Graham

Whooot! Now lets see a moto slave! Is it possible priss+moto slave was the other transformable line Graham talked about so many years ago? Okay it was just a year but it seems like years. Wow, the Priss looks great. I didn't see or hear of this coming at all. Yamato doesn't talk to me any more....snifff, sniff Definitely looks like the Priss figure has some shoulder, elbow and hip articulation. Not sure from the picture if it has knee articulation though. My one major concern is whether the figure will be able to stand by itself with those high heels Anyway, it's nice to see Yamato expand into toys from other classic 80s animes, espceially as the original Bubble Gum Crisis OVA is a personal favorite of many MWers, myself included. Graham

Changing the batteries was of course the first thing I did. I was going to try to disassemble the whole thing as I'm usually pretty good with machines. However, I noticed that the sliding rubber doors on top had slightly come out of their track. So I went to open the front clear plastic door so I could get my hand inside to straighten the top rubber doors and in doing so ended up carelessly snapping the plastic tabs off the clear door......doh! My plan had been to sell the thing on ebay as it was just taking up space, but I figured that nobody would buy a busted one, so I just decided to bin the whole thing rather than waste my time to repair it. Graham

Very nice and clear pics BoB, thanks. I'm definitely going to have to try to hunt one of those down when I have some spare funds. I love the DYRL style holographic HUD painted on the canopy. It would be cool if there was a Battroid mode version cockpit as well. Graham

The Japanese IT Media site has some new screen shots from Macross Zero episode # 4. See them here. Anybody care to translate the text? Graham

I had one of these, it was pretty cool while it worked. I put it in climate-controlled storage for about a year and then when I recently took it out again, the blasted thing no longer worked. Couldn't figure out what was wrong with it, so ended up scrapping it. Graham

The Shizuoka Hobby Show is starting today and runs until May 16th. I just want to ask if any of our resident Japan based members will be able to go and take some photos for Macrossworld? Rob, Renato.......anybody? I know that Blackaces (Noel) wont be able to make it unfortunately Graham

Back in the mid-80s' to early-90s', I used to love playing RPGs like Runequest, Traveller, Stormbringer and Call of Cthulu with friends. Never got into D&D tho, always thought the rules were too unrealistic. Anyway, my RPG days are long behind me. No time & interest anymore and I never could get into online games. I've never played a Macross or Robotech RPG, but I can't quite get my head around how you can accurately simulate the feel of the fast-paced style of aerial & ground mecha combat found in Macross in a table-top 'talkie' RPG, or an online one for that matter. I've owned the Paladium RT rules for years and while they are OK for a character based game, they seem extremely unsuitable (IMO) for mecha combat and they seem to have no or very few rules regarding mecha movement and different types or air combat manuevers. Graham

Yep, very, very slim possibility of ever seeing a VF-2SS toy from Yamato. I think there is almost no interest in Macross II mecha in Japan. If all the legal nonsense regarding overseas licensing rights was ever cleared up, there may be a slightly higher possibility that one could be made with the US market in mind, but I wouldn't bet money on it. Graham

That's too long a time. Ever thought of getting hair extentions? Or a wig? Graham

Here's my list of GFF figures I'd like to see from Bandai: - 1) F90 with full set of weapons packs A/D/S/V/P (am I forgetting any?). 2) V2 with Assualt and Buster accessories. 3) RX-79(G) with all the weapons shown in the OVA. 4) Victory Gundam with Dash Pack, Mega Beam rifle and optional 'Hexa' head. 5) Grey Z-Plus C1. 6) Xeku Eins. 7) Xeku Zwei. I pretty much dislike all other MS Graham

I'd prefer a GFF RX-79(G). I never cared for the head of the Ez-8. Graham

Hey Bandai, where's my grey Z-Plus C1 GFF? Yeah, a convertible F90/F90II would make more sense than F90/F91. Graham

Back in the early to mid 90s' when I was still building Gundam models, the 1/100 F90 A/D/S was one of my favorite kits. I think I had like 6 at one time Never really cared for the F91 design though, although the 1/60 half toy/half model kit is kinda cool. Graham

Hmm...I wonder if the GFF F90/F91 are going to keep the common 1/144 scale or not? They are actually a fair bit smaller than earlier Mobile Suits from OYW, Z, ZZ, CCA etc. Graham

Definitely interested in the F90, that's one of my all time favorite MS designs, which is saying something as I hate 99% of most Mobile Suits. I just hope it comes with all the different mission packs. I'm not to keen on it being an F90/F91 though, as that means lots of small swapable parts to interchange between the two MS, which of course means lots of bits to keep falling off Oh Well, hopefully there will be some pics from the Shizouka Hobby Show this weekend. Graham

My favorite obscure toy line has to be the Japanese Spiral Zone toys from 1985. Just a pity that they are so expensive to collect Graham

I'm actually getting to like the VF-0 design more than the VF-1. It's just a pity that Yamato's 1/100 VF-0S sculpt sucks so much in so many places Graham

Heh, I didn't say I like pink Valks, but as the keeper of the MW Custom Toy Gallery, It's my duty to put any and all custom Macross toys by MW members up, no matter how er......pink they might be. Graham

Red Comet, I'd like to put this in the MW Custom Toy Gallery, but could you please take some pics which are larger (between 600 to 1000 pixels wide) and also more in focus. The present pics are quite blurry. Thanks, Graham

I'll agree with the majority view that those chara and mecha designs are pretty awful. They just don't say 'Gunbuster' to me. If I'd have seen those pics without being told what they were, I never would have guessed they were for a Gunbuster sequel. Looks like another anime to avoid. Mind you I'm not really a big fan of the original Gunbuster. I like it, but honestly I thought it was a bit over-rated and certainly not as wonderful as many people make out. Graham

Was there a RahXephon OVA? I was under the impression there was only a TV series and a movie. Graham

I used to love the old black & white Flash Gordon cliff-hanger serials as a kid, so I'm hoping this movie will capture some of their essence. However, I'm not holding out high hopes for it. I've gotta say, I'm getting more and more turned off by what I consider the extreme overuse of CG effects year by year and this movie looks like it's going to be one big bad CG-fest. Somebody bring back actual model spaceships, stop-motion animation and guys in rubber suits.....please! I'm not saying that every CG-heavy special effects movie is bad, but for every good movie, there are a dozen bad ones . And although I haven't seen it yet, the CG monsters in the trailer of Van Helsing look to be a prime example of bad CG IMO. Also, I know I'm stating the obvious and getting OT, but in so many Hollywood movies there is far too much over-reliance on whizz-bang special effects and too little emphasis on a good storyline, decent acting and character development. I don't know maybe I'm just becoming too much of an old fart these days and turning into my parents. A request guys- If I ever reach the stage where I say that Meril Streep stars in interesting movies, please take me out back and shoot me in the head. Graham

Haven't been home yet to check the Hobby Japan, but I've just been searching through Guyver sites for names of the Zoanoids and IIRC, the next poseable figure from Max Factory will be this version of Aptom. Graham

That's cool. I hope the price drops off a bit on the other figures though. The June 2004 issue of Hobby Japan showed what the next figure was going to be. It was one of the Zoanoids, tho not a hairy one. I can't remember the name. I'll look it up in my Guyver book when I get home. Graham

I'm very happy with my Miria 1J, also my Max 1J. My only complaint is with the dificulty (impossibility ) of getting the gunpod to attach to the FPs. However, this is not a really big deal for me as I prefer to display all three of the VF-1J (Hikaru, Max & Miria) without FPs anyway. Overall, I'd give it 9 out of 10. Definitely the best toy incarnation of Miria's VF-1J ever made IMO. Graham