>>8025017>>8025029>>8025048>>8025030I'll add a few things as someone who has bought a few of the kits and has kept an eye on them over time.
First, the cost varies greatly and a part of that is because koto releases these things in relatively small batches and they quickly run out and then get scalped. Even the biggest kits like an Iron Kong, should cost like 130 bucks. Its scalpers who push the prices to insane limits. Most are between 50 and 80. That saber tiger I posted is 50ish bucks There are even ones like the buster tortoise that are in the 30 dollar range. For their original prices, they are perfectly reasonably priced, in my opinion. They're getting reprinted right now, and you can still get plenty of them on 1999 for list price. Gundam planet has them too, for 20ish bucks more. If you want to get one, now is a perfect time.
Second, you have to remember the sheer complexity of what we're talking about here. That saber tiger's head has 33 pieces. The Iron kong has 40. A Perfect Grade (the Gundam Seven Sword) has 25. These things are DENSE too. Its not just snapping two pieces together to make a leg and then putting some detail pieces on it. For that Saber tiger, the body is split into 3 sections, 4 if you count the neck. The chest is a whole ribcage like design built up over layers and then covered in the outer armor. Here's an image of the pieces of it, all laid out, just to get an idea of how much we're talking about. And since that outer layer of armor isn't completely covering the inner frame (like gunpla kits do) you get a real sense of depth or thickness to it.
Finally, and this is a bit of a downside, but they are a kotobukiya kit through and through. They have very high levels of engineering, very good color separation, and very good small details. They are a bit finicky and require some patience, but they are very much worth it in the end. Just keep that in mind.
