The Official Netossa Thread

[kylun flac]

Let me just be UTTERLY clear, here. This was never. Ever. EVER. stated in the actual podcast. Which is why I'm confused where Dark Sorceress is getting that from. What Eric of the 4H said was that because of all the new tooling on Netossa (including her cape, which apparently was complex for some reason) the headdress was dropped. So it had nothing to do with giving Jitsu his swords according to Eric. It was all about the cost of Netossa herself. That's what was said on RGD 98.

I'm in the group that is totally bummed about Netossa not having her headdress/mask thingy but I'm hopeful after the podcast that the message was received loud and clear and we'll get it somehow.

I feel that we can get the accessories if we ask for it. matty has delivered before on the demands of the customer.

[Balthus Dire]

I find it totally bizarre that the cape was apparently such an expensive tool. Is it fully posable or something?

[He-Dad]

Actually, he DID say it was an expensive tool. He THEN went on to say that a cloth cape on their product they researched it for ended up being double.

He specifically referenced her cape as an expensive part of the figure.

- - - Updated - - -

"she turned out to be a pretty heavy duty figure on the budget...she ended up with quite a bit of new tooling, and that cape in particular was a big part of that"

The cloth cape was an entirely different conversation.

ask and recieve....THANK YOU. I didn't think I was going crazy and I was listening very closely!

[Hoffman]

No, but all those little holes make for a pretty intricate mold.

[Sword2Blanket]

Regardless of how much the cape cost, I think the argument is being made on the basis that there is a tooling budget for the whole year. Therefore, if there are ANY unnecessary accessories being made for ANY other figure (as some feel Ram Man's second head and Jitsu's extra weapons are), people feel that Netossa kind got the shaft by not getting a fairly essential accessory for her.

Now honestly, I'm not positive about the yearly tooling budget. However, that has been my understanding of how it works. I haven't listened to all of this episode, but I think I heard all of the Netossa discussion and I don't recall hearing anything that specifically contradicted that.

[He-Dad]

Regardless of how much the cape cost, I think the argument is being made on the basis that there is a tooling budget for the whole year. Therefore, if there are ANY unnecessary accessories being made for ANY other figure (as some feel Ram Man's second head and Jitsu's extra weapons are), people feel that Netossa kind got the shaft by not getting a fairly essential accessory for her.

Now honestly, I'm not positive about the yearly tooling budget. However, that has been my understanding of how it works. I haven't listened to all of this episode, but I think I heard all of the Netossa discussion and I don't recall hearing anything that specifically contradicted that.

I don't think they ever discussed how the budget works. Would be interesting though. Would explain why some get alot and some not enough.

[Hoffman]

The way I speculate it works, and this is purely speculation, is that every figure has a base budget of X dollars. Some figures will be slightly over that, some will be slightly under. As long as those figures offset each other on the positive side, it works out.

If you have one figure that costs significantly more, say 2X dollars, you need to offset one of those X across the rest of the figures. So each other figure has to be X - x dollars, where 11x = X. (This would be a Ram Man. Scott has said that a 100% tool needs an entire year of product to offset the costs for a figure like that)

So while yes, there is a yearly budget that the run of figures has to come in under, each figure does have it's own budget.

What I speculate happened was that Netossa hit over her X budget, but there wasn't anywhere in the year they felt they could offset ENOUGH of an extra cost to include everything. From the sounds of it she may still be an "over budget" figure, but they couldn't go any further over.

Just my thoughts.

[Sword2Blanket]

I don't think they ever discussed how the budget works. Would be interesting though. Would explain why some get alot and some not enough.

Yeah, I don't think they did in these recent ones. I think some of us seem to be remembering it from old discussions. Which of course, is why I'm not entirely confident about it.

And Hoffman, I think you're pretty much right. I just think people have already seen tooling budget that they've deemed not as necessary as Netossa's headdress. Of course, that's purely subjective.

[Darkspecter]

Honestly, I would have preferred her mask to whatever they're doing to her cape that's making it so expensive. It's not going to work properly as a net (too small) and it's probably going to rip in half when we open the package (like happened with Leech's net).

Sorry to sound so negative about it, but I only foresee bad things regarding her cape.

[Dark Sorceress]

Actually, he DID say it was an expensive tool. He THEN went on to say that a cloth cape on their product they researched it for ended up being double.

He specifically referenced her cape as an expensive part of the figure.

