Aoshima's 1/350 Japanese cruisers?

alumni72 wrote:

Does anybody know the status of these kits?  Back in June/July the Aoshima webpage said the Chokai and Takao (and PE sets) were due out in late July; then it was changed to early August, then late August. Now the Takao doesn't appear on their list of future releases at all, and the Chokai is still listed as late August.  Yeah, I know - we're less than a week into September - but can you blame me?  I'm chomping at the bit here, like a kid waiting for his first ice cream cone.  (I was going to use a different analogy but it's against the rules  ). So, does anyone have any inside information on this stuff?   I didn't see a single word mentioned in the FSM that listed all new releases for 2007, but there was a thread here a few months ago that set me off on this jones - and now I just can't wait!

The Takao has been out since last month, along with the PE sets:
http://www.hlj.com/product/AOS03883

Chokai is due out this month:
http://www.hlj.com/product/AOS03884

It seems like the Tokai is readily available at most online shops. It's on the hobby shop shelves here in Japan...not sure when it'll hit the shelves overseas.

Hope that helps!

Thanks - you've given me hope!  I don't see it yet in the US online shops I've checked, but I'll try to be patient a while longer.

www.greatmodels.com has it in stock,but for $119.00+shipping..........a bit steep,I might wait awhile to see if it could be had for less.I saw on on ebay for $119.00 but that included shipping,but thats gone now.I really don't want to pay more then $100.00 total,but we will see,because this is one I have to have.

I completely agree with you on all points, Anthony.  Especially since the Hobbylink Japan store has it listed at right around $68 USD.  Right now I'm wiating to see if Squadron will list it (hopefully it will make the cover of the October flyer) - but you've got to wonder if getting it from HLJ, with the overseas S&H, wouldn't be cheaper than $119.   Since it is being touted as a Limited Edition, though, we might not have much choice in what we're willing to pay for it.

Which makes me wonder why a Limited Edition, given all the work they must have gone to in order to bring it to market.  Is it possible they're just testing the waters to see if a general release would be worth the cost?  But what extra cost would a general release put them to, that they haven't already spent for a Limited Edition?

(open invitation for an explanation by someone who understands the business)

OK, I figured it wouldn't hurt to check out the S&H costs from Hobbylink Japan (I've never done business with them before, so my understanding of how they do things is only based on what I read on their webpage):

Kit cost: 7800Y = $67.67

Shipping comes in two flavors, based on size and weight - but based on the size of the kit in its description, the Takao would go by the more expensive route:

S&H:  3200Y = $27.76

Add these together and you would be spending $95.43, which is $24.52 less than just the cost of the kit from Great Models.  Add on their S&H and you'd be saving even more.

NOTE:  This is only the cost for the basic kit - not the extra PE also offered by Aoshima.

This is not to say that there aren't hidden costs involved in purchasing from HLJ that I'm simply not aware of, and certainly doesn't take into account fluctuating currency conversion rates.  And there might be an extra fee involved just for currency conversion (don't you  love how someone somewhere gets a hefty fee just for spending 10 seconds with a calculator?)

But, unless other information comes to light which changes the information we already have ... I'm planning on placing an order with HLJ sometime soon.