VFTF1

As long as there's a girl there with you then you don't need the other two comforts :-) failing that...hmm... gameboy? Or whatever it is people us nowadays (yes - the last time I was up to date with hand held video games was when Gameboy was released...20 years ago...) Pete

Finally a decent pair of boots for Misa! She looks great! Pete

Well - it could also be a new nightmare for states side Macross fans if Hasbro is given complete freedom to do as it wishes with the license. For starters - don't kid yourselves that Yamato valkyrie will suddenly pop up in wallmart. BEYOND the licensing issue, there is one other reason Yamato Valkyrie can't be mass marketed (imo) at toys'r'us etc- namely - they are not built in accordance with child safety laws. Hasbro would have to invest heavily in remoulding them to be child safe - but that would defeat the purpose I think -it would be a loosing proposal. As for the Macross series themselves - well - Hasbro is mainly into kids entertainment. It has been pointed out here that even in Japan, MF aired pretty late - this ain't kids entertainment. Hasbro would have to take a slightly differet route OR they would have to figure out some way to market this as a kids' show.. Oh yeah - they wouldn't even actually have a show to market really - because they don't have the license for Macross Frontier and wouldn't get it - we're just talking about merchandising rights to SDFM TV and possibly DYRL... Hasbro has zero experience in the anime market. Despite their huge experience in the boys and girls toy market - they are not in the business of anime/manga or adult collectibles. I think marketing Macross as such in the USA presents its' ow set of challenges and Hasbro would have to think outside the box to get it done right. It wouldn't be a simple matter of copying their formulae for GI Joe and Transformers - or if it WOULD be that...then I fear whatever they produce will be just as bad as Shadow Chronicles. I am of the opinion that the best thing that could happen for Macross and for anime in general is for artificial barriers such as borders to simply dissapear. People all over the world can already view and buy this stuff on the internet. I know that Japanese "don't care" about the outside market - but actually...that's not quite true. Given how much they export, it is not true they don't care. Bandai, Yamato etc naturally do center their marketing strategies on Japan as such, but the medium is undisputably globally popular. Finally - look at the designs of anime characters - they are mostly "universalist" designs - they are by no means specifically japanese, and while many conventions and behaviors are Japanese/based in Japanese culture - the stories are accessable to all people, not just "Japanese people." Eventually, Big West needs to just make a Macross Channel on the internet. Like Hasbro has a TF channel where you can see various episodes from G1, BW to Armada etc. They need to have a Youtube channel and they could do well to just Sub-title their stuff. This is why in a way, I think the whole "licensing debate" thing is dead in the water anyways. It's lame duck stuff. The market for anime is clearly indicating that the internet is the premium medium, internationally. What's the point spending millions on lawyers and court cases when you can just open a Youtube channel, subtitle the stuff you own and let the world watch it? As for buying - Yamato's can be legally bought and sold in the USA. You just can't distribute them officially. You can't put an add on TV saying these are Macross toys. But bought and sold as adult collectibles? Yes. If I buy something from Japan - it's my property. I can sell it if I want to. And I don't need a license from anybody to sell it. Merchandising and selling collectibles second hand are two different things. HG has a very narrow interpretation of the laws governing commerce - and clearly I think that if they were right then BBTS would have been forced to stop selling Yamato products. As such - the Macross version 2.0 stuff is on their website. So what's the big deal? It's over already. HG has lost. Doesn't matter what proofs Memo or anybody else writes - the real battle was not waged in court rooms or between lawyers but rather on the global market place - and Macross won because it captured the hearts of fans world wide. Yamato and Bandai products won because they are superior to Toynami, just like Macross Frontier, Zero etc were and are superior to Shadow Chronicles and anything else put out by HG. That is the only battle that counted at the end of the day. Pete

I think if Takara-Tomy had the option, they would give the license for Macross to Hasbro - would make business sense since the two have been working together very well (it seems) for decades. As critical as I have been of Hasbro's toys over the last few years, Hasbro having the license for Macross in the USA would definitely be more promising than HG having it. Pete

The most obvious speculation is that we'll get a Macross/Transformers cross over Bandai, which is after all the sponsor of MF can counter with "Macross vs. Gundam." Speaking of which...you know...given how in Japan it seems like everybody and their mothers have merchandising licenses - this whole behavior of HG is ridiculous. I mean - just inside of Japan itself we have Yamato doing Macross valkyries - yes ... but Bandai can reissue its' old chunkies and did. It also reissued its' old SDFM TV model kits. Kaiyodo has the license for doing Revoltech Macross and are going to do those transformables now. It seems like every company gets to have a crack at making anime models, statues, toys etc. Granted, there are some properties, such as Gundam, which seem to be exclusive to Bandai - unless I'm mistaken and forgetting about something... but it seems that only they do Gundams - whether models or figures. Oh - and Transformers are exclusive to Takara-Tomy Hasbro. But beyond those two properties - it seems like buying the license for a season or two and trying to bring out toys that your company specializes in is not difficult in Japan. I like that. I like that differet companies get to have a crack at making something unique. Pete

