TamashiiWeb Robot Damashii Shenlong Gundam
 

looks fantastic, though i can't figure out why the action figure costs as much as the mastergrade kit?

Most of them don't This one isn't being released on mass but only as an exclusive which always makes the price go up. I've gotten nearly all my Robot Spirits figures for under $30.

I often wondered this, and didn't know the answer until I got back into building Gundam plamo. The big reason is labor. Sure most Gundam kits are molded in enough color so that once built, paint isn't necessary. However, all Robot Damashii figures have paint and markings applied. To get a kit to look like that requires time and effort. Also, unlike the kits, the Robot Damashii figures are put together by factory workers and painted. Whereas with a kit, all that labor is done by the buyer of the kit. You have to remove all the parts from the sprues, build the kit itself, apply stickers/decals and/or paint.

Also, plamo are made from mostly styrene with some ABS and sometimes a few pieces of diecast. Robot Damashii figures are primarily ABS with some PVC, POM, and sometimes diecast parts for durability.

So it's mostly labor and materials.

Actually most of the Robot Damashii Gundam figures have been close to $40 if not over during this year. On Amazon I've seen Epyon for $47.99 and that's their normal price(which is discounted from the MSRP, some stores are charging $60).

I have also noticed that Japan has a better collector's market than we do here in the US. Just look at the Gundam kits sometimes a kit maybe a little over price but it will sell, and we don't have Gundam kits here in the US for that same reason. Toys r us took a gamble with gunpla and those were the HG kits and early MG's and still did not sell in some markets.

I guess it depends on where you shop. I've noticed that they tend to be much more pricey on ebay or BBTS. There are a lot of Asian sites with really good prices. Just have to hop back and forth to get the suit you want. Even HLJ has Epyon for less than $40.

I think it's because our market in general is not big into models. The only mainline retailers that even sell plastic model kits right now are Kmart and Walmart(and even so I'm surprised Walmart decided to carry model kits again). With Gundam models, I think the MSiA! figures were more popular because not only were they cheaper but they were already built and painted, ready to pose and play out of the box.

That's the difference now, because Gundam figures like Robot Damashii are about the same price as some of the larger kits, so right now, if you know how to build a kit, the kits might appeal more.

With EMS shipping, Epyon will be $50+ still. I see your point though, I can find these on the secondary market for less after a while but the prices from retailers is usually $40+.

Yeah, that's why I usually cheap out on the shipping or buy 3-4 at a time. Plus shipping is just reality online. I've been thankful to get a couple from local shops. Most of the non-exclusives can still be had for around $30 from one site or another. The odd thing I've noted is that one site like nippon-yasan or HLJ might have a great price on some of the figures and then high prices on others. Can't really pick one place to buy and get the best price.


Model building takes a lot of time and money just to have all the right tools and space to work. I built a fair amount of Gundams and other models in my teens but now I would rather spend the money for supplies on figures and I just don't have enough space to dedicate to a proper workstation. I usually have to clear off my dining table to do touch ups or custom paints for MU figures and I rarely have time for that.