UPDATED: Figure Friday Stand-In – Sales!

Ok, so I’ve felt a bit under the weather today/yesterday, and then Nekomagic had decided to get borked, in a manner that I can’t click the posts in order to take those pictures. So there might be a Figure Friday today, or there might be one tomorrow, or a condensed one next week… we’ll see.

In the meantime, I come bearing gifts, and questions, and stuff.

There seem to be several major sales going on, so I’ll be your guide to them:

The first, and the one that seems constrained by time is held by Play-Asia, the sale is %20 off on VISA sales. Most products older than 30 days on the shop fall under the category, but you must pay directly by a VISA card, not through PayPal. Too many items to go over them, especially as there doesn’t seem to be a specific listing for all of them together… so look around. This only applies until the 6th 9th of September.
UPDATE: Took a ridiculous long time (for me) to find it, but here‘s the figure/toys discount list. One day left.
Update 1.5: The promotion had been extended until the 9th of September.

UPDATE 2: Ok, I went through the first 100 figures or so and collected some for you. Many of them are “Double-dip”, they have a discount available to all, and on top of it the 20% off VISA discount, I’ll note it by listing two prices, the first is with VISA, the second without:
Another Hearts Tonami Yuma Maid, $23.92/29.90; Another Hearts Kusakabe Yuki Maid, $35.92/44.90; Kanokon Minamoto Chizuru 1/5, $67.92/84.90; Creators’ Labo #16, Jingai Makyo Ignis, $47.92/59.90; Diformate Al-Azif, $27.92/34.90; Diformate Saber $27.92/34.90; Gurren Lagann phone straps, Kamina, Simon on Gurren, Yoko, $7.92 (only VISA discount); Halo 3 Spartan! $55.92/69.90; Cat Earned Nagi to those who missed her on Hobby Search, $3992/49.90; Kotobukiya X Plamo Tsukuru Custom Pre-Painted PVC Figure: Air, limited availability, but I think it’s stunning, $39.92/49.90; Little Busters Yuiko Kuruga (note, it’s a bit risque), $31.92/39.90; Last: The very cute Moetan, $47.92/59.90.

The second sale is mostly for the USA Citizens, and seems to be a Memorial Weekend sale (please correct me if I’m wrong, so tired).  Anyway, this sale by Toylet doesn’t seem to be limited by time, only by stocks. Note the prices as they are, because due to it being an American shops, customs and shipping mean the “MSRP” is higher than what the figure sells for on Japanese sites, but most sale prices are quite good.
Many of these figures range from “Sold out” to “Long sold out” on Hobby Search.

Some figures that called out to me (this is a pared down list, I begun with more and cut it down as I eyed my pocket most ruefully):
Want: President Japan’s Seena ($45); a nice Ikki Tousen Kanu Unchou ($25); Swimsuit with Shinai Saber ($35); Heart Work Yuna Morikubo.. I love that pose.. ($45).
Really want: Kotokubiya Elwyn, Shining Tears ($30); Saber New Costume, the face is slightly off, especially the cheeks ($30); Megachu! Fauna by Alter, which almost made it to the next category, damn! ($40).
The ones I was going to shell money for: Mabinogi Nao Adventure ($50), Mikuru Asahina Maid version by Alter, the blue dress, not the crazy cafe one ($40); Shigure Asa by Kotokubiya, yes, that pose ($35).

Now, what stopped me from getting the last three was the shipping charges. Shipping Airmail, the cheapest way, would be $35 for Nao alone (and dammit, she’s so gorgeous) and $45 for the other two. That makes me pause, though to be honest, that’s often what one pays on eBay, and still cheaper than what you would pay for them new, even sans cheaping. Wish I knew this sale was coming, say, 3 weeks in advance, and could prepare :P
USA residents should be made happy by the sale though, as shipping internally is ok.

Question: Still, tell me what you think, should I get that amazing Nao? Should I get one of the other figures? If I only chose one figure, which would you argue for?

UPDATE: Now added “Air” to the running, so feel free to revote

  
Mikuru, Nao and Shigure, respectively.
Air:

 

Now, it turns out there’s a third big sale going on, at Otacute. This sale is a bit of a pain to navigate, as the site is so slow to load each page, and even slower with itesm’ pages, as to make snails seem to have consumed jet-fuel. Moreover, you can’t seem to be able to separate the sale items so it’d only show you figures on sale…
I would keep watching this site though. Their starting prices seem cheaper by $10-15 than what HLJ/Hobby Search sell items for (AKA, the MSRP). With the current sale, it’s really lucrative.
I have never heard of the site before, so if you have testimonials, please share. Both good and bad. Cause they might beat Hobby Search with their prices…

Some items (the sale has 254 items, I only went through 100):
Prism Ark: Sister Hell Flooding Version (I knew there had to be a version without the leather bandages being pink!), $47.90; Murata Range PSE Collection 002 ‘Chris‘, this figure’s versions seem to be everywhere, this is the yellow eyed pink/white hair version, $43.90; FREEing’s amazing Aisha Kanu, for about half price, $56.50; Karauchi Annei by Toys Planning, for those wanting a cute and cheap figure, $19.90; SDX Command Gundam, which maybe should be painted/washed by a miniature painter? $27.50.

Finally, a question. I found out that Play-Asia has an affiliate program, and I enrolled in it. That’d give me about %8 of the money you pay for figures you get there through my links (the previous link not-withstanding, the sale link above does). How many of you buy from Play-Asia? Those who do, why do you over other shops, those who don’t, why not?
Also, would it bother you if the “Reserve” link at the end of the figures I list were to be linked to Play-Asia instead of Hobby Search (when possible), which seems by far the most popular choice?