eriku

All of the Targets around here started shrinking the TF and SW sections few weeks ago, and now they have reduced them to nothing. I'm sure they'll put out more eventually, but it seems like an odd tactic to completely remove two of your top-selling and most recognizable brands.

Great pics, guys. If I ever get another 1/60 it's going to be one of these. I still can't believe it took this long to get a gorgeously white TV Roy.

Around here it seems as if everything BUT Peg and Thrust have been released. Has anyone spotted Human Alliance Jazz yet? It's supposed to be out now. Really looking forward to that one.

Nice Bee collection. I picked up the new Deluxe Battle Blade Bee as well as the new Activators Bee this weekend. Both are great toys. I love the pseudo-SD look on Activators Bee and I was surprised by how much articulation his arms have. You can get some really good poses with him. Battle Blade Bee is awesome. The transformation is more intuitive than I was expecting and I like that they once again incorporated the auto-morph on his legs, which is one of the few uses of auto-morph that I really like. While the fold-out cannon and ax are neat features, I didn't like how far the weapon pods stick out in bot mode so I took the arms apart (all you need is a screwdriver and thirty seconds) and removed both. A bonus is that he's even easier to transform without having to worry about the weapons being tucked correctly, and if you use a little imagination you can fold his hands so they look vaguely like seats in alt mode.

It's so he head can sit as tucked in and flush with the underside as it is. Turning the head properly from battroid to fighter is what I would call a transformation step - not a flaw.

How is that a flaw?

Good to hear. Hopefully the solid base that the Hi Metal line has established will help ensure that it has enough life to bring us a 17, 171, 2SS, VF-4, VF-0, [insert favorite mech here]...

It's a throwback name and not really meant to be taken literally. Personally I'm glad it doesn't have a heavy diecast content. At this size and with this many joints having heavy diecast limbs would likely cause it to get floppy and make it hard to maintain poses.

Here ya go: http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/register.php

I'm really happy it's back - almost enough to get cable! I caught the first two eps online, but I'm going to wait for the DVD to watch the rest. I like what I see so far.

You've got it transformed wrong (I did the same thing the first time!) That folding hinge by the swing bar needs to fold up. See the nubs on the hips? Those need to peg into the nosecone...things (sorry, don't know the correct term). See the pic. It should look like this:

Yeah, people must be getting really good deals on the 1/60 V2 because I paid close to the $100 mark for each of the ones I bought. Not saying the Hi Metal isn't "expensive"....but really, how many modern Japanese toys aren't? There are some revoltech figures out there that cost right around the same as this Hi Metal VF-1, and those are just action figures.

Because they have developed an insatiable thirst for tears. My hope is that this is just a cheap and easy way to distract us while they finish the MP Rodimus. ::EDIT:: Ha, I guess I was right. Apparently the manual that comes with El Muerto Prime reveals the next MP to be Rodimus. http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-news-rumors/311534-secret-mp04s-manual-reveals-next-masterpiece.html

Sticking Leader Starscream into the MP line? I give them an F for effort. Although it does look infinitely better without the tattoos.

That's good to hear. I've never liked clear plastic painted over for a "windows" effect. The paint never matches the surrounding plastic and is often a bit translucent. Seperate plastic for the windows is one reason that my current favorite movie Bee is the flip-out shoulder cannon version. I'll probably grab a battle blade bee and give him a try.

Added some pics to my review. Here's some more: Teach me how to pose, Sempai! I would, but these cracked joints are a bitch! Ask Uncle Lupin. I'll show you how to move. First lets stretch! Now get your body in harmony with some yoga... Alright, draw!! Now, ride the dinosaur!! Disfunctional family portrait

Very loose. The only thing that needs to be swapped or added for transformation is the heat shield, and even that doesn't really have to be attached. It helps lock the chestplate down, but isn't absolutely necessary. Can't really count the landing gear since it isn't part of the transformation.

It looks flat in photos, but all of the unpainted plastic is actually glossy.

The nosecone on mine got scraped over a couple of times during transformation and no paint scratced off.

Sorry, I didn't comment on gerwalk since I always go straight from fighter to battroid. I'll give gerwalk a try later when I'm shooting photos.

