I think the Akiba Catcher is fun, but with the time delay of the machine, you have to time it really well.
It's also very rare to get something on the first/second/third try because UFO/crane games are profitable for a reason, that's why there are so many in Japan. I went to over 50+ arcades in Japan and won over 90+ prizes, so I can safely say I've experience with the machines (but not a pro... yet). So going to Japan and playing these games in real life are probably better since there's no delay with the camera. I only play the Akiba Catcher if I have extra TOM points or want to just try your skills for fun, since otherwise it might not be too worth it.