DarrinG

Ha! Mannequin Skywalker! Hadn't heard that one. That brightened my morning. Someone said that 'Macross was the only good part of Robotech'. I disagree. Mospeada brought in some of my favorite mecha and characters. And if the LAM is going to try to retell the Robotech story (instead of just the macross saga) then even some of the SC portion could be used and fixed (yes - you're gasping in shock) If the 15th Squad pilots Macross destroids (finally giving the tomahawks and monsters more of their due screen time) as the second movie opens, we'll all get to like those characters much more. The only real part of SC that will happen in the 2nd LAM is they'll eventually develop a kick-butt version of the hover-tanks to fight the Bioroids. No other SC mecha needed -- ever. It would make more sense for ground mech pilots to move up to the hovertanks anyway. (if you're a macross-only fan you're now shaking your head, muttering 'pure hogg-wash' or something else colorful) And cliff-hangers are fine too provided they precede a follow up movie. The end of Empire Strikes Back was great, and don't remember feeling cheated - only anxious for the next installment . . .

These shows must have been great. I just don't get why these mech designs are so popular and have so many toys made from them. I think I drew better robots in high school study hall - but to each his own. I'm REALLY ready for new ENEMY (1/60?) mecha to be scooped in this thread . . .

Agree. I would buy a TV version right now. It should come out with the TV version Max . . .

As a fan I can make some concessions in the plot and character development for increased action and the usual "summer box office hit" formula. I realize in 20 years most fans will appreciate better dialog over the explosions, but a more cerebral focus won't get multiple movies made for the Macross/Robotech franchise -- not in today's culture. Give me a nice balance between staying true to the original and updating the designs in a Transformers - Terminator 2 - Aliens, heart pounding PG-13 style. My imagination will have to add any character development they skipped to get the teeny-poppers into the theater.

I thought Independence Day was a crime. My friend had to pull me back into my seat and make me stay for the rest of the movie. My reasons to put this one so high is the potential wasted. The great effects on the previews made me believe it was going to answer soooo many of my 'alien invasion finally done right' desire on the big screen. The memory of Randy Quaid flying an F-16 at the alien ship (or whatever it was) yelling 'yahoo' still makes me cringe.

The TV max will be my 4th 1/60. Can't wait. What is that picture on the front? - Behind the Max fighter? Is it the SDF bridge?

What's all this silly talk of no Spartan? Of COURSE they're coming out with the Spartan! And with the success of the giant SDF-1 they'll also release a limited TV version 1/60 Monster in just 3 short years or less. (I now have my fingers firmly in my ears refusing to hear any opinions to the contrary

I guess I also want them removable so I can have some missiles on a cart with guys ready to load them, and some missing out of one of the arms. This thing will have some type of gimmick, just wondering what it may be . . .

I started later but I have a 7 year old step-son so I'm catching up to you quick! He took this pic of my old Shock Trooper - I like the menacing yellow under-glow. I promised I would post it for him. Its one of the toys I let the kids bash around. Here's my 1 year old twins too. Staying on the topic of Mospeada poses (sort of), we have 3 "cyclones" for them, a green, red and blue. I always make sure my daughter is on the red one!

OK - Where's the preview pics of the Phalanx?!? How bout this cool feature?; What if all the missiles are removable and the fins are spring-loaded to pop out when they exit? You'd just depress a button to collapse them when loading . . .

Oh - life is a bit hectic these days. 3 kids and one more on the way. Rebuilding our house after a garage fire too. Work's busy as well. Wouldn't change any of it though - I'll transform my Beagle soon enough. Here's my Zeta Combo with some Photoshopping, I posted it earlier but it might deserve a re-run . . .

I've had my Beagle for a few months now but have yet to find time to transform the thing! Here's a quick pic I took in my cube at work, added the background in Photoshop . . .

How do we know there's a "hold up"?

If its incredibly well done the name Robotech won't hurt it (star wars, star trek, transformers) But if WB doesn't make some type of deal with BIG WEST so that they are allowed to follow the show what's the point of tying it to Robotech or Macross at all? HERE's WHY: WB should be sacred of try making something very loosely based on Macross but NOT identifiable as such. The Macross characters and minor details have made it globally popular for decades. Essentially they would be trying to match this popularity out of their own talent and luck that it sticks with the public. That's a big chance with 200 million bucks when they can pay some people and get a more sure thing (like the james cameron examples given earlier). The original Macross storyline has massive universal appeal unlike the cobble together mess that is R:SC. WB NEEDS to strike a deal with Big West so that they can use the ideas and characters that will make both new fans and existing fans happy. WB can try to tip-toe around all the legal, dream up something almost totally new and hope for the best. But I won't likely be happy with the outcome, and I doubt the public whose never heard of Robotech or Macross will eat it up either. We know HG could not convince Big West because of al the bad history but maybe WB can . . .

