Ask a question, get an answer! #2

I never wrote that the products were not real.
(Oct. 12, 2011  6:15 PM)Kai-V Wrote: I never wrote that the products were not real.

You did not, but you implied there was something shady about the actual business dealing, which there isn't. You deliberately put a negative spin on a legitimate business venture that benefits everyone - a spin, no less, that was a logical impossibility.

I take serious issue with that.

Quote:For TAKARA-TOMY, the only official and approved release is Vulcan Horuseus as part of the PSP game, nothing else.

This is incorrect. I have corrected it. Now, this issue is concluded.

If "Officiality" means "there was a story about it in this toy book or maybe a commercial", then the "official" part of this is technically not untrue. However, approval was mandatory for them to leave the factory no matter what spin you put on it, and that is an absolute fact.
(Oct. 12, 2011  6:15 PM)Kai-V Wrote: I never wrote that the products were not real.

Excellent. Then I'm keeping my avatar. Smile

Perhaps I could ask a related question that might flow the Q&A in a slightly different direction: Do we think that the "Rapidity" brand is constituted of otherwise legitimate overruns? Or are these a case of actual counterfeits that are being produced by a separate manufacturer who either A) "borrowed" and copied a mold, or B) created a recasting of a mold from a finished product?

I have not purchased a rapidity knock off nor would I advise it (for all the obvious and somewhat distasteful reasons), but I do wonder as from the pictures they appear to be extremely close to the genuine article. I also have some concern for our tournament scene since more and more of these things are turning up on eBay, and well-intentioned but unknowing parents are I'm sure introducing these things into our community...
(Oct. 12, 2011  6:23 PM)Arupaeo Wrote: Perhaps I could ask a related question that might flow the Q&A in a slightly different direction: Do we think that the "Rapidity" brand is constituted of otherwise legitimate overruns? Or are these a case of actual counterfeits that are being produced by a separate manufacturer who either A) "borrowed" and copied a mold, or B) created a recasting of a mold from a finished product?

I have not purchased a rapidity knock off nor would I advise it (for all the obvious and somewhat distasteful reasons), but I do wonder as from the pictures they appear to be extremely close to the genuine article. I also have some concern for our tournament scene since more and more of these things are turning up on eBay, and well-intentioned but unknowing parents are I'm sure introducing these things into our community...

Those are definitely unauthorised copies. Apparently Chinese companies do it so much that barely anyone respects the copyright laws there (before I get flamed for that as well, this is what Brad and several other people posted before).
(Oct. 12, 2011  6:23 PM)Arupaeo Wrote:
(Oct. 12, 2011  6:15 PM)Kai-V Wrote: I never wrote that the products were not real.

Excellent. Then I'm keeping my avatar. Smile

Perhaps I could ask a related question that might flow the Q&A in a slightly different direction: Do we think that the "Rapidity" brand is constituted of otherwise legitimate overruns? Or are these a case of actual counterfeits that are being produced by a separate manufacturer who either A) "borrowed" and copied a mold, or B) created a recasting of a mold from a finished product?

I have not purchased a rapidity knock off nor would I advise it (for all the obvious and somewhat distasteful reasons), but I do wonder as from the pictures they appear to be extremely close to the genuine article. I also have some concern for our tournament scene since more and more of these things are turning up on eBay, and well-intentioned but unknowing parents are I'm sure introducing these things into our community...

I cannot speak for Rapidity, but what I am aware of is TT Hongli's methods, which basically consisted of some "replicated" molds, but mostly new molds they made themselves(which are what led to product inconsistencies with their Takara/Hasbro counterparts). TT Hongli also dealt a lot with PlaMo, and were inevitably shut down because they stepped on Bandai's toes, as I recall, for making their own molds and marketing them as authentic. I may have gotten them confused with another bootlegger, though. EDIT: No, I confirmed it. TT Hongli did, in fact, muscle in on Bandai's Gundam Plamo industry, making poor copies of them, and they got nailed for it.

Rapidity Beyblades are actually very easy to tell apart upon close inspection - they use a different plastic mixture that is both five times as brittle, and often prone to discoloration or simply being dyed wrong to begin with. Their metallurgy skills also need a considerable amount of work, judging by the massive number of break reports I've seen on their MWs.

Regardless, if it isn't TT/Hasbro/Sono Kong, it's not legitimate, and there's about an 80% chance it's from a self-made mold, and a 100% chance the materials utilized in it are NOWHERE UP TO PAR.

(Oct. 12, 2011  6:32 PM)Kai-V Wrote: Those are definitely unauthorised copies. Apparently Chinese companies do it so much that barely anyone respects the copyright laws there (before I get flamed for that as well, this is what Brad and several other people posted before).

