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M'Kyuun

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  1. M'Kyuun
    One of the most positive attributes of the Star Wars license in general, and these large capital ship sets in particular, is, indeed, the amount and variety of grey parts they offer to the intrepid MOC builder. When you ordered your Batmobile, did you at least get the free Christmas tree? I hope so. To the System '89 Batmobile, which was supposed to be a promotion lasting about a week or so, I hope it sends a clear message as to the demand for it, as I believe that it was a huge motivating factor for the madness that ensued on the 29th. In reading comments on other LEGO boards, many folks were more interested in it than in the large set, which, to be fair, makes sense as it fits in with the rest of their LEGO Batman collection. Too, a lot of folks don't have room for these larger display pieces , so the smaller version is more desirable. I personally wanted both, so I endured the onslaught and the intermittencies until I was finally successful. I think, however, that LEGO should have been far better prepared for the massive demand on their servers and site; since they obtained the Batman license in 2006, there has likely not been a more anticipated set than a System scaled '89 Batmobile, which I firmly believe was the actual motivator behind the extreme demand on opening night /morning. I'll say it again- I despise exclusives, and this set in particular should never have even been considered to be an exclusive, given its popularity. I think LEGO, and the fans, would have mutually benefitted from the System set's wide release, and I hope the amount of demand and subsequent depletion of stock of the smaller set on opening night sends a clear message to LEGO, and they make the thing available to all eventually. As to the large Batmobile canopy piece, it does indeed correspond to the basic shape of the Animated Series' Batwing canopy. Worth a shot. Y'know you'll have to post some pics of that, right? You mentioned how much the current System Batwing set, and too, the current Batmobile, resemble their relative '89 counterparts. I wonder, especially in regards to the Batmobile, if that was a purposeful design choice knowing that the actual '89 System set was going to be an add-on exclusive, and they wanted to put something similar out there for mass consumption. Homages, if you will. It's bittersweet consolation, if so. I have both of those sets, and while they're both pretty well done, and do indeed hearken to the '89 Batman designs, the Batmobile is close but certainly no cigar. I think the Batwing skews much closer to the source. I hope, since the '66, the '89, the live action BvS/JL, the Beware the Batman Batmobiles and the Tumbler have all been done in System scale, that the BTAS Batmobile is next on the list to receive official set treatment. I just love the look of that car, and it'd be another dream set realized if they did.
  2. M'Kyuun
    Exactly why it's a concern. From the beginning in the current MP line, scale should have been predicated on alt mode rather than bot, as these things look awkward next to each other if displayed in alt modes. But then again, you have a Walkman, a big purple laser pistol, and a Walther P-38 that are bigger than the cars, so what do I know? So yeah, way-undersized trains is likely what they'll be. I guess it's no different than Astrotrain, who can carry a fully formed Devastator in his cargo bay, but stands about as tall as Starscream in bot mode. Scale was just all over the place in Transformers, which is why I guess, until recently in the Siege line, HasTak just never gave it much credence. I appreciate that they're trying with Siege, though. Sometimes it's the thought that counts. When I made my last post, I was a bit irritated that this was the next MP when so many more popular characters had yet to be made; I've had time to rethink it, however, and given the latest design direction and the overriding adherence to toon accuracy, an oxymoron if ever there was one, and finding neither MP-44, the new MP Bee, nor the upcoming Hound to my liking, perhaps something out of left field is a refreshing change. These will represent the first official combiners in the MP line. In my mind that's fine; before they attempt a potential Devastator, or any other of the more well-known combiners, let them cut their teeth on these guys. I'm curious to see how they turn out.
  3. M'Kyuun
    Up front, I'm not at all a fan of the Bayverse Devastator design. However, I must confess to being impressed at the level of engineering being brought to bear with these figures. I still don't care for the aesthetic, but I can certainly appreciate the amount of realism attempted with the alt modes (I have, for as long as I can remember, been fascinated with construction equipment. They're just things of beauty to my eyes), the amount of articulation given to the oft unconventional bot modes, and finally to the three-way transformations from bot to vehicle to body parts without the apparent necessity of add-ons. Bay's Devastator poses a lot of challenges for a toymaker, and I tip my hat to Devil Saviour for thus far creating an interesting set of Bayverse Constructicons that, it would seem, meets all requisites.
