M'Kyuun
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Everything posted by M'Kyuun
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The battroid does appear to be narrow, since the chest is only a smidge wider than the crotch. Despite my hopes that this would be a really chunky battroid, from what I can parse from those tiny pics, and the transformation vid, I'm good with it as-is. I think the shoulders give adequate width to the upper torso. As with the human body, a thinner frame is more lithe, giving way for greater poseability. I've often wondered what an Eva Unit would look like if Kawamori redisigned it to transform, while striving to maintain the Eva's thin-ness. I'm happy that Kawamori was true to his word concerning a new method of transformation; even if it does borrow elements from previous designs, the amalgamation of those mechanics into a single valk make it unique. I think the intakes closing to form the chest is the most unique design feature...I didn't anticipate that at all, citing a more YF-21 design. I'm quite pleased to have been wrong.
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Great design all around, IMHO. The Hs head is interesting, although the more conventional space pope head appeals to me. Like everyone else, I can't wait to see the actual DX toys to get a proper look at them in battroid. I love the leg packs...absolutely seamless. The wing drones, not so much. The anime tendency to place large bulky items on the end of something thin and fragile generally looks cool, but on a practical model with gravity's relentless beckoning, it doesn't bode well for the collector.
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I just want them to choose an actress who looks young, petite, and is fairly short in stature to fit the role. Zendaya Coleman, who I never heard of prior to this thread, fits the first two, but at 5'10", seems kinda tall for a cyborg who's supposed to look about 12. Her young appearance and diminutive stature in the anime makes her all the more badass when she squares off against towering bad guys...and promptly kicks their asses. Alas, Zendaya seems to be the leading pick, so I'm kinda resigned at this point. Chloe Moretz would have fit the character profile better, though...and she has martial arts training under her belt already.
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Likewise. (I like all that mecha origami. ) Hopefully, die-cast will be used judiciously, since I suspect a fair bit of swing bar action, including the bar to which the shoulders attach. I noticed that the forearms are drawn to look wider than they are portrayed on the model kit. I hope the DX follows the animation, b/c, on an otherwise sharp battroid, those skinny forearms don't look good.
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The Transformers Thread (licensed) Next
M'Kyuun replied to mikeszekely's topic in Anime or Science Fiction
Glad to hear you had a positive outcome, V. -
Watched eps 1-4 today, and though the basic story is pretty formulaic, I'm happy to see valk vs valk action again. Cool intro by the -262 squadron. I'm curious to see what all those wing-mounted drones can do; it'd be sweet if they transformed too, controlled by the -262's A.I. for defense. I hope they don't end up having a valk dance-off. Four eps in, and I'm approaching my silliness threshold.
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Ghost in the Shell Live Action - March 31, 2017
M'Kyuun replied to Mechinyun's topic in Anime or Science Fiction
I'm glad they're down with Scarlett playing Motoko. Interesting that nearly all their first impressions when shown the pic were comments on her beauty, not her race. -
Well, Plus was my first Macross experience, so seeing the VF-11, 19, and 21 strut their stuff was pretty mind-blowing. Battle of the Planets, and then Transformers, were my first experiences,respectively, with regards to transforming mecha. The transformation and battle sequences in Plus were like nothing I'd seen prior. I regret not having the VF-1 revelation experience as a kid- I can see why it continues to be so popular.
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I like the VF-1/VF-0, but I prefer the valks where the forward fuselage and cockpit are obscured. In M:0, I find the Sv-51 much more appealing than the 0, which is just an enlarged VF-1 with modern stealth aspects added and some other aesthetic flourishes. The -51 isn't exactly pretty, but it is evocative, and looks the part of a combat machine, IMHO. It's still one of my top favorite valk designs. Although we've yet to see it from behind, it appears that, like the VF-14, the -262's cockpit will form the spine, and may be further obscured by the inboard wing mount framework. I'm also going to hazard a guess that the cockpit canopy is itself armor, protecting the pilot. I'm curious to see how all that framework folds, since it's not apparent in the vid. I'm liking it quite a bit so far.
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Interesting. It never occurred to me that the intakes would rotate and meet to form the chest. Lots of moving parts; I hope Bandai will find good solutions for durability, and for effective locking mechanisms. Cool battroid, worth the wait. I completely agree that every new valk should have a nice transformation revelation scene. While animation is nice and very much appreciated (Thanks to all the posters), DX battroid pics are what I'm excited for now. Then we'll get a better sense of transformation mechanics, as well as a little better idea of potential fragile areas. While the -31 is cool, this thing is origami madness the likes of which I live for. I'm not yet familiar with all the variants, but I hope I'll be able to score at least one come preorder time.
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I'm thinking that the legs attach to the lower fuselage aft of the cockpit section, and that it swings via the double hinge under the cockpit to rest against the nose in similar fashion to the YF-21, or the Sv-51, for that matter. However, I hope I'm wrong and that it's a new system of transformation. That's a huge part of the appeal of transforming toys, at least for me. As for the aft intakes, while a real world explanation may be posited based on existing aircraft, my guess is they're there purely for aesthetic flavor. Basically, they look cool.
