Star Wars GB Episode II CLOSED

Well just to let eveyone know, I have started a new thread  "DeAG Millenium Falcon High Detail Build".  As I won't even have all the parts for almost 2 more years, it doesn't qualify for the group build, but I am sure some of you might be interested in what I do to it.

I am just starting up the thread so hope you will have a look see.

And a teaser

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/6/t/167858.aspx

Stinks. And, yeah, you would think Disney wouldn't care where the money is coming from, as long as it's.....money. That's all the mouse *really* cares about, right? :-)

But apparently legality and lawyers trump even cash, so contracts and licensing agreements have to be enforced.

Revell has posted a statement on FB:

Statement Revell and Bandai

We are massively confronted with the accusation that Revell invited Disney as licensor of the Star Wars license to prohibit Bandai selling Star Wars licensed products outside of Japan. This claim is plain wrong because we haven’t and won’t at no time take influence to the business matters of other manufacturers!

The truth is rather that each licensee, whether Revell or Bandai, is only be entitled to sell its licensed products under its own license contract and the countries agreed upon. These license contracts are concluded solely between the licensor Disney and the various licensees. We as Revell GmbH therefore aren’t allowed to sell our Star Wars products in Japan. On the other hand it is not possible for Bandai to sell its Star Wars products in the US and Europe, if these regions are not part of the contract.

Apart from that, we are convinced that a license like Star Wars lives from the wide variety of products and thus inspires young and old. Therefore we see the model kits of the company Bandai not as competition but as a supplement on the market for Star Wars model kits.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

But at this point, I'm not too upset. I've got two Bandai Y-Wings (one of which I guess is suddenly more valuable here is the US), and at this point I'm not interested in any TFA stuff. I'll only freak out if Bandai releases a large Star Destroyer. :-)

That is horrible news, if it stays that way. Yeah, we will get some nice kits from the FM molds that are already out there, but what about the new stuff. Revell is not exactly known for there Sci-Fi kit accuracy and the detail is normally soft. I do not think that they would be able to produce a new kit that would be equal to what Finemolds or Bandai has produced.

Yeah, it gets into trade complexity that I'm no expert in. FWIW, someone posted this reply from Facebook:

Hi everyone, I have been liaising with a few of the Japanese retailers I shop with regarding this restriction and wish to clarify a few things (from what I have read here so far and from my correspondence with them): 

1. If you have any pre-orders from HLJ or Hobby Search for Boba Fett and Slave 1, they will honour it. The restriction encompass ALL of Bandai Star Wars model kits. HLJ are still selling theirs but once their stock runs out, that's it. 

2. The restriction imposed is based on the contractual agreement between the Japanese manufacturers and Disney in which states the Star Wars trade mark merchandises are only meant for sales within Japan. This not only encompass model kits, but other Star Wars merchandises as well that falls under this agreement. From what I am hearing, it was a blanket agreement that was given to Japan (this one is not confirmed and I am guessing only applies to all the newer agreements). 

3. From my understanding (and I may be wrong here since my sources' English isn't that good), apparently these products became available to the world due to a misrepresentation of the terms of agreement in which case the manufacturer's claim of "selling within Japan" referred to only covering Japanese retailers, was not in spirit with the original agreement, which states the products are only meant for sales within Japan regardless whether its from the manufacturer or retailers. In this case, Bandai was deemed to have breached their agreement. 

4. In all my correspondence with the retailers, there were no mention of any outside influence (Revell, Hasbro, etc etc). It was basically Disney finding out Japanese Star Wars products were being sold openly everywhere against the agreement, so their licensing department initiated a clamp down. 

5. Fans worldwide are not the only ones unhappy. The retailers too are badly effected as they not only stand to lose out on potential sales esp with the coming movie, but some of them had ordered massive stock in anticipation of a sales surge, but they have no choice now but to comply or risk getting blacklisted by Bandai (who is under tremendous pressure to police their distributors and retailers). 

