Graham

Well, you are in for some good news then. Bandai have already said they will make a Hi-Metal YF-19. IIRC, it was on mentioned on a Bandai blog post on th Tamashii site, or perhaps in a magazine article. I'll try and dig out the relevant post. Personally, I prefer the VF-19S and VF-19F, but I'd definitely buy a Hi-Metal YF-19 as well. Graham

Although I'm sure the Predators as a race have other advanced weapons, armour & technology than what is shown in the movies, I imagine that they are perhaps limited by their honor code or hunting code to only using certain types of weapons and technology on hunts, in order to give their prey a fighting chance. Standing off from a couple of klicks and blasting your enemy with some sort of super-duper, ultimate mega-death ray is hardly sporting now is it? Graham

Just noticed that on the markings pages, both the A type and F/S types have wingtip verniers. Nice to have confirmation of that. Graham

Well, I thoroughly enjoyed watching Predators last night. It's not without it's flaws (more on that below), but it was a fun, enjoyable movie with a nice 'old school' vibe to it. Definitely a worthy successor to the original Predator movie in my opinion. Although of course, nothing tops the original. I'll definitely be picking up the DVD when it comes out. I do feel the movie could have done with a bit bigger budget and perhaps a different director with a bit more experience under his belt. The pacing felt a bit off to me in places. There were also a few plot holes: Would give the movie a solid 7/10. Graham

Sorry, I can't stand football, so I've not watched any of the world cup. I'm more of a rugby fan. To be honest, football bores me to death. I would rather go to the dentist to have teeth pulled without anesthetic, than have to sit through a football match. I'm seeing Predators at the AMC in Pacific Place, which is close to my office. I originally planned to watch it at AMC Festival Walk (closer to my home), but stupid me had a brain-fade and booked the wrong cinema online.....doh! Anyway, less than 4 hours to go before I watch it........yipee! 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