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Ghost in the Shell Live Action - March 31, 2017
M'Kyuun replied to Mechinyun's topic in Anime or Science Fiction
I hope there's some of that in this movie, as it sells the fact that her body is indeed mechanical despite appearances. And, it looks badass. My concern at this point is how the story will be handled, since GiTS is generally replete with politics, philosophy, and all sorts of manipulations and convolutions of both, against a backdrop of cybercrime. Theses are at the essence of the franchise, and I fear that for the sake of a probable PG-13 rating, this will devolve into just another stripped down action movie with little depth or maturity. In the end, I fear that it will be Ghost in the Shell in name only. I'm curious who's doing the special effects: if ILM, I fear all the think tanks and such will end up looking like Bayformers, since that seems to be their preferred aesthetic for nearly everything mechanical. As such, I hope Weta are involved. -
Ghost in the Shell Live Action - March 31, 2017
M'Kyuun replied to Mechinyun's topic in Anime or Science Fiction
I agree. Not a flattering shot, and her forelocks don't flow forward. Much ado is made of Scarlett, and while she's a pretty woman, she's not the paragon of beauty that she's made out to be. She benefits from the nose job, though. While I think Scarlett, with the help of stunt doubles, can pull off the physicality, Rinko would have been my first choice for the character. The first time I saw her in Pacific Rim, I thought "Motoko". Now I have a tough time seeing anyone else in the role. But, as others have pointed out, the Major has never been animated as an overtly Asian looking character, at least in the original movie, SAC, or Arise, but rather Caucasian, married to the idea that she is a cyborg and can essentially choose her ethnicity. It's a neat idea, actually, and one that would be interesting to see explored. It wouldn't be the first time Motoko's ghost has occupied a different body. -
I've always been so intent on figuring out the aft section of the plane that, until now, I've never even noticed the completely opaque canopy festooned with sensors. I still can't help but get a YF-21-ish vibe from this thing, at least the forward fuselage / what I believe will be the chest, shoulders, and head. My feeling is that this is an amalgamation of previous valks: YF-21 upper body with VF-9 arms, and VF-17 legs. In response to seti88's query above, it's difficult to figure out what's going on there, aside from our agreement that there's at least one arm there. My thinking is still that the arms lie over and under one another, thus providing attachment points for both upper and lower stabs. However, in the pic, there is a discernible line just forward of the upper stab. That could be a separation line for the arms, or it could just be where two halves of the mold come together. I retain my original hypothesis. Like the VF-17, I think, I certainly hope, that this is going to have a bulky battroid. David H.'s comparison to the Escaflowne is intriguing, at least from the bulky armor view. Having a dragon mode, while apropos to its namesake, would be a bit odd; but, if done right, it'd be a nice new direction for valks beyond the traditional 3-mode. If anyone can figure out such a transformation scheme, though, it's Kawamori. Maybe we're getting our first 4-mode valk.
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The Transformers Thread (licensed) Next
M'Kyuun replied to mikeszekely's topic in Anime or Science Fiction
I agree that MP-10 is an excellent Prime figure; the only imp0rovement I would have liked would be for the rear wheels to rotate 180 degrees into the leg so that his outer leg was smooth, or just get rid of the wheel wells and that crappy blue panel that covers them, and just let the wheels hang out. As he is, his lower legs never look right to me b/c of the wheel well bulges. I can understand the desire for a white MP-10, but honestly, I prefer the way MP Magnus was realized as an all-in-one figure. Personal choice. Referring to Davidwangchoi's post above concerning the TF pop-up book, that's some really impressive papercraft. I have no faculty whatsoever in that particular art, so origami and papercraft models have always impressed me for their ingenuity, detail, and in many cases, functionality. Aside from making a standard pop-up, which requires a bit of thought as to placement and folding mechanisms, the book's creator took it much further, to a very impressive result. Very cool; thanks for posting David. This makes me wonder how cool it'd be if someone made a 3D pop-up book TF where a basic frame was the pop-up subject, and the book covers broke up and formed the armor. -
Bandai Gobots/Machine Robo Series Toy Thread
M'Kyuun replied to David Hingtgen's topic in Anime or Science Fiction
The two that I'm most interested in are Leader-1 and Snoop, followed by Spay-C. I'm hoping HLJ will carry these at lower prices. Actually, it'd be cool if Hasbro made a contract with Bandai to make them available for North American retail. I doubt it, but dreaming is fun. -
I agree, Ignacio. I'm thinking there's a curved linkage, one end attached to a pivot point within the leg, and the other to the top of the visible strut. Upon retraction, the strut likely bends forward and retracts aft into the leg, guided and held by the internal linkage. That's the simplest and most logical way I can see its being done. It also makes sense for the bend near the wheel, which corresponds to the shape of the thigh above the knee. If this is indeed the way it's done, I'd assume the internal linkage will have two locking detentes corresponding to the extended and retracted positions, or at least one for the extended position, with the lower strut also locking in place by some mechanical means. I'll be a huge fan of this setup if that's how it's finally realized on the DX toy. Incidentally, what I've described is a very simplified B-1B Lancer main gear design. The struts themselves do not directly attach to the airframe, but to an intermediate set of linkages which fold during the retraction cycle. It's a neat thing to see, and even neater to feel if you're in the cockpit. I always repressed a small fear of bouncing off the jacks. It's about a 12 foot drop if the nose unseats.
