Today is the fifth Anniversary of the first release, of Bandai Spirit’s, DX Chogokin, Macross Valkyrie Project, which they had been working on since 2015. So I want to post a recap of what has happened so far with this project!
As of now we have had 16 independent releases, with 9 Different Valkyries and 1 secondary releases and one third release, plus 4 Accessories sets so the overview is…
Valkyries
1. Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1J Valkyrie (Hikaru Ichijo) (First Press Limited Edition), 29 December 2018 (TV)
3. Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1A Valkyrie (Maximilian Jenius), 21 September 2019 (TV)
4. Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1S Valkyrie (Hikaru Ichijo), 23 November 2019 (Movie)
6. Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1A Valkyrie (Hayao Kakizaki), August 2020 (Movie)
7. Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1S Valkyrie (Roy Focker Special), 28 November 2020 (TV)
9. Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1D Valkyrie & Fan Racer,(Hikaru Ichijo) July 2021 (TV)
10. Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1J Armored Valkyrie (Hikaru Ichijo) & Armored Part Set VF-1J, 25 Sept. 2021 (2nd Release) VF-1J Valkyrie (Hikaru Ichijo) (TV)
12. Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1A Valkyrie (Angel Bird), January 2023 (TV)
13. Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1S Strike Valkyrie (Hikaru Ichijo) (Mechanical Edition) (2nd Release)
14. Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VT-1 SuperOstrich Valkyrie (Hikaru Ichijo), 17 July 2024 (Movie)
15. Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1J Valkyrie (Hikaru Ichijo) (TV) Clear & Chrome Parts, Chogokin 50th Anna. (TAMASHII NATIONS) (August 2024)
16. Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1J Valkyrie (Hikaru Ichijo) (TV) Macross Since 1982 (Tamashii Store Exlusive) (Third Release with AAM-1 Missiles)
Accessories
2. Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 Missile Set for VF-1, First Release (TWE) May 2019 Second June 2020, 3Rd. (Lottery) Jan 21-27 2022 (TV/Movie)
5. Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 Strike/Super Parts Set for Movie edition VF-1, December 2019 (Movie)
8. Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 Super Parts Set for TV Edition VF-1, December 2020 (TV)
11. Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 Armored Part Set VF-1J, September 2021 (TV)
* the numbers are for release order, I have not included rereleases of the accessory sets!
Teased (But no word on release)
Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1A Super Valkyrie (Hikaru Ichijo) 011 (Movie) (TAMASHII NATIONS 2019)
Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1A Super Valkyrie (Maximilian Jenius) 013 (Movie) (TAMASHII NATIONS 2019)
Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1S Armored Valkyrie (Roy Focker Special) (TV) (TAMASHII NATIONS 2020)
Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1J Armored Valkyrie (Maximilian Jenius) (TV) (TAMASHII NATIONS 2020)
Bandai DX Chogokin 1/1800 SDF 1 Macross (TV) (TAMASHII NATIONS 2022)
Overview (The Good, The Bad and the really Ugly)
The Good. All in all Bandai has hit it out of the park with this project in 1/48! The Valk’s in most parts look excellent in any of the three modes that they can be transformed into. From Fighter, Gerwalk or Batroid, they look stunning and handle fantastic, in all three! The pose-ability is in a class of it’s own. They are super stable and fun to play with. The ABS colors are even and crisp. The printing although a little overdone is precise and cleanly executed. The metal parts make the Valk’s easy to handle and transform in most parts (although it does take some praxis). The accessories fit precise and stay on very sturdy.
The Releases have in most parts been fluent, with a few surprises in-between the VF-1D with Fan Racer was a nice surprise, the VT-1 (Super Ostrich) with 4 figures and tent will continue the gimmick add-ins. Some off the already released Valk’s 2nd. Release, could have been handled differently in most part, Hence Mechanical Edition should have been released with a VF-1A (Hikaru Ichijo) (Movie) 011, But all in all the releases have been very positive although for some a little on the slow side, while others a bit too fast… I for myself, haven’t been disappointed with the releases. The VF-1D is still my Favorite! My favorite gimmick was that you can change the emblems on the Strike/Super packs!
