I.Q of 188 to figure out where the KO's are coming from