M'Kyuun

That dark blue color scheme sure is pretty. I don't like the VF171 as much as the VF-17 (mostly because of the skinny feet on the 171. Silly, I know, but those big feet on the 17 just look better to me). However, in this color, it looks gorgeous all around.

The stripes look white on mine, and mine was bundled with packs.

I got my last hurrah of 2012 today, thanks to Fed-Ex, and a package from HLJ containing a VF-17D and a VF-4 Lightning. What a lovely bird she be. It's definitely an impressive bit of engineering, and quite solid in battroid. The only real hang up is the lack of rotating shoulders, limiting the upward movement of the arms. I wish they'd also added just a bit more length to the forearms to allow the poseable hands to fit inside, but it's a minor gripe. After years of waiting and hoping for a fully transformable VF-4, I'm extremely pleased with what Yamato has accomplished here. I was pretty impressed, too, with how well it balances, given how far back those upper engine nacelles extend. I like the color scheme, and the red they chose is nice darker matte red that looks nice, IMO. I'm glad Yamato arrived at their own solution for transforming this beauty, rather than copying Experten's overcomplicated system of lnkages. They also created a nice tight double jointed knee to affect transformation. From the beginning, I felt this would be the weakest point, but my fears are relieved after handling mine. Overall, this is another great entry in Yamato's Macross lineup. I have to echo the sentiment...nice avatar, Exo. Looks more like scene from a movie than cosplay.

I received my VF-17D with FPs today, along with my VF-4 from HLJ. I wasn't expecting it til Thursday, so it was a nice end of year surprise. My 17 was nice and tight out of the box, almost too much so. I normally eschew instructions, but I was afraid I was going to snap something, so I referred. Anyway, I've transformed it to battroid and back without issue. The left side upper FP didn't want to snap on, but a little patience and persistence go a long way. So far, I'm impressed with this figure. It's big, it's solid, it looks great, and the poseability is impressive for a toy this size. No regrets.

I'm glad to see the transformation is differnet on the YF-30. I was starting to think Vf-25 clones were going to become the norm. As for new stuff for Yamato to tackle, I'd love to see them step out of their comfort zone, i.e. variable fighters, and try their hand at something more unique: BG-5C Fatman http://www.mahq.net/mecha/macross/aircavalry/bg-5c.htm I'd love to have one of these in toy form on my shelf.

Sorry, but I gotta stoke the fire. The Renewal 25G is such an excellent figure. I can't remember the last time I handled a valk this much. Normally I transform them a couple times, pose them a bit until I find one I like, and then set them on the shelf. This thing has yet to see a shelf.

I made the rounds to all the stores yesterday. I got RiD Voyager Starscream for $12 at Fred Meyers. Nice figure...the bot mode looks great, his jet mode slightly less so with his high heels poking out the sides under his exhaust augmentor. Still, he's sleeker in jet mode than I thought he'd be, and I had some fun swooshing him around my kitchen last night. I also picked up RiD Rumble...indeed, a neat little bot. His pile drivers are all black, however, unlike his box photo. If I were better with a brush, I'd remedy it, but over all, I'm not too bothered by it. TRU was my last stop, and I'm glad I did, as I scored both FE Prime and Bulkhead. I passed on Voyager Bulkhead at Fred Meyers b/c his bot mode is very inaccurate and kinda crappy looking from the side. Also, he has that ridiculously enormous weapon. Even though he was half price, I'm glad I did. FE Bulkhead is far superior. The transformation is pretty cool, with alot of wrap-around panel action going on. Overall, the transformation achieves a show accurate look to the bot, plus he's big and bulky, and his weapon mirrors that in the show. The only issue I had with my copy was that the rotating panel to which his head is attached was so tight that I was afraid of breaking him trying to get it to flip over in truck mode. I'll have to try again. His hood panels that form his chest were a bit difficult to snap into place as well. I thought I might snap off the little pegs in the process, but fortunately, I didn't. My thoughts during all this was," Do they expect an 8-12 yr old to do this, when I'm a 41 yr old with tons of experience with transforming toys having issues getting things to snap in place and move?" Anyway, I'll fidget with it some more. I have RiD Prime, which is a nice figure too. however, FE Prime is a bit bigger, and his back kibble is smaller and better designed to put his smoke stacks closer to how they appear in the show. Overall, FE is more detailed, having full, better sculpted lower legs. The only advantage RiD Prime has, IMO, is that his shoulders are on a ball joint, whereas FE Primes are not. he still has a wide range of motion, however, and his shoulder guards are hinged in the middle allowing the lower half to swing out to enable his arms a wider range of motion. In their truck modes, I tend to favor RiD Prime's; his cab is wider and the nose a bit shorter. FE Prime has a small narrow cab, but his overall truck mode is larger. Both are good figs however, and I'm glad I've got both. I'm hoping that Hasbro will sell the flying Vehicon in the States. Of all my Prime figs, the RiD Vehicon is probably my favorite, with great vehicle and bot modes. The flying Vehicon is different enough, but still similar enough in bot mode, to get me to part with another $15. They both look like something from Batman's arsenal, and that gives them extra cool points IMO.