Great topic. I'm a buy one of each for sure because they seem just too darn expensive to get more than that. I do remove them from the packaging but the packing gets saved and the decals are not applied. Not applying the decals serves two purposes; the future sell-ability, but also I think decals on these high end toys look too shiny and sloppy and detract from the clean anime look. I'm particular and if one corner of one sticker was coming up it would bug me every time I looked at it.

GUYS - one of the best posts on MW I've read through in a while. A lot of spot on comments that match how I feel about R:SC, and the upcoming R:LAM etc. I recently watch R:SC for the second time hoping it was not as bad as I remembered - it was, or worse. Not only was the animation "aesthetically inert", the awful attempts at humor make it painful to even sit through. We need a movie or follow-up series that is the Terminator 2 or Aliens version of Macross or Robotech. I mean we are grown men by now for gosh sakes - sheesh! R:SC was still aimed at hormonal pre-teens. Don't they even know there fan base? I'm hoping with all my fingers crossed that Tobey M and WB will do a great job starting with epsisode 1 of the Macross Saga, ending around the big battle. If its a big success they can pick up where that left off in the Macross story line or go the Robotech route with following the Macross characters into deep space. The earth can face its own foes simultaneously fighting the Masters in Macross destroids and VFs and eventually develop the hovertanks to fight the bioroids or something. But that bridge is a long way away. Right now the choice is super obvious; start with Macross episode 1.

Yep - had trouble closing my 1D canopy. Can get it to stick if I work at it long enough.

Great take, I see all your points. The only further thing I might add is the test of time with these designs. 20 years from now will the VF25 be celebrated in the same breath (or close) with the other VFs of the distant past? Those things are hard to see at the present time. But later, like when 2 people have 'used cars to sell', one a RAV4 the other an Aztec, finding a buyer can shed some light on which design has past the test of time, and which design didn't do so well.

Fair, I agree. For example, people did buy the Pontiac Aztec and it wouldn't be right for me to walk up to them and say they coulda had a RAV4 for the same money. They were in the middle of enjoying it and it in bad taste to try to steal their fun. I was just conversating and wondering if it was just me that thought the new designs were looking a little too 'spindly' compared to the heavier VFs of old . . . I need to watch some of the new anime (when I find time) and see if that gives me a different perspective.

VF25 - a 'high performance machine' - yeah - with a pocket knife. How about 'spindly samurai insect'. The VF2SS fighter heavy armor looks like a heavy armor space machine. Never saw the anime so maybe it doesn't perform so well. I've never seen other shows really besides the original that's why my perspective was unique. I'm not a fan of Macross II in any way, or Frontier. You must have seen Frontier and become a fan and its now clouding your judgement. But thanks for clearly things up for me, I'm not being a fuddy-duddy, just unbiased . . .

To your Point - It would be difficult to get those SR Wars mechs to transform into a sleek plane. But it seems like a better balance of beefy and transformable was achieved in the past. The Frontier VFs seem to be sacrificing too much coolness in the battroid design for the sleekness of the other modes. Does that makes sense? Or am I just being a ol' fuddy-duddy?

Oh - I guess that shows my age. Looking at my own chest plate or not, it looks like the VF2SS could beat the tar out of the VF25. You're right, the VF2SS does look like an update the the original designs, that's probably why I like it so much. After looking more at that UN Spacey site, I think the super armor Frontier designs are cluttered and very badly done compared to Macross and Macross II. BUT - I graduated high school in 90 - so there ya go. I'm not against all modern mech designs like it sounds though. These Super Robot Wars designs look modern, beefy and less cluttered to me . . .

Ahhh - maybe this is why the VF2SS doesn't get as much love here: "Macross II is categorized as a parallel world and is not part of the official Macross continuity AD 2092 (parallel world)" Maybe I need to go to the "newbie" area to educate myself. But out of these 2 I know which I would want to pilot! (maybe someone here will point out why the VF2SS isn't as good as it looks though)

I would like to check out the Macross II destroids but did not see them here: http://www.new-un-spacy.com/macross2/macross2-index.html Is there another place to see these destroids "on steroids" as they've been called? I still think this is the best VF design since the originals - it doesn't seem to get much love in these MW circles: http://www.new-un-spacy.com/macross2/vf-2ss.htm By contrast, the VF25 is an fragile looking, over-designed, cluttered up, samurai insect . . .

$39? Missed that. Do you have a green and shadow you'd like to sell that aren't totally broken? You said you had 'bunches' so I wasn't sure if you might want to unload a few . . .