AOW lacking REAL big project for 3 years?

IF my memory didnt fail me, the last real new big piece AOW came out is guts 2010.. ...it is been 3 and half years since then. EVERYTHING we got after that is either repaints or smaill 1/10 pieces. I'm wondering why is this the situation is the company really going out of business or their funding is in trouble to start something big/new? I dont see amazing stuffs like SK on horse II, ZOOD WYALD, 20TH berserk OR GUTS 1/6 anymore... ....it is been quite a long time.
 
I could be wrong but my impression has always been that AOW's greatest flaw is that they're not globally known enough. If there only were enough requests for one and the same statues they'd obviously make them. Just look at our official AOW request thread, its not exactly what you'd call an ideal fan base. I remember I had to get really drastic in my passion for Berserk to even find out about them. They need to get themselves some recognition on a way bigger scale.

Then one theory could simply be that most hardcore AOW collectors may be satisfied with what they've already purchased throughout the years and the customer demand is at a very low point right now, leaving us newbie collectors hanging.

This is all just speculation though.
 
Art of War's greatest flaw to me, seems to be their fear of failure. They have money troubles (atleast that's the information they keep hammering me with), so they just play it safe by repainting their statues. This causes alot of troubles, because:

A) Their clientele is already very exclusive, so eventually they are going to run out of people who are in need of these statues.
B) The fear of losing out on an exclusive statue is no longer there, people just assume it'll be available in a month or two with a better paint job. (See how fast the LAST REPAINT version of Berserker Armour Guts sold out? THAT'S fear of losing out)
C) The customers feel cheated

Berserk is a world-known brand, and if they reworked their marketing strategy (They have already started to join Facebook/Twitter, which is a step in the right direction, because it's free marketing) and started releasing 'lines' or 'series' it would really get the collectors going. Releasing dioramas is all well and good, but if they produce the entire band of the hawk piece by piece (and market the hell out of it), people would want to get the whole collection. It's a risky strategy, but they aren't getting anywhere by playing it safe - it's actually hurting them.

I also think their pricing is outrageous, which is what stops MOST people from buying anything from them. It sounds like they need to replace their artists, because they seem pointlessly expensive.
 
^I agree, Im tired of this approach of fear of failing, which is practically the fear of being "too" creative. And its so obvious too, especially when comparing to what they have done in the past.

This is kind of a half serious theory, but they should never have started the questionnaire cause ultimately this is what happens when trying to satisfy ALL costumers at once, the concepts get too cautious and boring. They should´ve just stuck to what they were doing. But of course, wanting feedback and whatnot is just the natural development of the business, I guess you cant very well blame them for that..

Though, I gotta say I actually dont mind a repaints that much, provided its done right! Take this latest Guts for example, the way this was handled gotta be one of their biggest fails ever. I´d say a good example of the right kind of repaint would be the latest Skullknight, just as simple as a matter of one metallic version and one bone version. Of course, I realize taste plays a part to some extent, but its still an apparent issue imo.

So: Way more creativity (you can still be creative and not contradicting stuff in the manga) A way smarter handling of repaints. -And ONE at most.

Now if they´d make a truly epic statue I´d have no problem with a high price tag.
 
So FAR lets count the TRUE epic statues they've done IN MY OPINION... ...

20TH ANNIVERSARY (Every single ver. is good, yes real good)

GUTS 2010 1/6 (best guts statue at right face right portion right paint job)

SK ON HORSE II (Epic SK, on HORSE :badbone:)

ZODD WYALD (BIGGEST BAD ASS EVEA!)

GUTS & SLAN (classics above all)

GYAKKO (Best femto statues on the market so far)

Guts on horse battle for dorley (another true classics, even though they did like 5 diff. repaints)

And the newest boned SK birth ceremony, guts & casca is very good too... ...I think the boned sk is almost sold out (5 pieces left even w/o crystal eyes and egg shaped apostles).

And you guys know what? These are all from year 2010 and before... ... SK 2011,sk boned on horse and 20th LAST repaint did came out last year but nothing big (not even repaints) is out this year for 8 monthes... ... what a shame.
 
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