It's not just that chinese copyright laws are ignored, but also that they're not as strict to begin with. However, typically, if they step on the toes of the bigger brands(usually by slapping a misleading label on there), they will often get nailed for it.
I was wondering the same thing about Rapid-CARPY (heh heh ya get it??) and GG. I bought a Nightmare Rex ONLY TO SEE HOW CRAPPY it would be. The color of the plastic parts is off and in many cases are incorrect components. I was going to do a side by side video with the Rapid vs the Takara.

The fake wasn't finished well enough. There was excess metal at almost every part of where the two mold halves meet (the seam, if you will), I fixed it with small file but you can tell they are different, but only slightly. The painted partion on the ring was not like issue, it came with a different colored track and the wrong tip (both were not the right color. They made up for this of course, by including a nice cheap quality metal tip. real ugly. The whole thing is metal, not just tipped in metal like Burn Phoenix
(Oct. 12, 2011  6:32 PM)Kai-V Wrote: Those are definitely unauthorised copies. Apparently Chinese companies do it so much that barely anyone respects the copyright laws there (before I get flamed for that as well, this is what Brad and several other people posted before).
Thanks Kai-V.

I have some first and second hand experience with Chinese intellectual property disputes.

The first hand experiences came while I was consulting with a Chinese firm in Beijing. This firm was clearly violating an American firm's IP with one of the consumer electronics products that they were manufacturing for the Chinese and Singaporean markets. From the consumer side, one needs only go into the "Silk Market" and walk into (well, get dragged into) any of the hundreds of vendor stalls selling clearly counterfeit goods openly in a huge shopping center in the middle of the capitol of China.

The second hand experience is best highlighted by a lecture I attended 2 years ago where a former American tire manufacturer talked about opening their plant in China. The former CEO described in detail how they bought 1 custom-designed tire making machine from a Dutch industrial design firm and then had a bidding war break out when they contacted Chinese design firms to get estimates for how much it would cost to copy the original design. The 3 counterfeit machines he ended up buying (combined) cost less than half than the 1 genuine machine he bought up front. We all left that lecture feeling a little dirty and uncomfortable...

And thank you Hazel and (KillerSpinner's Dad?) for your posts as well.
(Oct. 12, 2011  6:45 PM)Arupaeo Wrote: And thank you Hazel and (KillerSpinner's Dad?) for your posts as well.
Yes. You are correct. I work evenings so some day time and late evening typing is the norm. The ACTUAL KillerSpinner is still only 7 and I'm not real comfortable letting him do the message board thing yet.

That whole story about the three copied machines made me want to cry. Where the hell are we headed??? ooooooof!

Let's change the subject:

What is coming out in 2012??? LOL

No....seriously!! LOL

Absolutely nothing is confirmed after BB-121.
In what mode is LLD better in? Upper, or barrage?
(Oct. 13, 2011  12:50 AM)DFB3636 Wrote: In what mode is LLD better in? Upper, or barrage?

Apparently Upper Mode. The other mode is called Multi-Hit Mode.
Out of these performance tips: MS, S, WD, and BS
which is the best choice for this combo
Earth Leone GB145?
WD for sure. Read the first topic in the "advaced Forum".
(Oct. 13, 2011  6:22 AM)bladerjosh1994 Wrote: Out of these performance tips: MS, S, WD, and BS
which is the best choice for this combo
Earth Leone GB145?

This belongs in the "Build Me a Combo" thread in the Customizations forum.
Which Gabriel? If its about White Gabriel G, then like any other EG base, it is OK. Its a first clutch base, I guess. Its really useless, you know.
what is round robin and block round robin and when should i switch to the other one?
Well, you've asked the question in the wrong thread! This thread is for Beyblade related questions only. Take care from next time. Smile
You should have read this- http://worldbeyblade.org/eventguide.pdf
k thanks for telling me.
with torch/flame pegasus, there are two extra bit chips with bumps on them, what are they for?
Hey, I dimly remember a series of beyblades-plastic ones- that were dual colored. The only one I can really recall is a Wolborg that was half pink, half purple. I've wanted to get one of these beyblades for years; anyone know what series it was from?

EDIT: I have discovered that the line was called Hyperblades, and have set up a buy thread about them.
(Oct. 13, 2011  6:23 PM)kap1357 Wrote: with torch/flame pegasus, there are two extra bit chips with bumps on them, what are they for?

The electronic launchers had bit chip readers that worked off of those and unlocked beys in a little minigame.

(Oct. 13, 2011  8:45 PM)Nwolf Wrote: actually its to do tricks with.

how do you do them then?