GU-11

Thanks for the heads up, man. I don't really mind trimming the edges; just tedious and time consuming is all. But if that's what it takes to pretty up my Valks, then you gotta do what you gotta do...

Well, that's pretty much a sign we should stay away from the VF-1 Hikaru for now. Man, it sucks that only the blue version of the Macross display stand is on sale, and not much of a discount, either. That purplish hue of blue just ain't my thing. I think I'll wait for the original color or black version to go on sale before picking one of those up for my YF-19. BTW, what happened to the Ghost booster sale? It was on backorder sale at discount a few days ago--...well, it's still on backorder, but it's no longer on sale. I thought the sale lasted until the 24th? At least AmiAmi's still got it on backorder at 17% discount. Better than nothing.

Well, as long as you CAN actually fix the looseness, then I'd still be willing to buy one. I don't mind adding nail varnish or glue to the joints every few months. But if it'll eventually end up feeling like an unstrung puppet and there's nothing that can be done about it, then that's a different story. Honestly, I'm not one to "play" with my Valks. The only time I'll fiddle around with them is to change poses for display. I don't suppose even that kind of minimal movement could cause wear and tear. Could it? The biggest deciding factor is whether the joints are fixable at all. If so, I'll just have to go with the original plan: wait for a 65% or more discount and grab it.

By the way, would a couple of coats of clear spray be able to mask the edges of those stickers Yamato includes with their VF's? It would save me a lot of time and effort trimming the edges of those stickers with a pair of scissors and a box cutter.

Dunno if I could afford it, but I know I wouldn't be able to build it.

Damn, checking out those awesome builds...at the same time it inspires me to improve on my skills AND humbles the heck out of me and my amateur-level builds, naked and unpainted as they are. I usually go the lazy man's route by simply clear coating the models without paint (in the case of pre-colored kits like Gunpla) or weathering. In any case, those are some kickass builds. Gotta love the VF-0D diorama.

A thousand thanks for the info, guys! I'd almost given up hope of ever getting an answer. Hell, I almost forgot I posted this until I started browsing the customizing section. So, it's pretty much safe to use all all but certain water-slide decals. Got it. Thanks again.

Heheh, that's true. I'm pretty much a YF-19 fanatic, and I doubt I would have gotten much sleep waiting for those few months with the -19 constantly in my mind. I'm also in the market for a nice VF-1A Hikaru or a VF-1S DYRL Hikaru to pose along with my 1/60 Hikki figure, but the thing about the shoulders makes me a little hesitant to take the plunge. Maybe I'll settle for the Hasegawa 1/48 model kit. If anything, I prefer to pose my Macross statues/figurines with the VF's in fighter mode and mounted on stands.

Good idea. I bought the Nora at 65% discount from HLJ, so all that trouble I went through sending the thing back and waiting for the replacement to get shipped to me isn't as bad as if I paid full price. As for the VF-27, I ain't buying it unless it's at 50% off or more. True. BTW, would a coat of nail varnish or cyanoacrylate (aka instant cement) solve the problem? Usually fixes any loose joints for TF's, but I'm not sure about DX Chogokins, since they seem to be made of heavier plastic and might even contain some die-cast metal. If nail varnish or super glue (or even blutack) can solve the problem, then the VF-27 is still pretty much on my Christmas to-buy list. EDIT: On second thought, never mind. I think I'll take your word for it and pass on the VF-27. The broken leg peg on my VF-1D that I had to replace was enough to royally piss me off, and if you're saying that a busted shoulder is a small problem compared to those floppy jointed Chogokins, then I don't think I'd want to touch it with a ten-foot pole.

Damn, that does NOT sound good. Well, that just put the VF-27 in the same situation as the VT-1 Super Ostrich and it's knurled hinge pins. Great design and a really tempting buy, but with inherent flaws that might potentially leave you with a busted up fig. After that 3-month wait for the Nora's replacement parts, I'm staying away from potentially breakable figs. But you gotta admit--the VF-27 is a pretty kickass design. To buy or not to buy...that is the question.

Well, in that case, I'll put it up on my "opportunities list" and wait for a potential sale this Christmas. The price has been pretty marked up at my local hobby store (almost 300 USD), so I'll have to go Valk hunting online. I think I'll hit up AmiAmi and see if they've got them in stock. HLJ's sold out. Thanks again.

Thanks for the info, Eugimon. In that case, I might pass on it. Heard the paint job on the nose is pretty fragile. If the GERWALK isn't perfect, it ain't worth my cash...unless is goes on 40% discount or something.