Happy to hear you're joining us Enjoy the ride! Bomba! Pete

There's a trailer? I won't watch it, but not because I don't want to spoil the movie, but rather because I know it'll stink. Knowing SOS-dan, the blood was probably ketchup and the screaming? Yuki can't scream - that's impossible. All she ever says is "so" - ergo I deduce that the screaming is nothing but a bad dub by the Chief Director herself. But generally, you won't catch me watching this lousy anime no siree bob. Worse show ever aired. Bar none. really... If you're a Haruhi newbie watching this thread, best go back to your mecha anime ...nothing to see here... Pete

Well - I guess I can let you guys take a break from your responsibilities towards Anim Spiritia then! Maybe we can all "officially" agree to not watch any more Macross 7 until the new year? The second Friday of January would, I think, be ideal. The first Friday most of us will be hung over (I hope) ... unless I've got my dates mixed up (possible). This will also give those of our friends who need to catch up (aahh...ahhh...aaaCCHOOOgubabaOOOOO!!!) a chance to perhaps catch up with the rest of us? ... Just a suggestion. Obviously if people wanna keep watching and writing - have at But maybe we can take this occasion to take a break and come back to the serious business of analyzing a cartoon about a rock and roll band battling space monsters with music after the holidays? Pete

All I own is the TV versions from SDFM... although the 1S Fokker is kind of DYRL as well, right? Anyways - none of my TV versions have any problems. Pete

I personally think they should have just gone with Exia... Pete

Yeah - I did all that. I used Firefox and Firefox DID block the website eventually - however, the problem is, Firefox only blocks things once they are reported. This particular website looked like any other - it's just a fan site and somebody hacked their server and basically infected the computers of all the members. I'm not really clear on what followed since I - not surprisingly - haven't gone back to that website In any case - it's just bad luck is all. I think they must have been using a pretty lousy security system to let something like that happen... particularly given that at least according to them the local Hasbro branch was providing the servers... so you'd think they'd be safe ...but oh well... What ever... my anime-watching days are over until next year (sounds like a long time, but I think by January 3rd I'll be up and running again!) Meanwhile - it's kind of nice to see a conversation go its' own way without me. I particularly like the discussion about the water on the Riviera - very nice. I'll comment more when I have a chance to catch up. In any event - Marzan, Dex, and anybody else who is active - thank you for keeping the thread alive and please keep it going until I can come back to writing a weekly review. Thanks guys! Pete

wow. The PG OO looks really dissapointing. Seriously. Wierd how Bandai seems to be so radically hit and miss. Is it a question of design teams or what? It's like the 1/72 VF-25 vs. the DX chogokin... very very wierd... Pete

Not really. Actually, this show sucks. It's just a bunch of stupid hentai rejects running around in mini skirts and some dorky nerdy guy who tags along. Same old same old really. Pete

Freiflugg88 gets promoted to Vice Thread-Chou for his perfect review. Oh I know what caused it - Transormers (of course). Somebody hacked into the local TF website that I visit often and made it so that anybody visiting the website - just opening it - immediately got a virus. The virus I got busted up my boot system and I can't even use recovery disks... anyways... now I still have to go get a modem...sigh... hopefully next year I'll be up to speed Pete

Glad to see Marzan wrote a review. I'm going to bed. Still not able to jump back in... Had ta be the swimsuit episode that I missed...sigh... Pete

Yep that's the one. Hopefully I'll be fully back to speed next week. Spearhead away! The fate of the universe depends on YOU! Pete

You know - I do panel line my Gundams. I just use a technical pencil. I panel lined my Turn-A-Gundam with a marker and IMO it looks hideous - the contrast is way to bright imo ... In any event - I'm happy Pete

