Bandai release schedule
- Thread starter TazMan2000
- Start date
INVAR
Sr Member
Repacks and limits on new merch for TROS is likely a wise position to take given the Hasbro inventories retailers were sitting on after TLJ and Solo.
If memory recalls, someone recently explained what the Japanese market for Star Wars models is like IN Japan - and it is NOT encouraging. Essentially he said the new Star Wars Sequel stuff is stagnant on the shelves and only the OT stuff is moving. He also indicated that where the hobby stores used to have full sections of Bandai SW models, now it is just a few facings. He also said that in Japan the appetite for Western entertainment is on the way out in favor of local cultural media.
Since Japan is the primary market for Bandai - perhaps they had the heads-up on market trends and this is why there are repacks instead of new tooled ship offerings. Who knows? Maybe they can do some slight retooling of this new 1/5000 Star Destroyer and add the hangar bay Death Star gun and the Devastator accouterments and repackage it as a TROS kit. Given the bust that Hasbro SW toys were at retail the last year or so, I can understand the aversion Bandai might have to committing to new kits.
Bandai has been a major blessing to us fans that have always wanted accurate detailed kits. We can bitch and moan they are not at the scale we prefer them at, or that they have not yet made a kit we want - but there is a whole line of kits that make everything AMT, ERTL, Monogram, Revell and MPC has done with Star Wars, shameful in comparison.
If memory recalls, someone recently explained what the Japanese market for Star Wars models is like IN Japan - and it is NOT encouraging. Essentially he said the new Star Wars Sequel stuff is stagnant on the shelves and only the OT stuff is moving. He also indicated that where the hobby stores used to have full sections of Bandai SW models, now it is just a few facings. He also said that in Japan the appetite for Western entertainment is on the way out in favor of local cultural media.
Since Japan is the primary market for Bandai - perhaps they had the heads-up on market trends and this is why there are repacks instead of new tooled ship offerings. Who knows? Maybe they can do some slight retooling of this new 1/5000 Star Destroyer and add the hangar bay Death Star gun and the Devastator accouterments and repackage it as a TROS kit. Given the bust that Hasbro SW toys were at retail the last year or so, I can understand the aversion Bandai might have to committing to new kits.
Bandai has been a major blessing to us fans that have always wanted accurate detailed kits. We can bitch and moan they are not at the scale we prefer them at, or that they have not yet made a kit we want - but there is a whole line of kits that make everything AMT, ERTL, Monogram, Revell and MPC has done with Star Wars, shameful in comparison.
IIRC these two aren't model kits, but action figures.
Or just shows how much disney hurt SW. If there was an interest, Bandai, Hasbro etc. would make more toys related to the franchise.
btw. Am I the only one who noticed, that the "new" falcon comes with round dish? Disney must be desperate to reignite hype amongst old fans lol.
Hunk a Junk
Sr Member
I still love Bandai for the kits they have, and they just released a fantastic SD -- kudos for that. It just seems really weird that this new line-up is so... uninspired. I'd rather see them put more effort into one or two new ship models (Y-wing, A-wing, TIE whatever) than a partial re-pop of Kylo in his latest leisure suit.
Besides, this movie is supposed to be the climactic end of the Skywalker saga. Even if the ST hasn't been your jam, that's still a big deal. You'd think Disney would want a little more jazz hands in their offerings.
Besides, this movie is supposed to be the climactic end of the Skywalker saga. Even if the ST hasn't been your jam, that's still a big deal. You'd think Disney would want a little more jazz hands in their offerings.
INVAR
Sr Member
I think retailers in general are taking several steps back from going hog wild on stocking up on Star Wars merch like they used to given the overstock they were stuck with after TLJ and Solo that ended up gathering dust on the pegs and shelves. In fact, next week is Triple Force Friday - and neither Target or Walmart are doing Midnight Madness events to sell toys at 12:01 AM like they did since 1999 when a new SW movie was coming out.
I honestly think the movies are liked "lukewarm" at best, and detested with every fiber of their being on the opposite end of some fans. To be clear, I don't WANT the new trilogy to fail. I want awesome movies. Sadly, they just haven't delivered on that. Myself, and many other fans, just don't give a **** about new the Star Wars movies. I'll eat up OT merch anytime, but they can keep this stuff. Of course there are people out there that would love some new movie kits, but scifi modeling is already so niche as it is, that losing half the Star Wars fan base after the last movie probably makes them gun shy on going all out with new tools.
SithSim
Active Member
It looks awesome! Also I noticed on Bluefins I.G page. It said 1st wave of TROS model kits, hopefully that means more and we could still get some Mando kits down the line.
SawbonesAdmiral
Active Member
I LOVE that new Kylo Ren; especially the dynamic lightsaber effect and the cloth cape. Will definitely pick up.
