Now I'm getting jitters with my recent purchase from Amiami.

I'm waiting for this to arrive, currently still in transit. SAL registered parcel.

http://myfigurecollection.net/item/198556

What are the odds of it passing through?

What would it mean if my package was initially "Item held by customs Awaiting presentation to customs commissioner", but then was later sent to Pusat Mel Nasional anyways?



This post has been edited by dis0rd3h: Apr 20 2015, 10:26 PM

Passing it is one thing, but what does "Awaiting presentation to customs commissioner" mean?

Do they mean to open my parcel and present it to someone high up? In that case, I wouldn't think my parcel would pass at all, refer to my earlier post if you wanna know the contents.

Ah. I had thought it went something like this:

Customs Officer A: Commissioner sir, so here I have with me a package from Japan, valued close to RM500. Do you think it might be one of those sex doll things Metro covered?

Commissioner: Well, open'er up then. Let's see what this guy has.

*opens package up*

Commissioner: Oh God! This... this cannot be! We can't let such sinful creation got into the hands of our people! Grab some Sharpies!

Customs Officer A: B-but sir, it's just a normal cartoon figure, and we can't exactly tarnish belongings of other people--

Commissioner: Do as I say! Metro says these things corrupt people!

*covers figure in Sharpie, packs it back and sends it away*

Imba imagination... Or I'm simply iterating the truth?

*plays Inception horn*

Was wondering if discussion of adult figures (Native, etc.) is allowed? There are mentions, but are outright discussions like pre-orders, reviews etc. allowed here?

Not familiar with the source material, but gosheffindammit I've always had a soft spot for girls posing as an awkward catgirl. Anyone familiar with the anime/game/novel?

I want her so badly, but then it'd break my personal rule of "no goods from stuff I'm not familiar with".

I think she'd make quite a good match if posed beside Hanekawa.

This post has been edited by dis0rd3h: May 1 2015, 08:09 PM

Naturally I can't be 100% sure, but after being able to score this without any problems (it had a slight delay at customs, but finally went through. Refer to my previous posts.), I'm feeling lucky. And that comes with a fully exposed torso.

I also need to keep in mind to ship using SAL to minimize the risk of the parcel being opened.

Images taken from NeoGAF Figure thread.

Totally stoked for this. Personally my second favourite girl from the series after Kato.

Gonna pre-order her SO HARD (not open yet, will open around end of May).

She's far from my favourite girl in Nisekoi (speaking of which, the first company to make a decent scale of Miyamoto is seriously getting all of my monies), but just look at that. LOOK AT THAT.

Also available are re-release preorders for Chitoge and Kosaki Nendoroids. Didn't care much for Chitoge, so added Kosaki to my September order.

On a semi-related note, anyone else here lurk on NeoGAF figure thread? What caused the permaban on the thread?

Have I got good news for you.

http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%82%AD%E3%83%A3...%83%9F%E3%82%AF

Also a PSA for all to use Amazon Japan more often in your search for figures. Like Tell Your Would Miku above, Amazon Japan keeps adding more figures available for shipping to Malaysia. Just look for dealers affiliated with Amazon Global Sales.

It's how I scored Good Smile's Tharja and Gift's Charlotte. But that's not even why I'm telling you to keep Amazon Japan under your radar.

1. Awesome discounts. Amazon Global Sales would never sell at scalper prices. They're almost always at the original prices, or in some cases, additional discounts.
2. Very, very affordable shipping. The Tharja and Charlotte I got was shipped at 1500 yen, using DHL. Only expedited shipping was available, but it's way cheaper than Amiami or HLJ.

But again, the number of figures/preorders that can be shipped to Malaysia is still limited. But I know from now on I'd be purchasing more from Amazon Japan rather than Amiami.

This post has been edited by dis0rd3h: May 15 2015, 11:49 PM

Missing the point much? I wrote affiliated with Amazon Global Sales.

