mechaninac

Yeah, right! Like anybody on this board wouldn't go "zooming" and "swishing" around their house/apartment/flat/etc, helmet donned and 1/48 VF-1 in hand, if they had one in their possession? You know you would! 337663[/snapback] No I wouldn't...that's my story and I'm sticking by it!

Point taken on the HG perpetrated Macross embargo, and it's effect on customer service outside of Japan; but I've also been led to believe that Yamato has as a policy not to supply replacements unless it can be proven that their product was defective from the factory...to dissuade customizers and unscrupulous ebayers from ordering multiples of some of the most sought after parts (BP8, heads, etc.) Your second point basically bolstered my complaint of Toynami. To further elaborate on my Automobile industry analogy, when a Japanese car company discovers a potential design flaw, defect, or possible consumer complaint issue, they almost immediately issue a recall order for free repairs. American car manufactures will almost always sit on known problems for years until the backlash in lawsuits and bad press is so high that they have no choice but to do the right thing. Hence my "post purchase complaint" quip. So, Toynami has no choice but to have a decent customer service...If they were as "close to the vest" with their ability/willingness to offer replacement they wouldn't be in business very long, terminally gullible Robotech fanboys who'll buy anything HG not withstanding.

True enough, but if you have a problem with a Yamato product you have to contort yourself through all sorts of hoops to get it addressed. For most of us the difference is that, residing in the US, getting replacements from a Japanese toy company is an exercise in frustration the like of which is rarely encountered short of a trip to the DMV; at least Toynami tries to make amends. The problem I have with Toynami vs. Yamato, vis-a-vis QC, is that Toynami's approach seem to be what is referred to in the consumer product arena as a "post purchase complaint" mentality...as long as they make the sales quota, it makes the marketing department look good, no matter how many items are returned for refund, repair, or replacement, and how many disgruntled buyers will look elsewhere for a future purchase. In this regard, you see the disparate corporate cultures at work (American vs. Japanese): Toynami has sub-par engineering, inferior materials procurement, incompetent assembly, and horrendous quality control, but a fairly decent customer relations and service...reminds me of Detroit car makers in the '80s: send the buggy, misaligned, unreliable pieces of junk out the door and let the dealers deal with the customers. Yamato has competent engineering, good materials sourcing, good assembly, and decent QC (things do get by them occasionally), but they are very aloof in the customer response department.

I had the same problem with my Rook version; I'm assuming you mean the leading edge extension/winglet. The designers didn't add a fillet where the hinge post meets the underside of the winglet and chose a plastic with a very low Modulus of Elasticity (too stiff, can't take torque stress); therefore, this area is prone to snap clean if you overstress it...I did it upon first transformation. At first, I tried to repair it by drilling two matching holes on each piece without going through either part and then pinning them with seamstress pins cut to length and a bit of super glue. It worked, was very strong (maybe stronger than before), and the break was almost invisible, but I was not satisfied. I decided to contact Toynami and arrange to send the broken piece back for replacement, and I had a new part within 2 weeks. Toynami's products may have mediocre quality at best, but their customer service is top notch.

Is it any wonder that "normal" people have a very low, sometimes hostile, often dismissive, and always unflattering opinion of sci-fi and anime fans? Why doesn't he go as Anavel Gato instead, with pink on pink flight suit and all...the "gayness" would thus be complete. The only way this could be any more idiotic would be for him to dress up in a sailor moon outfit, or dare I say it...Man Faye.

You can get the flexi-stands. Three pronged acrylic stands. http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?...13599&hl=stands at the bottom of the page is a picture of what it looks like. Hope that helps. snip 335559[/snapback] According to Twin Moons, the company that made those has gone out of business and availability is limited to stock at hand.

Hopefully the Sentinels redux will only appear in the Prelude comics and won't get any more than a off-handed passing mention on the animation; but knowing HG...

Hobbylink Japan Rainbow Ten Ebay Toys & Hobbies Japan and many others

Meh. That's the extent of my reaction to the comic, just meh. I don't understand Robotech fan's blind acceptance of a storyline that, instead of tying up loose ends, actually creates further plot inconsistencies. I also don't comprehend the vitriolic hatred leveled against this product and the single minded pursuit to criticize everything about it. The artwork is leagues better than that of the Sentinels comics, and the redesign of most of the Sentinels aliens is a marked improvement; but Rick, Lisa, et. al. don't share even a passing resemblance to their former selves. As for their ages, it appears that the writers and illustrators have missed an opportunity to explain their apparent youth in terms of the time dilation effect caused by the fold to Fantoma space on the opposite side of the Galaxy from the Sol system. In the original Macross episode where Rick, Lisa, Max, and Ben are capture by the Zentradi and transported to Dolza's fleet and then hitch a ride back, Lisa makes mention of the discrepancies of time flow (time passes slower in fold space in relation to normal space), and the distance and time in fold to the Southern Cross constellation could have been much longer than that stint. That way, They could have aged 5-10 years, for example, while Earth would have seen 30-40+ years go by. If I ever see the full set of comics on sale for less than $.50 a piece on Ebay I may buy them to see what all the fuss, good and bad, is all about, but I won't go out of my what to get them.