Got mine today. No pics until later but here's a whole bunch of words for you. Package: This has some of the best box art for a Macross toy that I’ve seen in quite some time. Images of all three modes of the toy mixed in with a big gorgeous painting of the VF-1J in battroid, TV Hikaru and Minmay. It harkens back to box art from the 80’s (although still isn’t as aesthetically perfect as a Takatoku box). There is a box flap that is held shut with magnets and a window underneath that is die-cut around the shape of the valk so you can’t actually see the accessories at all. I like this effect since a wide array of accessories is usually kind of ugly. The inside of the flap and the back of the box are standard and show various photos of the toy listing its different points of interest. Fighter: I really like the feel of this straight out of the box. While the Toynami 1/100 VF-1 felt a bit flimsy, fragile and frobbly to me (although still a good toy in its own right – and cheaper) this one has a nice heft for something of its size and nothing frobbles – it’s tight as a drum just like a Yamato V2. Neither wing is loose on mine, either. The plastic isn’t quite as bright white as a Yamato TV V2 toy, having a more off-white tint. One thing that I find particularly striking is how far the head tucks in. Instead of the battroid head jutting out like most other VF-1 toys, this one is tucked in so flush with the underside that its not even visible from the side. Heads sticking out has never bothered me, but once I saw this I realized how much more streamlined it makes fighter mode. Landing Gear: Not much to say, really. They’re separate pieces that plug in. They hold tight, they look great and they do their job well, they’re not microscopically tiny. The wheels don’t roll, but that’s probably a good thing for this scale. I’m not one for lots of extra parts, but I almost like these removable gear better than retractable. They seem easier to deal with to me. Wings: Wings clip out and in easily and all four have a tight connection. The hardpoints hold each of the missile clusters tightly with a simple round peg/round hole attachment. Not much else to say. Cockpit/Canopy: The canopy comes off rather than opening on a hinge. While that is a bummer for those who like to have an open-canopy display, it’s probably for the best with this size as a hinge could be really easy to break. The canopy is a slightly smokey blue/grey with neatly painted black trim. It attaches securely with two pegs that are diagonally across from each other. The cockpit is painted a glossy gunmetal and there are no instrument panel details (naturally). The pilot is incredibly small, yet removable and painted. I’m surprised they painted as many details on him as they did because it’s so tiny. It’s clearly Hikaru in his TV flight suit. Transformation to Battroid (my method, I haven’t checked the instructions): Unpeg legs from tailfin/backpack/arms (they are secured tightly in three different areas). Next fold the (metal) swingbar and legs to the back. Unpeg chestplate and swing it up and over the canopy...fold arms out to sides on double hinges (no sliding over humps here, they fold straight out)...Fold over the nose piece and peg into metal swing bar...remove canopy and replace with heatshield (heatshield is panel-lined!)...clip chestplate into heatshield...flip up the head...fold up the backpack (held with friction, but is tight)...fold out the hands (open a panel and flip them out)...pull out the feet...done. Most of it is pretty standard, but the little differences are NICE, like the way the swing bar attaches to the back of the nose and the way the arms fold out to the sides on double hinges. Everything is very intuitive and nothing is fiddly or aggravating. It’s almost as quick and simple as transforming a 1/55 chunky. Battroid: If you’ve handled Robot:Damashii figures then you’ll have an idea of the overall feel of this. It’s small, but it has a tight and durable feel to it. The plastic has a nice rich finish and doesn’t feel as cheap as the Toynami 1/100. The joints are all have the perfect tension on mine. None are worringly tight and none are annoyingly loose. They’re all friction joints except for the knees, which ratchet. The feet have an amazing range and can pull out a lot further than you might expect to allow for some very wide stances. One thing that I don’t recall being mentioned is that you DO NOT have to swap hands for the gunpod. The right hand that folds into the arm has a square hole in it that holds the handle of the gunpod perfectly. I don’t think I’ll even use all of the extra hands that it comes with (both robotic and cartoony). Proportions are fantastic. It looks to me like they took the Yamato V2 design and made it better. The hips probably stick out further than some would like, but to me they look nicely proportioned with the rest of battroid. Articulation is, pardon my language, goddamn AMAZING. The Yamato V2 is really fun to pose but this one beats it. The legs have the most range I’ve ever seen on a VF-1. This thing can almost do Yoga! Random thoughts: One thing I was worried about was that the head lazers would be limp and gummy, but they’re actually pretty rigid and very straight. Not only that but you get a second set in the box which is brilliant. The intakes and hands are easy to swap and hold securely. Overall I can safely say this is easily my favorite VF-1 toy yet – or at least tied with my previous favorite the Joke Machine. It’s got everything I want: Durability, fun and easy transformation, superposability, an excellent sculpt, and a size that wont hog my shelves and will encourage me to break my “one sculpt only” rule. I don’t think I’ll get the exclusive Max 1J, but if they do TV versions of the 1As, the 1S, 1D, Elint and Ostrich, I’ll be all over them. I’ll also get the super/strike packs when they are released (which they will be, there are connection points for them). I’m also really, really hoping they do a GBP armor set for this because if it was made with the same care and cleverness as the 1J it would be phenomenal.

It's a fantastic figure, one of my favorites actually, but that price can't be right. Have you checked AmiAmi? I thought they had some last time I looked. There is also a blue/white version that should be coming out soon.

Man, I let out an audible "Woo Hoo!" when I read that Barrowman and Myles signed on for a Torchwood continuation. Apparently it's going to be a worldwide affair instead of being based in Cardiff. I'm wondering who they'll get to fill out the team though. I've got my fingers crossed for a Ianto return. Sure he's dead, but that's never stopped them before.

I think the last word from Hasbro on a TFA Season 3 DVD is that they have no current plans. I can't even find season 1 and 2 for a reasonable price anymore. I didn't buy them when they came out because I was going to wait for what I figured was an inevitable "complete series" box set. I still haven't seen season 3 in any form, other than a few random clips on YouTube. That unproduced Animated Megatron is a thing of beauty. Easily the best Megatron toy I've ever seen. Unless it's a leader size toy I think Hasbro could easily find a place for it in Generations.

Yeah, they really went bare-bones with the pilot. Maybe they'll make a Grace pilot as an exclusive add-on super-exclusive. Regarding the paint, I haven't handled the Brera so I don't have any first-hand experience with the paint problem but from what people said it sounded pretty easy to scratch off. Nothing has gotten scratched on Grace so far, and there were a few moments during transformation when parts were scraped over the painted areas. Time and more handling will tell, but so far so good. And with that, here's some more pics!