Finally finished. Love the bits of gun metal on him. Very flashy. Pete

Definitely gonna get this next year and join this discussion... Pete

As I read all of the praise of the VF-11B, I must finally admit- guys - I have not even had a chance to transform mine! Maybe I'll finally find time next year... Anyways - here's my vote: Bandai's VF-25 1:72 model. The one I have is the VF-25S Ozma type. I sorely regret being a lazy bum and getting the Bandai Chogokin instead of continuing to get the models and build them. But already the fun of having a Bandai chogokin has given way to me finally just getting annoyed with all the chogokin's bad points - particularly when I know what Yamato puts out. That said - while Yamato has indeed put out a lot of great products this year, I have to give Bandai's design team my respect for the 1:72 Ozma. It's a great model kit, wonderful detail, fantastic transformation, good factory colors.... I'm very pleased with it. It was a difficult kit for me to build given my meager modeling experience, but the end result is really something good and I think it does deserve Best Macross Product of the year title because Yamato has been perfecting their VF-1 for years. Bandai got the model kit of the VF-25 right the first time. But yeah... it's hard to limit myself to one. However - not really going to chose between the various VF-1 incarnations - it's just a repaint of the same mould with different accessories - so really - whether you pick the 1D or the VE-1 or whatever - you're basically saying "Yamato's VF-1 version 2.0 in 1:60 scale. Definitely for Macross collectors then - this year's best products are the VF-1 2.0 and the VF-25 model in 1:72 scale. The VF-11B looks great, but I think all of us have been dreaming more of a perfect VF-1 like the version 2.0 than that...or maybe not?... In any event... mm... what else? Really...there's not much else. It looks like being a Macross collector is TOO easy. They really need to give us either a Revoltech or Figma Misa etc or at LEAST an inflatable Minmey sex doll next year. Enough with the jets! Pete

Unless I've lost my sense of place and time (not at all unlikely), today is Friday. Sadly, while I DO have a new laptop which is virus free and has a new shiny 2 year warranty... I don't have internet connection because my mobile modem was acquired three years ago and no longer interfaces with laptops produced since the end of the Stone Age (aka last year or so). Thus, I must now go and acquire a new modem for my mobile internet card that is compatable with my laptop. Then I need to download the...the...stearing wheels?...the...directional thingies? I wish "computeric" was like Latin and there was a common word the same bloody thing...although technically it is english...and the word was on the tip of my tongue...the ...the ...the thingies that you need like when you have a new printer - and you download the...guidance directional steering wheel going where to thingies. I need to do that... Um.. To make a long story short - I'm not going to be able to watch the next episode of Macross 7 with you guys today, let alone write a review. I'm writing now from a laptop where I can't download any child pornography Macross today. So, please enjoy naked children and hentai the next episode of Macross 7 without me and somebody be nice enough to write the review. Don't stop on account of my abscence. I'll catch up! Pete

Having nothing better to do with my life for now, I finished building EXIA. I am pleased by the innovation in his waste insofar as giving him greater leg mobility - that's such an EASY engineering solution and yet for so long it has been overlooked...why? Beats me. All previous Gundams have basically had a hollow space where they put the sliding mechanism - and it really does improve poseability. I still need to build his weapons and a Gundam stand for him and then he can join his happy comrades. Pete

It doesn't matter what the creator or the official source says about their age. Bassara looks like he's 9 years old, and this whole show is about exploitation of child labor! You better lesson to me kaz I now wat im talknig boat. Pete Writing from internet cafe Should be back on line by Friday/the weekend Lesson up!

The one long term rule of thumb was to always shop smart, which meant waiting for sales. In a normal economy, you had to balance this with another rule of thumb: don't wait too long because it will sell out and - in the case of collectibles - be more expensive on the secondary market. But those rules of thumb no longer count. The longer you wait, the cheaper it will get now. And instead of selling out, it will stop being sold eventually if things don't pick up. Also, there is the flip side - namely - chances are no matter how cheap you manage to get it - it'll still be too expensive for you because you're probably short of cash. So what looks like a great deal is only a great deal if seen from the perspective of 2 years ago when you had more financial stability. All of this boils down to: sure - in the short term, you can find some good deals, but in the long term, unless the economy picks up - we're all screwed. Pete

Good point... in the rainy day episode where we see him working to take them out and he and Rey have the 'umbrella' discussion - we don't see if he takes them out 100% for sure... Anyways.... BAD TEMPORARY NEWS: My laptop has been infected by a virus - I even know where it's from and it's a damn boot system virus, so I can't even use the recovery disk to at least get the thing to function. I'll call the techs tomorrow, and failing them being able to tell me what to do over the phone, will probably have to take it to them...hopefully it'll all work out and I'll be able to watch the next episode with everyone on Friday. But if I don't - somebody gonna have to pick up the slack. I do have internet in my little cell phone and can catch the episode on Youtube... but it'll be hard to write a long essay on my little touch screen phone... anyways - if I do miss out on Friday's episode - Please - somebody pick up the slack and keep the thread going until I'm fully technologically operational again. Pete