Forget Micron pens...too dark for a white aircraft. I'd recommend you get a fine tip Gundam grey marker or the felt tipped one, also available in grey. The felt one is better for doing the panel lining since it gets into the crevices easier than the mechanical type pen, but both will work, and the more subtle grey tone is much more appealing than a harsh black line...you could use black on areas that represent open vents and slots. The trick is to run the pen along the panel line and get maximum coverage...don't worry if you go over the edges (this will definitely happen with the felt tip), let dry a bit then use the tip of your finger, or an eraser to rub out the excess and you'll have a great result with very little effort. Or you could go the pro rout and use a wash, but that is more work and requires some talent and care.

Come hither and partake of the wonderful aromas of stale beer, wicked BO and urine.

Very melodramatic, but a non sequitur. War IS hell...ask a soldier; but there is glory in it, and despite the carnage they cause, there are very few man-made things cooler than implements of war, and the Scopedog is a cool killing machine, albeit a fantasy one. Back on topic. I've seen that Scopedog on these boards before. It is very nice...if only this guy could make it a working unit, now THAT would be truly impressive.

You can't possibly have the foggiest fu--ing notion of just what WAR really is about, or what WAR is really like, can you? No, you couldn't possibly. Otherwise, surely you wouldn't have said something that fu--ing stupid. 332224[/snapback] Way over the top...both of you.

Someone show this man's work to Yamato, STAT! Absolutely brilliant!

Like 2005, 2004, 2003, etc., weren't???

This guys work, being described as "damn impressive" is the biggest understatement I've hear all week. There really are no words to describe this. 329743[/snapback] You ain't kidd'n...that is absolutely nuts. I've never seen anything quite like it.

Finding good Anime, old and new, as with anything else entertainment related, is like searching for a precious jewel; then as now, most of the stuff that comes out is utter garbage, but even today you can find good to excellent anime that won't disappoint by being overly pedantic, or silly, or dull, or delving into nonsensical existentialism (Evangalion, Gasaraki)...but it all depends on your personal tastes. I'd bet that a large part of the reason you can't get into "new" anime is because you have changed, matured, or out grown anime in general, and the only reason you enjoy the old school stuff is due, as eugimon stated, to healthy dose of nostalgia. You have to look through a pile of cubit zirconiums to find a single diamond.

I liked the last episode. It was way better than I expected from what would typically be a filler story (recounting of events, personal musings, etc.); it served as an opportunity for character development for many characters and as a springboard for further conflicts. Overall, I'd give it a solid B. I also enjoyed how the writers captured the self serving, arrogant, near seditious, attitude of the reporter's profession, in their single minded self-appointed mission to tear down those who secure their freedoms...very topical.

Ditto on the "self hating fan" bit. I find myself in the category of those who like the hardware (Toys and models) more than the shows themselves. It may be because I'm technically oriented, I'm an engineer, that makes me so fond of the mecha from many anime. However, even I try to hide most of my stash so that visitors don't see my little addiction.

Heck, if those three companies could be brought together to create an ultimate version of the beloved Macross Mecha, why not forego a rehash of the 1/48 scale and go straight to a 1/32 version of all the smaller VFs. Imagine the possibilities for "accuracy", gimmicks, poseability, display value, for 1/32 renditions of the VF-1 series (all variants), VF-4, VF-5000, VF-11, and VF-17. They could also collaborate on 1/48 versions of all the larger fighters. They'd be shelf hogs, extremely expensive, have little to no play value due to size, and worth every bit...Dream on

You sir, have just won the "most rousing endorsement" prize of this entire thread.

So all the Hell elements are missing, or at least there is no hint of it in the trailer, but it does take place on Mars, in a multi-level, claustrophobic environment, and something akin to the BFG is in it...and the chainsaw. Although I have no illusions of this movie being anywhere near good, it does look like it could be an entertaining, brain dead, way to waste 90 min...can't be any worse than AVP...well, it could, but I choose to be a little optimistic.

Box all four figures together and sell the set for no more than $140 US and I'm all over it; but at $65-$80 a pop, once you add shipping, for tiny action figures of a mostly obscure Anime, I'll pass, no matter how articulated...it's impossible for me to justify the price on a bang-for-your-bucks basis. Too bad, they do look nice.

That turned out so bad that it lasted 18 uninterrupted years on TV in various incarnations and in 10 theatrical movies...no sir, not successful at all. (j/k) Sorry, just couldn't resist. You are right, Star Trek's unrealistically utopian view of the future always rubbed me the wrong way. I much rather watch a show that shows humanity with all of its best and worst aspects, and BSG delivers this in spades...granted, they do go a little overboard sometimes with some of the irrational choices some of the characters make, but overall, the show is so well written that I can forgive it some minor flaws.

Get all the 1/48s you want first. They are all expensive to begin with, and they'll keep getting more and more pricey as their supplies dwindle...get the CF and GBP when they come out or you may find yourself spending 3X as much to acquire them later...LV anyone? Once you have all the 1/48s you want/need, then go back to completing the 1/60 line if you so desire. They are unlikely to appreciate in value within the next 5 years anyway, so if you need to track a particular 1/60 down in 3 years, you'll be able to get it at a reasonable price...likely even bellow MSRP.