F-ZeroOne

Ah, thank you. I must have missed that scene somewhere.

Stupid question - is the VF-0 equipped for air-to-air refuelling?

Nope...

More Eurofighter news - Saudi Arabia has commited to purchasing 72 Typhoons. While this deal has been on the cards for a while now, the UK press has been speculating that a confirmed deal of this size may boost chances of Typhoons being ordered in other countries - including Japan.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but that looks to me like the "fat neck" for the landing gear problem may well be a bit of a non-issue. Astounding!

Funny you should mention that. One of the Roboticktektoe-comic series claimed thats just what the Zentraedi used to do with their dead on the fleets...

I can't believe we've got this far in without anyone mentioning giant tuna heads.

They have apparently got somewhat better since then. Incidentally, thats quite an old release, so they might be a bit tricky to find new, at least from retailers and not auction sites.

I guess you get what you pay for. The price of the intricate designs is fiddliness and occasionally suspect quality. You could always buy Star Wars figures instead. I hear thats popular. I have sort of a love/hate relationship with Microman. When they're being bad, they make me want to conduct experiments with ballistic arcs through top storey windows. When they're being good, though...

Bonus image - Road Force MicroLady Ray gives evil AcroYear-X VolTech something to think about...

Just noticed you're looking at a MagneForce figure. I have one. They're pretty neat, although the issues I've had with mine are slightly "slippery" limbs (they don't always hold a pose) and very loose wrist armour. Still very nice figures; you can do some nice boxing poses with them! One neat feature is the "light pipe" eyes; at the right angle, light will filter through the head and give the figure "The Glowy Eyes of Righteous JUSTICE!".

You can pretty much divide Microman into three "types" - the original, classic series from the 70s (you may have had the licensed US versions as "Micronauts" as a kid), which are sometimes reiussed by Takara from time to time; the 90s versions of which I know nothing, and the modern, 21st century versions. The very latest types have got joints all over - they seem to add more with every release - and tend to come with lots of accessories; guns, spare hands, stands etc. Some of the designs are also very good, and considering the scale, pretty inventive (which includes "blank" Microman material Force figures for customising and variable breast sizes for the MicroLadies!) They are also perhaps the cheapest Japanese action figures you can collect (well, unless you start lusting after the various "exclusive" ones). On the downsides, build quality can be patchy (some figures apparently suffering from cracked joints), joints can be floppy, and parts like armour can be a right pain in the arse to fit properly, and the figures can be rather fiddly to pose. Having said that, although I only have a few of the figures (and have sworn at that them quite a bit at times), I've just ordered two more MicroLadies. Heres a picture of MicroSister El to help you make your mind up!

That sucks. As to "something in the studio", probably cigarette smoke.

Okay, just wanted to be clear.

I never thought I'd see another series as downright bizarre as Childs Toy, but then I saw this. I think Childs Toy has the edge in character development, but Guu just about shaves it in the Bizarro-stakes. Dragon-Half is great. Shame they only made so few episodes.

Er... do you mean the spats? (the fairings that went over the landing gear). Its just that the JU-87s landing gear was fixed and, AFAIK, not removable...?

I think you are confused here. Rumiko Takahashi did not work on KOR. Izumi Matsumoto created KOR. Takahashi created Maison Ikkoku. 423516[/snapback] My bad, I get all those mid '80s anim-emo soap shows mixed up... it still beats the crap out of most of the modern Rumiko stuff though. There is a connection, though - the famous character designer Akemi Takeda worked on Kimagure Orange Road and Urusei Yatsura; the occasionally similar character designs might be one of the causes of the confusion. Incidentally, Madoka would kick most modern anime heroines into orbit. Asuka might be good with Unit-2, but Madoka once crippled someone just by using a guitar pick! Black Magic M-66 is surprisingly decent. It actually depicts a special forces group acting intelligently. They still get their butts kicked, but at least they thought about it first.

Urusei Yatsura? Obscure? Good grief, I suddenly feel old... Mine would have to be Cats Eye, an early 80s series from the guy who created City Hunter. I believe at least some of the cast have recently appeared in the series Angel Heart. I mainly like it because it features the dumbest detective there has ever, ever been... Then, of course, theres Star Fleet/X-Bomber, which isn't exactly anime but was obviously heavily inspired by it. Patlabor on Tv shouldn't be obscure, but it must be the best anime series no-one actually seemed to buy. The fools, the terrible fools! Edit: oh, of course. Turn-A Gundam. Dammit, get over the moustache thing already!

If Yoko Kanno is attached, then its automatically great. Inner Universe (GiTs: SAC). Lithium Flower (GiTs: SAC). Turn-A Gundam OP (not sure what its called). Stop smirking - Turn-A Gundam rocks! Information High (Macross Plus). Childs Toy second OP ("Ultra Relax" - just because its so much fun watching people try and keep up at karaoke!). Konya wa Hurricane - Bubblegum Crisis. May Tomino strike me down for saying this, but Just Wild Beat Communication from Gundam Wing (I'm sorry, my master, I'm so very sorry... ) Revolution from Utena. "I Do" (GiTs: SAC 2nd Gig). I also have a terrible weakness for anime tracks from the 80s like the Kimagure Orange Road themes and though the Noir soundtrack doesn't really count as a "song", "Salva Nos" is awesome.

Remember how we were all whining about four weeks back about how all the Macross releases had dried up?

The webcomic "Strange Candy" features a recurring character called Miss Wingmay, who is a former Idol singer... http://www.strangecandy.net/d/20030109.html

Ingram! One can only hope a Griffon is planned - its been way too long since my various toy Ingrams have had anything to fight against!

Interesting question. Ok, I'm gonna look at this backwards, by eliminating non-contenders first. Jaguar was replaced by the Tornado, so it's out. The SU-24 has short combat legs under full load, but carries a nice loadout. So, short legs eliminate it. Tornado is slightly newer, better legs, and heavier loadout, but still not that great. So, it's out. 417058[/snapback] Right, but I bet you one thing - however low you think you are, the Tornado will be under you somewhere. 417136[/snapback] And look where it got them during Desert Storm.... 417354[/snapback] Just carrying on a great British tradition (to paraphrase a somewhat amazed German soldier during the early days of W.W. II, "Instead of us attacking us while we are crossing, you let us set up the bridges, put in the flak guns, and then attack us - in daylight! You English are crazy!")...

and it'll be keeping the sun off a Buccanneer... 417141[/snapback] True; unfortunately "Banana Bombers" are no longer with us (except for that maniac in South Africa)... I've just finished a book called Vulcan 607, which is about the "Black Buck" bombing missions over the Falklands. Although about 75% of the book is about air-to-air refuelling and the many hundreds of ways in which this can go wrong, its a pretty good read and includes more RAF low-level legends, such as the aircrew who flew up into power-lines (later measured as being 45 feet above ground!). Although specific aircraft aren't mentioned in that story, its likely a Buccaneer - or even more impressive, a Vulcan - was the culprit! Shin, as to the Meteor - estimates vary. I've seen some at 150km, but some sources quote around 100km. It would appear, though - if the "blurb" is right - that Phoeinx-class range is its - ahem - metier...

Interesting question. Ok, I'm gonna look at this backwards, by eliminating non-contenders first. Jaguar was replaced by the Tornado, so it's out. The SU-24 has short combat legs under full load, but carries a nice loadout. So, short legs eliminate it. Tornado is slightly newer, better legs, and heavier loadout, but still not that great. So, it's out. 417058[/snapback] Right, but I bet you one thing - however low you think you are, the Tornado will be under you somewhere.