Blaine23

Right now I'm pretty set on doing my best to make that VF-1S work... I'm attempting to get my hands on one now. No more options for me... everybody seems to be quite cool with the designs we have.

Looks good, Graham... thanks a bunch!

I agree with Radd... keep working on your big ideas but hone your craft as much as you can with short stories... You'll get your shot, Knight. Good luck.

I paid $105 for my Takara shipped... is it worth $30 - $35 to you to not have "battle damage" and "short smokestacks"? Maybe. But it's definitely worth it to me... mainly so I don't always look at it on my shelf and wish I had the better version. I don't want short smokestacks. I really don't want "battle damage". My advice is buy the verison of the toy that you'd rather have. You won't ever regret spending a little extra dough. I love my Takara Prime... I'm sure I would have blown that $30 on unnecessary meals out or something.

aw... you guys... I'm blushing like a little schoolgirl. Now go find me some high-res images!

All I know is that you're avatar is dizzying and it can't "sine your pitee on the runny kine." "sepa-tai!"

Flattery will get you everywhere. It is definitely more difficult and photoshopping all that in high-res might still yield a less attractive product... but I do think the art looks good. Since the popularity is for the VF-1S... here we go. I also threw in a Macross logo... I can shrink it, move it, etc... but this does seem a pretty natural fit. Again, let me know what you guys think... this one or the 1J... You guys should just be thankful that my afternoon meeting was cancelled.

I hear what you're saying Anubis. But let me reiterate... the problem isn't having a high-res scan of the VF-1S. I could do a mock-up right now with the web version on the main site. We've been using web images for mock-ups during the entire process to get an idea for the look, so we don't waste time later when we work w/ the high-res stuff we decide to scan. As far as adding to the top and bottom of the VF-1S image... it's possible, I just don't think it will look as good as the cloud or space backgrounds we've been working with. I could do a pretty good mockup, but adding 30% more water, cloud, ground to the existing image in high-res won't look as good. I'm telling you this as someone who's done photoshop for years and who will most likely be doing this part of the boxset. I wouldn't say it if I didn't think it were true. Personally, I think the VF-1J looks pretty perfect to me. But if everyone wants wants the VF-1S, I'll try.. but with reservation. As it is, I'll need more people telling me to try than just you before I sink more time into it. As for what Disco said: I was digging through Macross art yesterday looking for images and I considered the same thing. The Macross logo is all over the DVDs themselves, but it does seem appropriate to put one on the box itself, too. You guys let me know if you want one and I'll mock it up. We could easily add it to the stripe with the MW logo... there's plenty of free space there. As far as pixelation goes - Mechamaniac's right. Good scanning at the proper resolution and we're fine. You should actually see much more detail in the finished product than you do here in web image mockups. Also, Paul Champagne is a pro. I've seen his work up close and he'll let us know if there are any problems before we get to the printing stage and we'll correct any pre-press errors accordingly. Looks like we're getting there, guys. Again, if any of you has any of you has a printed version of the SDF or any of the Hase boxes we're considering using for the top, sing out - we'll need to scan these once we decide on the final design. Better yet, if any of you know where I can find the SDF art in printed form, post and let me know. I'll buy it or put out a request to those who might have it. The only place I know for sure that the image is - in This is Animation Illustrations : Macross Characters / Macross Mecha. I have a feeling it's also used in some Robotech book, but I've checked my copy of Robotech Art 1 and it's nowhere to be found. Maybe Robotech Art 2?

Damn that is gorgeous! Killer work, RW.... I seriously would buy a Kakizaki now if Yamato made one. That is just the perfect green.

Anubis... you've got it a bit wrong... In this, the "design" stage, I'm just putting together web images, just like Dangard is. The Hase 1S box is on the main site - here. I used it on my first stab at this design. So the problem is not the scanning, so worry not. No matter which design we go with for the top valkyrie, we'll have to scan a Hase box, so it's all the same to me. I quit using the Hase 1S box because - The image doesn't really lend itself to the shape of the top part of the box. There would be a TON of difficult photoshopping to get it to fit the top box shape and that would make a crappier looking box. Basically, the image of the Hase 1S is just too dern big to really fit the top of the box. I agree that the box is a bit too DYRL... I've taken the Hase 1J and put it in the top spot. Let me know what you guys think. As for the sides, I think they are pretty great, even if they are DYRL. I think this should get us closer to what we want... as Senor Disco requested. What do you think?

