Any shmup-related Gashapon prizes worth getting in Japan?

[PC Engine Fan X!]

This question is aimed at our international shmuppers in Japan: Any shmup-related Gashapon prizes worth getting in Japan?

The gashapon prizes that I've personally seen in Japan are light years ahead in terms of the highest quality and very detailed workmanship for such Japanese "gumball prize" toy-related items over the American shitty & junky "gumball machine toys"...hence the 200 yen or 300 yen price for just one gashapon prize upon inserting the yen and turning the cool knob...only to open the prize door chute to see what you got. ^_~

I remember passing through this one Japanese arcade with a UFO catcher game (aka "skill crane" game here in the USA) that was giving away "live" lobster at 500 yen per try...the sign said "Please try this game and take home a lobster for only 500 yen. Good Luck!" (I thought that lobster "UFO Catcher" game was pretty cool and that particular game would never see the light of day in the USA ever...) ^_~

--- Sightings of Japanese Gashapon prize machines in the USA! WTF? ---

At my local K-Mart store here in the USA, there are a few American Tomy-branded Gashapon prize machines to oogle at but they cost eight U.S. quarter coins (or $2.00 USD) to get a single USA Gashapon prize -- and yes, they're of higher quality than your standard average USA gumball machine prize, of course...the USA Tomy Gashapon prizes change every so often, it's cool to see what comes next..... ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[PC Engine Fan X!]

I do know that NCSX, Inc., from time to time, does sell complete Japanese Gashapon prize sets (albeit at expensive prices though)...

I do recall there was a time when one could get a complete collection of Sega arcade cabinet gashapon prize set courtesy of NCSX themselves...is that bitchin' cool or what? ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[PC Engine Fan X!]

As for trying to get a complete particular Gashapon collection, it can take lots of yen and some good ol' fashioned luck. May 'Lady Luck' be with you...

As for the odds, lots of it will be multiples of the same item will be a definite given. It is only when finally the very last gashapon prize item that one needs to complete his or her collection, is the job finally finished -- then it's off to find another collection to start off anew in hopes of completing it before the next new wave of prize collections are filled in..... ^_~

Have you tried a gashapon prize machine today? ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[iatneH]

I do recall there was a time when one could get a complete collection of Sega arcade cabinet gashapon prize set courtesy of NCSX themselves...

I think play-asia still has these for sale individually, the "boku no game centre", you can assemble a set yourself in your order. I got the vertical Astro City a while ago. I never got around to printing a new screenshot to put inside though, so it's still the same Gain Ground shot.

I'm not big on gashapon stuff... one time I came across a HKD$5 (around 100 yen?) machine of Capcom classics, it had stuff like Senjou no ookami, 1942, and Exed Exes. I was hoping to get the 1942 but ended up with Makaimura.

Might as well just go to any figurine store and buy a complete set (I was in HK at the time, those stores are all over the place.. if the price isn't right, just go to the store upstairs and bargain...).

edit: nevermind, out of stock at play-asia. Good thing I got mine...