Banpresto

[Maiku]

First of all hello everybody.  Longtime Lurker and Berserk collector here.  I've got an art-of-war collection that I am pretty proud of.  (Till I saw DirectDK's page that is)

Anyway I wanted to see if anyone knew exactly what Banpresto's license entails.  I know they've made a PVC statue and a few keychain sets.  The PVC is what really confuses me since it would seem that it infringes on Art of War's license.

[DirectDK]

First of all hello everybody.  Longtime Lurker and Berserk collector here.  I've got an art-of-war collection that I am pretty proud of.  (Till I saw DirectDK's page that is)

Anyway I wanted to see if anyone knew exactly what Banpresto's license entails.  I know they've made a PVC statue and a few keychain sets.  The PVC is what really confuses me since it would seem that it infringes on Art of War's license.

Welcome aboard Maiku!  Always good to meet another Berserk collector (though I think I've met you before ).

Anyways, unfortunately, I don't know the answer to your question about the specifics of Banpresto's license.  However, what do you mean by infringing on the AOW license?  I wasn't aware that other companies aren't allowed to produce Berserk statues due to AOW.  Where did you hear about this?

[Maiku]

Well I work for an American toy company (www.palisadestoys.com) and based on my experience a company must acquire a license to produce a certain product and no other company may produce a product that infringes on that license.

For example.  My company has the license to produce resin statues from Alien and Predator up to a certain size.  We also have the license to distribute these statues in the U.S. and other countries.  So legally no one in say Japan could mass produce resin Alien statues in our size range  and sell them.  At the same time another company has the license to produce action figures from Aliens because it is not a part of our contract.  It gets more complicated the Alien license is litterally split up 30-something ways in Japan.

Anyway I had always assumed that Art Of War had the Berserk license for statues, action figures, mini figures and Jewelry.  While other companies had things like keychains and block figures.  The Banpresto PVC statue just made me curios.

-Mike

[Lithrael]

For example.  My company has the license to produce resin statues from Alien and Predator up to a certain size. (...)  At the same time another company has the license to produce action figures from Aliens because it is not a part of our contract. 

Heheh, yeah, and you have the license to make Transformer statues that look like Pat Lee crapped them, while Hard Hero has the license to make Transformer statues that look like the cartoon...  It's a damn shame really, your Transformer statue sculpts are top-notch and technically excellent, but I just can't stand the style at all.  Is Hard Hero all the way out of business yet?  Can you guys make un-pat-lee statues now?   

I'm assuming there's no confilct between Banpresto and AOW's licenses, though I don't know where the line is either.

[Aazealh]

Anyway I had always assumed that Art Of War had the Berserk license for statues, action figures, mini figures and Jewelry.  While other companies had things like keychains and block figures.  The Banpresto PVC statue just made me curios.

It's probably just an arrangement between the two companies (or directly with Hakusensha, not sure if AOW's license has some sort of exclusivity clause, that's what DirectDK was referring to I think).

Headlong, Dotou No Tonosama, Mimyan and the other garage kits sculptors have to get special temporary licenses to sell their creations, and they can do it only during "Hobby conventions" (they're being resold later on Yahoo Japan auctions). So I guess a simple business agreement would be the likeliest possibility.

As for the details of the respective licenses, I'm not sure they've been publicly announced.

[Maiku]

Hard Hero pretty much tapped that license I think.  Our license only entails reproductions of the comic art style.  Honestly we don't want to make cartoon style given how much is out there. 

Seems like everyone loves it or hates it.  Enough love it though that we are making some loot 

Speaking of which if anyone wants to trade me Berserk merchandise for Trans, Alien or Predator Artist proofs (or anything else we make) feel free to hit me up with a PM 

Heheh, yeah, and you have the license to make Transformer statues that look like Pat Lee crapped them, while Hard Hero has the license to make Transformer statues that look like the cartoon...  It's a damn shame really, your Transformer statue sculpts are top-notch and technically excellent, but I just can't stand the style at all.  Is Hard Hero all the way out of business yet?  Can you guys make un-pat-lee statues now?   

I'm assuming there's no confilct between Banpresto and AOW's licenses, though I don't know where the line is either.

[Lithrael]

Hard Hero pretty much tapped that license I think.

   Yeah, they did.  Pity they went under right when their sculpts started to get decent.

To haul myself somewhat back onto topic, has anyone else had as awful a time as me trying to find any of the Banpresto stuff for a decent price?  By the time I find anyone with the keychains all they have left are casca-in-potato-sacks.

[Maiku]

To haul myself somewhat back onto topic, has anyone else had as awful a time as me trying to find any of the Banpresto stuff for a decent price?  By the time I find anyone with the keychains all they have left are casca-in-potato-sacks.

I'll see a set on ebay from time to time.  I have very little luck finding them in webstores.   

Which is better than say the second set of Kubricks which I never see anywhere.

[JIN]

To haul myself somewhat back onto topic, has anyone else had as awful a time as me trying to find any of the Banpresto stuff for a decent price?  By the time I find anyone with the keychains all they have left are casca-in-potato-sacks.

Hehe... I run the risk of being corrected by saying that webstores arent your best bet any longer for the keychains, well at least for the complete sets. I got a set off a webstore for a lil' over $20( Banpresto set B), though that was many moons ago...   They do pop up on ebay, though on Yahoo Japan they are more common. Presently on Yahoo they have a listing for some..though not a complete set. 
If your looking for individual ones then I sympathize, otherwise a set of either the 1st or 2nd editions(A or B) will run ya from roughly 2,300 yen to 3,000 yen.

I'll see a set on ebay from time to time.  I have very little luck finding them in webstores.   

Which is better than say the second set of Kubricks which I never see anywhere.

A,B (This 1st one ends soon...)
http://page3.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/c94253545
A,B
http://page6.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/f32067515
A,B
http://page9.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/k10599306
or just the B set by itself...
http://page10.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/m13060707
Hope that can help a bit in your search. 

Happy Collecting 

[conan]

I've been trying to find the 7" Guts Black Swordsman DELUXE Banpresto statue (calm face) for a couple of years now. 

If anyone has one and wants to get rid of one or knows where I can get one for $30.oo or less dlvd to 51106 (iowa USA), I'll take it.

Thanks-

Jess