Graham

No, just tried. The gunpod angle is controlled by the forearms. Graham

Do they have the shoulder pins that are smooth on both ends? Graham

Just noticed something else. In fighter mode, when viewed side on, the gunpod is not parallel to the bottom of the fighter. The muzzle is angled up, so the muzzle is nearly pointing at the plane's nose. Looks weird. Graham

The only loose areas on mine are the knee swivel joints (a bit loose) and the gunpod fist to gunpod connection (very loose). Everything else is nice and tight. My biggest QC complaint is the glued on intake cover. I've spent a long time trying to pry this off, first with my fingernail, then with a nail file and then with a pocket knife and it is not budging. And I've said it before, but the rear of the missiles painted red, really, really bugs me. Thinking of using some thinner to try and remove the paint. Graham

The fighter definitely, just sits on top of the landing gear. The landing gear plug into the display base. So basically, it's a sort of cradle arrangement. Unfortunately, I've seen no news or pics indicating the gunpod can attach in fighter mode. Bandai may pull a last minute surprize, but I kind of doubt it. Graham

Ha! it opens here a day before the US! Tomorrow is gonna be fun............beer and good food, followed by Predators! Can't wait. Graham

Anybody got the firm release date for this. I'm guessing 25th July? Definitely buying 2, one to keep in fighter mode, the other 2 keep in battroid. Hope we get news about the VF-19F soon as well. I want to complete Emerald Force. Graham

I'm one of those people that has never been bothered by the neck on the V2. In fact, until it was pointed out on this forum, I never even noticed. Frankly speaking, the way the pilot sits really far forward in the V2's cockpit bothers me much more. Shoulder hinge issues aside, I still think the V2 is the best toy of the VF-1 so far. The Hi-Metal is good for its size. but the QC issues on mine were a turn off. Graham

Didn't he also compose Chariots of Fire and the Blade Runner soundtrack? :-P Graham

Got my ticket booked for the 8pm show this Thursday July 8th. Really looking forward to seeing this. Anticipation, is very high. Hope it's as enjoyable as A-Team was. Graham

Caught the cartoon on TV a couple of times with my six year old son. We both thought it was pretty boring, just another bland, generic toon. I personally thought the voice acting was dire as well. Absolutely zero interest to see a movie version. Predators this Thursday all the way! Graham

Decided to pick up one today. Wasn't planning to originally, as I have no desire for yet another VF-1 toy, but wanted to check out the design and engineering that Bandai put into this. Here's some initial comments, based on the 30 minutes I've spent with the toy so far: Pros Excellent articulation for the size, very poseable. Overall, very good scuplt. Nice detailing for the size and has overall balanced proportions in all 3 modes. Not quite as good a sculpt as a Yamato V2, 1/60 IMO, but certainly a nicer looking and more accurate sculpt than a Toynami 1/100 & MPC, Takatoku 1/100 or 1/55, Bandai 1/72 HCM or Yamato V1 1/60. Following on from the the 1st Hi-Metal, the VF-19Kai, the VF-1J retains the same excellent box design. Very attractive looking box. Yamato could learn a thing or two here from Bandai, as far as boxes go. Simple and easy to transform. I like Bandai's design for the arm sliders. Cons I really don't like the way the rear of the missiles are painted all red. I know this is a toy, but the missiles painted this way just look too toy-like. The right closed intake was glued tight in place on mine and could not be removed, even after 5 minutes of prying away with a nail file, which ended with me stabbing myself in the thumb and bleeding all over the toy! I found the rear closed landing gear doors a bit tricky to pry off. As you are prying from the top of the doors, the doors bend somewhat when removing them and I was worried about stressing the plastic. I don't like that the gunpod has a removeable handle. I found that the fists that have a built in gunpod handle don't really attach very securely to the gunpod (connection is too loose) and I've already had the gunpod fall off twice in battroid and fly across the room once when handling and transforming the toy. Not too keen on the feet. A bit small looking and don't like the metallic finish. Also, the front half of the foot has come off twice now when I've been pulling on the feet to extend them for battroid mode. The above-knee swivel joints on mine were quite loose. I would have liked to see these a bit tighter. Plastic looks cheap, especially when compared with the Hi-Metal Fire Valk, but it's actually good quality plastic. Overall, a good effort for the size, but not terribly exciting, to me at least. I doubt I will pick up anymore Hi-Metal VF-1 variations. Well, maybe a VF-1S Hikaru Strike Valk if they make one, as I'm a sucker for Hikaru's DYRL rides. Personally speaking, I'm far more excited about the upcoming Hi-Metal VF-19S. Although, based on Bandai's engineering for the VF-1, I must say, I'd be interested to see what they could do with the VF-0A/D/S. Graham

