jenius

wow, i never thought about the whole shoulder pod thing... interesting, it's just gonna look like it has a flap hanging out on one shoulder... I just checked the two MPCs I have that I transformed to battloid and then back into fighter: My Scott has a gap at one of the forearms. This gap is actually caused by poor construction of the forearm, not because everything hasn't made it all the way back into place. For whatever reason the forearm is a little too wide so when it attaches to the shoulder the hooks create pressure that push the forearm back out. If I push the sides of the forearm together it actually makes it back into fighter mode seamlessly. My Rook looks almost perfect. Obviously not quite as good as the Shadow mock-up but darn close. I believe that part of the trick my be in pushing the kneecaps back into position. I can't swear but it certainly can't hurt.

How do the MPC Alphas compare to the Imai 1/48 variable model? I imagine the MPC is significantly more sturdy than that model. So, if Toynami stays true to form, we'll get the same treatment with the MPC cyclone. It will be fragile for a toy but more sturdy than a model.

Yeah, the Gakkens are friggin' huge. I think the green diecast guy in the middle is about 6", the red MPC to the right is about 8", and the gakken in the rear is about 10".

I have now owned quite a few of these MPCs (no greenie yet as you can see). My biggest complain is the shoulder design (should rachet like a Valk's shoulder so you could feel secure it will always be able to support the arm's weight). My second biggest complaint would definitely be the crooked heads! I think every single one has had a crooked head. The best you can hope for is one with a head that isn't so crooked it looks like it's confused. Turning the head to the side helps but I'm not sure that's a great solution... Here's another pic for comparison purposes... *edit - picture was huge so I shrank it down for y'all

Man, I have a tough time agreeing with that statement. Not so much because I don't love the new Legioss but because I also really love the old ones. the 1/35 are clearly more durable and less prone to getting sloppy joints. Of course, the 1/35 eventually can break and get sloppy joints but it takes some time with those bad boys. The 1/55 MPCs are clearly better detailed with better materials but I dare anyone to spin an arm around a dozen times and then try to still get it to hold a gun completely horizontal to the ground. Now I did just buy the Imai 1/48 variable models and would love to see how those stack up... unfortunately I'm gonna have to practice on a lot of other models before I try building and painting those. Check back with me in 5 years for an opinion... Finally, the diecast two changes are great for display.. that's about it. They don't really hold a candle to the other toys/models mentioned. *edit* The gakken 1/72 aren't in the same league as these figures.

I've been over-paying on Gakken Mospeada stuff and probably will continue to do so for until I get this out of my system. This guy is probably in the same boat as me... I empathize and hope both of our phases are short...

I've sent a few MPCs back to Toynami and, if you have a receipt or can get a copy of your credit card statement they will ship you replacements super quick. I sent A VFA-6H in for the same problem you have and had a replacement less than a week later. You basically have to learn to almost never touch the hands on these things. Shipping will cost you $10 but i'd rather do that then make some effort at a repair...

The green one is easily receiving the least complaints of all the alphas so far. This could mean two things. 1) Quality has improved slightly. 2) People have accepted its faults and learn to handle it more gingerly.

I can come up with a dozen reasons why each one sucks and why each one is great and even why each one is better than the other. This is all just gonna boil down to what YOU prefer. Some of these things are also comparing apples and oranges (legioss to valk). Consensus from previous threads is, if you can afford it, go 1/48 and don't look back. You know, that could also apply to the Legioss if you're into building variable models...

For some reason that mac logo by the cock-pit keeps drawing my eyes. Otherwise I love the dark one. Me likey.

If anyone knows where I can get a mint Taka super VF-1S let me know!

The quality of the toy involved plays only a small part in the value of the object. Afterall, I think most of us would agree that the Toynami MPC is a better toy than the original Takatoku toys. Takatoku toys, however, tend to be sold for more than Toynami toys. Obviously the real value driver there is the rarity of the toy. The MPC VF-1S is the most popular valk and since there's only a limited quantity were just watching a simple process of supply and demand. Obviously most people on this site could give a shake about Toynami, some might even want to dispute my claim about Takatoku toys being inferior (don't bother, I love Takatoku Valks so I'm not saying it out of bias). Everyone agrees the 1/48s are WAY preferable to the MPCs and maybe some day they will greatly appreciate in value like we're already seeing with the LowVis. In the meantime, just be happy you're not a completist who hesitated on an MPC collection VF-1S for too long.

