2013 Japan Blind-Box Saga Legends Figures

[Jesse James]

The SW figures...  Just a quick feel of the head would basically tell you who you have, 99% of the time.

With clone repaints, I think those odds drop to around 75%. 

Easiest way around that?  Only 2 clones per any given wave, vary the wave packaging color like Lego does, and of the 2 Clones they can only do one Phase I, and one Phase II...  Problem solved.   Officers would work the same, so say you do a Bly figure...  You can't do a Red variation of Bly in the same wave, as the helmet would be identical but the colors different.  Problem solved.

While I don't mind the blind packaging for most lines (Lego, Kre-O, etc.) due to the lower prices and relative lack of repetition, I would be annoyed if blind boxed Star Wars (or any) figures became the norm over here. At $6+, I want to know what I am getting, especially since I own so many of the characters already.

That's why I say these have to be under $5...  Sellable at stores like 5 Below, and more compelling to people to do as an impulse buy at the registers where they're sold.

Under $5 is, to me, a necessity...  and totally doable.  Hasbro's said about packaging costs in the past.  I feel sure they could do a blind bag packaging cheaper than the labor-intensive stuff they have now for Legends/MS figures...  Hell that stuff's more complex than even TVC figures were.  Surely the price could drop enough to get them in there and still make tidy profit, especially when you factor in things like paint variations in this already cost-cut line.

There's no reason this shouldn't work out, and still not annoy the majority of collectors too much...  Even though they're basically an afterthought in the entire scheme of this idea.

I'd be totally into blind bag accessories too, but who's going to buy any of that?  That's a collector thing...  I want more mousedroids, absolutely, but kids don't... 

It's funny to me I don't even want these figures packaged where I can see them but the stupidity of them being blind packaged and slightly cheaper makes them just goofy enough for me to blow some money on.  $4, to me, is the sweet spot on the idea...  If they can do $4 ones in bags, I'm excited about the whole concept really.

[P-Siddy]

Astromechs and protocol droids would also have the clone repaint problem... of course, it would suck if they did a wave of 10 astromechs. 

[Jesse James]

Exactly...  Thus, one of each per wave unless there's an R5 and an R2...  again, problem solved.  You could do one of each but no more, per wave.  Any given wave could have clear indications, be it color or a number of the wave or whatnot, to indicate which wave it is... 

Do any of us even want more than one clone in a wave, at this point?  WOuld kids care, or be upset, if they weren't getting 2 phase 2 clones every wave?  Or phase 1's?  Or anything else?

Maybe make it a little more tasty by including a sheet like the Legos have, a checklist, but on the reverse side there's a profile of the figure, a web address, and one of those scanner code thingies to take you to a profile of the guy on a smart phone if you have one...  Tie in some online crap to it to make it have even more appeal at little to no cost.

[Greg]

Do any of us even want more than one clone in a wave, at this point?  WOuld kids care, or be upset, if they weren't getting 2 phase 2 clones every wave?  Or phase 1's?  Or anything else?

I don't think anyone BUT Hasbro would be upset with only one clone per wave.

Another thought I had (and apologies if I missed this earlier) is that the figures could come disassembled. The buyer would have to pop the arms, legs, and head on, which might be a good way to lower costs and perhaps making the figures easier to fit in bags. With only 5POA they should hold up better than those Hot Toys snap kits. The only issue is that they might fall into the "building toy" category, and Lego might seize the opportunity for legal revenge.

[Scockery]

Hasbro was going to do that AMP'D stuff that which was sort of building toys? (Could be why they canned it.)

[Jesse James]

I like the interchangeable parts idea actually...  wish another point of articulation (waist) was there though.  It'd be a "customizing" (definitely need to put quotes on it at that point) bonanza of sorts.

[McMetal]

Star Wars Assemblers?!?!

Because everyone raved about those Iron Man ones so much? Those things aren't exactly flying off the pegs, it seems to me.

That idea does not appeal to me in the slightest. If we really want to re-invent the Hasbro business model, I want better and more diverse figures, not blander, cheaper ones. Go subscription service. Or fire up the 3D Printer and let's start cranking out all those figures we missed in the Clone Wars line.

[Jeff]

I love how we started with simple blind-box versions of the existing $6 Legends figures in Japan and ended up creating a brand new $4 blind-bagged "build-a-figure" concept for kids/customizers. 

Hasbro was going to do that AMP'D stuff that which was sort of building toys? (Could be why they canned it.)

The last batch of rumors/rumblings about Star Wars AMP'd did indeed have "licensing concerns" as the killer.  I think Hasbro is OK if the "building toy" results in a classic action figure (ex: Iron Man Assemblers, Build-A-Droid), but if the idea ventures into "build-a-ship" then you venture into model and/or LEGO license territory.  Probably need to get all that cleared through LFL and then some.

Over in Transformers land, where Hasbro doesn't have the same licensing issues, they went ahead with the AMP'd idea - Transformers Costruct-Bots.

[Jesse James]

In theory price shouldn't change to make figure parts swappable but without the torso being separate whats the point ya know?  Iron man is a different egg since its all similar suits.  Star Wars being all unique characters makes it kind of pointless to have swappable legs and arms... 

$4 to $5 price is just where I think it needs to be to make it work simcha it is obviously cheaper packaging and needs to appeal to the impulse buyer...  I'm guessing that's about a buck by ditching the card...  I think at current prices people would just say, "then I'd rather just have them as they are...", and forget the discussion. 

I've yet to buy one but at 4 or 5 for some reason I'd grab random figures...  Don't think I'd put much effort into finding what I wanted till it was an unmade character though.  Anyone know what they cost in Japan?  And where in stores they're sold?

[Jayson]

I'm not sure if they are available yet. I have a friend with family in Japan trying to track them down for me though.

[Darby]

I believe they are due later this fall and not avalable as of yet.

[Jesse James]

I'm sure COL is significantly different there but kinda just curious what they cost and stuff...  They'll be a cool novelty to have Jayson.

[JediJman]

I'm sure COL is significantly different there but kinda just curious what they cost and stuff...  They'll be a cool novelty to have Jayson.

+1 I would buy up a few of these just to have them in my collection.  It's a cool bridge between my Hasbro and Kubrick stuff.

[JesseVader08]

I've been meaning to post my pics of the Vader in this series.  It's the same figure as the Mission Series 2-pack.

[Jesse James]

Still love these...  Asian blind-boxed stuff is just a fun way to collect cheap stuff, to me.  I've bought one of the MS/Legends items since they launched, and that was to only get that damn droid...  Blind boxed ones randomly at checkout lines or in 5 Belows for less than $5 would probably have gotten me to buy a lot more stuff, just out of boredom.

If they did this with droid variations?  My oh my would I be in.  Just add a couple new domes to that R4-P17 (or whatever it is) and paintjob goofiness galore, blindbox 'em, and make sure they get out there to retail...  I'd go ape**** I think.  Especially if the decos were cooler than just a yellow style R2-D2 paintjob or whatnot.

I mean those are ok sprinkled in too, but I like the Redleader R5 type paintjobs.  Something funky.  Make stuff up, I don't care, I'd just love it all I think.