Got shipping notices from both NY and HLJ yesterday. So, next Thursday I should have 2 VF-4's and a VF-17D with Fast Packs on my doorstep. Can't wait. Heck, I'm still basking in the glory of my VF-27G Renewal...just an awesome figure. Fortunately, my wife takes no issue with my valk habit, as I usually only acquire one or two in a year's time. This particular order constitutes the most valks I've ever ordered within such a small space of time. I hope I hate the YF-30, b/c I don't think I can afford it, too.

Looking good. I'm expecting two of these soon. I'm still mildly disappointed that the shoulders don't rotate for more arm poseability, but then they're never shown to do so in the art. I'm sure SK would have told Yamato if they did. Nevertheless, I'm still impressed with what Yamato have accomplished, especially with those tricky knee joints. If ever there was going to be a fail point, the knees would be it due to the transformation process. Like everyone else, I'm looking forward to finally having this in my hands.

Since my last post, I've transformed my 25G a couple times. The plate to which the head attaches is a bear to move on mine, but I 've managed with patience. I've since been able to position the back plate closer to the canopy. Initially, I didn't have something quite right and it prevented the back plate from moving as close as it can to the canopy. On my second transformation to battroid, I got it right. You can still see the canopy, but not as much as before. It's funny, I didn't really care for the VF-25 design when it was first revealed b/c it looked too much to me like a robot turning into a jet rather than vice versa, at least moreso than SK's other valks. That's saying alot, since I favor battroid mode. However, having it in my hands, I'm loving the design. I love the lanky, highly poseable battroid, and I think it's fighter is quite eyecatching as well. It's a lovely design, and Bandai have impressed me with their second go 'round. My wife remarked that it reminded her of the Evas, and I can see how she'd make that comparison. Did a comparison of my VF-27 Brera version to my 25G Renewal. I can't believe how underwhelmed I am at the 27 now. It doesn't help, either, that my 27's shoulder joints have become loose and a bit floppy. Makes me appreciate my 25G all the more.

I've passed on RID Frenzy a number of times, but I have to say he's a cool looking figure. If I see him again, I may just cave.

VF5SS, are there any plans to make YF-19 shoulder parts? My 19 is a permanent southpaw since his right shoulder desintegrated.

For your first point, in a reboot, I wouldn't mind seeing G1 homaged, but the designs need not be exactingly G1. I liked TF: Animated and I also like the Classics toyline, neither of which is slavish to G1 design aesthetic. But it's in the ballpark. The lack of personality in any of his bot characters, except Prime (thanks to Mr. Cullen), is a glaring failure of Bay's movies. It's also the reason I scratch my head and wonder why Spielberg chose him, a guy with no personal connection to Transformers beyond knowing they are toys. Bay likes cars and explosions and juvenile humor, but knows nothing about what made this series worth translating into a live action film. In my experience, one normally doesn't get hired when they have no knowledge of their subject matter. I blamed Orci and Kurtzman for crappy scripts, but they've surprised me with TF:Prime. They get it, even if they did carry over Bumblebee's annoying lack of voice. The show is brimming with personality, and they tell a good story. Bay's movies manifest his view that the TFs are nothing more than props. Should there be a Bay-less reboot in the future, I hope a director with a strong connection to these Characters comes forward and crafts a movie that does them justice.

