Sweets Prime VS Slaydawg

I do realize that Kendama companies are constantly evolving and influencing one another but do you ever think that companies are flat out trying to copy the latest designs? I feel like Sweets did this with the prime line, which come off to me as a very close alternative to the Slaydawg with a slightly larger base cup. When I first got the Slaydawg I knew right away that other companies were going to put out a similar product and then bam, we have the Prime. Are there any other kendamas out there that are almost exact clones of another ken? Do you think this is a good thing for the kendama community and do you feel like there are any current designs that will become more common place? I personally think that resin based kendamas are going to be the next big thing but I could be wrong here, any thoughts?

 

I feel that it's half good and half bad at the same time. If more companies start to copy others, then that kinda tells me that something good happened, but then I feel that there was also no originality for those that try to take inspiration from bigger companies.

 

That's a good way of looking at it. I suppose if the Slaydawg influenced the industry "srandards," if you will, then that means they did something right. I suppose it doesn't really matter if a company copies another company as long as it allows kendama to progress as a whole. With that said though, what if you created some really cool innovative kendama and then every other company starts copying your design, from an individual standpoint this would kinda suck right? If you spent your resources designing something that others just immediately copy...that is kind of a slap to the face right...or is it a nod of respect?

 

It would probably be a big slap to the face. It's kinda like a game where once you come up with a strategy that is successful most of the time, everyone copies it and doesn't give you any credit for it. I hate that kinda situation SO much.

 

The big slap to the face would be an exact copy of the design. I personally don't see this is as a problem because the design of the Kendama has been boiled down to it's essence that all shape are very similar to each and another.


@lategreat808
In retroperspective of Prime vs Slaydawgs, I see this as a competitive pricing. Not all people can always afford the high end Kendamas.

 

The main similarities between the slaydawg and Prime are the cup sizes. Otherwise they are quite different. They compete as being "playable damas" but I don't think there was as much copying as there is a natural evolution of playable shapes and tweaks.

 

Yeah the shapes are completely different in my view but obviously the cup sizes are very similar.
What are the kaizen 2.0 cups like in comparison as it seems they don't get pulled into this argument often?

Also I think these bigger cups are a bit of a fad thing imo. Not that I don't own either of them.