- - - Updated - - -

"she turned out to be a pretty heavy duty figure on the budget...she ended up with quite a bit of new tooling, and that cape in particular was a big part of that"

The cloth cape was an entirely different conversation.

they never say it cost more then any other cape, the fact the it will use less plastic then other capes means it would have to be less expensive. as for the mold, i can't see the holes making it cost more then any other mold, it did not stop them from doing Leeches net.

[Colder Soldier]

THat is the problem, and a notion that everyone, including Mattel, needs to get out of their heads. The females in this line have done as well, many better, than some of the males. This is NOT a boys line; the market for it hopefully left their fear of cooties behind long ago. This is a line for the collector's market, where DCD can release an entire wave consisting of female figures. Entrenched Toy Industry Dogma has no place here; it is a completely different market than the action figure aisle at TRU is aiming at. A Cobra Trooper might outsell the Baroness on Target's shelves, but offer 6" highly articulated versions on a collector's site like Matty, and you're going to tell me Baroness isn't going to leave the trooper in the dust?

I agree with everything you said except your final analogy. A 6" Cobra Trooper would definitely out-sell a 6" Baroness at least 10 to 1. Depending on the price, 20+ to 1 over here.

[musclor]

Honestly, I would have preferred her mask to whatever they're doing to her cape that's making it so expensive. It's not going to work properly as a net (too small) and it's probably going to rip in half when we open the package (like happened with Leech's net).

Sorry to sound so negative about it, but I only foresee bad things regarding her cape.

Thats my main concern as well. Leech's net didn't last two weeks for me before it started to disintegrate... That said, Scott did say he thought it was a different material than leech's net, so I will stay hesitantly hopeful.

[oulala]

It's not a secret that to afford let's say a 'Hordak' (with plenty new parts) another figure from that year's budget is gonna be stripped off something (Stratos for instance!) It's a balance. It's rather unfair but I guess that's how we get cool characters with so many new bits in them. Another character will pay the price! Netossa is getting the short end of the stick. She never was my favorite character anyway so it's not like I'm going to cry. But they'd better not go cheap on Mermista!

[Dark Sorceress]

It's not a secret that to afford let's say a 'Hordak' (with plenty new parts) another figure from that year's budget is gonna be stripped off something (Stratos for instance!) It's a balance. It's rather unfair but I guess that's how we get cool characters with so many new bits in them. Another character will pay the price! Netossa is getting the short end of the stick. She never was my favorite character anyway so it's not like I'm going to cry. But they'd better not go cheap on Mermista!

Mermista will be repaint of the 2.0 body, no fish body and no accessories because her hair used up all the tooling $

[kylun flac]

I worry her cape will brake apart like the horde net did.

[Dark Sorceress]

I worry her cape will brake apart like the horde net did.

we all are.

[Lookie]

we all are.

They are using a different material for the net cape. Wait for Pixel Dan's review and remember, you do not have to buy it if you don't like it. Unless of course, you bought the sub.

[Prahvus]

I worry her cape will brake apart like the horde net did.

I asked a question about this in the "what the fans want to know" thread.

[JonWes]

Regardless of how much the cape cost, I think the argument is being made on the basis that there is a tooling budget for the whole year. Therefore, if there are ANY unnecessary accessories being made for ANY other figure (as some feel Ram Man's second head and Jitsu's extra weapons are), people feel that Netossa kind got the shaft by not getting a fairly essential accessory for her.

Now honestly, I'm not positive about the yearly tooling budget. However, that has been my understanding of how it works. I haven't listened to all of this episode, but I think I heard all of the Netossa discussion and I don't recall hearing anything that specifically contradicted that.

That could be, the point I was making is that at no point during the actual podcast did they say anything about Netossa losing her accessories because of Jitsu. As I think Hoffman and others have stated restated clearly enough. This is a fan-made invention based on the fact that TG said previously that the line is budgeted as a whole. I'm not saying the point isn't valid, just that they didn't say anything about that in the podcast. In fact, Eric seemed to directly contradict that by saying Netossa lost her mask because other parts of here were more expensive like the cape.

I share people's confusion how her cape could have caused this, though, as past figures have had capes without an issue. Though the net design could have some impact. I don't know enough about all that to really know. I suspect in reality it IS a case of a little of column A and a little of column B. I'm sure Netossa was expensive and then in the context of the greater budget she lost her mask because of the tooling cost she took up.