  4. M'Kyuun
    Now with even bigger backpack, more panels, and cell shading for the ultimate cartoon look! Seriously, though, I guess they could do one of the Japanese Primes. I know they've gained popularity here in the US, but I'm not really a fan of the more Super Robot look of many of the Japanese TFs. That's more Kuma's territory. One of the most appealing aspects of Transformers from the start was their apparent realism, and the whole 'robot in disguise' theme that drove at least first season. Now the idea of a series of train cars and engine that can become a gestalt is interesting, but I think it would be better served at the CHUG scale. At the MP scale, how would they scale train cars and an engine to the carbots? Are they going to come as a set? If so, they'd likely topple Unicron, by a fair margin, as most expensive TF to date. Would they be a Takara exclusive? Most likely in my mind. lots of things to ponder with this announcement. As I mentioned, I wouldn't mind seeing them done as part of Siege. They'd still be expensive, but not nearly so much as MP scaled figs.
  5. M'Kyuun
    Thanks for the review, Mike. Honestly, I'm having an extremely hard time getting past that unfinished shuttle mode, and, like you, wondered why they didn't integrate some covers to finish the shuttle into that backpack. It seems like a no-brainer move to me. I was pretty excited to learn that an Astrotrain was coming in this line, especially given the overall quality of the rest of the line so far, for the most part. I figured this would be the definitive Astrotrain I've been waiting for, and it comes close, minus the various flaws you pointed out. The too- wide train mode I can live with, but the unfinished shuttle just kills it for me, especially for $50. I might pick it up if I find a sale for $30, like I eventually did with Shockwave. However, I'm also holding out hope that a third party, like Dr. Wu, will indeed make covers or go further and make all new parts that can be substituted, to improve the shuttle mode. It smacks of lazy engineering, and I wish they'd eschewed the accessory box in lieu of just making a better figure. Grrr I love this hobby, but sometimes it frustrates. On that note, I hope FT's Thomas ends up being one of their better figures, as it looks to be the best version I've seen thus far, and I want it, and maybe a shrunken version for the ole CHUG shelf. What an odd, out-of-left-field choice, if, in fact, that's the next MP. Still no Jazz, no other minibots except two versions of Bee, no Trailbreaker, no Mirage, a Seeker mold that's well due an update, and that's just to complete the '84 lineup. There are plenty of other more popular and well known figs that have yet to get the official treatment- Galvatron, Cyclonus, and Scourge, for starters. Looking at the pics of the train dude, I happened across some of those at a hobby store outside Kadena when I was stationed in Okinawa back in '90-'92. I had no idea what they were, but they were in Transformer boxes, so I assumed, correctly in hindsight, that they were Japanese only releases. I didn't pick any of them up- kinda wish I had now, as their rarity in the States would have made them unique and valuable. Alas, hindsight.
