Bandai 1/72 fully transform able VF-1 plastic kit for Macross 30th Ann

[Vi-RS]

Yeah you hear it right, but bandai is so late in the game. I was hoping for a Master Grade back in 15th, but my needs have been filled by Yamato instead.

http://bandai-hobby.net/site/character_macross.html

Edited June 28, 2013 by Vi-RS

[vt102]

Is it new molds and design??? or just a re-release of the old ones???

[neoexcaliber]

It's a transformable model kit, just like the Macross Frontier series they've released so far.

Credits to mecha-guy for the picture.

[Vifam7]

I'm on board just for the fact that it's in 1/72 scale.

Bandai's pre-colored snapfit kit engineering is a blessing for some of us less skilled builders. The VF-1 deserves to have a MG level 1/72 scale kit and hopefully it'll lead to more Valkyrie kits from Bandai.

[Hikuro]

I'd be interested in pictures and go from there. It'll be a bit on the small side in my opinion, my guess less than 6 inches, maybe 5 for a true 1/72.

[Kelsain]

Hmm, maybe I won't have to do a Hasegawa Gerwalk conversion...

[VF5SS]

http://www.macrossworld.com/macross/special/leg11.jpg

this is your chance to make the dream reality, Bandai

deliver onto us leg delivery panels

[wm cheng]

That's going to be tiny!

[Capt Hungry]

It'll be interesting to see the final product. But I feel like "Another VF-1 model?" I see that it will transform and perhaps the mechanisms to perform that will be designed well. But I can't help feel it's like beating the Gundam RX-78 model to death all over again.

Edited October 11, 2012 by Capt Hungry

[Cesar Enrique]

Bandai´s quality and proportions are inferior to Hasegawa. I´m not sure I will buy this.

[David Hingtgen]

While DYRL schemes etc should work well, Max and Milia etc are not going to do well color-wise----they'd require massive amounts of paint and/or decals. (no, don't even think about Bandai doing PG-level color-molding and separation)

[Noyhauser]

I welcome this... for no other reason than people will start dumping their Hasegawa kits and I'll happily buy them up at bargain prices.

Given the "compromises" they incorporated into their VF-25 release, I'll pass on buying one.

Edited October 11, 2012 by Noyhauser

[Vi-RS]

I wonder if it's true that the licence does limit to the form of finished product that Hasegawa only has the licence to do aircraft (which they are the top notch manufacturer), but Bandai has the licence to do transforming mecha?

[lechuck]

I am happy for the fact that we don't have to spend more years with Hasegawa's almost complete ignorance of the other modes anymore.

Can't wait to see what that Battroid will look like.

[Chronocidal]

So did Bandai and Hasegawa make some kind of crazy trade deal so they could tackle each other's Macross product realms? First the Hasegawa VF-25, now this. Hasegawa definitely has made dedicated battroid kits though, so I don't think that was ever a restriction on them.. maybe they just weren't allowed to make transforming kits? Could be they never wanted to try.

I do hope that this kit gets a foot into the door to wedge it open, and they make a lot more of these, because I'd love to see more transforming kits like the VF-25, especially if they decide to tackle the more magical transformations like the YF/VF-19 and YF-21/VF-22. Not to mention all the other valks that have never even been seen as a 1/72 mass production kit, let alone one that transforms.

I'll probably grab one or two of these, just to see what they're like. If they do manage to mold them with the same type of color division as the VF-25 kits, I hope they make a full series of them, since I wouldn't mind building a couple if I don't have to paint them (much).

Honestly, I might not even bother painting them... I just love putting things together, and it's always fun to see how new iterations treat the transformation mechanisms of the VF-1. They won't be easy to paint or anything, and probably just as painful to build as the VF-25 kits, but I'm just interested in seeing how the design works at that scale.

The question is, are they aiming to truly make a replacement for the classic 1/72 Bandai Perfect Variable VF-1 kit line? Or is this just a one-off anniversary thing that'll turn into a collector's item?

[PetarB]

The question is, are they aiming to truly make a replacement for the classic 1/72 Bandai Perfect Variable VF-1 kit line?

'Perfect Variable'???

They were far, far from perfect!!!

I think a new tooling sounds awesome.

[VF5SS]

Bandai's non Gundam model kit lines tend to peter out and die so who knows. Real Robot Revolution got three kits and one retool.

