M'Kyuun

Ahem, Bumblebee in all his many incarnations. Hound's trim. Sunstreaker. Grimlock, technically, was more of a gold color, but still a shade of yellow, if you will. The Batman logo, as well. I'm sure we could come up with hundreds of examples. As I said, exceptions. Perhaps I was a bit harsh in my statement. I'll rephrase to say that I find yellow an undesirable color in many instances, but acceptable in others. And since my hypocrisy has been exposed, I have to admit that I built an "Eggplane" based P-38 from LEGO, and I made the intake area of the nacelles yellow to match the photos of the real plane. http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=453240

IMO, can't go wrong w/ a VF-0, provided you don't get one with issues. Mine's still in one piece, packed away for safekeeping. It's a striking valk in all modes, and I almost prefer it to the VF-1 (heresy, I know). It's a beautiful update to the VF-1 ( I know it's supposed to be the precursor to the VF-1, but everybody here knows that, in design terms, the opposite is true. The VF-1 reflects its 80's design aesthetic, and the Vf-0 reflects the modern aesthetic, with stealth characteristics).

I passed...couldn't get past the hip placement, and I wasn't crazy about the chunkier proportions on what was a slim, lithe looking battroid. I bought the VF-25S model instead, as it was much more accurate. Still need to finish it (I hate painting/decaling models)I'll commit when the V2 VF-25S comes up for preorder again at either AmiAmi or HLJ.

There are exceptions to every rule.

The Blazer is looking amazing, despite the yellow (a color which is infinitely detestable, except for minute markings. It should never ever ever be used as a primary or secondary color scheme). Very much awaiting pics of the VF-19F. I hope they use the same dark blue, as the white lines and accents will look awesome. Yamato will most likely liberate me of $300 for the "F".

Watched Flashback on Youtube...saw the scene in question. Too bad the scene was so short. Would have been cool to see it fly alongside the VF-1 in battle in the original series. Thanks for the pics. I'm quite aware of the differences between the original "stubby" design, and the longer, sleeker design. Longer, sleeker wins my vote if Yamato decides to commit.

All the better; regretfully, I've never seen Flashback 2012. However, I do have the Macross Designworks , in which the original and redesigned versions are featured, so I guess I mis-stepped when I implied that the earlier version was "more" canonical than the latter. So, I'm assuming Hikaru flew the sleeker version in Flashback?

If Yamato is planning a VF-4 release, I vehemently hope they go with the revised longer, sleeker design rather than the original stubbier design. I guess the shorter design would be closer to canon, since Hikaru is swooshing a model of it briefly in one short scene, but as a fan of aesthetics, and apparently so too Mr. Kawamori, the redesign presents a far more striking fighter. While I love fighters, at heart I'm a battroid guy, and I love the Lightning's b-mode and transformation. Just an all around beautiful design that I'd love to have, rendered in all the stunning detail Yamato is known for, on my desk within easy reach.

Very cool and practical utilization/transformation of Prime's trailer. I always thought the original repair bay mode was a bit underwhelming and that more could be done with the trailer as far as transformation. Prime's Ring of Kickass would make a great toy.

Saw it, liked it. By far and away the best live-action adaption of the character. I kinda expected a little Johnny Storm in the performance, but Evans surprised me by really playing the character straight. If I have any complaint, it's that the German characters didn't speak German (I'd prefer to hear them speak in German and read the subtitles for authenticity and feel...plus they seem more evil ). Stanley Tucci had the accent down. Hugo Weaving and Toby Jones, sadly, did not. Tucci's Dr Erskine was my favorite character. The Howard Stark character was well played. Tommy Lee Jones excels in stereotypical hard-ass military roles, and he delivers here as well. Overall, it was good, but not great. There were really no stand-out moments or characters, no wow-moments. I dug the German bomber; nice nod to the Horten brothers' designs. I probably would have enjoyed the movie more if the people behind me had reigned in their two little kids who obviously had zero interest in the movie, talked and moved around incessantly, spilling drinks, dropping candy, and kicking seats throughout the entire show. We went to a matinee just to avoid this situation. Bad parents suck.

Very true, and why I didn't buy V1. V2 is what they should have made first time out of the gate, and V2 should, in Yamato fashion, be the improved version with quality issues fixed. As much as v2 appeals to me, I may have just talked myself into waiting for v3.

That battroid looks sharp...finally proper hip placement and angled crotch to really emphasize the lankiness of the battroid. I like the color scheme and the new leg armor. However, Kawamori's insistence on one-upping the previous models really manifests in this design, i.e the additional engine pods, the lights on the chest plate, and the back guns all seem superflous and unnecessary, and detract from its appeal. It's a very busy design. I'm hoping that Bandai will give us v2 of the VF-25 employing the design changes seen here.