[DisneyBoy]

This might be a different topic entirely...but does anyone else feel like the Mattel is sabotaging the She-Ra/POP side of this line, by releasing so many obscure, "girly" characters ahead of other, more popular, well-rounded ones?

To be clear, the "girly" thing isn't really the issue. I just mean that Netossa and the Star Sisters were conceived - at least in my mind - as purely "pretty" figures to add to the toyline, and since they received almost no characterization in the show, they stick out more than say Glimmer or Casta (who had identities beyond their simple appearance).

I can't see Netossa selling well...we're all still talking about how many people were annoyed with the Star Sisters (who don't do well on the secondary market at all)...and it just leaves me feeling like there's something under the surface here that rubs me the wrong way.

Yes, Bow is well-liked and Shadow Weaver was highly sought-after...but then there's Netossa...

My gut is telling me, "Sea Hawk, Octavia or Glimmer would sell better." So, what logical business reason would Mattel have for putting them aside in favor of these gals?? And sorry, I know this will sound jaded, but I don't believe they're making Star Sisters and Netossa first because they love the vintage POP fans so very, very much.

They have this awesome brand, and they're not doing much to make it shine. Frosta's - a popular gal - has had one of the most "meh" sculpts of the line. The Horde members are all MOTU-styled (except Weaver), and they keep telling us we complain too much and should be happy with the vast selection we're getting...

...but this was there opportunity to put She-Ra as a brand on the same playing field as He-Man. To say, clearly to their customers "These two characters are on-par, and have a fantastic cast of supporting players!" Instead, She-Ra is treated as merely an off-shoot of He-Man, and who cares if the A list characters all get made? Let's just pick and choose whatever.

I know they're applying some logic to their choices (see Adora, Weaver, Bow) but the other half of the time...

[JonWes]

No, I totally disagree. For one thing, they released Adora, She-Ra, Bow and Catra first. These are all major characters and not "girly" in my mind in the way you've framed it. Neither is Shadow Weaver or Frosta. if anything, it was TIME to get to those characters like the Star Sisters (though some might debate if the Star Sisters were the best ones to get to first.) I certainly wouldn't consider Netossa "girly" in the way you've framed it either. No more or less than Frosta. I think she looks quite majestic and fierce in many ways. If it was Perfuma or Sweet Bee or someone I might see where you're coming from a little bit, though I'd still disagree. And I want them too!

Also, I find the notion that Mattel would want to "sabotage" their own line in any way kind of silly. Sorry, it just doesn't make sense. They don't produce these figures not to sell. I just don't understand that kind of thinking at all.

[Jubilation]

They have this awesome brand, and they're not doing much to make it shine. Frosta's - a popular gal - has had one of the most "meh" sculpts of the line.

Frosta's had one of the most "meh" sculpts of the line?. What's "meh" about the Frosta sculpt, she looks just like her Filmation version and has vintage toy highlights. What more could you want?

[Nekk-ra]

As far as Netossa's cape goes, I don't think it's the tooling that costed her out. I think the material they need to use for the cape is where the cost originates. Better materials = higher cost.

[Wonder Princess]

So far, she is the only figure shown for next year that I really want. I am hoping that her headdress shows up in a weapons pack or tossed in with Spinnerella sometime soon. She is a one of the most beautiful figures in the line so far but those wings on her head just look odd.

[Darkspecter]

This might be a different topic entirely...but does anyone else feel like the Mattel is sabotaging the She-Ra/POP side of this line, by releasing so many obscure, "girly" characters ahead of other, more popular, well-rounded ones?

To be clear, the "girly" thing isn't really the issue. I just mean that Netossa and the Star Sisters were conceived - at least in my mind - as purely "pretty" figures to add to the toyline, and since they received almost no characterization in the show, they stick out more than say Glimmer or Casta (who had identities beyond their simple appearance).

I can't see Netossa selling well...we're all still talking about how many people were annoyed with the Star Sisters (who don't do well on the secondary market at all)...and it just leaves me feeling like there's something under the surface here that rubs me the wrong way.

I disagree. I mean, yes, we should have a few more of the main PoP figures like Glimmer, Kowl and Queen Angella, but it shouldn't be taken out on the other PoP characters. Netossa is a great character and the ONLY black, female figure. I think she will sell fine and her face is absolutely gorgeous.

To be honest, I'm more excited for the wave 2 and 3 figures to be released in MOTUC like Peekablue, Mermista and Spinnerella. They're all just more visually interesting to me and have always been favourites of mine.