6. To make matter worse, Disney apparently is pressuring on the manufacturers directly, so the retail shops in Japan are in limbo as to which other Star Wars products will be effected next. They themselves are hearing a lot of rumours, so to be safe, some have chosen to remove the products while others are still waiting for an official directive.

Not sure. There's all sorts of speculation going on over on the SSM forums. The popular consipiracy is that Disney is protecting Revell's Star Wars kit sales from Bandai's purported superior offerings. Someone posted that Disney is even monitoring social media to catch any black market shenanigans. 

Who knows? I figure that just like any huge global corporation, Disney is policing its licenses and IP. Not that it doesn't stink, though.

Thank you, BK. 

Very nice start, and the figure looks awesome. I will be watching this build with great interest (as the man said). :-)

I'm doing the FM X-Wing next and had similar thoughts--looks like not very difficult assembly, but painting could be tough. Will be watching to see what you do.

And in other news, for those hoping to get Bandai Star Wars kits--get 'em while you can. Disney has apparently clamped down on the sale of them outside of Japan, ie, from resellers like HLJ. Bah.

PB, that is looking really good. I hope I can make my X-wing look half that good.

BK

Alrighty then ! I am off and running with this X-wing. It is the Finemolds 1/48 if anyone is asking.

I have some assembly done and just finished the main cockpit and Luke. My biggest concern is how I am going to spray this thing, but I think I have a plan. It should work, but we will see. I hope to make more extensive progress this weekend.

I think the brunt of the work on this kit will be the weathering and paint work. This is a pretty simple kit to assemble, but making it look good is going to take some creativity in the paint booth. Thanks for looking.

BK

Lol, we're all nuts, I reckon.

Small update....painted yellow striping on nacelles, and over the past week or so, have been painting and attaching a couple of pipes per night (about all I have time for). Still need to knock down the shine on them a bit, but will do that later:

Meanwhile, pondering weathering strategy for nose/cockpit area. Hm.

BK, looking forward to your pics!

Thanks for looking,

PB

NucMedTech, that is looking really good. Amazing actually. Nice work.

BK

In other news, I finally got started on my X-wing. It's going fast. Looks like paint will be the slow part of this build. Pics to some tommorrow once I get some more assembly done.

Porkbits

Aha, no problem.

And I definitely need to be committed (institutionally).

 

Along with about half the guys on the forum.

And i am at the front of the line.

Aha, no problem.

And I definitely need to be committed (institutionally).

Don't worry Pork, it has happened to me more than once. Just nice to be able to return the favour.

Thanks guys, really looking forward to getting him done.

Porkbits - Yes, you have been committed. Just not sure if that is good or bad.

Thanks! Guess I'm committed to it now. :-)

Nice, NMT! I can tell that bowcaster has a lot of tension--wear goggles when you take the ties off. :-)

3PO is looking good.

Well guys, just about done with Chewie. Here is what I have.

As soon as I can take the twist ties off I will get the final pics in. Boy, I tell you that crossbow was a pain to get the tension on the bow to stay. I hope it does not pop off when I take the ties off.

Will get to painting him soon.

Thanks, NMT!

I can confirm the yellow stripes add panel lines to the Y. It mars what is otherwise an almost perfect kit. Ah well. 

Luckily, I'm doing the Fine Molds X-Wing next, so won't be a problem with that build (although I'm sure it has its own issues).

Coming along nice, Porkbits. Those Bandai kits are pretty good, but I agree the colored parts a bit unnecessary. I am sure you are aware of the ones on the X-wing. If you are a rivet counter I have heard the extra parts add panel lines that are not supposed to be there.

Lol! Guess not. I'll pull it out of the stash. 

Do you really need an answer to that PB

Thank you, kind sirs!

Bob, you should definitely get one (or two, or three). The detail and fit is damned impressive. I'm typically an aircraft guy, so I've built my share of kits that have fought back beginning to end. Nice change of pace.

The only flaw is the molded yellow markings for the nose--pointless over-engineering in every sense of the word. Should've been left as decals. 

So....should I do the Fine Molds X-Wing next? :-)

Porkbits that looks amazing! The more I see these Bandai kits the more I want to get some.