I'm not a big fan of blanks either, but i have to admit, that neon green Deathra looks pretty damn sexy unpainted

The main reason I love blanks so much is because there is no fear of damaging the paint at all. They can be played with and posed and even handled by kids without much risk at all. So I get the "just as toys" thing and often that is actually what I prefer. Not as pretty or special as painted pieces at all but sometimes it's fun to treat a toy like a toy.

On topic has there been any confirmation of someone getting a monkey randomly this year or have they all been planted in bags specifically for people like Bwana who work with Gargamel?

I'm with you on the playability. I can take my blanks apart, mask then up, squeeze the shit out of them, drop them, and it's all good.

I believe zodiacs are typically sent out at the new year to "friends and family" (including some retailers) and then very limited numbers are randomly included in lucky bags, giving everyone a slim chance of finding one in their bag.

I know some were gawking at the standing silver lame' killer; http://smjsearch.com/cgi-bin/b.cgi?x434563835

My monkey was packed seperately. It just arrived in the same box as the lucky bags... which zack and I sweated over tearing all completely open but were good boys. Everyone waiting on bags from me, went out priority yesterday to the main USPS office at the airport. I don't know if that will speed anything up.

Blanks... yeah that is the best part about blanks. You cans play with them without fuss or worry whether they will get trashed. And... the brights are so vibrant.

That is just cool. Part of me hopes they release them in a different color someday for everyone but even keeping them a friends and family only thing is pretty amazing anyway.

Major usps locations will usually knock one day off priority shipping times.

I'm still waiting for USPS to scan my package en route at least ONCE. Lazies.

This thread needs more classic SB controversy... Saw this on Facebook, not sure where it originally came from. Retailers upto their old tricks again??



In related news the Garga-gang have posted this on their blog. Good work naming and shaming these chumps.

"Parasite extermination."

あれだけ言っても湧いてくる転売屋にうんざりしている池田圭郁です。
性根が腐り過ぎて、人間の言葉は通じないのかも知れません。
お客さんからのタレコミで現在発覚している転売屋のヤフオクIDなどを掲載します。
To exterminate parasites is boring job. Hi, Kiyoka, here.
I think they are despicable, and can not catch men’s voice.
From anonymous report, I note The Reseller’s Yahoo auction IDs here.

ID : yuutan709
出品地域：東京
Area : Tokyo
http://page4.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/d184752909

ID : caprice_9joker
出品地域：神奈川
Area : Kanagawa
http://page24.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/a ... q103223626
http://page16.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/u94795735
http://page19.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/a ... x434563835

この人たちは転売屋です。
この人たちからの弊社商品の購入はやめてください。
この記事を見て、慌てて取り下げるかも知れませんが、
転売目的での購入であることは間違いありません。
また、上記の転売屋と取引したことがある方は、
彼らの住所氏名などがわかる取引履歴などを添付の上、
こちら(email : info@gargamel.jp)にお知らせ願います。
本人が特定出来れば、こちらから本人に連絡し
今後は彼らの注文を拒否します。

They are The Resellers.
Please do not buy Gargamel products from them.
They may be dropped above auction when they read this article, but they bought our products for reselling purpose to get own profit.

email:info@gargamel.jp

Unfortunately, if you already settled with them, please advise the detail, included their name and address, of trading record to us. Gargamel will research it, and stop their purchase order in future.

上記IDの本人たちも読んでると思うので、彼らに解りやすくもう一度言います。
「めんどくせーよ、寄生虫」
I hope above IDs guys read this article, I would like to say “Hey parasite guys, thank you very much for increasing my daily work of vermifuge ! ”

^ Harsh words. Pretty interesting as I thought people in Japan had a more laissez faire attitude towards flipping this stuff. Not sure why.

Thanks for sharing, I'm sure we'll have a fun time reading the next few pages.

Harsh, but other than the douchenozzle selling the unopened bag after retailers have mostly sold out I have a more pragmatic view when it comes to 'Lucky' bags, blind bags and random selection shenanigans.

Why sit on a bunch of stuff you don't want if you get hosed by Lady Luck?