I'm not sure about this GOODSMILE store, but upon clicking the link to other stuff they're selling, most have this: アメリカ発送の桜日店. I'm assuming they're shipped from an American dealer called Sakurabiten, hence the exorbitant prices.

And 'sides, I couldn't even buy that Kino even if I wanted to. Won't ship to Malaysia. Not affiliated with Global Sales anyway.

Here're some other stuff that fit my parameters:

Seventh Dragon 2020 Hatsune Miku
http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B00E9OU...&pf_rd_i=489986

Danganronpa Kyouko Kirigiri
http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B00HY64...&pf_rd_i=489986

Vertex Selvaria
http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B00SARF...&pf_rd_i=489986

They all fit what I have written:

1. Sold through Amazon Global Sales (if this is displayed on the product page you know it can ship to Malaysia: ご指定の郵便番号にお届けする場合は、AmazonGlobal 海外配送を選択の上、注文確定画面でお届け予定日をご確認ください。)
2. Have decent prices/discounts.

Go ahead and add them to your cart and click calculate shipping.

Holy...

So the best way to minimize the chance of getting caught at customs would be:

1. Use SAL.
2. Keep parcel value under RM500.
3. Make sure the item is not categorized as "gift".

1 & 2 should be no problem; I don't mind waiting longer for stuff to arrive. I don't even mind paying extra for split shipment, as long as I don't get hit with that ripoff tax rates.

What's the figure you ordered from Amazon JP?

I feel like I'm in the minority here, but I actually prefer the Alter version to MF's. Yes, the colour of her hair should be purple instead of black, and overall colour should've been sharper, but I like the more dynamic pose, and I prefer the slightly more mature look than MF's.

Seeing EXkurogane's list of pre-order, I feel like we should share what we have pre-ordered for the coming months.

I just started this figure collecting hobby, but I already feel like I've spent more than I had in my many years of video gaming.

MAY
Alter - Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo - Asuka Langley Shikinami Jersey Ver. 1/7 (re-release)
Vertex Dwell - Valkyria Chronicle: Selvaria Bles 1/7
WAVE - BEACH QUEENS - Persona 4 The Golden: Chie Satonaka 1/10
Ques Q - Persona 3 Portable - Aigis Uniform Edition 1/8 (re-release)
FREEing - BlazBlue - Kokonoe 1/8

JUNE
figma - Fire Emblem: Awakening: Lucina
Aniplex Exclusive - Sword Art Online -Extra Edition- Figure: Swimsuit Asuna (1/6)

JULY
WING - Fullmetal Daemon Muramasa - Muramasa Sansei Bunny Ver. 1/7
Aniplex Exclusive - Sword Art Online -Extra Edition- Figure: Swimsuit Suguha (1/6)

AUGUST
Kotobukiya - Aldnoah.Zero - Asseylum Vers Allusia 1/8

OCTOBER
Revolve - Nisekoi - Seishiro Tsugumi 1/7

Oh, I was checking my order at Rightstuf to double-confirm the release date for the two SAO figures I mentioned in my pre-order list, and I came across this:



Your Lie in April Figure: Kaori Miyazono Premium Box (1/8)

The feels, they're coming back again...

Figure itself is moderately pricey, but it's the shipping fee that killed the whole idea of getting her for me (80 USD? Seriously?). It's exclusive though...



Also, pre-ordered this. Not "figure" per se, but eh, I need more Tohsaka in my life.

Gentlemen, please. Think rationally.



Everyone knows this is Best™ girl. It's sacrilege to even speak about that blue-ribboned hunk of meat. /sarcasm

Seriously though, so badly want a figure of her. Best if there's one that sport her marching uniform.

This post has been edited by dis0rd3h: Jun 3 2015, 02:42 PM

I'd say not necessarily. At least I think for this hobby, it's less about the item being BIB or MISB or whatnot, and more about supply vs demand.

I'll extrapolate the way I see it. Figure A is a character I don't like/not well known, or and manufactured more than demand is available for it.

