Macross Zero SV-51 Gamma/Alpha

[MGREXX]

I personally hate the design ESPECIALLY in Battroid mode. It lloks like it's being held up with sticks. Just look at the waist. One .50cal bullet would rip it apart.

Now, I am not bashing it (well kind of ......but with no ill-will intended) but I am more astonished as to why so many Macross fans just love the design and actually want it made into a transformable toy. Personally, i think it's the worse desing of a Macross mech ever. IMO, Kawamori was high when he designed this one, baby.

Inquiring minds want to know.........NO REALLY!!!!!!!!

Edited January 26, 2005 by MGREXX

[F-ZeroOne]

I suspect - being a touch of an aviation buff myself - the rationale goes something like:

1) In 20 years, all anyone will be flying will be F-22s or F-35s or variants thereof. Bor-ing! [1]

2) No-one makes interesting aeroplanes anymore. [2]

3) Except Russia.

4) SV-51 = evil love-child of Valkyrie (most-loved transforming anime mecha of all time) + Su-27 (most-loved kick-butt Russian fighter of all time).

4) = Yaaaayyyyyyyyy!

[1] Please note that is not a reflection on the merits or otherwise of these aircraft.

[2] Cue flood of French/British/German/Swedish/Outer Mongolian interesting aircraft suggestions...

[twich]

I think that it is an absolutely lovely design, and I think that the SWAG energy conversion system makes it so that it isnt so weak. It is just as believable to me as the VF-22S or any other Valk for that matter. Also, as far as capability, it is far better suited for combat than the VF-0.

Personally, I love all the designs from Macross Zero, and I am waiting with baited breathe for toys to be produced from this series.

So I guess to each their own, you dont have to like the designs, I happen to like them quite a bit, but that is me and I dont speak for everyone.

Twich

[mechaninac]

Aside from the fact that we are all addicted to transforming mechs of all kinds, and ignoring that transforming fighter planes makes most of us drool until puddles form around our feet, and that more toy renditions of our collective obsession are always welcome no matter what the subject (VF-0, VF-1, etc, etc, ad infinitum); it is no wonder that many clamor for a SV-51 TF toy, or for that matter, the VF-0 or VF-5000, or VF-4, etc. In the end it's all just more grist for the mill.

Besides, as ugly as it is, or may be because of it, the SV-51 is just cool in a stick figure sort of way.

Edited January 26, 2005 by mechaninac

[DatterBoy]

No Joke, it's one seriously fugly design. Even the story does not make it bad ass enough to grow any real attachment to it. Just short of loving all transforming toys, I don't see how anyone can really like this thing, but it takes all kinds of people to make a world, and I am just another one of em.

:Dat

[Dat Pinche Haro!]

I like the SV-51 simply because it was a battle-ready variable fighter from the get-go instead of the VF-0 which was sort of "forced" into service. I think the SV-51 is a beautiful design...just not in Nora's paint scheme ...I'm sure that's one of the main reasons why people here aren't too fond of it I would rather have a cannon fodder or Ivanoff's SV-51 any day, Nora's is just too flashy for my taste.

[ewilen]

The SV-51 suffers slightly from the "Space Pope" syndrome in battroid, though not as badly as a few of the later VF's & Varauta fighters. Also, the battroid has a "so ugly it's cool" look to it, reminiscent of early battleships and interwar Soviet tanks.

I think the fighter mode looks great, although to me it more resembles an F/A-18 than an SU-27. Since I like the Hornet's looks, that's a bonus. (Someone did a photoshop of the SU-27 in Blue Angels livery and it looked great.)

Aside from purely esthetic considerations, it's a part of M0, and I like M0. So if there was a transformable SV-51 toy, I'd be interested in getting it.

[Radd]

There are different ways of measuring how good something looks. My yardstick might not be the same as the one held by the guy next to me. I think the SV-51 is alright. Not my favourite variable fighter, but not my least favourite either. However, I'm not one of those people that think every VF needs to look like the VF-1 or the YF-19, either. I absolutely adore the ugly but interesting VA-3 Invader. I also think the VF-4 Lightning III is the best looking Valkyrie every to fall out of Kawamori's pencil, in fighter AND battroid, and cannot for the life of me understand why so many people dislike it's battroid mode.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

To me it is bcause it is based on a Russian design, the first of Kawamori's designs to do so. (arguably). That alone makes it awesome and I love russian sukhoi planes. And it's got canards and does not look like a coonventional valkyrie.

[Graham]

Love the SV-51, especially in fighter mode. Battroid mode is a bit ugly, but still interesting.

And I'm one of the few people that actually likes Nora's paint scheme.

I'd love to see SV-51 toys from Yamato or Bandai.

For the moment though until we get some toys, I'm happy enough with my Hasegawa Nora.

Graham

[Opus]

All of the Zero designs are fugly IMHO.

[Aegis!]

