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Gundam at Donki

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  • Member since
    May 2011
  • From: Honolulu, Hawaii
Gundam at Donki
Posted by Real G on Friday, June 3, 2022 1:06 PM

There is a pop-up store in the Kaheka DonDon Donki (formerly Don Quijote) which features a 6' tall (or is it 1.85m?) RX-78-2 Gundam:

The Gundam is the titular mobile suit that kicked off Bandai's billion dollar franchise empire.  Interesting that like TOS Star Trek, it initially met with lukewarm response from television viewers, but came back like a tidal wave when the show was syndicated.

There was an infamous incident at a department store when Gundam model kits first hit the market.  There was a stampede on an escalator (VERY un-Japanese!), injuring several people.  I was in Japan at the time, and I recall my mother showing me the story in the newspaper.  It didn't really strike a chord in me, because back then I was a strictly "airplane/tank-only" modeler.  I could not fathom what all the fuss was about.  After all, it was just a bunch of dumb Japanese robot toys...  Little did I know that I would be craving those very kits only a few years later!

My company works with Donki USA (they are a Japan based variety store/supermarket chain) , so I was wondering if something like this was coming after I saw one of their new store layouts.

“Ya ya ya, unicorn papoi!”

  • Member since
    February 2022
Posted by SplatterMan on Saturday, June 4, 2022 1:10 AM

That's interesting. I'm guessing it's just for the international stores? I can't see them trying to compete with Yodobashi Camera or BIC Camera at home.

  • Member since
    May 2011
  • From: Honolulu, Hawaii
Posted by Real G on Saturday, June 4, 2022 1:58 PM

I would imagine an outfit like Yodobashi Camera would definitely have these.  A guy from Donki told me it cost $5K, but that is a peanut deductible advertising expense for Yodobashi.  I am thinking it's part of Bandai's renewed ad campaign.

Now, if it was a Zaku, I'd have asked the Donki guy if I could buy it after they were done with it.  Stick out tongue

“Ya ya ya, unicorn papoi!”

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Sunday, June 5, 2022 8:31 PM

Oh WOW! That's awesome!!! 

 

BTW: I picked up a copy of 'Ultra Q' for ten bucks US. And now I'm really getting into it. So now I guess I'm going to have to go down that rabbit hole of the thirty or so different Ultraman series.... shhheeeeeeeeeesssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Although Garamon is now one of my new favorite Kaiju. If Earth is gonna be destroyed at at least can come from something this cute... 

 

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    May 2011
  • From: Honolulu, Hawaii
Posted by Real G on Sunday, June 5, 2022 8:58 PM

Gamera,

My fav Ultraman series were Ultraman Returns and Ultra Seven, because they had the coolest monsters.  Although the first monster in Ultra Seven was based on a - wait for it - pubic louse!!!  

Seven fought all kinds of other wacky kaiju, from a gold plated space dragon that turned into a flying saucer, the wreck of the IJN Yamato repurposed as a robotic time bomb, and a dinosaur riding a tank(!).

My fav Ultra Q kaiju was Bostang, a giant stingray.  Cicada Man was repurposed later on to become the basis for Alien Barutan, one of Ultraman's most iconic foes.

Oh, and avoid Ultraman Leo - I think they ran out their budget halfway through the season.  I missed a bunch of middle season episodes, but when I tuned back in, the entire Ultra Squad had been wiped out, Leo's human alter ego bacically operated out of the room he was renting from a family, and the monsters devolved into painted garbage bags on broomsticks!

“Ya ya ya, unicorn papoi!”

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Sunday, June 5, 2022 10:01 PM

Lol, I'm looking forward to Returns and Seven now! 

I did buy Leo along with the others after as much as I like Ultra Q, I'd heard it's pretty bad. But hey, I enjoy gawdawful movies so I should like it too even if not as much as the other series. 

Leo is the latest one I picked up. I'm watching one episode per night so it's going to take me a little while to work though these. 

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

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