  6. M'Kyuun
    It's been many a year since I had mine built, and unfortunately, I had it displayed near a wall where the baseboard heating was located and it actually caused some of the structural Technic beams towards the nose to soften and bend. It's been in storage since about 2008, and I'm not sure how much of it I would have to replace . However, I do remember how arduous the build was, even moreso since I lived in a small apartment and basically built it from the bags all still nestled in their big box. The entirety of the lower fuselage panels were held in place with magnets, and a slight jarring would cause them to come undone. the engines were made of big tires, and many of the wedge plates and slopes available now didn't exist. So, having watched the designer vid, and by looking at pics, much effort was put into making it a much more solid build, one that can be picked up and moved with relative ease, which wasn't really the case with the original. Moreover, many of the smaller details have been picked out using new elements which are more accurate. The engines are now entirely brick-built, with additional details that weren't possible with the original. If it's a set you really want, the new one, by all estimates, is far superior to the original. Bear in mind, when the original came out, LEGO still didn't have much experience with large production models, and at the time, the Star Destroyer was the largest ever produced. So, in a sense, they were on terra incognita, but I think they did an admirable job given what they were trying to do. However with eleven years and much, much more expansive experience with large complex models, and a palette that offers far greater options to the designers, the new SD outclasses the original by a wide margin. Man Kanedaestes, I'm jealous of how quickly you got your Batmobile. Mine's due on Friday, which still isn't too bad, but with a set like this, sooner is always better. I'll be getting the same three sets, and I can't wait-- but I have to. I'm thrilled that they made a System compatible version to go along with the large, but I wish they hadn't resorted to making it an exclusive, as it's still one of the most popular Batmobile designs ever, recreated by countless fans on Flickr and elsewhere, and IMHO, should have been made available as a wide release so everyone had a chance to get it. I hope it'll happen at some point, as I'd probably pick up another copy. The one positive is that it'll likely be easy to replicate through Bricklink. I appreciate that LEGO made a new cape/cowl piece that's specific to Keaton's Batman, but I wish they'd made the cape out of the soft material that they've been using of late, only make the cape wider to replicate the Movie look. It would have made the Batman figure that comes with the large Batmobile more serviceable with the smaller Batmobile. As it is, the cape/cowl piece need to be removed for him to fit, which kinda defeats the point. It's a minor, but fair, gripe, but at the end of the day, I'm just glad that both of these sets have finally been produced, and that they turned out as well as they did.
  7. M'Kyuun
    Concerning those old hinges, I'm sure you're right, but I hold out hope that the production of retired parts, with enough feedback supporting it, might move LEGO to give it consideration. It's worth noting that many of the set designers today are fellow AFOLs who turned their hobby into a profession, and I would think that they'd have a voice when it comes to the production of new or modified parts, and perhaps the resurrection of old ones if there is suddenly a platform available to them. All I can do at this point is hope. So, I managed to get the new '89 Batmobile after about an hour or so's worth of refreshing and clicking the 'add to bag' button, and then again on the 'place order' button, and yet again on the Paypal return to merchant screen, which repeatedly failed to go through- until it finally did. Frustrating, to be sure. I'm in WA, so I started trying to get my order placed a few minutes after 9PM local (midnight on the east coast where LEGO is based in the US), and already the site was intermittent, and attempts to just get the Exclusives or Batman screen to populate were met with partial success. I think they grossly underestimated the demand for this thing, as they certainly did not bolster their servers to meet it. I really wanted that free System set that accompanies the large version, so I persisted, but man, it was a real PITA. Anyway, to those who want this thing, good luck, and I hope they still have the smaller set in stock, as, if my experience is any indication, demand is high and LEGO's bandwidth seems to be maxed out.
  8. M'Kyuun
    Your examples, David, are what I hope will be addressed as a result of the acquisition. If they only use it as a monitoring tool to look at trends and to solicit feedback without addressing some of the AFOL requests in the form of tangible product, IMHO, the acquisition was fundamentally pointless. Now obviously they won't be able to make every part requested, but I think if they look at the numbers, or they do something like IDEAS where suggested parts must meet a certain number of votes, or even a certain preorder goal, kinda like Hasbro Pulse's Unicron, then once a goal is reached, the part will see a limited exclusive production run. I kinda like the backing idea- if folks are willing to pony up, then it becomes much less of a gamble for LEGO, as limited runs are undoubtedly more expensive than a regular production run. As for my personal wishlist, I'd love to see them reissue these wonderfully useful old hinges 4275 and 4276, especially if they were issued in a number of modern colors, especially light and dark bleys. I'd also love inverted versions of any number of hinge plates, also any number of slopes which do not at this time have an analog. For addressing some of these exclusive runs, utilizing SohoBricks' capabilities might prove advantageous, provided their QC is up to snuff with the rest of LEGO's parts. Right now, LEGO doesn't even have a plan for them, but IMO, that would be a fitting function.
