Official ThunderCats 2011 Toys Discussion Thread

[MegaGearMax]

The plot thickens! This is from TNI...

Ever since Toy Fair in February when Bandai failed to show any new ThunderCats product for the rest of 2012, there has been a question about what the future holds for the line. As of late, a number of rumors have been popping up around the net about Bandai losing the license and how other companies like Hasbro or Mattel are looking to pick it up.

We decided to go to Bandai and find out if there is any truth to these rumors. According to them, there is not. They tell us that they are still the master toy licensee for ThunderCats. The Spring 2012 product line has rolled out here in the US and their product line is not canceled , as they are currently rolling out ThunderCats product globally in conjunction with the TV show being airing internationally.

So there you have it. As for when we might get word of new products for us in the US, that still remains somewhat a mystery as well as the status of the show on Cartoon Network. For now though, it would seem unlikely any other toy company will be getting their hands on this license any time soon.

Man, this is the reason we are lucky to have Q&A's, messages, facebook posts, podcasts and videos from Toyguru. Everyone except Bandai thinks the line is dead--from retailers to fans. And Bandai is keeping very quiet about the line's status.

[markatisu]

The plot thickens! This is from TNI...

Man, this is the reason we are lucky to have Q&A's, messages, facebook posts, podcasts and videos from Toyguru. Everyone except Bandai thinks the line is dead--from retailers to fans. And Bandai is keeping very quiet about the line's status.

Well Bandai is not going to admit there is an issue

But yeah people always come down on Scott for giving us too much info and us being upset, well people Bandai is the other end of the spectrum LOL

[Pixel Dan]

Jay told me yesterday he spoke with Bandai and that he'd be putting up a post about it. Interesting indeed!

But I tend to agree with Mark...Bandai isn't going to tell us there is a problem.

[wyldman11]

Bandai is acting just like the Japanese based company you would expect them to. Yes this is mostly Bandai US but still, Japanese companies are notorious for acting like nothing is wrong and hoping no one notices. And when people do notice they just kind of act like they don't know what is going on, and in a couple of years will say something like we never did Thundercat toys. They don't like to admit when they fail.

I could be wrong, but in my experience with Japanese parent companies that tends to be how they work.

[markatisu]

Bandai is acting just like the Japanese based company you would expect them to. Yes this is mostly Bandai US but still, Japanese companies are notorious for acting like nothing is wrong and hoping no one notices. And when people do notice they just kind of act like they don't know what is going on, and in a couple of years will say something like we never did Thundercat toys. They don't like to admit when they fail.

I could be wrong, but in my experience with Japanese parent companies that tends to be how they work.

Nintendo is the perfect example except in reverse. An ad gets released showing new product or price change and Nintendo says "no its not" right up until the day the price change happens

[wyldman11]

They were ones I was thinking about but on other things. The prime examples were how Sony handled the intrusion last year, Japanese looked down on them because they messed up, the US looked down on them because they didn't say anything till they had no other choice to say what was going on. I also thought of Toyota and their more recent factory recalls, they didn't want to announce them simply because it meant they made a big mistake.

I mainly started to notice this stuff back when I was more into anime, and how the Japanese seem to be more about efficiency and perfecting what someone else has done instead of actually making new stuff (not that they don't). I started wondering why and it boiled down to the difference in attitude towards failure, when someone from the US says failure is not an option it means they aren't going to give up and learn from the mistakes, to a Japanese person they equate the word with seppuku, or the other option where you were effectively dead but made to wander.

Now I know it isn't always the case, but there is the basis of the view on failure, and Bandai's response doesn't entirely surprise me because of it. To admit failure is to them worse then the actual mistake itself. And because of that we will most likely never really find out what went wrong, we will have our speculations which at most may have contributed to it. Well one thing is most likely at play is new product didn't ship because stores have/had no room for it. But at the same time, my store has four 6 inch Cheetaras, a couple of each of the vehicles, and in the 4 inch line 1 of Mumm-ra, Lion-o, Tygra, each of the kits, and maybe another Panthro. There is space at my store for new product considering there are 4 empty pegs with Thundercats on them.