I think it´s cool for various reasons.

a.- cause it´s more practicall looking than some other VFs , it just scream early VF model.

b.- the agressive and militaristic look of it in battroid , just watch the scene of Ivanov infiltrating in the Azuka carrier while he shreds everyone to pieces there with its mini-guns , I can easily see it being deployed in ground combat ops.

c.- It´s so reminiscent of the VF-14 ( on of my top 5 fav. valks) that it´s too cool to let pass unnoticed.

d.- it´s the only really ORIGINAL design , apart from the OCTOS , that´s featured in M0 since both the Cheyenne and VF-0 are based on older designs by Kawamori.

[Ido]

I love the sv-51, it's look so different from the VFs and have a great hi-tech look, the battroid looks awesome Imo, I love slender and cool looking mechs, it looks good in every mode anyway. It seems unusal things don't get too love.

The Nora and D.D. paint schemes are very interesting too.

PS

Graham, who built that hase model used a very nice purple.

[bsu legato]

Holy crap! Somebody likes something that you personally don't like? Somebody call CNN!

[do not disturb]

I personally hate the design ESPECIALLY in Battroid mode. It lloks like it's being held up with sticks. Just look at the waist. One .50cal bullet would rip it apart.

Now, I am not bashing it (well kind of ......but with no ill-will intended) but I am more astonished as to why so many Macross fans just love the design and actually want it made into a transformable toy. Personally, i think it's the worse desing of a Macross mech ever. IMO, Kawamori was high when he designed this one, baby.

Inquiring minds want to know.........NO REALLY!!!!!!!!

because its macross and this is after all macrossworld.

seriously, i think its just another transformable toy plane is why people like it and want it. i like VF's as much as the next guy but i wouldn't mind seeing something new.

[Final Vegeta]

Well, it's a new Valkyrie, and like the VF-17 the transformation works.

I still think wing's leading edge should'n be saw-tooth, though, but except for this the Fighter is nice and has the savage look of a prehistoric bird of prey.

The Battroid has indeed thin limbs. At the end I think it looks like a "first wave" enemy that should have been replaced by powered-up versions. The pointy head also makes think of a Nazi grunt. The SV-52 maybe would have had a more "heroic"/"arch-enemy" look. Overall I think the SV-51 really shines over others for its real world inspired design and realistic looking.

FV

[Fortress_Maximus]

THose look interesting to me but more pics would help too.

[Mule]

The 'uglyness' of the Mac-0 planes is one of the things I really liked about the series. They really look like the first generation blending of human and alien technology... functional, but not pretty.

[hellohikaru]

Did someone mention SV-52 ? Is it revealed yet ?

I too am OK with the design of the SV-51. Looking at it does remind me of the Pteranodon or any of the Pterosaurs. It certainly has the crude but functional feel to it.

My only major dislike is the ugly choice of color for Nora's Gamma. Then again that sadistic bitch might not have much of a taste for color.

[Final Vegeta]

Did someone mention SV-52 ? Is it revealed yet ?

No, it was even canceled from Compendium. It became an "alternate dimension" mecha. We have to keep remembering it the mecha that once was there for the next generation.

FV

[eugimon]

I personally love the SV-51.. after a perfect yf-19fp, it is the valk I desire most...

why?

I love that it is an extremely aggressive plane. this is a plane that does not care about being stealthy or sleak, it's just an old fashioned workhorse that is loaded to do some serious damage.

The mechanics of transformation and the detail are very unique and represent analagous evolution... like the bat wing and a bird wing, both do the same thing but do it differently. The SV-51 uses things like lift fans and articulated wings, completely unique from the VF's.

I really appreciate the fact that the SV-51 really captures not just the design asethetics of russian military tech but the philosophy behind it as well... stuff like the articulated wings, the telescoping head, the lift fans.. these things look and feel like something russian engineers would come up with.

[kazuo]

I also love the SV-51. Super hot design, best Valkyrie next to the YF-19.

It just looks SUPER DOPE, and the custom paint is hot... although the head does look like the "Space Pope," lol.

It's a cool fartin' Valkyrie.

Too bad Zero sucked.

[Feyd-Rautha]

great valk..

does anyone have good shots of in: roboto mode???

heeh..or transformation sequence,...similar to yf-19?

cool.

[Lightning]

There are different ways of measuring how good something looks. My yardstick might not be the same as the one held by the guy next to me. I think the SV-51 is alright. Not my favourite variable fighter, but not my least favourite either. However, I'm not one of those people that think every VF needs to look like the VF-1 or the YF-19, either. I absolutely adore the ugly but interesting VA-3 Invader. I also think the VF-4 Lightning III is the best looking Valkyrie every to fall out of Kawamori's pencil, in fighter AND battroid, and cannot for the life of me understand why so many people dislike it's battroid mode.

looks like I'm still not the only one clamoring for a VF-4 1/48 toy....

[twich]

Color me weird, but I think most if not all of the valkyries that are in Macross are awesome, and I would want with all my being to have toys of all the Macross mecha. Especially the VF-0S/D/A SV-51 DD/Nora Type and the VF-4G...now if I was rich, I would wish for perfect transformation 1/48 versions of all of these toys....but I would be happy with anything right now.

Twich