I wouldn't be so sure about that. That box (or boxes) isn't official... it's likely just a prop to show what the boxes will look like when the toy is actually produced... that way they can show off the art, etc. I find it very unlikely they would go to the trouble to label one big box as Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3. I'd expect 3 releases here. And I'd pray they weren't trying to get $80 per box. That's a $240 Voltron. For that cash, he'd better come with a bumpin' sound system. Another thing I'm shocked by... no LED? On Voltron, it might actually make some kinda sense.

They did rerelease both the Roy 1S and the Hikaur 1A in the 1/48... problems have been corrected (crooked skull emblem on tail, better nosecone, etc) but neither come with Super/Strike armor. Those you still have to buy seperately. You can find them from any of our reputable toy dealer in the Dealer announcements forum. Ask them and they'll make sure you get the newer versions... I'm fairly certain the old versions have sold out anyway.

Sweet... I'll be taking 3 sets, EXO & Rohby.

It looks pretty good to me... but it's definitely far too wee for me to imagine spending $80 dollars on it. I honestly don't think they can possibly sell enough of these to keep that MSRP. The MPC VF-1s dropped in price and these will too. Mospeada isn't as popular as Macross, regardless of them being the "only game in town." That, combined with the lilliputian scale of the toy will keep them from selling at $80. Not to mention that anyone pre-ordering this toy is far, far braver than I am. After the fiasco of Toynami's VF-1J Rick... I'll wait to see how the finished toy is reviewed before I plunk down any of my cash.

Agreed... but I can also assure you that if Bandai made that toy it would have alot more detail and people could be reasonably sure that the finished product would worth a warm cup of hamster vomit. Besides, there are nostalgic Macross fans who appreciate the 1/55's more than the new Yamato toys. Is it so surprising that fans of the original GoLion think this Voltron looks less appealing? We can all agree that there is a Toynami bias... but no one can deny that their products have created that negative bias more than their relationship with HG.

If Kirk ain't bagging a green bimbo, if Bones isn't in a tizzy over Spock's cold logical nature, and if the rest of the character aren't internationally generic molds... then I ain't watching. Old School Trek all the way.

I don't know if I trust what Tom Bateman is saying... his talk reminds me just a bit of Joe Isuzu. (He's lying.)

I think the general consensus was to finish the design on the SDF Macross box, then get into the Macross Plus design. As far as putting the current box together... I'm still searching for the sideview sdf1 art and the Hasegawa art. If it's not too much, I'll buy whatever I need to get those images. Since I did the layout, I'll scan them in, do the Photoshop, and put those two parts together. MM, DA, and I should probably get together w/ monsieur Champagne and see if he needs this as one giant image (somehow I doubt it), or if we can have DA send in the side and I'll send him the back and top, and let him put it together. If anybody's got the Hase or the sideview SDF art - or can tell me where to get it for a reasonable price - please let me know.

The EVA sequel hoax poster was among the best fanart I've seen. Whoever did that was pretty damn good. This Thundercats thing is pretty sad. No offense to anyone who fell for it, but this is some pretty basic photoshop crap. Now if they had just used Stallone as Lion-O... I mighta bought it. But this here, someone spent some time on it... it's fooled quite a few fans, myself included.

I agree with you that there's bias here against Toynami... but any toy company that tackles dearly beloved old toys has take their knocks against those who have the nostalgic love for the old versions. Yamato's been bashed to death by 1/55 lovers, the Toynami Alphas are bashed against the Gakkens... maybe you're a bit naive... but surely you have to expect some of this. Not to mention Toynami has quite the rep for "what the F--k happened" in between prototype and finished product (Rick MPC, anyone? Missing 33% die-cast metal?)... so if their product is viewed with skepticism... I can understand that. Don't expect people here to fawn all over what looks to be a decent sculpt but that will likely have very little diecast, very little detail, and probably very little, if any diecast metal, for a price around $240 MSRP for all 5 lions. Toynami has earned every bit of the bias against them. It's up to them to prove differently. And this proto Voltron ain't enough by far.

Damn... nice work there, Flippant... sorry about your, uh, finger problem. You really are MacGyver.

Dude... you're joking, right? Either you're joking or you've been fooled by the lamest fan art on Earth. If people asked me... I'd say I was joking.

I'm sorry... not that impressed. Curious about how big it is, though... but it'd have to be 1/1 to make that sculpt and lack of detail worth 3 x $80. Also... I wonder how much die-cast will be involved? Even if they put in all the "missing" diecast metal from their VF-1 toys, it still wouldn't come close to matching the original heft and potential murder weapon status.

Dude... who are you, MacGyver?

I'd also dig it if you could put the running time in your reviews as well, A7... this looks like a classic I should acquaint myself with.