Graham

Dunno? Perhaps the license was cheap, or maybe there's a big Ideon fanbase in Japan? We really need a shrugging shoulders smilie. Graham

You mean the VF-1J with GBP-1S armor Graham

This link is already on page 1, no need to repeat it. Graham

Yep, already released. In fact there is already a 7 page topic on page one of the toys forum discussing them. Read it here. Graham

AS CM's appear to be making the 1/60 Miria figures for Yamato and Yamato are now advertising CM's Macross figures Part 1 on their website, I'm just wondering exactly what CM's relationship with Yamato is? Do CM's just have a close business relationship with Yamato, or have Yamato perhaps bought out CM's? I tried emailing Yamato to ask them, but no reply Graham

My Low-Vis is wearing Takatoys 'UN Marines' stickers, with my name as the pilot name I've never put FPs on mine as I consider it an atmospheric Valk. Graham

Gotta say Yamato have done a really outstanding job with the 1/12 Scopedog. I'm probably gonna pass on the basic, plain ATM-09 Scopedog, but I'm definitely down for a Red Shoulder Custom with full weapons if and when they make one. Graham

The VF-0S on display looks to me to be the exact same one that appeared in the Japanese hobby magazines over the past few months. So hopefully, Yamato are still working on an improved version and it just wasn't ready in time for this show (hey, I can hope can't I?). There are parts of the sculpt I like. The head looks especially good painted IMO. The gunpod is also quite impressive as well. Overall, the level of detailing is pretty good for the size. However, please bear in mind that this is likely a hand painted resin sculpt on display and the mass-production PVC & ABS toy may not have the painted panel lines or such a nice finish. The main thing that really bugs me about this toy is of course the ugly hip joints, which place the hips too far away from the nose cone, giving the toy a very wide-hipped stance. Yamato really, really need to alter this and bring the hips (intakes) closer to the nose in battroid mode. There are other things that bother me such as the appalingly inaccurate wing sculpt in fighter mode (see pic below for what I mean). Hopefully, Yamato will clear this up as well. Other minor niggles include the ugly landing gear sculpt and the fact that in all fighter-mode photos so far, the tail fins do not appear to be canted outward enough and look too vertical. And of course, I would at least like to see the Skulls on the tails and heatshield and the UN Spacy emblem on the wings and nose Tampo printed on, instead of using Yamato's el-cheapo, piss-poor quality stickers. 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