@MaxGoof:
Y'know, I've been sitting around today trying to puzzle it exactly why MegaHouse has basically given up on doing new characters in the POP line from the current anime, and I can't quite figure it out. Let's look at everything from the timeskip forward:
Fishman Island – Made one new character: Princess Shirahoshi. Shirahoshi sold like crazy and went to multiple printings immediately. New World Straw Hats also sold incredibly with almost all of them getting reissues.
Punk Hazard -- One "sort of new" character released: Trafalgar Law. Punk Hazard Law pre-sold out and went to multiple printings.
Dressrosa -- Limited Cavendish and Bartolomeo sold well and became expensive aftermarket pieces. Dressrosa Law went to multiple printings and even got a second version. Rebecca pre-sold out and inexplicably got no reissue. Fujitora, Bellamy, Sugar, Momonosuke, Soldier and Child Rebecca all sell well and end up having few discounts. No Dressrosa Luffy or Doflamigo released (for some reason). Sabo and Koala look certain to sell well/sell out.
From where I'm standing, I don't see what MegaHouse's problem is with expanding the range of current characters produced. Their only real disasters in recent history are in producing old characters no longer relevant (Leopard Lucci, Arlong, MAX Kid) and movie figures that came out well after the movie and with an incomplete crew.
What do you guys think?
I think the same as you, i didn't get why they made characters like Lucci,Arlong and Kid….Also i found stupid that they didn't made more Punk Hazard characters and Strawhats version, that would have been a hit (i'm thinking of half naked Zoro, Robin in her shirt and mini short, Sanji's in Nami's body,Franky in Chopper's body) they missed a good sale there...
Also they didn't offered the most awaited character in POP size, Baggy is waiting, too long imo....
I don't think Sabo and Koala will sell well, Sabo's hype is slowly dying there, and Koala wasn't really important to get a figure treatment.
As for movie Film Z, they messed up badly by not making the whole crew, it's all because MH focused on making MAS Lucci,Marco,Max Kid, Killer v2)
For the completionist it sure hurts to see only half of it (if i remember there is luffy,zoro,nami,sanji, chopper and Robin) they just don't wanna think too much about the work they would give for Usopp and Franky or Brook who are massive in their size and or outfit.
And now we have an upcoming movie, will MH announce them once we have the final characters drawing? it would be wise to start to sell them before the movie release like they did for strong world if my memory don't fail...
For this arc now we mostly have them stop, Corazon and Law kid would be the last ones, i don't think they will makes a second Doflamingo, because his popularity ain't that high (not anymore?)
But there is still Kaidou to make, even big mom, and honestly i'm still waiting for a Bellemere renewal version, and a dream i have is to have an Olivia POP and a young Rayleigh/Roger/Shanks!
There is still so many options to go with, the only thing i'm scared about is the upcoming limited exclusive release they announced, with their increase in price, those who are not in Japan will have to go through shops that offers exclusive, payment upfront, paying more using some of them....
I hope the next arc would be really serious with awesome characters appearance that gives a fresh air, since their time skip there is something missing in the manga/anime, i can't point it out but i hope they would fix it.