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Well, that would be different, but if it doesn't have a head and the jet's nose is there, then what's really differentiating it from GERWALK, besides leg position? Personally, I hope it has a head and some new configuration in battroid, but anthropomorphic enough to differentiate it from G mode. Judging by the GERWALK shots, I still think the intakes are going to form the chest, similar to the YF-21. And the BFG does look cool. It'd be nice if it could swing to rest above either shoulder. Or, like the -31, that's the new method of carrying the gunpod.
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So true. At least in the animation, the main wheels are attached to angled shock struts and the kneepads are just doors, as a real aircraft would be designed. Hopefully, Bandai will follow through on the animation design for the DX. Not holding my breath, but I can still hope. I'm also a little disappointed that the radome doesn't fold into a nice rectangular box on the 31E. As it is, it resembles my kitchen table with the leaves down. Two more hinges would've made a noticeable difference.
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The shoulders are mounted on either side of a beam, which is connected to the body by a central pivot. The arms of the VF-9, in jet mode, compress to shorten their length, the hands retract, and the arms rotate in-line with each other, wrists touching. The beam/arm assembly is situated longitudinally to be in-line with the forward fuselage. In battroid, the beam rotates 90 deg from its position in fighter. Here's a link to the official lineart; look at transformation details 1,2, and 3: http://www.macross2.net/m3/macrossga/vf-9.htm It's one of Kawamori's more complex transformations. Anyway, the comparison we're making is with the beam connection for the arms is similar between the VF-9 and the Sv-262.
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That was my impression.
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In my experience, on most aircraft, doors that don't impede the gear are designed to close on the ground, and feature manual releases, either mechanical, or by virtue of built-in valve bypasses, for maintenance and servicing. On most of the valks,however, the mains only have a single door encompassing the entire gear well area, preventing them from closing when the gear are extended. The VF-0, VF-1, and VF-4 are notable exceptions, off the top of my head. But then, overtech is hardier stuff than stainless steel and aircraft grade aluminum alloys, so they can ostensibly take the punishment. It's actually good practice to have multiple doors, since closing them after extension reduces drag and helps prevent foreign object damage within the well area. FYI from a former maintainer.
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The Transformers Thread (licensed) Next
M'Kyuun replied to mikeszekely's topic in Anime or Science Fiction
He was three years younger than me; gone way too soon. R.I.P. Wada-san. -
You guys, rewarding poor engineering will only get you more of the same with future releases. It's like giving your dog a treat after he poops on your kitchen floor. The greatest thing that separates valks from Transformers is the amount of realistic detail in their designs. Yamato, and then Arcadia, established a new high standard in this regard, and Bandai was coming along (although why they don't paint their landing gear white is beyond me, esp when they're willing to do excessive tampo. ) So, until now, every valk they've produced, except their unmentionably bad first line of VF-25s, have had realistic gear. That was good progress...and now this. It seems to me a step in the wrong direction, design-wise. Now if that's the way Kawamori actually designed the valk, well then I'll humbly retract my criticism of Bandai. But, this would seem an odd design choice on Kawamori's part, being the acft fanatic he is. I hope it's just the model, and the DX toy has more standard gear. Fingers crossed.
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The Transformers Thread (licensed) Next
M'Kyuun replied to mikeszekely's topic in Anime or Science Fiction
My memory of the Technobots is fuzzy, so I put Google to task. Looking at the originals, and then at the Takara versions, there's a lot of license being taken with their alts. Afterburner should have had his own mold, as recycled groove just doesn't have that cool Tron cycle look. And, he should be orange as David pointed out. Scattershot looks like a box with a gun barrel tacked on, not very evocative of the G1 toy at all. Out of the five, I think Nosecone is the only one that fairly resembles his G1 counterpart in his vehicle mode; the rest of the team, not so much. This is one time when I feel the G1 toys, at least in their alt modes, were far better than their modern equivalents. I guess mold-milking can only go so far. Changing the subject: Along with Shockwave, I ordered the UW version of RiD Thunderhoof, as Hasbro's version is nearly bereft of paint apps, and the Takara deco looks lovely. I don't watch the show, but the overall design of this guy caught my eye, and the fact that he transforms into a tractor. We don't get much in the way of farm equipment alt modes, so I was intrigued. In hand, he's a nice little figure with a surpisingly interesting transformation. Of the six RiD figs I own, he's by far the most complex. Very poseable. The only real con is that his horns tend to be in the way of articulating the shoulders due to their width. And on my copy, the right front tire doesn't spin as freely as the other three, for some reason that I can't determine. Otherwise, fun Transformer with a unique alt mode. Glad I got him.