For some Japanese products, many collectors opening their products are viewed as helpful as they are able to take screenshots of mold differences. I know Vio opens his products just to collaborate with other teams and individual collectors. There are plenty of other people who open their packaging, not just Plarail, on YouTube too.
There is also a Japanese discussion in the past that if you don't open the toys, it insults the toy manufacturers.
Yes, I agree.
At least we have the box after all!
Update: Owen has received the James and confirmed that it is still mint in box, he will happily post pictures of it if you want, he's already done so on discord
How exactly does a toy manufacturer express being offended?
Play nice & have fun!!
By releasing regional exclusive items which makes it incredibly difficult for collectors to get them? Just a hunch
I don't think toy companies care whether their toys are opened or not. As long as they're making money they'll be happy. In a collectors eyes then it may seem offensive or a waste if someone doesn't open their toys. In my eyes I don't really care, its the owners choice what they want to do with their new product since they've paid for it
from my perspective, what Zwilling is saying is you have to look at it from as if you are the creator.
Image you created this toy for kids the age of 3 through 10, wouldn't you hope that the toy is played with?
Although we all collect Plarail trains and Thomas trains. At the end of the day the man or woman who designed them wasn't thinking of 18 years olds or 30 year olds or 60 year olds, he was designing it for someone (aged 3+) who will play with it and love it.
I hope that makes sense to people. It is just the way I take it.