You bought Figure A and later decided you wanna sell it. It doesn't matter if you have Figure A new in box, unopened and kept in a safe, cool place; no one wants it, or everyone and their pet cats already have one. At least, I wouldn't buy it unless there's a hefty discount, and even then you're gonna have to convince me.

Counter this with a figure notorious for its rarity and limited production: GSC's Unlimited Blade Works Tohsaka Rin. She's a good character from a respectable series, and was made in very limited quantities. It was sold for about 10000 yen; now you're lucky to pay three times that amount for pre-owned.

And yes, I'd happily pay that amount, if I can find one. On the other hand, I probably wouldn't buy figure A even if you're giving it away for free.

There's also the fact that at least here in Malaysia, nendoroids and action figures are much more easily purchased and collectable, unlike scales where the average amount spent for each figure is higher, and there's not much store that sells figures that you might want. Also, it's more "socially acceptable" here to collect cute chibi characters than girls in skimpy clothes and suggestive poses.

Having said that.

Got another "lewd" figure to go with my Ishikei Event Girl. Was especially surprised at customs this time around; only 30 minutes after arriving at KLIA, and it's already on its way to Pusat Mel Nasional. Don't mean to jinx myself, but are you really doing your job, customs officers?

This post has been edited by dis0rd3h: Jun 8 2015, 02:20 PM

Ergh.

That's totally not the case. It's from Amiami, and the parcel contains two figures, both 1/6 scales. Value is JPY15000 just for the figure, shipping cost me 3800 yen. With shipping fee that high (EMS, by the way), I'm not expecting a small parcel at all. I even specifically mailed Amiami to inquire if it's possible to declare a lower value, and they refused.

So, yeah. What the heck?

Or customs took out the contents and mailed me an empty box. I'd say there's a very real chance of that happening.

This post has been edited by dis0rd3h: Jun 8 2015, 02:57 PM

I must've been EXTREMELY lucky then, because not only I just received the humongous box I mentioned yesterday, another document parcel containing H-artbook (which I just ordered on a whim, I never expected for it to arrive, much get past customs without difficulty) also arrived for me.

Wouldn't post pics of the book of course, but here's what I got in the Amiami box.

Obviously kinda NSFW:


Very impressed with how simple and elegant Rider's design actually is. Pretty big for a 1/6 too, towers over most figures. Instantly one of my faves, especially considering I got her for cheap.

Ask "will X clear Malaysian customs", you'll receive many different answers and personal experiences. I imported two fairly big NSFW figures in one large EMS shipment, and another document parcel containing adult artbook, both got past customs very quickly. At the same time.

On the other hand, EXKurogane himself had one of his parcels containing one figma opened and inspected. I've also heard that books and DVDs are items that are for-sure labelled for inspection. A friend of mine who attempted to import this book here, despite not having any graphic content, got the parcel seized.

The best you can do is to be as inconspicuous as possible, and try to not import stuff valued over RM500. Luck will also play a huge factor.

My only advise to you is to be prepared yourself to lose hundreds of your hard-earned ringgit should customs decide it's not something you should have. If you don't think you can afford that, I'd advise against importing it.

Pretty nice figure though. Oda Non's one of my favourite artists currently. Slightly tasteless from his usual style though.

EDIT: just noticed I got the first post for three pages in a row. I SWEAR that's not what I aim to do though, lol.

This post has been edited by dis0rd3h: Jun 17 2015, 01:44 PM

Yup. Pay attention to the store page for a specific figure. I'll use Amiami as an example:



Or:



This is their "disclaimer" of sorts. If the figure did not get successfully delivered because it was deported back/seized/destroyed by Malaysian customs because it was deemed "offensive" you won't get reimbursed, because you didn't check first if our country is okay with what you're importing.

Other stores have similar disclaimer. Hobbylink Japan has this:



On the other hand, if it's like what EXKurogane mentioned, as in a perfectly "okay" (at least to Japanese standards) figure got labelled as offensive anyways, you might receive reimbursement from them.