MKT

Pics as taken by Pepz Antonio Ricthie at UK Toy Fair:

Just to add to @Scyla's post, Arcadia has previously detailed how they handle orders: https://ameblo.jp/arcadiaac/entry-12322090697.html Bandai's TWE / P-Bandai items would be similar as well, except all orders have to be funneled directly to their website.

I had to look up Pseudo Saturn, and the memories are slowly coming back although still fuzzy.. I'm not sure how many types of Pseudo Saturn were out there, but I have used something similar. If I recall correctly, I experienced the same errors as you did then and it is due to the cartridge pins sometimes not aligning properly to the slot due to bad tolerances, hence iffy contact points. In my case, I had to pull up very slightly the cartridge on one side (I think right side), such that there is a very gentle sloping tilt, the right side being higher than the left. It has to be just right, too much or too little and the errors will be there.

Someone photoshopped an earlier pic of it with walking crutches... why do I now find it relevant again? This is really a polarizing valk lol.. but also the most popular going by recent PO activity.

Playing with a Fax Mactory 1/20 Low-Vis VF-1J.

Wing pins glued? Didn't think Bandai would employ such a cheap solution, but I guess it is rather effective lol.. I admire how you are willing to straightaway take apart a minty new toy.

Nice observation & agreed, the angle of cockpit is down to the amount of lean. It at least points to the design being stable enough to do so, even at prototype stage, while I'm recalling my VF-22 Battroid can only stand at a specific lean angle otherwise it will tumble down. 😅

Looks like the wings are really aligned perfectly in Fighter now. I guess Bandai must have done some work on the wing pegs to make it that way. I'm more tempted to get it now because of that.

Had a look again.. I don't think it's the same person. Likely like the person on FB posted without acknowledging source..

Perhaps it was mis-transformed? The thrust doesn't look as prominent in Bandai's official pics.. Or is it?

Fighter-mode comparison pics from Yasumori Jinno on FB: HG (left) vs Yamato 1/60 HG (left) vs DX Chogokin

Not much reviews online of the VF-171EX yet.. I guess even reviewers waiting for others to try transforming their copies first. Meanwhile, the first copy on Mandarake, Yen 25k and available. Slight defect though. https://order.mandarake.co.jp/order/detailPage/item?itemCode=1250356730&lang=en

HJ Web has finally put this article online, with nice pics. Be sure to enable web-translation. https://hjweb.jp/article/1322009/ The 'replacement canopy parts' in Bandai's product page is almost certain to be parts-forming replacement seat for Battroid. Quoting HJ Web: "The cockpit hatch can be opened and closed, and the Gard Gore Bowman figure in the boarding posture can be seated inside. The unique posture of BDI (Brain Direct Image) and the mechanism that rotates the seat 90 degrees when in battroid form are also reproduced by replacing.."

That's true.. rewards from past purchases shouldn't be relevant in this context. That should probably be in the specific store treads in other sections of the forum.

I remember someone's post on FB having already received the Max & Miriya's metal editions about a month ago shipped direct from KC.. Also, there have also been occasional comments about folks having no shipping notifications from KC only to have packages suddenly turn up at their door later. With my most recent experience with KC, this is likely the result of KC not sending shipping notifications from their customer service or corporate e-mail accounts as what they always did previously (when they had a dedicated customer service personnel), but via Paypal notification instead. Shipping notification via Paypal is rarely used by vendors, so when that e-mail came from Paypal, from the header I had assumed it is down to another one of the payments receipts notifications and wondered for some time after if KC was ever gonna ship my stuff.

Just some fan animations:

If Amiami hasn't invoiced you yet, then just for a quick exercise I looked up the size and weight of the new VF-171 box on HLJ. Surprisingly despite a more substantial Super Parts count, the VF-171 item package is the same size length & width wise, but 2cm thinner and sightly lighter than Max's YF-29. Max's box dimensions are at the size where Hobby Search would have used the biggest box allowable for Small Packet, so you could probably sort of estimate by size alone if the additional items in your current order at Amiami would be able to fit into Small Packet. Additionally, Small Packets have a total weight limit of 2kg. The VF-171 published weight at HLJ is 1210g. The biggest carton box allowable for Small Packet, plus packing materials usually weights around 600g. So that puts the weight margin left for any additional items at <200g, so if they are more than this, Small Packet option would not be available.

I've met some casual Macross collectors who are pretty averse to Arcadia products. They mostly form this opinion after hearing from other casual collectors that Arcadia products are just the same molds /straight reissues as Yamato's when coming to the 1/60 scaled ones. While this may be true of the VF-1, VF-19 & VF-4, many do not seem to realize other molds such as the YF-19, VF-0, SV-51 etc are entirely new at Arcadia, even if Arcadia's YF-19 mold is now already a decade old and having gone through multiple reissues. Since the earlier gen of Yamato products have all sorts of durability issues (of which Arcadia have remedied by redoing the whole mold altogether) they think Arcadia products are low quality and should be entirely avoided. It is also difficult to tell the differences between Arcadia's and Yamato's molds, because they look very similar in pics when one casually look them up online. Of course, the first thing I do is point out the existence of Anymoon. Bandai on other hand, have overall a much more solid reputation from their other non-Macross lines combined, so the same collectors I mentioned don't seem to have any hesitancy despite the well known issues of the Frontier valks (both v1 & v2). The trust in Bandai's brand is stronger, and I feel this adds up quite a bit to the demand & therefore shortages of their valks even if the shortages are artificial or intentional on the back end by Bandai themselves.

What a shame, that the Revivals aren't really all that they were made out to be. At this point, we can probably discount the so-called engineering improvements, and just go in with expectations that it has matte finishing & some extra tampo.

I think it comes only with one set of hardpoint wings as default installed. Amiami does let you change shipping method when they invoice you as the item comes into stock, so you'll be able to judge which shipping is better for you.

Some Fighter-only very preliminary comparison pics from William Wong of FB. He mentions that the joints feel tighter, the triangles look exactly the same design, it doesn’t come with non-hardpoint wings & there are more tampo markings. From his pics I’m noticing: 1. New ‘no step’ markings on the wings. 2. Both sides wings are now flush against the LERX (hope I’m using the right term), with no varying degrees of gap that plaque the old versions. This issue was a very pet peeve of mine. 3. Is the gun bigger now? Can’t tell if it is or it’s just due to the camera.

I had mistakenly thought more of these CM's figures and their bikes would be available as and when Sentinel released their ride armors, but that didn't really turn out to be the case. Also thanks (again) to @Jenius' site mentioning these were pretty low production numbers to begin with anyway, so that in a large part made me accept it at current aftermarket price. KC seems to be best bet now for any civilian clothes Mospeada figures, but looking at their pace of releases, their prices would be double MSRP what they are asking for Dana now lol. Those are pretty nice customs, and matches the aesthetics of the current figures.

This set of CM's figures were always a bit of small grail for me, they are so hard to come by! So am pretty stoked to have scored this, even if I haven't completed the basic set of CM's bikes yet.