Tamashii Soul of Chogokin C-3PO & R2-D2

[Pixelpiper]

I just added dark grey linen to the back of my Star Wars 20 Years Kenner/Hasbro Detolf and it looks great. It's draped from the very top all the way to the bottom, with enough excess width to give it some waves. The wall behind the Detolf is also painted dark grey, but the glass reflected the LED lighting which just didn't look good. Now you can't see the lights at all, only their effect.

 

[TheFiend]

This is great. I will use this.
Sent from my LG-E739 using Tapatalk 2

 

[mkw]

Just bought this one at Toyhunters in Hong Kong for $308. Not exactly a cheap price but the figure is beautiful. Hope Tamashii will release the R2-D2 soon.

 

[jedijim3002]

Nice pics. Awesome piece.

 

[jra81984]

Just bought this one at Toyhunters in Hong Kong for $308. Not exactly a cheap price but the figure is beautiful. Hope Tamashii will release the R2-D2 soon.

Nice pics! I love having this one in my display. The detail is insane

 

[Centurion]

Just bought this one at Toyhunters in Hong Kong for $308. Not exactly a cheap price but the figure is beautiful. Hope Tamashii will release the R2-D2 soon.

That's one of the drawbacks to this piece... it makes you want R2 and we're not sure if Tamashii is even going to make one.

 

[SurlyJ]

Looks like the Amazon honeymoon is over. They don't seem to have any more of their own. Cheapest one is like $320 now.

 

[newmennium]

That's one of the drawbacks to this piece... it makes you want R2 and we're not sure if Tamashii is even going to make one.

It would be a shame for their development costs to go down the drain. I'd rather have a slightly out of scale version than none at all...

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbOfVWRDlMA"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbOfVWRDlMA[/ame]

 

[Centurion]

It would be a shame for their development costs to go down the drain. I'd rather have a slightly out of scale version than none at all...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbOfVWRDlMA

The under scaled R2 wouldn't be a big problem if it was displayed by itself, but once it's next to 3PO, it becomes very obvious to collectors.

 

[SSSeeker]

My negotiations with Sideshow (about returning my Tamashii C-3PO) turned out to be a disaster. As you might recall, my Threepio had some scuffs and scrapes all over it - and it CLEARLY was an opened item when I received it. I uploaded the photos here earlier. Oh, and that's not all! I found a tiny scar on his chin - which many of 3PO owners do have on their figure, I noticed it on a couple while watching some photos on the net. Some might've not noticed it yet, I suggest you all check yours more closely right away (please do). It's on the lower left part of Threepio's face.

I think these scars and blobs are some sort of casting / molding defects, when somebody (@ the factory) forgot to clean up the molds, or obviously didn't clean the mold too often. So plain dirt and carelessness has a some sort of part in this whole act. (and it ain't a comedy, let me tell you...)

Sideshow said, that in their opinion the item wasn't broken or anything. This kind of things belong to pieces like this - they're handmade! And that the package hadn't been opened before. So they didn't want to pay for the return shipping. They wanted me to trash the piece. Well, I just couldn't. I had already lost the import duties/taxes, because this struggle with the SS lasted for way too many months. Three months is the maximum time and by then you have to return the goods. Policies suck around here, anyway, 'cause our Customs Office doesn't believe in trashing stuff - the parcels must be returned in their original form. So, I clearly wasn't too happy about the decision they made at the SideShow. I didn't want to risk everything. By destroying this (somewhat nice) piece and buying a new one from Japan, didn't tempt me at all. Because you'll never know what you'll be receiving... And how does the return policy work with the Japanese stuff... Way too many risks, if you ask me. In the end, I was a complete fool for paying such a ridicilous price for this Threepio - which was $544, according to this days rates! Holy crap!!! THIS WAS THE LAST FIGURE I ORDERED FROM THE SIDESHOW - THAT'S FOR SURE. Not a recommended place to buy from, IMO. I rather use Amazon, eBay, BigBadToyStore or some other distributor in the future from now on - they have A LOT cheaper prices too! I bought like 6 expensive figures from SS this year;

This the MOST EXPENSIVE Tamashii C-3PO
Hot Toys Iron Man Mark VII - SE
Hot Toys Iron Man Mark II - Armor Unleashed
+ all the 1:6 diecast figs (Robocop, Mark 42, Iron Patriot).