[wm cheng]

Bandai´s quality and proportions are inferior to Hasegawa. I´m not sure I will buy this.

+1 I agree.

[cobywan]

I'm stoked about this. I just made the decision to get most of my display pieces in 1/72nd. I would love to have a modernized version of the old classic.

[War_Taker]

I just start collecting 1/60 Yamato VF-1. Now I only has 1A and armor part coming.

This news make me stop buying more Yamato. Those 1/60 are great but hard to find other accessories.

For 1/72 I can buy 'Pod Regult' from Bandai, 3 types (and more, soon) of 'Destroid unit' from Wave,

Some airplane maintenance crew from Hasegawa.

Hope their price are no more than previously release VF-25.

[vt102]

That's going to be tiny!

Not that tiny..... Their old transformable kits were 1/72nd. And...they did make the Hi-metal toys in 1/100. I want to see them before I completely say no way to buying them. Hasegawa's are nice detail wise.....but I still think the fighters are a bit too skinny.

[anime52k8]

Bandai´s quality and proportions are inferior to Hasegawa. I´m not sure I will buy this.

You know, I think these transformable play-model type kits would be better served being discussed in the toy section rather than the model section. I know they're technically model kits in the sense that you have to build them, but there's clearly not a lot of love for these types of snap kits in the general modeling community, and the main demographic for these is most likely going to be people who want a small and cheap alternatives to Yamato 1/60's and bandai DX's.

[Astralith]

It'll be crazy if they make it over here in the US as Robotech Veritechs in my local hobby store, FYE or comic book shop. My kids will want them (the brats already have the Toynami 1/100 line).

I get envious when I see Gundams at Hobby Town USA.

Edited October 12, 2012 by Astralith

[MechTech]

_{I know the standard here is to sometimes criticise a release before it comes out, but give it a chance. Bandai has done an awesome job with many of ther kits. They know the pressure will be on to get this right. - MT}

[VF5SS]

They've made some huge strides with prebuilt mechanisms molded on parts trees like with Perfect Grade but shrunken down for the Real Grades so most of the intricate stuff may be ready to go off the sprue.

[Firefox]

Bandai VF-25 transformable model looks great. Hopefully it'll be the same for this one. 1/72 VF-1 is indeed small.

[Black Valkyrie]

Very nice, I always wanted a HG VF-1 kit, since Yamato VFs are way too expensive and low QC.

[aceoftherebellion]

They've made some huge strides with prebuilt mechanisms molded on parts trees like with Perfect Grade but shrunken down for the Real Grades so most of the intricate stuff may be ready to go off the sprue.

Honestly, I hope not... I find their prebuilt parts to be a pain in the ass when it comes to painting. It's one of the big reasons I stopped caring as much for their newer kits, honestly... But who knows. I'm pretty excited about the potential here, at least.

[Cameron1138]

I don't really care about this one, but I'd be overjoyed if they'd make other perfect transformation 1/72 kits, like a YF-19, YF-21, YF-29, or VF-171.

[PetarB]

It'll be crazy if they make it over here in the US as Robotech Veritechs in my local hobby store, FYE or comic book shop.

"Robotech Veritechs"!?!?

I don't see that happening...

[David Hingtgen]

They've made some huge strides with prebuilt mechanisms molded on parts trees like with Perfect Grade but shrunken down for the Real Grades so most of the intricate stuff may be ready to go off the sprue.

That kind of defeats the point of buying a kit IMHO. "Here's a 500-piece kit, with all the interesting/fun bits already done"

I'd rather have the armor plates or something already done. The mechanisms are the main appeal.

[nautilus]

That kind of defeats the point of buying a kit IMHO. "Here's a 500-piece kit, with all the interesting/fun bits already done"

I'd rather have the armor plates or something already done. The mechanisms are the main appeal.

However, the market in Japan adores that very idea... Bandai has been slowly working on this since the days of the multi-colour castings that came in with the 0080 Mobile Suits at the beginning of the 90s.

Kits are becoming more like toys and toys more like kits...

[Black Valkyrie]

Kits are becoming more like toys and toys more like kits...

I agree on that, especially with Yamato.

[ahiachris]

Kits are becoming more like toys and toys more like kits...

Look at the price of the new releases... toys or models...they're becoming things for the extremely rich.

[nautilus]

Agreed.... Soon, it will be cheaper to buy the real thing, and considerably more fun (for some).