Graham

The big pods are not fuel tanks, they are 'HAIM-95A medium-range maneuverability missile launcher pods'. The smaller beige pods are 'GH-28A 8-tube general-purpose micro missile pods'. Graham

On the subject of people who are opposite to cultural sterotypes, I recently met a Frenchman who hates cheese and wine. Graham

Discovered that the first time I transformed the toy. Graham

Good catch. Tried it last night and it works perfectly. Graham

I hope the SMS letters on the display stand base will be painted yellow on the production release.. Graham

I guess not many people are voting yet, as only a small handful of us have the toy so far. I imagine many people prefer to wait until they have hands-on experience with the toy before they vote. Graham

Yep, that's correct. All the toys that have made it in to HK so far have come by air from Japan. Beacuse of the licencing issue, Bandai HK will not be officially releasing these toys in HK. Sea shipments from Japan will hopefully arrive in the next week or two. Graham

It will be interesting to see which way Bandai goes with the Macross Quarter toy. Will they go the less accurate and chunky (but more durable) route that they took with the VF-25DX, i.e. a Takatoku for the 21st Century. Or, will they go the more detailed and accurate (but possibly less durable) route and make something similar to Wave's WHAM SDF-1 toy. Personally, I'd prefer the latter. Graham

Prices seem to be creeping up here in Hong Kong. Still not many shops have them yet, but those that do are selling them more expensive daily. Found both the VF-25F & VF-25S in Toymania (1/F, 188 Oriental Center, Wanchai Road). The store owner, Kit, was selling them as a set for HK$2,400 (approx US$309.68). Toymania is always overprice compared with other stores. Today, the hobby shop in Cross Lane in Wanchai had the VF-25F Alto for HK$1,080 (approx. US$139.35), but no Ozma. This is the opposite of Yesterday, when they had Ozma, but not Alto. Haven't been over to check the shops in Causeway Bay or Mong Kok districts yet. Graham

Depends on how many beers they've had. Graham

Pretty sure it's not the case that it was local HK actors. Having lived in HK for 21 years I can safely say I can recognize a HK-English accent. The voices on Clash of the Bionoids sounds nothing like a HK-English accent. More likely it was expat British/Australian actors living in HK at the time. Despite being a British coloney for many years, and English being taught as a second language, the education system here did not and does not churn out students that speak with British or Australian accents......LOL! The only way a local HK Chinese national is going to pick up a UK or Australian accent is if they go to live/study overseas for several years. Haven't watched my Kiseki Clash VHS tape for a few years, but is the voice talent not credited at the end? Graham

Hoping Bandai release Ranka and Sheryl "All That VF" versions of the toys and that they are not Tamashi webstore exclusives. Graham

Actually, looking at that photo of the GN-U VF-1, I'm not really thrilled by the sculpt. Probably will pass. Sick of the VF-1 anyway. Graham

From what I've seen so far and admittedly I've only seem them in 2 shops, that seems to be about the going rate here in HK at the moment. Graham

No, I've never lived in Japan, only visited there a few times. MWers Save, Sketchley and Renato live in Japan. I live in Hong Kong. I bought my VF-25F and VF-25S DX in Tai Po in the New Territories in a toy shop in Tai Po Plaza in New Tai Po (sorry, can't remember the shop's name). I also saw the VF-25S Ozma DX in a toy store located in Cross Lane in Wanchai on HK Island yesterday. Graham

Yeah, I'd buy planes that transformed into breasts. But what should they be made of? ABS, diecast, PVC, POM............silicon? Graham

Same here, I really hope the VF-171 is the next VF after they get done with the VF-25. Graham

I'm quite happy with anything between 32A to 34B. Anything else is just too big for my taste. Now what were we supposed to be talking about again? Graham

The acronym OVA (or OAV) has been used for decades, but I've never heard OAD used before. Graham

Here in Hong Kong, I bought mine for HK$950 each. Yesterday, I saw another shop selling the VF-25S Ozma for HK$990. The VF-25F Alto had sold out already. Graham

Here's a shot of the Bandai 1/60 VF-25F DX Alto type battroid next to the Yamato 1/60 YF-19 battroid. Sorry, it's late here and I couldn't be bothered to get the YF-21 out of the display cabinet. Maybe tomorrow. One thing that's starting to annoy me is the hand that holds the gunpod on the DX doesn't do a very good job. Not only does it allow the gunpod to sag, it doesn't hold the gunpod very tightly and I've had a few instances where the gunpod has fallen out of the hand when I've just gently nudged it, or even when just picking up the battroid and not even touching the gunpod......Grrrrrrr! This is not supposed to happen with fixed pose hands. Graham

Here's a photo that shows how the black paint is starting to come off on the right LERX, where it rubs against the rear of the hip in battroid mode. Graham

A custom neck extension will help, but part of the problem is also that the DX VF-25S head is more squashed or squat that it is supposed to be, compared with how it looks in the anime. Graham

Just trying to be fair and impartial. Despite my ties or former ties with Yamato, I don't really care who makes the VF-25, as long as we get a great toy. Bandai so far get a C+ grade from me. Good try, but could be much better. Graham

DFC = Distinguished Flying Cross. An RAF medal. Graham