I wouldnt be suprised if they just added sh*tload of stickers to make color correction (like they do with gundam kits), but apparently there is slight remolding, they posted few pics on official tweeter:
Dmitriy311
New Member
I should have bought this...
how did they finally decide to do it in 1/144?! specifically kidding?
The question is, if this is just ment to be the 1/144 Episode IV-VI-Falcon, then the greeblies on the sides and dockingports are wrong/too much, because it's the same casting as the Episode VIII-Version, or if this is the episode IX-Version (Really? I mean I like the original round dish much more, but Rey/Chewie/Lando managed to get just the exact same dish after all these years? Chapeau!). For either versions they still got the tec-greeblies on top of the cockpit-tube to large,.
On the other hand, now you can buy the falcon with a round dish and don't have to buy the resin-part from shapeways, well - if that's the only part you want to change
. A little bit of re-tooling would have done well on every version of the 1/144 bandai. It hurts to look at such a fine detailed model with just some spots they unnecessarily *****d entirely up, attracting the eyes because the rest looks so good. Hey, the did a retooling for the new x-wings, just to get the forms for the new colorization...? Why not for an more accurate Falcon?
The BB8/D-O - set was inevitable But I like it, they both look cute. Well - new colored x-wings with R2/R5, they look good, probably I will take the orange one (Poe Damerons new one?) but they are, like the Tooper and kylo, are not "the big surprise", just an addition if you collect/ every version - so the have their "be there" authorization.
On the other hand, now you can buy the falcon with a round dish and don't have to buy the resin-part from shapeways, well - if that's the only part you want to change
. A little bit of re-tooling would have done well on every version of the 1/144 bandai. It hurts to look at such a fine detailed model with just some spots they unnecessarily *****d entirely up, attracting the eyes because the rest looks so good. Hey, the did a retooling for the new x-wings, just to get the forms for the new colorization...? Why not for an more accurate Falcon?The BB8/D-O - set was inevitable
But I like it, they both look cute. Well - new colored x-wings with R2/R5, they look good, probably I will take the orange one (Poe Damerons new one?) but they are, like the Tooper and kylo, are not "the big surprise", just an addition if you collect/ every version - so the have their "be there" authorization.
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SirSandalot
Active Member
I think Episode IX trailer shows the round antenna, min 1:25
Hunk a Junk
Sr Member
Is it just me, or does the new/old round radar dish on the Falcon look oversized? It looks too big in the same way that the AMT dish was always too big for that kit.
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Analyzer
Master Member
I wonder if those X-wings are molded in color?
If so, that means they had to retool the hulls
The existing T-70 kits all have some noticeable gap issues where the stripes running down the hulls are. Might be worth it to get the newer ones if it is retooled and you paint them anyway. Although then you've got a diagonal gap to possibly deal with.
Curious to see how they did that
Surely that isn't going to be all decals
If so, that means they had to retool the hulls
The existing T-70 kits all have some noticeable gap issues where the stripes running down the hulls are. Might be worth it to get the newer ones if it is retooled and you paint them anyway. Although then you've got a diagonal gap to possibly deal with.
Curious to see how they did that
Surely that isn't going to be all decals
SirSandalot
Active Member
About the new/old radar dish, this site Part I: The Miniatures - Millennium Falcon Notes by a fellow member confirms (at least to me it looks like it's confirmed) that the "new" round dish from EpIX shown by Bandai is indeed the same dish seen in EpIV. So it looks like Chewie and Lando found another dish after all these years.
If I copy-paste the tweet on Google Translate I get this:
"Scheduled to be released in October
"1/144 Millennium Falcon (Star Wars / Dawn of Skywalker)" is on display!
Reproduce the round antenna with new modeling!
Paw and fins are included with the pilot parts.
Accepting general reservations soon!
#All Japan Model Hobby Show #STARWARS #StarWarsTheRiseOfSkywalker"
So it's a 1/144 model of the EpIX Falcon.
Now, from the site above mentioned:
"RING RING
5 foot Falcon:
Bandai EpIX falcon:
That makes it their third 1/144 Falcon from the new movies. Kind of unnecessary, maybe? Now if you could get an OT Falcon by not using all the parts in the kit that would be great but I don't think that's how it works. Some side walls are completely different, if memory serves me.
If I copy-paste the tweet on Google Translate I get this:
"Scheduled to be released in October
"1/144 Millennium Falcon (Star Wars / Dawn of Skywalker)" is on display!
Reproduce the round antenna with new modeling!
Paw and fins are included with the pilot parts.
Accepting general reservations soon!
#All Japan Model Hobby Show #STARWARS #StarWarsTheRiseOfSkywalker"
So it's a 1/144 model of the EpIX Falcon.
Now, from the site above mentioned:
"RING RING
5 foot Falcon:
Bandai EpIX falcon:
That makes it their third 1/144 Falcon from the new movies. Kind of unnecessary, maybe? Now if you could get an OT Falcon by not using all the parts in the kit that would be great but I don't think that's how it works. Some side walls are completely different, if memory serves me.
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