The LEGO Group are no strangers to animation, and they certainly have some talented folks working for them. Although I was never a fan of Bionicle, the theme was highly successful both in terms of the toys and the various animated shows and movies. My continuing hope is that one of the designers will create a well-done, perhaps Macross inspired, transforming robot that gets the nod from the CEO, and those of us who've been waiting will finally get what we've been wishing for. In my case, I've been hoping for a transforming mech theme since the 80s. However, I don't want Built to Rule or Kreo; I want a perfectly transforming robot theme where the bots turn into believable vehicles, with good poseability and aesthetics. I would love to see TLG create a series of ratcheting ball & socket joints in various sizes, as well as inverted versions of a number of existing pieces. Currently, I'm working on a Vf-4 inspired mech...it will be perfect transformation, with retractable landing gear, and as much poseability as I can squeeze into it at its size. It will also accommodate a minifigure. I'm making slow progress, but eventually I'll complete it.Update: http://www.flickr.com/photos/95379588@N08/with/8690923878/

"Van Force" was a Japanese exclusive alternate model using existing Exo-Force LEGO sets to supply parts. While his models transformed and were interesting, they were more sci-fi and lacked the sleekness and "realness" of his Macross designs. And, they were pretty flimsy. I had hopes that LEGO would approach SK to create a transforming theme along the lines of Macross (without being Macross, for licensing and availability reasons). Given the popularity spike for transforming toys, I'd have thought LEGO would eventually jump on the bandwagon and create a theme of their own, but, alas, it has not happened. Maybe LEGO feels that toys of that nature would be too complex for the age group they want to target, or the designers haven't found a way to make a visually appealing and functional transforming robot. However, it is certainly possible: Alex Schranz, aka Orion Pax, makes some awesome stuff. Definitely worth a look on Flickr.

I don't have the pics on my wife's laptop; however, this guy has them on his Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=lego+konig+monster&m=text I think he has the full set of pics as they appeared on Brickshelf. Hopefully, these will both awe and inspire. The guy was a damned good builder.

The creator of the LEGO Monster was an unknown Japanese builder who went by the name Gla-Gla. He posted pics of his creations on a LEGO fansite called Brickshelf for a number of years around the 2002-2004 timeframe. One day, he just closed his account and removed all his pics. Fortunately, fans of the model saved the pics and have made them available. Soren Roberts, an excellent builder himself, believes Gla-Gla was the Hory Froating Head himself. I don't think so personally, but who knows. Gla-Gla never posted anything beyond pics of his various models, several of which were Macross related and transformable. He made a few non-Macross transformable mecha as well, and an awesome Ingram from Patlabor. His transformable mecha were also notable due to their "perfect" transformations. The identity of the builder remains a mystery. BTW, my avatar is a pic of Gla-Gla's VF-17. It transformed as well.

I think b/c the lower section of the shoulder pod is darker than the overall valk, and that the back of the leg doesn't quite fit the contour of the lower shoulder pod, and just falls short of touching the plates that cover the gap forward of the shield, it presents, to me, the appearance of a small gap. It's a very, very minor nitpick. Too, it may just be the lighting in that particular pic. Still, Yamato have done an amazing job, and I'm not at all thrown by the addition of extras to fill in the legs and such. For the price of this beauty, I'm glad they offer them. However, I'm a fan of neither red nor yellow, and so will hold out for a nice blue and white deco, and hope I have the funds when Yamato eventually releases it.

Seconded, on both points. Looks nice. The gap under the shoulder pad keeps catching my eye. Other than that, and the gap in the neck in that HLJ pic, she looks seamless. I'd love to see it in the blue w/ white stripes deco.

I have the beginnings of all three Mac+ Valks in various stages of build, but I stopped working on them. I probably got farthest on my VF-11. I can't bring myself to tear them apart, always thinking I'll get back to them. All 3 of my models can fit a minifig in the cockpit. I'm retiring from the military this year, and I'm hoping I'll find more time for building once I'm free of the Air Force. Even now, I'm deployed, and looking forward to going home in early May. Can't wait to pick up a few Star Wars sets, and work on my current LDD project with real bricks. Chronocidal, I've seen your gargantuan VF-1 before and remember your saying that the existing hinges are too weak to bear the weight and /or strain of flexing, rotating, etc. Most people don't think about it, but a sizeable model of durable ABS is both substantial and weighty. But my hat's off to you, sir, as that is a fine VF-1. Even if you finished it in fighter mode and left it non-transformable, it'd be an amazing and highly recognizable model.

