Forgive me for posting this to the main board, but I can't find this in my messages....

Someone here recommended another board member who lives in Japan and will help find certain items for a commission. I would like to enlist that kind of help, but can no longer find the message or even remember who it was that kindly suggested him.

Does anyone know someone like this, or can recommend any services that will help? There are some toys stores that advertise that kind of service, but when I contact them, I find that the most they do is check their own stock. I'm hoping to find someone who, for a fee, will do a real search.

cindy

Networking, you're doing it wrong.


Best of luck. I helps to try and just build a friendship rather than asking for stuff just like that.

Some of my favorite toys, which aren't even that rare come from some people I really appreciate here.


Also, search for services on japan here. There's a thread on that somewhere.

Thank you for the advice. It is good advice, I know, and I have found everyone so far very friendly on this and other boards and terribly helpful. I'm really not trying to just ask for stuff and I feel I have built a few friendships here. But I would not mind simply paying a service for a little help too.

If you liked being bent over!

Yeah, not that Masato does not provide a service, but for what it does ultimately to the general hobby, I think enough has been said about it. It has been discussed at length already in the past too. He doesn't really deserve advertising on the board.

True, buyer beware! I've had one reasonable transaction with him, but his fees are known for being high.

I didn't really see my answer as being advertising though, just an answer to the question.

Yes, of course John; I know you were just trying to be helpful. Just want to say his name is out there, and the less said about it the better. I just find it extremely unfortunate that resellers out there take advantage of appreciating fans simply because they can - and have you over a barrel. You can easily still make a business bringing Japanese toys to the international market without having to gouge folks ridiculously.

It's a direct link . . . even worse!

I've had no dealings with him and never will. Dude's a parasite and anyone supporting him in any way, shape or form is simply perpetuating the cycle!

Deja vu all over again
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=47711

Cindy, as a helpful search tool you can view all of your posts from your profile page (right below the post count). That's how I found this nearly identical thread from last month

Unfortunately some brands like target earth and monstock don't sell overseas and if you contact them they direct you to M-world. He is the only direct link to some releases if you're not in Japan. It's either pay his fee or don't buy what you want.

That's not always a bad thing

M-World has been around a lot longer than most of the people on this board.

Masato is a straight up asshole, don't even bother with M-World. The "M" stands for massive asshole! I was on his email list for years without issue, finally used him to get a pink Hukkokudo Diatryma and because I did not continuously use his service immediately afterwards he kicked me off his list a month later. I even added to my original order and got a Blue Diatryma. I guess he must not like business unless you spend thousands with him, so sorry to put you out dickweed. Fuck him, I've been able to find just about whatever I need without him.

Out of respect for your opinion I've redirected the link to Google. However, it appears that we stand diametrically opposed on this clearly black-and-white issue of ethics, and so we must also, clearly, battle to the death. Have at thee! Bro!





Seriously though, there are only three pages of results when you search for either "Masato" or "M-World". The majority are from this thread, and then scattered posts that boil down to the generalization of "Masato is expensive. He's a flipper!".

If I am missing some relevant post please let me know as I'd like to be better informed, otherwise maybe it's possible for the board to reconsider the possibility of the Toy Source Review Thread idea that I got reamed for proposing? After all, Lixx just wrote a review. It's negative, but it still helps!

Is this guy a scammer or it just that people feel he charges too much?

I'll be honest, in some cases it is more cost-effective for me to pay a middleman to do the legwork (esp. when that legwork is in a country I do not reside in and with many stores that do not sell international and may not even have a web presence) than to waste too much time trying to translate on google chrome and find things myself. I work freelance and set my own hours, so the less time searching, the more time writing and getting paid so I can afford the toys in the first place.

If the only problem is that he charges a bit, I'm ok with it. I end up paying a middleman to buy off yahoo japan anyway. Curious how others feel about this.

Unless your trying to get something really hard to find, don't bother with him. Ive had problems with him as well.
Some items offered by M-World you could preorder yourself, they end up adding 30-40% of the original price
on top.

Again, it is all about patience.

Remember knunt? "Back in the days," you'd get shit for merely MENTIONING that name. This board's gone soft like diarrhea in the sun...

There are reasons your average collectors get priced gouged and prices just keep going up. Willing to pay whatever it costs, zero patience, and most want everything handed to them like they were shopping for a microwave or clothes online. There are predatory people out there that feed off this but as long as they have collectors that have to have their toy no matter what the cost.... Invest some time into this hobby, actually do some research, make those connections, have a little patience. Trust me, if your in it for the long haul this is vital to getting access to some truly hard to find toys. Ask anyone who's made these efforts here for the hobby and not monetary gains. You get what you put into it. Sure it's tough missing out on something, but stick around long enough and you'll miss out on a lot more, but you'll also find more people willing to help you out. Personally I think the hunt can be frustrating buy ultimately rewarding. If it was too easy I'd be bored. Not trying to single you out here either- it's a general problem.

