Graham

Those new screenshots look amazing, especially the VF-2SS @ VF-0 W/FPs. Can't wait to get this.

Actually, the Armored is quite fun to zoom around in fighter mode, as it is less floppy than the standard unarmored version. Another point is that the 4 main thrusters are on ball joints, so can be individually posed. The 2 ball turret beam guns are also on ball joints, so have quite a good range of motion.

I love Macross 7. I actually prefer it to SDFM TV. Gamlin and Mylene rule! I will buy any and every VF toy produced. Roll on the VF-17D/S, VF-11C, VF-11C Full Armoured, VF-22S Max & Millia, VF-19F/S, VF-19Kai. So many cool VFs in that series. Graham

Picked up the VF-25F Armored last night for HK$388 and transformed it once from battroid mode to fighter mode. Here's some initial comments: - As suspected the open & closed missile hatches are separate swappable parts. The toy comes with a small display stand with adaptors for all three modes. Finish is nice. The toy, being very back-heavy and having very loose hip and waist joints has trouble standing by itself in battroid mode. The stand in battroid mode can have the toys displayed with the feet not touching the ground, however, even then it cannot hold a spread leg 'A' stance, due to the looseness of the hip joints and the weight of the lower legs, which cause the legs to swing back to center position. The little flaps on the shoulder missile pods, that fold upwards for fighter mode can get knocked off quite easily during transformation. The radar only turns 90 degress one way and 90 degrees back the same way, it does not rotate. It is really tight to turn. I was scared I was going to break it. There are no extra looking pegs, but despite this, the toy holds together pretty tightly in fighter mode and is not really floppy, this is probably helped by the weight of the Armoured packs. Getting the head lasers on in fighter mode was a real pain in the ass and then they partially get in the way of attaching the shoulder missile pods. The head lasers in fighter mode can also get knocked out and lost quite easily, so be careful. My opinion so far, is that it is a nice looking display piece in fighter mode. Battroid mode is a bit too floppy although I do need to spend more time experimenting in that mode. Overall a bit too fiddly and not really a 'play' toy. Graham

How much is it selliing for? And are the missile hatches on hinges or separate swappable parts for open & closed?

Nah, for me it's about playing mecha I like, not about maxiing out stats on every mecha & character, just my favorites.

Hmm........that's surprising that they didn't have a booth. Graham

Are you pulling the feet all the way down for battroid mode? Yes, the little shoulder flaps pop off easily, but they pop on again just as easily. Graham

I lost interest in the VF-1 for a very long time. However, the new 'Variable Fighter Master Files VF-1 Valkyrie' book has got me back into the VF-1 again. That and the new Yamato 1/60 V2 VF-1J Cannon Fodder toy. Graham

Yeah, the ACE series is great. I never have Gundams as my wingmen. Macross all the way! Graham

I'll pass thanks. I'm really not a fan of the Gundam franchise. Can't stand the design aesthetics of most Mobile Suits and dislike the science and technology, world backgroound, characters.....well, you can say I pretty much dislike everything about Gundam. Used to like Gundam Sentinel, but I've even gone off that now. Graham

I remember buying the wonderswan Macross game, but I really can't remember if I actually bought a Wonderswan for it, as I don't remember ever actually playing the game. Oh, I also have loads of other games for my consoles, but the Macross games were what got me to buy them first of all. Besides Macross, the games I play the most are the Ace Combat Series. I also used to be heavily into Armored Core on The Playstation, but for some reason never got into it on the PS2. Graham

Heh, I'm the same. Pretty much all my game systems, with the exception of the Sega MegaDrive have been bought to play Macross Games, let's see: - Bought my Nintendo Super Famicom to play Scrambled Valkyrie. Bought My Sony Playstation to play VFX. Luckily, VF-X2, DYRL & MPGE were also released. Bought my Sega Saturn to play M3. Bought a Nintendo Gameboy to play the M7 game (what a waste of money). Bought my Sony PS2 to play the Macross Game. Bought my Sony PSP to play MAF. Graham

Time to dig out MAF and start playing again to get back in shape in time for MUF. Just checked and I've only logged 56 hours so far on MAF. Time to finally take a bash at the SDFM capaign I guess. Graham

1) Change director - get rid of Bay. 2) Zoom out for the fight scenes. 3) Redesign the Transformers so they more closely resemble the G1 designs. 4) Less screen time for the humans, more screen time for the robots. 5) Redesign Optimus Prime's face under mouth-shield, so that he doesn't look like a toothless old man. Or better yet, don't have any scenes where the mouth-shield opens. Graham

Nice new pics, but it definitely lookss like they forgot to sculpt in the small vents that go on the sides of the leg missile boxes. Graham

All VF-25 are capable of having a second seat fitted. Graham

A question for those in the know. My son really likes the Transformers G1 cartoon (I bought him a DVD set) and has been asking for a Ratchet or Ironhide toy. Have there ever been any decent toys of Ratchet or Ironhide made where the bot mode actually resembles the cartoon? The only toys I have seen are the 2007(?) reissues of the original G1 toys, which frankly have bot modes that look like ass and nothing like the cartoon. Graham

Not referring to the product, but rather the product name. I can think of a few countries where grown men ordring a product called "Half Age Girl" might bring you to the attention of the local constabulary! Graham

Given that a) Kawamori named the VF-22 after a German WWII plane, the 'Me 262A-2a Sturmvogel' and b) 'Sea Swallow' is a really wussy sounding name for a plane and 'Storm Petrel' is only slightly better, then no I don't think we should be changing the accepted English name of the VF-22, just beacuse the Chronicle editors likely screwed up. Graham

Very nice custom work. Looks great. Would definitely buy one if Bandai made it. Graham

My German friend confirmed tht Sturmvogel does indeed translate as Stormbird.

Accepted that OTM materials are going to be much stronger, but still, if the 'bar' is moveable, the two pivot pooints are going to be pretty small. Graham

I find the CG art of the various 'Circle-Bar' verniers interesting. Although given the apparent thinness of the 'bar' section and the fact that it is shown being able to pivot (presumably to vector thrust to some degree), I now question the validity of the previously held assumption that these also double as 'Hook/handles' for lifting the Valk or as for use as chain down points. Graham

Just as a counter view to Kresphy's post. I may be wrong, but I haven't seen anywhere that the VF-25F bundled with baby-blue FPs are being advertised as the "Movie Version", unless the linked GA article states that. AFAIK, they are only being advertised so far as "Renewal Version", which may or may not be the version we will see in the movie. Graham