I love the Max VF-22S, it's one of my favorite Yamatos. Call me crazy, but I think the Macross 7 Valks (excluding sound Force) are the best looking VFs that Kawamori has ever designed. Graham

Eh, what red Super VF-1? What trailer? Links? Graham

Saw it in Tai Po yesterday for HK$420. Considered getting it for a moment, but decided to pass. Saving my money for the 19S instead. Graham

Yep, for the 171 variants rear row (from left to right) should be Luca's RVF-171EX and then a VF-171EX (likely either standard w/grey stripe or Alto w/red stripe). Second row from back should be a VF-171EX (either standard w/grey stripe or Alto w/red stripe), then RVF-171 & VF-171. Front row should be Alto's VF-171EX with the extra armor (additional chest and leg armor). Graham

So happy to see the VF-171 variations. But yes, many others look to be carry overs from set 3 1) VF-25F with Tornado Pack with Space Parts. 2) VF-25S with Armor Pack. 3) VF-27 with Super Fold Booster. 4) RFV-25 with Super Packs. 5) VF-25S with Super parts (possibly, although the VF looks white in the pic not grey). 6) The VF-1 could also be a carry over. So I also hope these are just placeholders. I was hopeing for a Max & Milia VF-22S and some VF-17 and VF-11 love in set 4. Anyway, I will be buying as many VF-171 as I can get my hands on. Graham Grahm

From your pics, it looks like it may be more a case of it not being transformed all the way than being a lemon. The intakes should click into place under the chest in fighter mode. Looks like you haven't done that yet. The hinged panels around the head do come off sometimes, regardless of version. Graham

Very interesting, but not at all what I expected. Always thought the SPP-8 would be a conventional micro-missile pod. Graham

Just to clarify, you mean the wing actually falls off without the blu-tac? Or does the wing just flop around when you pick up the toy? Graham

Glad to see they kept the VF-1J in scale with the Fire Valk. That said, the VF-1J is gonna be a pretty small toy. And the VF-19 Hi-Metal rocks! Just wonder why they left of the head lasers and head fin in the photo. Graham

Saying something is 'discontinued', implies that it was in constant production. Macross and other niche toys usually do not sell enough that they are in constant production. Usually with Macross toys, the production run size is relatively small, say for example around 15,000 to 25,000pcs or sets (sometimes even as low as 5,000pcs), which only takes the factory a short time to produce (a few weeks). So technically, by the time the toys reach the retail store or eStore, the production has already stopped. Some people have this misconception, that the production line runs 24/7, all day every day, churning out a neverending stream of toys. This is not the case. If a first production run sells well and the manufacturer gets enough requests from their distributors and wholesalers, they may commission a second production run. It seems like possibly series 2 of the Macross Fighter Collection did not sell quite as well as series 1 and 3 as at least here in Hong Kong, I see more loose series 2 figures than series 1 or 3. Graham

How well do the missiles attach to the wings? Do they stay on securely, or fall off at the slightest touch? Can we have a photo in battroid standing next to the Hi-Metal VF-19? Graham

Still not getting excited about this at all. If we didn’t already have two excellent representations of the VF-1 from Yamato (1/48 & V2 1/60), maybe I could muster more enthusiasm. But as it is, there’s nothing I see here that makes we want to buy yet another VF-1 in yet another scale. On the other hand I can’t wait to buy the Hi-Metal VF-19S, as it’s one of my favorite VFs that has never had a decent toy made of it before (sorry, the old 1/65 doesn’t count as decent in my book). Hi-Metals of VFs that have never previously had a good toy representation, I will buy. Hi-Metals of VFs that already have excellent toy of them made, I will likely pass. I wonder how many people feel the same. Graham

Saw the A-Team movie with friends last night. Thoroughly enjoyed it. If you grew up in the 80s watching the A-Team TV series, you have to see this movie. The action and stunts are totally over the top and unrealistic, but hey, it’s the A-Team! Don’t expect high art, as long as you go in expecting a fun, action filled romp, that doesn’t take itself seriously, you will be in for a great time. Lots of great laugh out loud moments as well. There’s wonderful chemistry between the 4 leads and both Liam Neeson and Sharlto Copley are absolutely fantastic in their respective roles as Col. Hannibal Smith and Murdock. I didn’t think this would be a movie that girls would enjoy, but there were a couple of local Chinese OLs in the seats next to me that were laughing out loud at all the funny bits. Graham