The Bad! That Bandai has problems with numbering the stabilizers is honestly a little disturbing. The numbering should always match the side that your looking at, coherent for the Left or Right side, and not when the fins are folded. That they still haven’t fixed the leg pegs to fit better with or without super parts is also very surprising since its should be an easy fix! That the movie versions don’t have the Skull emblem printed on them is also a little annoying! That Bandai hasn’t seen fit too include missile accessories with this toy is also very annoying since these are getting hard to come by and getting very expensive! That they actually glued the strike/super parts (Mechanical Detail) together at the beginning was actually very shocking since Yamato had this figured out almost 20 years ago. Although I must say that the (Mechanical Edition) parts look stunning and it’s nice that you don’t have to buy the clear parts separately! Here again, though they should have done this sooner! I also wish they would stop teasing us with things we can’t buy!
The really Ugly. The prices for these is getting out of hand! And its sad that they are Japanese exclusives. After all Robotech the Macross Saga was released world wide and the fan base is everywhere! So why limit these to Japan Only!? That Bandai with TAMASHII NATIONS is making it a P.I.T.A. with every new release as also concerning! From Retail to Tamashii Web Shop to Lottery, it’s getting out of hand! The should just release everything, everywhere! That they haven’t released more Missile sets is also very annoying since you almost need 4 or 5 if you have the complete collection up too now! The worse thing for me with this series is the stands! I find them hideous and should have had a complete rework!
And my hopes and Wishes…
I’m sure that with the tease of the VT-1 (Super Ostrich), the VE-1 (Elintseeker) will follow in it’s path! I’m also hopeful that the D.Y.R.L. Skull Squadron will get more releases next year, Hopefully completing the whole squadron, there are still lots of Valks that Bandai can release but I’m not much into Fantasy models hence the VF-1J Valkyrie (Hikaru Ichijo) (TV) (Clear & Chrome Parts) or other not seen fantasy models that Yamato made. Some might like these gimmicks, but for me they are not that interesting, and I’m sure I will pass on them! But after all is said I give these toys a more then positive review and it will be hard for future companies to beat what Bandai Sprits has done with this project… Unless they someday decide to make a 1/35 version which in most parts will be way too large for my apartment…
For the following five years, I hope they release most of the following Valkyries…
Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1A/S Super Valkyrie (Maximilian Jenius) (Mechanical Edition) (Movie) 013 Skull Squadron
Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1A Super Valkyrie (Hikaru Ichijo) (Mechanical Edition) (Movie) 011 Skull Squadron
Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1S Armored/Strike Valkyrie (Roy Focker) (Mechanical Edition) (Movie) 001 Skull Squadron with GBP
Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VT-1 Valkyrie (Super Ostrich) (Mechanical Edition) (Movie)
Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VE-1 Valkyrie (Elintseeker) (Mechanical Edition) (Movie)
Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1A Valkyrie (Brownie/Cannon Fodder) (TV)
Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1A Valkyrie (Hayao Kakizaki) (TV)
Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1J Super Valkyrie (Maximilian Jenius) (Mechanical Edition) (TV)
Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1J Super Valkyrie (Milia Fallyna Jenius) (Mechanical Edition) (TV)
Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1A Valkyrie (Alaska Base) (TV)
Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1A Valkyrie (Cavaliers) (TV)
Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1A Valkyrie (Blazer Squadron) (TV)
Accessories
Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 Strike/Super Parts Set for VF-1 (Mechanical Edition), incl. Missile set (Movie)
Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 Super Parts Set for VF-1 (Mechanical Edition), incl. Missile set (TV)
With this, I hope everyone will get their version of the Valk that they wish for, sooner rather then later! And the rest all the best for the new year!
Guido