Carl, great topic. I use LEGO Digital Designer, but unfortunately, I neither have the time nor talent to rebuild this thing virtually. However, in the hopes I can stir up some interest, here's some LDD info: The program itself is a free download from LEGO.com, and there are inumerable topics in this forum to help you improve graphics presentation, unlock Universe, etc, plus tips and tricks: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showforum=128 There's a mod to the preferences in the program to unlock the Universe pallet, which offers much more versatility to your projects. User beware; the program is fun, and with the Universe pallet unlocked, moreso b/c you can build without any parts limits, and there's no mess to pick up. The pallet is not all inclusive, but is still impressive. On the other hand, the program's not without its quirks and drawbacks. I'm working on a transforming design right now, and the rotation tool, allowing hinges to be cycled through various degrees of motion, is finicky, and sometimes just doesn't work, depending on how much structure attaches to the hinge, close contact with another part of the model, etc. Simply put, it's buggy, and frustrating as hell. To the point, then, recreating Gla-Gla's Monster, still a masterpiece after all these years, while not impossible, would be difficult to accomplish. There aren't many pictures of the model for reference, and some areas would require educated guesses as to how they were constructed. However, I'd love to see someone more talented than myself try. So far, I've only succeeded in building a transforming forklift in LDD. http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=432191 I've scoured the internet looking for Macross designs done in LEGO. A quick search for "Macross" will net you some nice models on Brickshelf.com. Outside of this, however, I've not had much success. Jack McKeen built some nice transformable SD Macross designs and was featured in AnimeFringe magazine years ago. BaronSat sells some Macross related models as well. I hope I imparted some useful info. I've pined for the LEGO Macross license that will never be for years. If there are LEGO fans out there who build Macross models, hopefully they'll find this topic and post some creations. Perhaps one of them will be able to back engineer the Monster and make the LDD file available to everyone. Good luck and Play well!

I chose the SV-51. While the aesthetics can be debated (I personally love the way it looks in all three modes), I like how the cockpit area of the fuselage forms the centerpiece of the battroid, and effectively positions the VTOL engines for all three modes. The engine areas in the legs are capacious and the three-toed augmentors give excellent stability to both GERWALK and Battroid modes. I'm a fan on non-cockpit-out-front designs, so I like how the LERX suspend the aft fuselage over the cockpit using the VTOL fan door to conceal and protect the canopy. It's a nice simple, practical, and efficient design. Looking at previous designs, the transformation is innovative. I like the YF-19, and consider its transformation innovative as well: however, having the upper body attached merely by the backpack piece (which must be hollow to contain and conceal the cockpit canopy and still allow for two jet engines) strikes me as a great idea for a toy and an animated design, but not as "realistically" practical as the SV-51. While alot of folks here consider all the features of the valks as they are featured within the animation and design books, I personally focus on the designs from a purely mechanical standpoint as they relate to the toys, and by extension, to their practicality in a real mechanism. Of all the valks, I think the SV-51 comes closest to being a realizable design within the next 20 to 50 years given our current state of material technology, and perhaps 50-75 years for viable propulsion.

I voted VF-4, as I just like the design. I don't get hung up on the amount of air time and such...I just like the look and transformation of the thing. The VF-2SS would be a close second, as I don't believe Yamato would make either of these without some influence/ input from the fans via Graham. Also, I didn't vote VF-17, as I believe it's a forgone conclusion now that they're making the VF-19. Just my humble opinion.

I'm not a fan of Bay's movies, nor do I care for Kurtzman's and Orci's writing, at least for Transformers. I liked Star Trek, but anyway... "Prime" is too close in appearance, dialog, and overall feel to the live action movies for my taste. I watched all 5 parts. I thought it was out of character for Optimus Prime to go gunning down his zombie-ized comrades...it's a quick and cheap plot point to have zombies, or drones for that matter, as they're just fodder to amp up the action/shooting scenes. It'd have been far better if Prime found a way to isolate his zombie comrades (actually, zombie robots is pretty dumb, too) and determine a way, which would require no small number of challenges, to remove the dark energy and return all his fallen comrades to a dignified grave with their honor restored. The Prime of G1 or Beast Wars would have taken the hard road to preserve honor. It's merely a speed-bump for Orci's and Kurtzman's Prime. Or maybe I just have too idealized a picture of Prime. Overall, I thought the show lacking, although Ratchet's "dick" moments were amusing to a point. As others have pointed out, it's an unimaginative rehash of what's come before, with Bay's characters' influence at the fore. That said, where are the preliminary toy pics? heck, we saw pics of Animated toys and art before the show ever aired.

Hadn't noticed it before, but the "noses" of both my insignias point slightly outboard. It's very slight, but the insignia on the right stab sits a hair more aft than the left. The panel line passes through the purple paint in the "ear" on the right side, and barely touches the purple point within the white outline on the left. Still, I'm not going to fuss..it's a cheap toy made cheaply, and overall the figure looks decent and has no other major flaws (that I've found so far). Besides, one can look at military acft and detect flaws in their paint jobs as well. I've worked on and around them for 19 years. Don't even get me started on corrosion and dirt.

The paint apps don't look too bad on mine. The right intake (acft right, that is) has a small streak of silver paint where it globbed up and left a tail...basically looks like a silver sperm cell swimming across the surface. Fortunately, it all falls within the silver painted area with no bleedover into the black. The rest of the paint job looks pretty crisp and clean. The detractor on my fig is all the sprue marks. One can tell the parts are hastily snipped off, barely trimmed, assembled and painted. Oh well, whadaya expect for an $11 toy made by people paid on the serious cheap? Now if blatant sprue marks started showing up on my Yamatos....grrr