I don't know about "accurate" but I sure think Max could have been a WHOLE lot more assertive. Isn't this a guy who seemed like a tiny bit of a womanizer and even a braggart in the first series? Now he's ultra quiet (although I remember him saying once that Basara isn't as good a pilot as himself so at least he still has a little braggin' in him). The whole Millia thing is tough, she went from an invincible baby tosser to a lady who was afraid of colds and seemed pretty over-protective. That being said, I didn't really have a problem with the portrayal of either since who knows what a couple decades and an apparently failing marriage would do to them. Now, why everyone was lusting after a 13 year old is a bit of another question (Mylene was 13 right?). I'm sure I could write out a huge list of "things that make me go HMMM????" but I'll stop now.

Wow, where is local?? I would definitely pick one up at that price. I have kind of a sick Alpha obsession though. I'd wait to buy my second one until Gamestop clears 'em out

well, certainly either one of them dying would have done it. There are LOTS in the TV show. Like after Minmei and Hikaru are saved and she keeps insisting they're just friends to Hik's chagrin. Or had Hik actually gotten the seat that was meant for him at the premiere Minmei that might have lead to something. In DYRL had Minmei not turned down Hik's attempt to take her into the hotel?? I think the TV show tries pretty hard to establish that hooking up with Minmei for anything long-term is just impossible so eventually, no matter what, Hik was gonna be with Misa.

yeah... fire bomber really does suck. Just thought i'd see how far off topic this thread would go. Maybe we should do a poll: How bad will the new Robotech be? A) It will be good, it takes largely after Mospeada so it ought to be awesome! B) It'll be insignificant, if it's not vaporware it'll be an amateur attempt from a company with almost no record of originality. C) Pretty bad, it takes largely after Southern Cross so it can't be very good. D) Very bad, with the old voice actors reprising their old roles won't that mean there will be 20 characters with 4 different voices? E) HORRIBLE... we're talking Firebomber bad... on par with Mac7 (if you like Mac7 maybe we should automatically nullify your vote but you can replace it with some other anime you might hate) eh, maybe i'm not very good at starting polls though, that sounds kinda inflammatory.

collectibles in front of a window?? OH GOD NO!!!! I take it that curtain is permanently down?

FIRE BOMBER!!!!!

I'll echo in here, I'm pretty sure this is from the episode where they're shooting the movie. I believe the only flashbacks we get in the strongest women episode is Max and Miriya doin' a little smoochy smoochy but I might be wrong (and no, I'm not gonna rewatch a Mac7 episode to figure it out). Sign me up on that supposedly short list of Mac7 haters who are the most vocal. On the Gamlin note, while I did like him more than the other characters, I actually cheered when he died. Not because i was ecstatic he was dead but because for the first time the series seemed to try something dramatic... only to have him pull a Jesus impression shortly thereafter... Roy dies, Ben dies, Gamlin is Jesus.

I really wanted that green alpha but it's just a little too fishy for me....

Thanks for all the links to the pics! Nice review. Why did they decide to make all the pilots looking off to the left?

As a true Mospeada fan I'm thrilled with what I've seen so far. I was a pretty hardcore Macross devotee until 7, that series turned me back to the RT franchise (praise the lord for M+ and M0 or I woulda thought Macross was a one shot wonder). Of course having seen the Sentinels I definitely have my doubts about original RT mech design. The inorganics were some of the most pitiful designs ever conceived. One thing you do have to love about that short Sents flick is the sheer number of people that get massacred; i hope the new series doesn't pussy-foot around death. I also hope it doesn't take us another 2 years for the series/OVA to come out...

Steam also went down so no Half-life 2. I spent the whole weekend crying in front of my computer. I still have a "HECK" of a time getting MW to work right. Chances are this post will never make it because I'll be sent to a missing page screen.

As far as sales go I don't think any MPC ever sold out with any speed. I have noticed that the Bernard valk is now selling above resale at some places so that bodes well. I think Rook is going to end up being the Ben Dixon of the group but even her price seems to have leveled out now that Gamestop has stopped selling them at a loss. I still got my fingers crossed for a Beta... and i'll keep 'em crossed until I get official word that it's no use.

I have installed track lighting in my two small display cases. I use the halogens with dimmer switch which do produce heat as well as a tremendous amount of light so I can't imagine this is the best choice for a collector who plans on having his/her display cases lit for any great length of time or frequency. I, on the other hand, have turned the lights on twice for maybe five minutes and don't ever anticipate needing them for much longer than that. Your best bet would probably be something flourescent as far as safety for the toy is concerned. I'm sure the others will correct me if I'm wrong - In a side note, I too have noticed that girls recognize Gundam before Macross. I don't own a lick of Gundam stuff but when I complained that I dropped a grip of cash on "toys" a friend asked me to describe what I was talking about. Her response, "Oh, like Gundam stuff!" I'm pretty sure it's just because more people recognize Gundam in general than Macross.