I got my VF-25G today, from Nippon-Yasan for $206. I'm not going to complain about the price, since I missed the first two releases. I wanted a 25S, but now that I have the 25G in hand, I 'm pretty pleased. It looks simply awesome posed with that sniper rifle. In fighter it looks great from all angles. In battroid, it looks great from the front, but a little awkward viewing it in side profile, since the cockpit can be seen clearly and the back panel "hovers" over it. The joints are all tight and it holds the gun brilliantly with the poseable hands. Overall, it's a beautiful figure. Has anyone heard anything about a release for the Super Packs for the 25G?

I concur 100% per movie. I can't even meet you halfway here. I'm not above lowbrow humor (Family Guy makes me laugh), but these movies aren't funny at all. They make me groan with every attempt. Just absolutely terrible. The designs are ok for something other than Transformers. If you didn't know these were Transformers, you probably wouldn't identify them as such at a first glance. Moreover, they're skeletal frames with car parts sectioned and diced and placed willy-nilly over the frame. They don't transform as much as they morph through animation magic. I'd like to see designs where the parts are logically placed and attached so that both the toy and the on screen incarnation are extremely close in appearance and transformation. Just like the valks. Or Alternators. I'm not saying that the proportions need be blocky or slavish to the G1 aesthetic, but there was much lost in translation from CG character to practical toy because in reality, none of those things would transform worth a damn. And if they somehow did, there'd be so many seams that the things would look like big 3d puzzles barely holding together for all the miniscule pieces. For that reason, and b/c I think they're kinda ugly, I don't subscribe to Bay's Transformer aesthetic for a live action movie where realism is to be portrayed. With all those little shifting parts, one would merely have to throw a baseball at them and watch them shatter.

Usually I'm in the same situation; find one at this store, another at that. However, there were one of each of all the FOC Combaticons at my local Walmart last week. While I'm not overly crazy about them, I struggled with my impulse to scoop them up right there and then, having never owned a complete combiner set in over 20 years of collecting. The $15 price tag per fig grounded me, and I left the store empty-handed. If these things were still selling at $10 a piece, I most likely would have bought them all.

Jenius, you make a good argument concerning the marketing motivations between the two companies. Additionally, I personally doubt that Bandai counts on demand from the West, or even cares about it, as much as Yamato do. Bandai has the luxury of having numerous successful long running lines, whereas Yamato took a gamble on a niche market. Yamato has a far greater stake in the success and popularity of Macross, and after all these years, I would expect that they recognize there's a large consumership for their products outside of Japan, and that they have to factor us in, even if it is an indirect consumership in the US (Thanks HG, you guys are swell). I'm just glad that Yamato have continued to step up their game, despite the fact that they really had no competition for years. They could have produced mediocre toys, which we would probably have accepted, and complained about incessantly. Kinda like we do with their high end toys, but I digress. From a marketing standpoint, they could have made a living from just-good-enough Macross toys, since no one else was making them. One need look no further than Hasbro to see success selling alot of just-good-enough and down-right-shi77y toys. The TFW2005 crowd salivate over nearly every offering, and those are mass produced over a longer shelf life, mostly. The toys, not the TFW2005 crowd, although I wonder... So, I applaud Yamato for pushing themselves. Their passion is in evidence with every new release. I'm not sure that Bandai has that level of commitment towards its Macross product line; I may have to adjust my thinking when my VF-25g renewal shows up in a day or two. The real treat, and what I'm downright giddy about, is getting two VF-4's and a VF-17 with Fast Packs at the end of the month, so it's going to be a Macross-rich Christmas for me this year. To the folks at Yamato and Bandai, domo arigato gozaimasu. <gracious bow>