  9. M'Kyuun
    Interesting news. Been reading some Q&As with LEGO's CMO, Julia Goldin, on Brothers-Brick as well. My hope is that, after the dust has cleared and they've got a solid feel for how to keep it running, they'll open up a venue that caters , parts-wise, to AFOLs via Bricklink, making those parts available, like plates with studs on top and bottom, that they haven't released in sets. The greatest positive is that they'll have a lot of experience and suggestions, freely given, by a lot of very capable people within the adult fan community to help inform, and hopefully influence in a tangible way, the part palette. I've seen a lot of interesting and highly useful fan-designed elements over the years (usually CAD), and it's my greatest hope that some of these ideas will see production at some point, via Bricklink, perhaps as exclusive parts-packs, aimed at the adult LEGO fan. That's the potential I see. That I fervently hope for. On the downside, there's always fear that they'll become heavy-handed with various aspects of the marketplace, like influencing pricing, although Ms. Goldin says that that's not one of LEGO's goals; they want it to run , essentially, as it always has, allowing the individual sellers to control pricing and such. What they will do, however, is remove third party fan stores like BrickArms, who produce mini-fig compatible fantasy, sci-fi, and real-world weapons, the latter of which which goes against LEGO's non-violence policy (despite the fact that nearly every theme now has weapons of all sorts, some of which actually shoot, and many are based around conflict. What it really means is no modern guns. Just about everything else is fair game, though). Godtfred Kirk Christiansen, LEGO's previous owner, who was vehemently opposed to any intimation of violence within LEGO would not be happy with what it has become, methinks. That said, Bionicle and Star Wars saved the company from buyout or possible extinction around 2003, and their continued acquisition of conflict based IPs has proved highly profitable for the company, not to mention culturally relevant. Personally, I love having all these characters and vehicles and such from some of my favorite shows and movies in official LEGO form, and from a marketing perspective, it's a smart move. But, it gulls me somewhat when they drag out that old 'non-violence policy' statement to justify why they won't make a modern assault rifle, although just about every other form of weapon has been made. Seems a bit hypocritical to me, but whatever.
  10. M'Kyuun
    She was quite fetching- still is. That's a good point.
  11. M'Kyuun
    Um, yeah, you got me there.
  12. M'Kyuun
    Saw it yesterday with the wife, and personally, I think it was on par with the first. There were more musical numbers, and pretty much all the songs had meaning and contributed to the story. The cast is a pretty talented bunch of folks, and their singing talents elevate the story. So far as the girls' parents' relationship, This film, while still fun, delved into deeper emotional waters for several of the characters, so there's a maturity to it that smaller kids likely won't get. My wife and I sat next to the steps, and there was a little girl, around 5ish, I'd say, who was too busy walking up and down the stairs counting to herself than watching the film. We went during the afternoon, so there were a lot of little ones in the audience, and of course, the obligatory inconsolable infant who the mother tried consoling by the door instead of taking her out of the theatre, b/c courtesy is one of those mystical properties that only exists in stories here in Spokane. Anyway, I did my best to block out the sound of people's struggles with cellophane wrappers (it is a complete mystery to me why candy manufacturers can't create a quiet wrapping material for their wares), kids talking, a baby's cries, and other such din to hear all that was being said in the film, but I got most of it, and I felt it was a worthy successor to the first, which, IMHO, set a pretty high bar. I'm not a big Disney fan, per se, but Frozen, Moana, Lion King, and now Frozen 2 rank among my favorites. Incredibles is by far, my undisputed favorite Disney film. I didn't feel the sequel quite lived up to it, sadly. I waited a long, long time for it, and it kinda disappointed me. However, Frozen 2 succeeded where a lot of sequels don't. IMHO, it's worth seeing, with or without kids.
  13. M'Kyuun
    As far as Pattinson's casting, he seems to be a capable actor, so I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. I learned my lesson about prejudgement when I cringed at hearing of Heath Ledger's casting for Joker. He owned it, and happily proved my presuppositions wrong. As far as Turturro goes, I've liked him in just about everything I've ever seen him in minus the abominable Transformer films and You Don't Mess with the Zohan. Emmanuelle Chriqui was the only thing worth looking at in that film. Hopefully, there's a good writer or writing team behind this, as you can have the most talented actors involved, but if the plot sucks and the dialog is terrible, nothing can really save it. It can't hurt if those writers and the director have some personal knowledge and investment in the property as well. I'll echo that a Batman Beyond film, or better, series, would be cool- well, cool if the production value is high. I'm currently watching CW's Batwoman, and so far it's ok. The main antagonist, Alice, just seems likes she's acting to me- her performance doesn't seem natural to me. They should have hired Emily Hampshire, who, in the tv show Twelve Monkeys, played Jennifer Goines, a character who was nuttier than a fruitcake, and did it well.