I mean for what you're currently looking for it should not be too hard. Max Toy is a US based company. Ever think of maybe asking around? Not everyone who's been around here for awhile is a dick. You would be surprised how many people are willing to help serious new collectors.



My first month here I got crucified for mentioning them. I learned what was acceptable really quickly. And you know what? The people crucifying me eventually became pretty decent friends here who helped me score some of my wants.

<<I mean for what you're currently looking for it should not be too hard. Max Toy is a US based company>>

That, actually, is something I wonder about. It's true Max Toy is US-based, but nearly every single negora I have found I have found on Mandarake and yahoo japan. And even the new ones that do end up in the stores here, like rotofugi and myplasticheart and such, are out in Japan first. I'm never sure what is going to come out here and what isn't. The only ones I get here are the ones I get direct from Max Toy, and those are all new ones.

Weirdly enough, too, the ones here on ebay are twice the price you'd pay from Japan, even adding in the shipping and fees. Now I know some are put out by Konatsu and not Max Toy, but I find even the Max Toy ones far easier in Japan. Curious as to why that is.

Wanted to add, too, that I do think there is a difference between a middleman who helps you buy from another country and a flipper or scalper. I don't know which that guy is, though if he is adding 30 percent, he's definitely more on the scalper side, but those who help you find something and purchase from Japan are entitled to a commission of some sort.

I have had on occasion to get help to buy things from Japan because some shops won't sell or ship international. And in other cases I have found something myself online (with much research and google translating), but have needed a middleman to make the sale or even to ask questions. I was lucky for awhile to have a good relationship with an ebay seller who would do that for me for a very modest fee. He still will, but he is not good at actually searching for the items, so I have to do all the work first. I'm ok with paying for that help, if it is reasonable. It does not feel the same to me as paying a scalper (with US toys, which I CAN find easily, I never pay scalpers because I agree that just encourages them to snatch up all the stock and flip it). I am anti-scalper, but pro-middleman, I guess. Because sometimes a middleman makes it so much easier and easier is good. It frees up your time to enjoy the toys

I've been satisfied with my broker and have been happy to compensate them for the help and customer support they've provided me with. We're not talking 30% here though, more along the lines of 10% with discounts on anything above a set price point.

That being said, though I appreciate the help, I will do whatever I can to avoid having to take this route-this means sending garbled e-mails pleading in butchered Japanese a la google translate.

Unfortunately, sometimes commissioning a broker is the best available option. For example, I collect Medicom's current line of Kamen Rider figures, all of which are limited to Japan. I can either ask my broker to buy them or wait for them to possibly turn up on Mandarake for 130%-140% of the retail price (before shipping). The latter may require I stay up odd hours to guarantee I land the ones I need if and when they happen to turn up, something I'd rather not do if not absolutely necessary-these are made to order figures, I shouldn't have to loose sleep over them.

I definitely wouldn't put brokers in the same field as flippers. They sure as hell aren't actively tracking down highly revered toys and asking 400% of the retail price through aftermarket outlets. They are providing a true service, and many will do so at a reasonable price, but clearly there are those who are looking to take advantage of you.

My main issue is that the toys I want no one cares about so I can't even get a middleman to grab them for me. That is the price you pay for loving gashapon stuff that cost 2 bucks at the most.

Never be too shy to ask the artists directly either. Most are happy to help out their fans if it's a reasonable request. ALTHOUGH there are definitely right & wrong ways to do this too. Remember to Always be polite, precise, and patient (ha, the 3Ps apparently). It can be easy to come across as intense and overwhelming when it's over something we Really want. Also, try not to be offended if a response doesn't come quickly or at all, cause unless you just made an ass out of yourself initially, it's most likely due to being super busy. Just wait a week or two and send a short followup question about receiving your letter. "Hounding" will most never fetch a positive reply... Hopefully your tact will pay off and you make the contact that you want, but again, being an artist is busy work, so never take it personally if you don't hear back. But it's always worth giving it a go

<<<My main issue is that the toys I want no one cares about so I can't even get a middleman to grab them for me. That is the price you pay for loving gashapon stuff that cost 2 bucks at the most.>>>

Oh, I know exactly what you mean. I collect gashapon too and some of the things I want are so hard to find just because no one wants them and yet I suspect they are just sitting around plentifully in shops in japan. I have found that sometimes it helps to ask a Japanese seller to find them for you because they often can do so easily. I complete several small gashapon collections that way - by just writing japanese toy sellers on ebay and asking them to look.