I am trying to figure out where I can order these things other than through US importers. The markup is pretty high. I have followed HobbyLink and HobbySearch. But I always seem to miss the preorder.
My two favorite options are HLJ (good prices) or BBTS (convenience).
Third option is to check eBay. Yes, there are scalpers there but there are also some good deals if you are patient. For example, BBTS has SHF Maul for $95, but eBay has some sellers offering him for $66 shipped from Japan.
Final option is dealing with Japan shops direct. AmiAmi, Blister.jp, Mandarake and Amazon Japan are all good options for Tamashii stuff, but you need a Japan address to place an order at most of them.
To get a Japan address you can use to order, get yourself set up with a re-shipper like tenso.com (or similar). They offer you a Japan address to receive your orders and then they forward the packages to you in the USA.
This is where I bring up the convenience angle to BBTS or eBay. You may not want to pay the high markup, but it may be worth it to avoid the hassle or because you have no other option.
For myself, there have been times (usually on Tamashii Web Exclusive Gundam figures) where I've tried to avoid the high price at BBTS and bought somewhere else only to end up spending just as much once you figure in the original shipping + the forwarding company service fees + the final shipping to me in the USA.
