Graham

The plastic used on the VF-19S is much more matte, compared with the gloss plastic of the VF-19 Fire Valk. I prefer the matte finish for the VF-19S, as it is a military fighter. Unfortunately, there is no way to attach the gunpod in fighter mode . This is a shame, as looking at the design of the toy, it would have been very easy for Bandai to add cutouts in the forearms to fit the gunpod grip in fighter mode. Not transformed it to Battroid mode yet. Attached are a few quick pics, together with the Hi-Metal Fire Valk for comparison. Excuse the poor picture quality, as they were taken indoors at night withought a proper lighting setup. Graham

Well written passage on the side of the VF-19S Hi-Metal box (see attached pic). The English on all 3 Hi-Metal boxes so far has been excellent. I wonder who writes them for Bandai? Grahm

Interesting passage from the VF-19S Hi-Metal box. Relevant to this thread. Good English as well. Graham

Can't take it out of the box until the wife falls to sleep, but looking through the box window, I noticed a couple of missing surface details: - 1) The sub-air intakes on the LERX are missing. I'd expected this though, as none of the prototype pics showed them. 2) The triple vernier cluster that the VF-19F/S is supposed to have in lieu of the canards is missing Graham

Just picked up two at 2/F Sino Center for HK$488 each (cheaper than I expected to be honest). Grahm

Looks so nice in the pics. I've wanted a decent Blazer Valk toy almost as long as I've wanted a decent VF-17D toy. Graham

Just found some box pics on Yahoo Japan Auctions. I've been checking every hour and these just came up. Graham

OK David, I get what you mean now. In my wording, I'd say you want the sub-air intake/LERX section to be completely separate from the upper leg/main-intake section. That would only work if the sub-air intake/LERX section also had it's own pivot that it could rotate on, so that it could also move when you moved the upper leg/main-intake section. Otherwise, the LERX would block the thigh from moving if you wanted to do say a kneeling pose. Graham I'll say it again, WOO HOO....a battroid mode entry hatch!!!!!!!! Now the toy better come with a standing Basara figure that you can pose next to the hatch. Graham

Looking very good. The anticipation factor is rising fast. Graham That was never in doubt. Yamato's aim all along with the Fire valk has been to make it as anime accurate as possible, with the emphasis on battroid mode. Graham

Wow, they have the entry hatch opening in Battroid mode! And I still never understand what David means when he says the intakes and hips should be separate? Graham

Burt Reynolds as Green Lantern.....cool. Hope he gets to show off the chest hair! Graham

Don't think I'll see this at the cinema. Will wait until it's on DVD and rent it. Graham

I'll take your advice and check 2/F Sino Center instead then. Graham

No luck in Oriental 188 Center. Checked 3 shops. Two of them just got a restock of the Hi-Metal VF-1J Hikaru, but no sign of the VF-19S yet. May check Ins-Point in Yau Ma Tei after work. Graham

Checked yesterday lunchtime, but not yesterday evening, so don't know. I'll check today in Oriental 188 Center at lunch and then if no luck, I'll look again after work at 6pm. Graham

Think I'm gonna have to pick up the non-FP version. Any HK members seen it anywhere? Graham

Saw the trailer for this when I watched Predators. To be honest, I didn't recognize the actress as Angelina Jolie until somebody told me later. She's either aging badly and/or has lost a lot of weight and/or has had some really bad cosmetic surgery on her face recently. While I was watching the trailer, I remember thinking "who is this really weird looking actress?". Graham

So funny, RT.com selling Revolt(ing)techs. Graham

I don't think those are canards. I think it's just the area around the VF-1's sub-air intakes on the chest plate are painted orange, making them visually stand out more compared with the rest of the red chest plate. Graham

Ditto, there is only Alien and Aliens. Some poor deluded (insane?) souls seem to be suffering from some form of mass-halucination about additional sequels, but they are obviously derranged and should be locked up so they are not a danger to themselves and society I will pass on this set. Still not sold on Bul-Ray and I almost never watch extras (I buy DVDs to watch movies, not a bunch of other mostly boring crap), so an easy pass. Graham

Hmm........not sold on this yet. It looks too 'busy' for my taste. Graham

I wouldn't say they have 'eyes', rather a multitude of different types of cameras and sensors - high-defintion daylight camera, thermal maging camera, Image intensification etc. Graham

How can you not like the VF-19S's head, it's one of the nicest looking that Kawamori has ever designed IMO. Graham

By the look of it, I'm guessing the reissue YF-19 has a slightly lighter color than the original issue. The photos also seem to suggest tighter joints ala the Bird of Prey & Double Nuts recolors (as witnessed by the non-sagging wings in the battroid mode photo and the shoulders that stay angled up). At least that's what I guess. Graham

Ooh........that RVF-171 is soooo sexy!.........I'm in lurve! Graham