Or maybe I'm missing something!

You might be missing the intention of their post.. The impression I get from this post and as Kiyoka had stated, these people bought bags purely for profit through resale. I think there's a big difference buying a bag knowing that you will re-sell it's contents even before opening it and buying a bag being a little disappointed in some of the pulls and passing forward sculpts/doubles that you're not too fussed on.

For sure lucky bags are risky business - I know I don't have my complete lucky bag pulls from previous years. But when people sell everything they get in their bag the same day it arrives then I think it's obvious they aren't a true Gargamel fan. I can only speak for myself but normally I'll let pieces that I'm not keen on sit on my shelves for a few weeks to see if things settle a bit.

For sure the first dude selling the unopened bag should be shot with shit, but the second guy has only listed 1 x Standard and a bunch of the minis (which always seem to get dumped) . . . and not at crazy outrageous starting prices!

Who's to say, like a lot of collectors, he was aiming to pick up one specific sculpt (the second standard) which he kept?

Yeah fair call - I should have checked out all of the links. The unopened bag set me off.

10000yen for the painted Garudan is/was a pretty fair price. I think I've seen blank LB Zags on the boards here for around $120 USD which is about 14500yen. Even though Garudan is not the best Gargamel sculpt, the combination of GID vinyl and that paint scheme is an absolute winner!!

You're right, it's 2nd place after Conifas.

It may be the fact that they are auctions and not buy it now listings? There is clearly large group of people that think it's not flipping if you let others decide the price but it's all the same to me.

I guess kiyoka could feel as though these bags are for those who would feel lucky to have any/all of he sculpts and not just their favorite, but that's pretty hardcore. They would need to figure out a better way to get them into "real" collectors hands rather than throwing the bags to the wolves. It brings a bit of a different meaning to "lucky bag" though.

im assuming they don't browse this forum often or they could blast several boardies for buying bags just to get some free or reduced toys each year

The auction has a reserve price.

If you look at the sellers auctions, it's a pretty safe bet to say he is a career flipper. He has a bunch of Ron English stuff up at around $300 and the price of the items from his lb doesn't include the Zag and exceeds the price of the bag. I think it's okay to sell unwanted items you don't care for, just be fair in pricing. Stuff has been up on YJA in the past without incident.

It's directed towards flippers and greedy people. Last year there was a problem when Angel Abby started selling select pieces from bags. People assumed they opened all their bags, kept what they wanted, then sold the left overs. There will always be collectors who favor one sculpt over the other, so if they dont get what they want, they sell or trade. These bags work well in that sense. These bags are becoming more popular which means more snakes and rats are gonna want to make profit off of others hard work.

I think the main difference here is that some people sell off their unwanted lucky bag pieces for profit. Some people sell it so those pieces that they don't love are able to be loved by somebody else at a fair price.
I feel that if people loved toys as much as they say they did, they would respect them enough to make sure they go to a good home. Of course, that's barely ever the case with these auction flippers. They haven't even had their bag a day and they're already dumping their unwanted pieces to the highest buyer.

I don't know about you guys though, but it's kind of cool to see a toy maker proactively trying to stop flippers. I know a lot of people on these boards complain about flippers trying to join lotteries, getting hold of rare toys, so on, so I guess it's nice having a toymaker actually fight for getting their toys into the hands of collectors that will love and cherish them.

This stuff happens every year, to almost every toy maker, with almost every release... Ad naseum

Let's dial this thread back into to the spoilers, aka PICTURES of what you got or found on the interweb

Hahaha, I'm literally about to open my bag in the next 20 min... Woke up super late, saw the box on my doorstep while walking the dog, and strongly considered opening it there and then... Then I decided to be a somewhat normal person and finish my wake-up routine before I even think of touching the bag of wonder.
Oh, the sacrifices we all make...

^ Photos now. Please.

...you waited exactly 20 minutes.

Got sidetracked talking about psychopathy on the F*CK YOU! thread.

Looking for a pair of scissors to open the box with as I type.

You're supposed to rip it open with your teeth....