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02-26-2021, 05:33 PM | #1 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Brazil,Rio de janeiro
Posts: 3,005
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How was the toyline popularity in Japan ?
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02-26-2021, 05:57 PM | #2 |
Hisstank.Com General
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 17,152
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Not popular enough. People were into their robots and stuff, hence the sci-fi look to the cards.
Although the cool thing was that I was in Japan and Hong Kong around 1988 and was basically able to get the 1983 figures that I never had a chance to get in Canada as I didn't start collecting until 1985.
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02-26-2021, 09:03 PM | #3 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Houston
Posts: 2,449
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Every time I visit Tokyo I try to stumble on a Takara Baroness or Firefly but never do. Sometimes I see old Star Wars 80's stuff but I guess Joe wasn't super-popular there.
Last edited by Cobra Agent 66; 03-13-2021 at 10:18 AM.. Reason: sp. |
02-27-2021, 01:04 AM | #4 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: ̶S̶a̶i̶t̶a̶m̶a̶,̶ ̶J̶a̶p̶a̶n
Posts: 1,472
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Essentially non-existent in Japan. Both in the 80s, and during their attempts to revive the franchise with the movies.
What baffles me is that they never released Storm Shadow in the vintage line, despite the obvious fact that he might have been popular cause he was a ninja. I guess they had their reasons. My biggest score was about 15 years ago....small used toy shop in Akihabara. I snagged a vintage carded Takara Cobra Commander and a carded Zartan (!) for about $20 each!! The owner must have realized the error of his ways cause every time I've been back there the few he has left (nobody cool) are marked up hundreds of dollars. I've never seen the Takara Snake Eyes or Firefly in person. |
02-27-2021, 10:35 AM | #5 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Brazil,Rio de janeiro
Posts: 3,005
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Takara could had make some exclusive toys for the toyline there.
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02-27-2021, 04:44 PM | #6 |
Iron Grenadier
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Arizona
Posts: 764
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Quote:
Essentially non-existent in Japan. Both in the 80s, and during their attempts to revive the franchise with the movies.
What baffles me is that they never released Storm Shadow in the vintage line, despite the obvious fact that he might have been popular cause he was a ninja. I guess they had their reasons. My biggest score was about 15 years ago....small used toy shop in Akihabara. I snagged a vintage carded Takara Cobra Commander and a carded Zartan (!) for about $20 each!! The owner must have realized the error of his ways cause every time I've been back there the few he has left (nobody cool) are marked up hundreds of dollars. I've never seen the Takara Snake Eyes or Firefly in person. |
02-27-2021, 07:09 PM | #7 |
Red Two
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: 村八分
Posts: 1,025
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Popular enough that most guys that I worked with in Japan (mid-30s to early 50s) either saw or heard of it. It just wasn't popular enough to stand-out and sustain the line.
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02-27-2021, 09:15 PM | #8 |
Banned
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 10,010
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The 12" Joes were extremely popular there, to the point where they had dozens of figures and accessory sets that were exclusive to Japan. There was a Club article on it a while back before the Club committed neck rope. The 4" Joes were not nearly as popular there
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03-02-2021, 05:58 AM | #9 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: ̶S̶a̶i̶t̶a̶m̶a̶,̶ ̶J̶a̶p̶a̶n
Posts: 1,472
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On a whim, I checked yahoo auctions, the Japanese equivalent of ebay.
Lesser desired figures were still available for reasonable amounts, all MOC,although ALL the cards show wear. These ARE products from the 80s after all. First I saw Cobra Commander and he shared the same sad fate as my carded Takara CC....green limbs, despite being MOC. This one was way worse than mine though. Believe it or not this green Cobra Commander sold for $200. Hey, I guess a carded vintage figure is still a carded vintage figure. Next was Firefly, looking much better. Firefly ended up going for $160 Then there's one of the big daddies, cause all you old school fans know the first place Zartan was ever sold on a single card was Japan. This bad boy sold for $300.....which makes the fact that I bought one MOC in 2005 in Tokyo for $20 perhaps my best purchase of all time. And that brings up to the crown jewel of GI Joe, the 1985 Snake Eyes with Timber. I was shocked to see this even on an auction site! Snake Eyes' auction still has a few days to go. He's currently $300 with 4 days to go. I'm sure if they ever produced Storm Shadow (he was slated for the scrapped second series) he'd be up there too.... And there you have it....the four most desirable Japanese Takara GI Joes, all vintage still on card. |
03-02-2021, 10:17 AM | #10 |
Knuckle Massage!
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: CT sometimes Tokyo
Posts: 8,279
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Great thread! As a fan who goes to Tokyo yearly I have rarely seen anything GI Joe there (Akiba, Nakano Broadway etc.)...
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