eriku

Perhaps there's no way for the linked toys to sit evenly without a stand, which would explain why their bottoms are level. Or maybe they are trying to show where/how they link up?

Got my Rei this afternoon and even though I've only messed around with it for a few minutes, it's by far my favorite Rei figure so far. The overall sculpt/look is fantastic, and her face is one of the most impeccably painted figure faces I've seen in a while. Very, very quality work here. The hip articulation does leave a little to be desired, but at least she's not a statue like the old Kaiyodo figure (which I found to be the best looking Rei until now) and does have enough range for several different poses. The Lance is beautiful, all rich red glossy enamel and sharp. This thing will be on display for a very long time.

It's probably just a comprimise they made for a sturdy link between the two. Doesn't bother me in the slightest.

Wow, I'm surprised by all the negative comments here. I'm having a hard time figuring out exactly what looks so bad about it.

Maybe my standards are lower, but all modes look great to me, even in combined form. No, it doesn't exactly match the animation, but that's impossible anyway. For the record I also really love Toynami's 'Morpher' Legioss, so you can tell right there that I'm not a stickler for accuracy. I just want a good toy.

Because she was an 'accident'?

No, you do have to buy them all eventually. There's actually a "commitment to buy every Yamato Macross toy" contract in the back of the instruction manual for every Yamato toy. You need to fill out at least one and send it back to Yamato within one year or the RFID chip on every toy will notify Yamato Headquarters of your delinquency. Then the Yakuza gets involved and it just gets messy from there.

Exactly. I don't care what comprimises they made because I have faith that the toy will actually be well-made and hold together in both modes.

I have my fingers crossed that they make a Low-Vis in the 1/60 scale for the 1S, the 1A, the 1J and especially the 1D. I don't care if they're non-canon, a Low-Vis VF-1D would really kick ass.

Maybe one of our skilled customizers here can knit some really hot 1980's style legwarmers for the YF-21. PROBLEM SOLVED.

Come on HLJ Early Bird!

I was afraid of the hips being an issue, they just don't look like they have a lot of range. Mine will be here today or tomorrow so I'll see for myself, but it sounds like yet another not-quite-fully-articulated Rei figure. I guess I might have to pick the Microman version up after all.

Looks good enough to me, where do I sign up?

No kidding. I thought this would be the one to push $300.

Nice! Makes me love my Revy figure even more.

Because Bandai has always reissued model kits.

Why would anyone assume all Bandai will do is a couple of model kits? Bandai makes a full range of action figures and toys, it's not like models are the only thing they make. I mean no offense but I'm starting to think people like being pessimistic because the sentiments certainly aren't based in reality. That's just how it seems to me. I love Yamato, too, but it's not like they're the only toy company out there able to make Macross toys. They're what we're used to, sure, but is the idea of someone else making toys that scary? I guess I don't understand.

What Plamodels are coming out? Or are you referring to the reissue models pictured with the 1/60?

So far... Old vinyls (Django Reinhardt, Bob Wills, Johnny Cash) some Miyazaki DVDs I had kept neglecting to pick up (Mononoke and Nausicaa) Drawn to Life for the DS (my wife thought she was buying Zelda, doh!) some awesome Tshirts (kodama, Ultraman, Yoda) A set of fantastic melmac measuring cups (i spend a good deal of time in the kitchen)

There seems to be a lot going on with the design of the alien, that may be why it's not something that can be grasped very quickly. I know I had to look at several times to figure out it's anatomy. Even though the aesthetics aren't very similar, the alien bug thing reminded me of the Inbit in Mospeada. In the last few days I watched the first episode of Gurren Lagann and Macross F, and although they both blew me away I have to say I'm more enthralled by MF than GL. But then MF has the unfair advantage of having valkyries.

I forgot the yen, but it's around $210. I'm going to have a very hard time clearing this one with the wife.

[secretary voice] Conference call for FFN. Several characters would like to dispute your claim, including Bert, Ernie, Big Bird, Elmo, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Yoda, Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, a Stormtrooper, Scooby Do, Snoopy and Charlie Brown, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Bugs Bunny, Wyle-E-Cyote, Daffy Duck, all four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Pikachu, Snorlax, Batman, Spiderman, Superman, Wolverine, The Incredible Hulk and Funshine Bear. Press #33 to join the meeting. [/secretary voice]

You know what, I was thinking that very same thought this morning. I was evaluating my 'display room' as I do every year or so, and trying to figure out which toys would be doomed to storage and which would remain. Every single Hasbro Transformer made the 'storage' list. And by that I mean the entire Classics line and all of the Movie figures I have. The only TFs that were allowed to stay were Takara's ML Soundwave and MP Starscream, which is essentially a Takara toy. And then I realized something. Ever since I started collecting TF's again in the RID era, NONE of the toys have had a lasting enough appeal for me to keep them on permanent display. They're like cheap toy crack that is relatively easy to obtain yet not as fulfilling as the other toys I like that are made with genuine style and artistry, like Gokins and Yamato's "breakable collectors item" valks. I really love the TFs when they're new, but the affection wears off quickly and after a year or so they go in the box. That realization made me reevaluate my collecting habits and made me think that I should probably try to ignore Transformers from here on out. All the cheap toy crack just turns into clutter that I don't do anything with and have little appreciation for in the long run. I sometimes wonder to what extent the fandom factors into it. Years ago my collecting focus was Star Wars, and a combination of the prequel movies, hard to find toys and disillusionment with the fandom caused me to lose my passion for it quickly and aside from a Yoda figure or random alien here and there I have never really warmed back up to it. I feel the same thing happening with Transformers now. With the exception of a few people I by and large feel completely disillusioned from the 'average' Transformers fan and I find that my main enjoyment on the TFW2005 message board has been discussing other non-Transformers things. Through it all I have always, ALWAYS felt at home at Macross World and have always felt this sense of well-being here that never really grabs me on other message boards. I don't know if the fandom here is that different, or maybe it is. All I know is I love Macross and the toys just as much as I ever have and I don't really see that changing any time soon. Hell, with Frontier shaping up to be a great show I might love Macross even more now. Long story short, I think I may mostly be done with Transformers. I'll obviously give Classics 2.0 a serious look, but considering the only TF items that have lasting appeal for me are Takara's efforts, I doubt Hasbro will be getting much more of my money. Which is good, because Yamato and Bandai are pretty much getting direct-deposits from me this year.

The whole "Bandai doesn't care about Macross" statement sounds too much like a personal grudge to me. So what if they didn't care much about making Macross toys for the last ten years, what does that prove about anything? By that logic people should not trust Bandai to make any of the Soul of Chogokin figures that are coming out because they "didn't care enough" about Godmarz to make any Godmarz toys for the last ten years, or Baikanfu, or Reideen etc etc etc. It has no bearing on their ability to make a fine product. Perhaps they didn't care about Macross over the last ten years because Yamato was making so much that they decided they would rather focus on everything else they do. They might not have seen enough incentive to do much with Macross from a business point of view. With a new full series in the spotlight this year, especially one that is already getting rave reviews, they will have even more incentive to make some great product for it.

I still have a place in my collection for the 1/100. They're awesome for a toy that looks great and you don't have to worry about breaking (because they're cheap). But yeah, the 1/100 is looking to be the definitive valk toy without contest.