I am more impressed with Japan's other mauve roses, which tend to look very ghost-like and romantic, than I am with this rose. It looks so harsh and ... "eh."

Personally I'd be interested to see what breeders could do with it, there's potential there to get far bluer than possible currently.

On the flip side though, given they know a large part of the issue is PH you'd think they'd do a bunch of testing to see if there are cultivars with a more appropriate PH and then either try the procedure again or cross with it rather than just leave it at a point that's already been achieved (or beaten). It's lack of marketting makes me suspicious though.

Breed Sci. 2018 Jan; 68(1): 79–87.
Published online 2018 Feb 17.
Recent advances in the research and development of blue flowers
Naonobu Noda*

"... the research group of Suntory and Florigene developed blue roses by genetic engineering (Katsumoto et al. 2007). Roses that have petals with a high flavonol content and relatively high pH—traits that are considered to be suitable for blue color development—were selected for gene introduction. Among various F3′5′H genes, the pansy F3′5′H gene was found to be effective for producing delphinidin-based anthocyanins in roses. In addition, a Torenia gene encoding anthocyanin 5-aromatic acyltransferase was introduced with pansy F3′5′H, which enabled acylation of anthocyanin with an aromatic organic acid, and the world’s first blue rose, Suntory blue rose Applause was created."

Maybe it is more impressive in person. Otherwise, I think I'd prefer to work with cultivars that are not patented inside as well as out.

I’m beginning to believe that one can make a tidy side hustle with discontinued Austin roses. Same story with Jude the Obscure.

It’s only overpriced if you can’t find willing buyers…