Question:
I'd like to find a place in Canada that 1) sells resin garage kits 2) has a
website where I can view them and 3) has a good reputation.
I am just starting out in the hobby and I'd like to get a good start.
Also, I found a link (I think it's U.S.) where they sell Japanese food.
http://store.yahoo.com/animenation/import-snacks.html
Does anyone know of a place that is Canadian based that sells more of
this stuff?
Answer:
I don't know of anyplace here in Canada; the only Japanese model kits
I've seen here were either imported injection-molded kits (mostly mecha)
or illegal bootlegs (aka "recasts") of resin kits. And I won't touch
bootlegs with a ten-foot pole (but I might consider using a hammer)
At any rate, buying imported merchandise from a Canadian or American
retailer is usually more expensive than buying it from Japan and having
it shipped to Canada. Retailers have to pay to get it shipped from
Japan too, and they raise the price to cover their expenses -- plus a
comfortable profit margin.
I just order my anime model kits direct from Japan, specifically HLJ.
They're reliable, the prices are good, and shipping costs are okay.
Some people also like Rainbow Ten, also located in Japan, but their web
catalog is mostly text with few pictures. (When the kit arrives, you
may have to pay the deliveryman GST + PST on the value of the package
plus a $5 handling charge, but it still ends up cheaper than buying
imported merchandise at a local retailer.