  14. M'Kyuun
    Well, if they need the time to work out kinks, I'd rather that than rushing a flawed product to market for the sake of an artificial deadline, especially for the asking price. I skipped the Yamato Garlands because of all the issues they had, was happy to hear that the Arcadia was solid, and am hoping the Proto-Garland follows suit. Been waiting a long time for this toy, and I'm willing to wait longer if it means it'll be solid, too.
  15. M'Kyuun
    'Preciate the Apeface review, Mike. I've got him PO'ed through Hasbro Pulse, so no telling when he'll ship. Overall, for a triple changer, he's not too bad, if a bit chunky. As you pointed out, that all-pink nose kinda ruins the look a bit- I'd rather they'd casted it in white and painted the tip pink to mirror the G1 toy. And too, it would have been nice if the canopy was larger and the jet's cockpit accommodated the headmaster. So many of the TR/PotP figs were well done in this regard, and it seems odd that they would omit it from this design, esp when the G1 toy did it. Oh well, it is what it is. I've poor talent with paint, but I'm sure a few customizers out there will paint their figs to look more appropriately G1ish, and I look forward to seeing how they turn out. SnapDragon seems a foregone conclusion to me. All the way around it had better looking alt modes, especially that SR-71 inspired jet, and arguably, a better looking bot mode than Apeface. The Dragon mode always looked more like a T-Rex to me, and I've no problem with that at all. So, hopefully, if not in the near future, then at NY Toy Fair, we'll get our first glimpse of a minty new SnapDragon fig that is done well. If they can approximate KFC's Kingzilla, scaled down and with a shorter beast torso, then I'd be pretty pleased. Just for giggles, here's a fully transformable LEGO version built by Alan Yuppie. If someone can make one this good from LEGO, Hasbro has no excuse.
  16. M'Kyuun
    For what we pay for these premium toys, Transformers or Macross, the last thing I want to do is take them apart. In my mind, it's gulling if there's a factory/design error necessitating the disassembly of something to make a fix. Those sorts of things should be caught by QC, but history proves otherwise. I agree with Borgified in minimizing panel-formation on Macross toys. While it's necessary in some areas, the majority of valks don't require it. I do, however, think it'd be beneficial to mimic the leg compression design of MP-36, as that was a great solution. Hopefully, Bandai's not done tinkering with this thing yet, and I hope they take as much time as they need to really strike a good balance. I don't think it's possible to get it exact to the lineart, as every mode is drawn in a way that flatters it, which means that proportions change from mode to mode to best suit , and little thought was given to the practicality of a transforming model/toy. I think Bandai are doing a pretty decent job thus far with this take, although as we've all pointed out, there's room for improvement. I just don't want another super skinny-legged YF-21 that looks awkward and misproportioned. For a better battroid, I'll take a little extra caboose in fighter.
  17. M'Kyuun

    Bandai Sv-262 DX valk

    M'Kyuun replied to seti88's topic in Toys

    Huge YES to both, although I wish they'd eschewed whatever reasoning they had to make the shoulders stationary, as it really limits the arm articulation. Imagine how much more dynamic it'd look if those things could move around. When I built my LEGO version, it wasn't even a question. As to the Sv-262, I agree with the overcomplication, especially the armatures for the wings- just finnicky and unenjoyable. The design itself isn't that complicated, and quite elegant to give the illusion of a single engine aircraft. I've never been a big fan of the Draken, but I think Kawamori did a great job translating it into a valk, and the battroid is a thing of beauty, IMHO. The only issue I have with the DX's battroid mode, aside from the aforementioned wing supports, is that the feet have no forward rotation for posing. Either that, or they're extremely stiff on my copy. I don't force them. Anyway, it stands just fine, and I like how it looks. Anytime I feel like transforming it, though, the thought of wrestling with those wings gives infinite pause.