[markatisu]

The plot thickens, I got a call from my distributor in Florida this afternoon that Bandai at this time is not going to replenish their stock of the Tygra C assortment and so what I get on Friday will be it as far as the Tygra's go.

I was hoping to help some more orgers and Thundercats fans but that won't happen unless Bandai ships new product. Thankfully I was able to help quite a few over the past few weeks.

It can't get anymore simple then retailers like myself throwing money at Bandai so I suspect something else might be at play

[Lord Anubis]

Bandai....... what chu smokin??

They hold the licence until their orderers are fufilled oversea's. They have to ship the remainder of their product that in on order from stores, yeah. But come on, we're not getting more figures. Stores DROPPED all figures and wouldnt dare restock or make peg room for peg warmers. Truth hurts.

[markatisu]

Bandai....... what chu smokin??

They hold the licence until their orderers are fufilled oversea's. They have to ship the remainder of their product that in on order from stores, yeah. But come on, we're not getting more figures. Stores DROPPED all figures and wouldnt dare restock or make peg room for peg warmers. Truth hurts.

I just tried to order the Slithe wave at the distribution level and was told that is not being replenished either. So yeah I think the line is pretty much completely dead as this would be the same thing Walmarts and Targets are being told (if they won't fill distributors there is no way they are filling the gigantic orders the retailers would need)

[MOTU_Maniac]

Just like vintage MOTU, I never had vintage Thundercats growing up. I was looking forward to collecting the Thundercats Classics, much like I do the MOTU Classics. So, all of this news (or lack thereof rather) is very disappointing as it hints that the line is dead before it every really got started

So, now I am stuck with Lion-O and Tygra 8" Classics and a Lion-O and Mumm-Ra 6" Classics. What a bummer to have such incomplete sets.

[sportsandstuff777]

Just like vintage MOTU, I never had vintage Thundercats growing up. I was looking forward to collecting the Thundercats Classics, much like I do the MOTU Classics. So, all of this news (or lack thereof rather) is very disappointing as it hints that the line is dead before it every really got started

So, now I am stuck with Lion-O and Tygra 8" Classics and a Lion-O and Mumm-Ra 6" Classics. What a bummer to have such incomplete sets.

I agree I had high hopes for this toy line as well

[oICEMANo]

'Kaynar' isn't a race, its a name!

I know its his name but I think it could work as a species name too... eh, I just grew up knowing their names as Monkian, Jackalman and Vultureman so thats how it is for me.

[Shadow-Ra]

Bandai Uk's Facebook page has just said that the Tygra and Cheetara 6" toys will be hitting our shores July/August :-)

[markatisu]

Bandai Uk's Facebook page has just said that the Tygra and Cheetara 6" toys will be hitting our shores July/August :-)

I would imagine they just sent a lot of the US product to the UK, so you guys will start off with the best of the toys

[Shadow-Ra]

I hope they complete the Classics toys too.

[Dynamo of Eternia]

Well, I was hoping to get a Slithe figure. Not it looks like that won't happen.

Did anyone actually get their hands on any? I haven't even seen any on ebay at all, and I'm sure now if they ever do turn up, they will likely go for HUGE $$$$$.

[markatisu]

Well, I was hoping to get a Slithe figure. Not it looks like that won't happen.

Did anyone actually get their hands on any? I haven't even seen any on ebay at all, and I'm sure now if they ever do turn up, they will likely go for HUGE $$$$$.

I luckily got a case in last week and it sold within minutes. I had 7 cases on order and Bandai canceled on my distributor so I am unable to help.

People are rabbid for the figure, I have had offers for $50-100 just for the Slithe its unreal.

Another online store (nerducopia.com) got a handful in earlier this week and they sold out in mins, I got one for myself because they were only charging $14 and it shipped shortly after.

They show up on eBay every so often, but since the distribution is so limited most people are keeping them for themselves or selling/trading private. Right now it seems Slithe goes for $45-60, that might change if the UK market gets flooded but then you would have to pay shipping so it would probably even out.

