Hobby Stock has the distinction today of being the first to list the maiden launch figures of Alpha Omega‘s PVC lineup: Karen and C.C. from Code Geass. We reported yesterday that Alpha Omega’s official site had just opened with a showcase of these two figures (first introduced at last summer’s Wonder Festival), and as anticipated the turnaround to their preorder listing was speedy indeed. With Hobby Stock leading the charge other shops can be expected to soon follow; without knowing the numbers in the production run for these I’d advise a prompt preorder if you really want them, as the popularity of Geass (combined with the Alter / Megahouse reputation for quality) can’t be underestimated. Update: we now have confirmation of the listing, as they’re both up at Amiami and have been restored at Hobby Stock as well. (no more)
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wow, finally up…
but the C.C hair colour abit…
but still ok with me, i love it..
They seem pretty generic to me, actually. The facial expression on Karen is pretty nice, but I don’t think I’d pay that much for it.
That’s what gets me the most – the price. For 1/8 figures as generic as these are, they need to be cheaper (say no more than 5,000 yen). Oh well, it’s the company’s decision…
Its up for pre-order on Hobby Search!
Well, Amazon actually has it for under 5000 yen (not including shipping and handling, free if in Japan). Somehow, I see these figures as ones popular around the start of pre-orders, have their popularity drop off in the intervening months before release, and then flood the secondary market at below retail price – like so many others before. The CC doesn’t seem to be as popular as Karen even as of now.
Come March, I’d say you might be able to get Karen for about 4000 and CC for even less. If I turn out to be wrong, then I’ll just have to suck it up and pay for my pre-order, lol.
Amiami has them for 4,400 and change. I think the biggest question is whether they’re castoff or not; another big question will be how many Karen and C.C. figures are announced in the interval between now and their release. If these turn out to be the only items of decent size announced between now and February I’m guessing they’ll do pretty well, though if they’re produced in a huge lot (like Queen’s Blade Reina, for example) not even their popularity will save them from shelf-warmer status.
For now, my money’s on non-castoffable. Considering that these figures don’t seem to be of the epic sort (e.g. Kaleido Ruby, Maid Saber, etc), they would probably quickly drop off in popularity once really awesome figures appear for preorder. Regardless of production quantity, unless Karen is castoffable, revealing something shocking, I’d say hold on to your wallets for now.
I’m really quite surprised at just how few Code Geass figures have been mass-produced. Given the extreme popularity of it, one would expect a deluge of figures emptying the pockets of drooling fans everywhere. Personally, I’d buy a figure of Cornelia in bikini. Only partly for the lulz.
“I’m really quite surprised at just how few Code Geass figures have been mass-produced.”
The reason for this is that Geass is a Bandai property, and Bandai is notoriously tight-fisted when it comes to allowing figures to be made based on designs from their shows. The only completed Geass figures to be produced or announced thus far have all had Bandai connections, whether they be cold casts from B-Club, the first Karen PVC from Bandai’s Otomedama line, a couple of gashapon / trading figure sets, or these new Alpha Omega figures (Megahouse is a Bandai subsidiary).
The fact that they allowed resin kits to be made of Geass characters is encouraging, but it’s more doubtful that they’ll open the PVC arena as well, I think.
That said, your point is valid – I have no idea what crack Bandai is smoking to not be pumping Geass figures out faster. It’s nearly a year since the show first aired, for crying out loud.
Oh, and I’m waiting for a Viletta (nekkid housewife version), please. :3
Oops, I remember you once mentioning the Bandai-protecting-property issue once before, but it must have slipped my mind. My apologies.
At this point, I’m kinda disappointed that we’re not seeing as many figures on the market than we might have seen. From the reports on Wonder Festival and others, it seems there would be no shortage of awesome kits to turn into PVC. No wonder recasting pirates are doing roaring business.
I personally hope for a mass-flood of Code Geass figures – not just for the bargain basement prices of overproduced figures, but because more figures means more chance of a mind-blowing lulz-providing figure. Unless the flood happens, I don’t forsee getting my grubby hands on a bikini-clad Cornelia any time soon.
Oh lord, Cornelia. Time for perusing doujins methinks.