And this is how they repay me?? For being a loyal customer to them. I'm a jerk for believing in them and their return policies. Well, what ever. No more. I'll pay for the rest of the bills, but no more. I'm so pissed right now. No, this feels more like they're pissing on my face.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

 

[Lejuan]

Mate that's a bummer, first that your figure wasn't perfect and second that being where you are you have to shell out so much for customs and duties.

Buuuuuuuut... SS makes their return policy very clear, and asking customers to destroy a figure is a perfectly reasonable way for them to acknowledge your concerns with the figure without them having to wear the very substantial cost of return shipping.

And seriously, you're fine with ordering from the US but not Japan? What's the difference? Loads of Japanese companies have their sites written in plain English, including their returns policy. I've ordered plenty of stuff from Japan without a single problem.

I know you've already been hit for a large sum, but if you can afford it then one option would be to order a new one from Japan, and when it arrives switch out parts from both that 3PO and the Sideshow 3PO to build the best example you can. Then video the destruction of the second one and collect your full refund from Sideshow. Given the price difference between SS and, say, HLJ, you might end up breaking even despite the customs charges.

It's a pity you didn't happen across this thread earlier - all this stuff has been talked about already. Good luck and I hope you end up with a great figure, this is a special piece when it's blemish-free.

 

[Pixelpiper]

video the destruction of the second one and collect your full refund from Sideshow.

But he'll never get back the ~20% he paid in VAT to collect the first package and he'll be charged another 20% for the new order.

Sideshow could prevent this kind of problem by inspecting what they're about to send out overseas.

 

[Positron]

That sucks. Especially living overseas and paying a lot for these high priced collectibles. I guess I shouldnt complain about local tax SSC charges.

 

[SSSeeker]

Thanks for the sympathy guys...

...order a new one from Japan, and when it arrives switch out parts from both that 3PO and the Sideshow 3PO to build the best example you can. Then video the destruction of the second one and collect your full refund from Sideshow.

This crossed my mind, a couple of times... But I'm a honest person, when it comes down to these issues, I don't want to be a nasty person, I still believe in people. Silly me... And I think that there was not enough time to do these things

It's a pity you didn't happen across this thread earlier - all this stuff has been talked about already.

Oh, I've been here a lot earlier - like from the beginning of this thread.

But he'll never get back the ~20% he paid in VAT to collect the first package and he'll be charged another 20% for the new order.

It's 25%... Thanks to European Union.

Sideshow could prevent this kind of problem by inspecting what they're about to send out overseas.

AGREED! This is so frustrating

That sucks. Especially living overseas and paying a lot for these high priced collectibles. I guess I shouldnt complain about local tax SSC charges.

Tell me about it, you don't say? Well, that's just the way things are at the moment around here. But maybe someday they'll get a bit easier. Just maybe. Or I'll have to move somewhere else.

I'm off to bed now. I try to dream about someone blowing up the SS HQ into trillion itsy bitsy pieces... Itchy *****y, actually. Noooo, we don't want that, or do we...

Good night, fellas.

 

[Tee-Kay]

Sideshow Customer service is definitely hit and miss. Did have to deal with them twice in the past.

First time, i had to get replacement hands for my 1/6 stormtrooper. They did aknowledge paint wearing off on this item and quickly solved the problem;

Second time, i complained about paint application on my TPM Obi-Wan's hands and head (especially ponytail). Got an automatic confirmation my request had been received but i never heard of them since then.

 

[DARTH-THRASHER]

Ok, my hope of getting a comparable R2 to go with the perfect model c-3po within the next 2 to 3 years is fading. I'm now seeking the next best alternative. I'm leaning toward the Taito clock version, but it sounds like some are partial to the action alarm clock version. Does anyone have new photos or arguments they'd like to share?

 

[VintijDroidGutzz]

The only matching pairs in existence are the Hasbro 12" figures, & the Medi ones.

All other efforts are futile as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Pixelpiper]

Unfortunately neither set has a correctly scaled R2 even when compared only against its 3PO.

 

[VintijDroidGutzz]

Unfortunately neither set has a correctly scaled R2 even when compared only against its 3PO.

Not that most folks want them anyway..

 

[DARTH-THRASHER]

I believe I read where the action alarm clock uses the same sculpt as the Hasbro R2, only the legs are longer... Can anyone verify this? The thing that bugs me about the action alarm clock version is the noticeable slits in the front where the clock panel is revealed. Anyone thought about using the Hasbro body and the action alarm clock legs?