[Shadow-Ra]

If we get any here in the UK with all this new stuff coming out, I might be able to pick one up for you and send it to you.

[Hordak Alpha]

If this action figure line ends up failing and ending prematurely, perhaps it is just time to retire 1980's properties as a whole. As it is, the world is much different than it was back then. Kids tastes are a bit different and the way products geared towards them are advertised is done quite differently thanks to the numerous decades of parent group interference.



I at least was hoping for a McDonalds promotion before the Thundercats ended their run. Then I'd possibly be able to get a Snarf for a reasonable price.

[krosfyah]

If this action figure line ends up failing and ending prematurely, perhaps it is just time to retire 1980's properties as a whole. As it is, the world is much different than it was back then. Kids tastes are a bit different and the way products geared towards them are advertised is done quite differently thanks to the numerous decades of parent group interference.



I at least was hoping for a McDonalds promotion before the Thundercats ended their run. Then I'd possibly be able to get a Snarf for a reasonable price.

I think it's poor planning by the companies more than anything. For me the thundercats toys were overpriced and undersculpted. I don't know how kids felt, but also for me when I was a kid humanoid cats never struck me as cool. (but that's personal) the show IMO is very good, but I don't think it speaks ENOUGH to kids. the pacing has been very slow and the main badguys don't get much airtime. it's usu conflict amongst the heroes, kids don't like that kind of thing. they want to jump in and enjoy.

[vertigoink]

If this action figure line ends up failing and ending prematurely, perhaps it is just time to retire 1980's properties as a whole. As it is, the world is much different than it was back then. Kids tastes are a bit different and the way products geared towards them are advertised is done quite differently thanks to the numerous decades of parent group interference.





I at least was hoping for a McDonalds promotion before the Thundercats ended their run. Then I'd possibly be able to get a Snarf for a reasonable price.

Keep an eye out on Target stores as they have that box set that has Snarf and I can almost guarantee you that's one of the first things they will clearance.

[Pixel Dan]

Keep an eye out on Target stores as they have that box set that has Snarf and I can almost guarantee you that's one of the first things they will clearance.

Yep. My Target stores have a pile of these box sets. It seriously looks like they've never sold a single one. I'm waiting for that set to go on clearance, as I'm thinking of picking one up if cheap enough to just hang on to MIB.

[Phil.Pastel]

Yep. My Target stores have a pile of these box sets. It seriously looks like they've never sold a single one. I'm waiting for that set to go on clearance, as I'm thinking of picking one up if cheap enough to just hang on to MIB.

It's like that pretty much everywhere I see them. Makes you wonder if *anybody* has ever sold one. Anyway, collectors generally dislike 4-packs and 4 in. action figures. So that set is a LOSER, LOL. Makes more sense to get a TTank. Plenty of them around, stores have no choice but to mark them down. I just snagged one on a buy one, get one free sale.

[markatisu]

Yep. My Target stores have a pile of these box sets. It seriously looks like they've never sold a single one. I'm waiting for that set to go on clearance, as I'm thinking of picking one up if cheap enough to just hang on to MIB.

Yeah I think every Target I have been to for months has had the same 4-6 that come in whatever case Bandai made for them. Its not too bad a deal if you were wanting those figures but when the pegs were flooded with the exact same figures (sans Snarf) it was a very poor release

[wyldman11]

I think it's poor planning by the companies more than anything. For me the thundercats toys were overpriced and undersculpted. I don't know how kids felt, but also for me when I was a kid humanoid cats never struck me as cool. (but that's personal) the show IMO is very good, but I don't think it speaks ENOUGH to kids. the pacing has been very slow and the main badguys don't get much airtime. it's usu conflict amongst the heroes, kids don't like that kind of thing. they want to jump in and enjoy.

From my understanding kids are tuning in and ratings are fine. The toyline had an initial surge but bad case ratios, some bad paint apps caused problems. Target opted for the toys later than other retails, who had already met most people's needs by the time they go initial product.

Toys right now are by and large overpriced.