Yesterday (Sunday), E had to attend a wedding dinner, meaning my evening was free. After sending her to the wedding dinner venue, I went down to YMT with a friend that collects Lego. He was there for Lego, I was just doing my usual walk-around the toy shops.
Imagine my surprise when I saw these at a shop....
Admittedly, these are pretty non-descript and not many collectors would bat an eyelid. These are the Takara SCF Act 6 chase figures - Dirge and Galvatron in metallic colours.
Chase figures are randomly packed into SCF boxes which contained 6 regular coloured figures and 6 completely pewter coloured counterparts. SCF Act 6 consists of (1) Convoy with Megatron in gun mode, (2) Rodimus Convoy of green visor, (3) Ratchet, (4) Ramjet, (5) Thrust and (6) Soundblaster and then pewter versions of these 6 figures.
All figures are blind packed in identical boxes and the only way one can be 100% sure that one gets a complete wave is to buy a MISB box of 12 figures.
In a ratio of about 1 in 10 boxes of 12 figures each, there would be 1 chase figure substituted in place of any of the above 12 figures, again blind packed so you would not know whether your box contains chase figures unless you open the box for each individual figure.
To cut a long story short, chase figures are hard to come by, even back in the day.
Of the 2 SCF Act 6 chase figures, I couldn't care less about Galvatron in metallic colours, since Galvatron in regular colours were released in an earlier Act.
Dirge on the other hand is a completely different story. He is essential to complete the trio of 1985 coneheads and Takara went and made the guy a chase figure, perhaps like how Dirge was a mail-away special in Japan back in the 80s.
Dirge is needed
Back in 2002, tried as I might, I just could not find a SCF Dirge. They were completely unavailable and even if available could go up to US$200 in open bidding. It was exasperating. Mercifully, Hasbro released Dirge as part of their "Heroes of Cybertron" line in 2003 and I was able to 'plug the gap'.
It was not perfect though, because the HOC Dirge has a very rounded instead of pointy head and was red transparent plastic painted over with thick paint. It was quite unsightly, but a compromise.
This is why I was completely blown away when I stumbled onto these yesterday, for less than a fraction of what just Dirge alone would have cost back in 2002, even if he could be found.
Compare the below with sharp conehead with the Hasbro HOC version here.
I am so happy to after a full 10 years, just stumble onto a piece as rare as the SCF Act 6 chase figure Dirge. You know, even Shmax does not have the correct photo of this guy under their SCF listing (the photo is wrongly the HOC Dirge).
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Here are my other SCFs, which I think are very awesome!
Random on my table back in 2002.
In my display cabinet, also back in 2002.
Seekers vs Optimus Prime (2004). Now the real Dirge can stand up!
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