MKT

I've been casually observing Jada Toys' line over the years. They mainly focus on 1/24 & 1/32 scale die-cast movie cars - among others they have BTTF, Fast & Furious, movie Transformers, Ghostbusters and arguably the most prominent line are the Batmobiles. What sets them apart is that the 1/24 ones tend to come with an accompanying die-cast mini figure, so most of the Batmobiles come with the appropriate Batman mini-figs. Recently, they have also started to bundle in mini-figs to their 1/32 line as well. 1/18 is new scale for them, with added electronics, and began with R-Patz's The Batman & classic '66 Batmobiles. The metal mini-figs became popular enough by themselves and they were spun into their own line. They have mini-fig sets now across Marvel & DC comic characters, and it is a great way to have representations of the vast number of comic characters without breaking the bank. What becomes arguably bizarre is when they do fantasy mash-up pairings of their metal mini-fig characters with their die-cast car to recycle the molds. How about Wolverine with a Corvette Stingray: Or a Chun-Li with a Mazda RX-7: Or as many of us already know, Robotech with the Toyota Supra: I do want the Robotech mini-figs, but I don't want to shell out for the cars as well lol. Hopefully, they release all 4 mini-figs as a set by themselves later. Now that would be a great set.. Maybe put out the blue Reliant Robin as well haha.

I should have clarified, what I meant wasn't discounts due to shelf warming like some of the other WWM items. It's just from observation that US stores sometimes throw out a voucher or two randomly before or after release. For eg, someone posted in the YF-19 tread that USA Gundam store had a 20% coupon specific for Macross items, and it worked for both the yet to be released YF-19 & VF-171 Alto. If not mistaken, I think I saw this sort of coupon or discounts at other stores too on older WWM items, and they appear independently whether or not the items were doing well.

It's funny how these multi-scrolling shooters only happened in 80's.. That said, top-down shooting is pretty crazy. It feels like driving around in reverse.

Great details @tekering. Those cables & hoses really levels up the kit!

I remember this scene! Only 2 pilots that have this kinda derring-do.. Isamu & Maverick lol

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/madoverlord/macross-ii-lovers-again-alus-edition/posts/3996597 UHD / 4k resolution is now available, either by paying extra $10 or if it meets $351k funding.

Re-update old pic. Attempt to make it look CG-ish like Zack Snyder's show lol.

Happy 30th Anniversary Macross Plus.

I guess the Amazon PO price must have been very good. Alternatively, Mandarake has quite a few unopened (new) units available and they are actually below JP retail. From what others have reported, even at full JP retail price, it is actually cheaper to buy & ship from there than paying US domestic retail for WWM items. But of course, it comes back down to Amazon's PO price.. Whichever option you take, hopefully everything works out for you.

If its any consolation, there will always be a store or other in US that will offer some substantial discounts along the way for WWM items.

It'll be a waste for KC to give up all they have learned from making Dana & her armour to not offer the other SC characters. But at same time, do we want to wait another 3 years or more for the next SC figure? Their backlog is already ever growing as it is. The VF-1A Max & Miriya special color were sold with either Max & Miriya figures, and there has been absolute ZERO progress on either of them, despite their initial gaslighting that both will be out in 2023. Not to mention the deposits they have taken for other older PO items.. Not very long ago I was pretty patient with them but now the goodwill is drying up. The only other company on which I am aware of being so tardy, fast and loose with their release dates would be Super 7? Perhaps Ramen Toys / Calibre Wings as well, but at least Noel is always on top with updates whilst KC is just starting to feel Ponzi-like by using deposits on new orders to finance their older figures..

Received the HMR VF-1A Kakizaki earlier in the day. I guess I wasn't paying much attention to previous posts on it, but now that I have it in hand, I'm quite surprised the brown is rather dark. When I compared it to the HMR CF VF-1A, Kakizaki's brown is actually a shade darker. I'm usually not very particular about colour shades as long it is around the ballpark, but this kinda feels very wrong lol. I suppose if Bandai ever decide to do a TV Kakizaki, this will be the brown we get.

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^^ That looks like a fine figure. I always feel chrome is pretty hard to pull off for toys, but this looks good.

I just recalled that if there are any order delays on Amazon, they then allow to cancel? Perhaps get from another domestic store..

You're welcome. It so happens that Mandarake has split the listing for the reissue, so for anyone who wants to tell the new box from the old when purchasing on secondary markets: 2023 Reissue - comes with 'Macross 40th' sticker on the front, the last 6-digits barcode number on the back reads "821657" For the 2014 original issue - obviously no sticker on the front, and the last 6-digit barcode on the back reads "820742"

Even if it's a reissue, I feel excited all over again as if it's a new release. Praying Arcadia moves on to the VF-19P, it is a hero valk as well so they shouldn't be obstinate about repaints lol

Here you go, it was posted one page back: As with Arcadia's straight reissues, the box looks the same as previous, with this year's reissues coming with a 40th Anniversary sticker.

Thanks As it's the M7 30th Anniversary next year I guess I gotta get cracking watching it to join in the festivities. And get myself even more hyped up for the HMR Soundforce squad.. but I have big feeling other than VF-19 Kai, the rest is just gonna be vaporware.

Oops caught with fly open lol

Really a very successful Kickstarter so far. English dub is now confirmed. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/madoverlord/macross-ii-lovers-again-alus-edition/posts/3996515

Nice collection @Spark-O-Matic The current stand design does remind me of the old Yamato's VFC ones lol.

As with @505thAirborne, I'm also using the Stage Act Trident. However, I believe Bandai have discontinued this not too long ago, so secondary markets only for now. But as with most Bandai clear stand & parts, it oxidizes rather easily.

Usually I would suggest a Flightpose or CalWings Router Stand as a reasonable alternative, but here I'm hesitant to recommend them as the silicone tips had some reputation for stripping off paint, and KC's valks are just about the most painted of any valk toy lol. But to be fair, the paint stripping only appears to have been reported on only certain Flightpose batches, and there's been non reported on CalWings stands so far. Thinking about it, CalWings' products are mostly painted diecast metal and one would expect that with the added weight pressing down on the tips the paint stripping would be exacerbated, but it hasn't happened so far so it could be safe.

@tekering Very nice upgrades so far. Agreed the pregnant part always looked off, but perhaps because of the absence of any alternatives, I've sort of come to accept it as part of its charm lol. Your sculpt of that part looking great. Yeah Moderoid appear to be best chance of seeing any new BGC kits, but thinking about it now I also get the feeling they may have tried but unsuccessful as well. The series is so ripe for new toys and kits.