  18. M'Kyuun
    Honestly, though, would you really have wanted Ratchet/Ironhide to mirror the toy? Not me. (Cringes) I'm thinking the animators thought the same, hence the change. It remains a fortuitous concession. Perusing some of these reviews, it's remarkable how different companies produce such diverse interpretations of the same characters. A little something for everybody. It's a shame, however, that they're in different scales- if they all scaled the same, and one could mix and match, that'd really be nice.
  19. M'Kyuun
    Given the Russian tendency towards almost fanatical traditionalism, especially in their space program, one would think they'd have very nationalistic names applied. Then again, they call both the rocket and the manned spacecraft it launches Soyuz, with no distinction between them, so perhaps naming stuff isn't as important to them as it seemingly is to the US and European nations. In his book Endurance, Scott Kelly elaborates a bit on the cosmonauts' adherence to rituals, like stopping, in full gear on the way to the Soyuz, to take a piss on a tire of some vehicle b/c supposedly Yuri Gagarin did so before his historic launch, becoming the first human in space. It's such a 180 degree mindset from how NASA conducts business, and it struck Kelly as something out of the norm, breaking the sterility of their suits, but he did so willingly out of deference and friendship with his Russian compatriots. The cosmonauts also shared an important life lesson with Scott: eating dill reduces flatulence, which is a handy thing to know when you're about to be enclosed for months on end in an orbiting tin can. For passing along that gem, you're welcome!
  20. M'Kyuun
    Those Danes and their creativity. I just recently learned, via LEGO, who are producing toys based on this film, that the original Troll doll was hand-carved by a Danish fisherman and woodcutter named Thomas Dam for his daughter's birthday. The other kids in town wanted them too, and soon Mr. Dam formed a company producing them, out of plastic now, for Europe, and then the US. The story echoes that of Ole Kirk Kristiansen, a Danish carpenter, who abandoned making furniture in favor of wooden toys under the LEGO name. Years later, he bought a plastic extrusion molding machine, and the rest, as they say, is history. As for the movie, they have a talented cast, many of whom can do double duty as singers, which I always like to see. The plot's kinda silly, but, y'know, it's kids' fare- loud, colorful, obnoxious. Looks like the writers had fun poking fun at the various stereotypes associated with the various music genres. I doubt I'll see this in the theatre, but when it eventually comes to tv, I may indulge as a guilty pleasure. Apparently, this is a sequel; I wasn't aware of the first Trolls, so I'm a little behind the power curve, so to speak. Anyway, hope it's done well and enjoyable.
  21. M'Kyuun
    Maybe they're trim tabs- really large trim tabs. Joking aside, David makes a valid point, one that I should have caught- the entire stab is a moving surface on high-speed aircraft, usually controlled by extremely fast and precise servo-actuators linked to an air data computer. So, the small apparent rudders on Bandai's YF-21 are superfluous. We should send them a letter. Chronocidal, you make a fair point about the position of the arms betwixt lineart and toy. The toy still looks ok in the length regard, to me, but I'll concede that the forearms and hands need to be bigger to nail the look. Feed that thing some spinach. Using words like wimpy and limp to describe a Zentraedi's war machine- dems either fightin' or cryin' words, depending on the Zentraedi in question. I think we know which way Guld would go.