Then I guess I won't have any problems saving up for the Yamato versions when they get eventually get made...someday. ...Hopefully within this decade. Hope I'm not hijacking the thread, but speaking of MF, are the Bandai DX Chogokin VF-27's worth buying? I'm particularly concerned about the GERWALK mode. If it can pull of a picture perfect Yamato-quality GERWALK pose WITHOUT cheating (unlocking the hips), I might pick one up.

Feeling really foolish right now. If I'd held back on buying the YF-19 for a couple of months, I'd only have to pay half the price of what paid for the one I bought. Then again, there's no way of knowing when HLJ might suddenly announce a sale. Hindsight's always 20/20. At least I got a pretty sweet deal on the TV Kakizaki I bought from AmiAmi. Maybe I'll get the stand and Ghost booster if they're on sale too.

Awesome Saber fig, Dutch. Love the armor and the base. Glad to see a Selvaria fig, too. One of my favorite characters in the VC game. BTW, is that blue flame background custom-made of did you buy that online? Looks like a perfect complement to the Selvaria fig. Great fig, man. I don't recall her appearing in that dress in the anime, but awesome nonetheless. You just can't go wrong with a Saber fig.

Bayverse Optimus is guilty as sin, too. He abandons his brother-in-arms Bumblebee to his fate in the hands of violent humans bent on cutting him open like a lab rat and conducting heinous experiments on him. Then he mercilessly decapitates Bonecrusher, and simply tosses his enemy's head on the ground in disdain. Dude don't fight fair, either. Knowing that Megatron's the stronger bot, OP schemes with the humans to shoot his adversary in the back with a squadron of F-22's. He gets even more psychotic in ROTF, preferring to shoot his enemies in the eye, and he's even developed a penchant for facial mutilation. And did I mention that he straps on the remains of his fallen elders when going into battle? Lennox ranks a close second. Man likes to shoot his enemy in the crotch. Nasty.

He's also a supporter of the slave trade. Remember when he and his uncle bought C3PO and R2-D2 from those Jawas?

Heheh, you got that right! You're lookin' at a dedicated 'Con fan since the 1980's! I've always liked the designs of Soundwave, Starscream and Megs more than the more uniform vehicle modes of the Autobots.

When you say supplier, do you mean an individual seller or an online shop like Overdrive or Angolz? With prices as good as these, I'm definitely open to other options other than the usual online shops.

Roger that, Graham. Thanks for the link, man. Yeah, the legs in battroid mode ARE rather chubby, and the SAP pack overwhelms the fighter mode. Oh well, it's either this or nothing at all, so I'll probably be picking it up anyway. Thanks, 505. Three out of three positive votes for the mode kit; I guess I'll buy it, then. BTW, can anyone tell me where I can get a decent VF-2SS fighter mode kit? I've seen some awesome VF-2SS fighter builds in the forum but some of the threads are really old and basically dead, so I don't think I can get an answer from the builders. Thanks again, everyone! Thanks, Gunny. BTW, nice collection of kits. The VF-4G particularly caught my eye.

I could be wrong, but IIRC, it's a set consisting the DYRL Roy Focker VF-1S, Super and Strike Pack, the usual missiles and stand attachments, a Roy pilot fig in his DYRL flight suit, and a special flashlight that projects a Skull Squadron logo when shone on any surface. The anniversary Roy set was accompanied by the VF-1S Hikaru version. Same accessories, except it includes a VF-1S with Hikaru's colors (obviously), a Hikaru pilot, and again IIRC, the flashlight either projects the Skull Squadron emblem in red instead of white light, or some other difference. These are RUMORED to be "safe" from the cracking shoulder hinge problem.

Yes, the TV Kakizaki has the new version. Clasps in place without any need to massage or work it around. At all.

I just bought the TV Kakizaki a couple of weeks ago. No rainbow tint, and the crotch system is much improved(no struggling whatsoever). The box art is still the same.

Thanks for the info, Nightingale! And sorry about dredging up any false hope on the VF-2SS, guys; as a fellow fan, I know how that feels. In any case, the model kit section is mostly about MW-ers showcasing their builds and asking for tips, so I thought I'd ask for opinions in the toy section.

Ever since first seeing a pic of the VF-2SS on a Macross magazine, I've fallen in love with that design, and I've been craving for a transformable fig of it. Just stumbled on this in HLJ. I've no idea how big or small the assembled fig is, but I'm guessing it should be about the size of a Hi-metal VF-1. Anyone know? Also, if anyone has ever built the kit: Do the parts fit well together? How's the quality of the plastic? How are the overall proportions and articulation? Thanks for any info.