Mecha Talk

Hi all, I'm new around these parts and within the last 2 years have really gotten into the Gundam universe. The stories from the 08th MS Team and 0083 are fantastic. Gritty war dramas with interesting characters and really good animation and soundtracks to boot.

I feel my timing with this hobby is bad though. My question is what is happening to all the Gundam merchandise. I used to see the models in stores, but now I can't find any. Same thing goes for the action figures. Is Gundam losing it's appeal here in the states? That is my guess from what I've been seeing and reading from the short while I've been visiting here.

I still enjoy collecting Gundam especially the movies and models, but wish we'd see them in stores again. Model kits especially. Movies I can find, but everything lelse is gone.

At least you had them in the first place finding Gundam in the Uk is nigh on impossibel and when you do its cost 10 times more than importing it from Japan.

My advice head over to HLJ.com for your gundam needs been using it for 4 years now.

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Sometimes the appropriate response to reality is to go insane - Philip k. Dick

reason: ratings are low

the ratings went "boom" when CN aired Gundam Wing last 2000 (am i correct?) and thats the time Gundam was introduced to the "population" and since most of the target audience were kids. (who wishes to have a model or a toy of it) the demands were high.but now since the ratings went low.they have pretty limited stocks, or no stocks at all (you wouldn't waste money on business that doesn't produce sales right?)people got tired and moved on...well some of them do...but for us...we stick right here by the gundam's side and try to promote it as much as possible!

Sieg Zeon!

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"There's no point on blaming on who's right and who's wrong, all there is left to do is hope and wait for tomorrow to come."

Or Plajapan, they have a smaller selection but a bunch of nifty deals--like the free NG models and free shipping.

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Another Day, Another Mishap.

Gundam Seed Fates
ASA (comic)

My thoughts on the subject (from a couple years ago) can be found here:

http://wmg.mttlg.net/text/USGundam.html

Basically, Gundam merchandice in the US simply isn't profitable, but with widely available imports, there isn't much of an impact on those who want it.