  22. M'Kyuun
    Between the Bandai and Yamato, I guess both camps will have a toy that suits them, although the ideal would obviously be a toy that gets both right. That's a tall order with this particular valk. To whit, there's still no release date, so there's time for feedback and changes , and although I doubt they peruse this board, one hopes they're receiving similar criticisms from the Japanese fanbase, to whom I hope they have an open ear. Fingers crossed that there'll be some improvements before final release. Doing my own visual comparison, the arms don't look too short to me- the hands come to the knees, as they should. However, the forearms are lacking bulk. Also, I believe it was Chronocidal who pointed out that the vertical stabs are too large, the wrong shape, and their rudders are inexplicably truncated for hinging. Odd choices all. The too-small forearms accentuate the size of the vertical stabs, so that may be the real problem; fatten those forearms by a few millimeters and it may look better proportioned. I also see complaints of the forward fuselage looking 'smooshed forward', however looking at the lineart, it seems to me that everything forward of the intakes is close. I think the problem is that there's a design dichotomy between shrinking the forward fuselage to better suit the battroid aesthetics, while everything aft of the intakes seems like it's a larger scale, and then of course, the fuselage is swollen beyond the impossibly thin lineart profile to accommodate the larger legs. Someone pointed out the 'scale' differences in an earlier post (I apologize, as I forget your name), and I agree with that assessment. It creates the illusion of being smooshed, but as I look at it, all the waypoints, if you will, line up forward of the intakes. to where they line up on the lineart. Aft of the intakes, the plane just seems too large, giving the whole an unbalanced look. Basically, it's a tiny head on a big body. That's my impression. As to the YF-21 design itself, I've always wondered why Kawamori didn't design the belly plates to conformally mold around the bell bottoms, leaving them exposed on the underside , but blended with the engine nozzles to compliment the shape and reduce the magic requisite to give fighter and battroid modes their profiles. The -21 is a shellformer in this regard, hiding the legs which are generally always the powerplant in the majority of his designs. I think he could have maintained that design continuity if he'd eschewed the backpack engines and let the legs fill that role. Given their rounded shapes, I think it would have, or could have been made to, work. Alas, so much proverbial water. Anyway, I hope some of the inconsistencies will be addressed before final production and we'll end up with a pretty nice update. I'm already pleased with how the battroid mode is looking, but it could still use some finessing. As a few others mentioned in earlier posts, I hope this YF-21 is a more solid toy- easier to pose and transform- than the old Yammie. I finally retired my Yamato to its box b/c it could barely stand, so loose were the ankles, so dainty the feet, and so heavy the back. At least this figure holds out promise of standing more solidly on the shelf, and the legs compliment the rest of the battroid proportionally, so I'm getting excited. It's been a long wait.
  23. M'Kyuun
    The VF-1 is an easy answer- even after all these years, it remains an elegant design that maintains its appeal. Second, the Y/VF -19 variants are just beautiful, both battroid and fighter. It's the design that got me hooked on this Macross stuff. The VF-4, the VF-25, the YF-21, the VB-6 Konig Monster, the Variable Glaug, the VF-14, the SV-51(such a unique and beautiful design), the VF-11. I could go on- I'm enamored with the majority of Kawamori's variable fighter designs; his attention to realistic details and attempts to make these things look like or approximate real aircraft sets his Macross designs far above all other transforming properties. I wish many more of them got the toy treatment. In contrast to my statement, the VB-6 and the Variable Glaug decidedly do not approximate real aerospace craft ( the VB-6 is loosely based on the NASA STS orbiter, but is still a fantasy vehicle). However, what I love about both was that Kawamori took two non-transforming mecha and redesigned them to transform, and the additional spacecraft and battroid modes he created for them look incredibly cool, to me anyway.
  24. M'Kyuun
    Compared to my old Yamato, I much prefer this, but then I'm a battroid guy. I think the proportions are much better done, and I don't mind a slightly shorter nose or a bulkier fuselage to accomplish it if means a more balanced battroid proportionally. It's still not perfect, but the -21 benefitted from very liberal anime magic , both in Kawamori's lineart, and in the final animation, and until we have smart materials that can elasticize to mimic those changes in proportion, I'm willing to accept concessions to the design in a toy. The Yamato does have a fighter mode that will be difficult to beat, but then that was the focus of that toy, much to the detriment of the b-mode, especially those disproportionally skinny legs. Again, the Bandai looks much better to these eyes. I hope I can score one on PO night, whenever that may be.
  25. M'Kyuun
    I forgot about the Invictus; I just watched a vid on YouTube recently about it. Pretty much, an updated successor to the Comanche. Those wings give it a nice bit of lift in forward motion, which reduces rotor loading and helps with fuel conservation. It probably kills its stealth profile, though. Concessions.
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