1/55's revisited

[DYRL VF-1S]

1 minute ago, jvmacross said:

Have you posted pics of it?  

Haha I have not. But here are two.

 

[jvmacross]

8 minutes ago, DYRL VF-1S said:

Haha I have not. But here are two.

 

Nice!  Congrats!

I'd still insta-buy a Bandai 1/55 VF-1D if they decided to sell one....

[DYRL VF-1S]

21 hours ago, jvmacross said:

Nice!  Congrats!

I'd still insta-buy a Bandai 1/55 VF-1D if they decided to sell one....

Thank you! And totally. An insta-buy for sure if they did it. I wish Bandai cared to reissue 1/55 again with new valks like they did with DYRL Max 1A Origin.

[jvmacross]

18 hours ago, DYRL VF-1S said:

Thank you! And totally. An insta-buy for sure if they did it. I wish Bandai cared to reissue 1/55 again with new valks like they did with DYRL Max 1A Origin.

It could still happen.....afterall, there is no better time to cash in on nostalgia than during anniversaries!  

 

[nightmareB4macross]

I always hoped for blanks. Takatoku always promoted the idea of customization and as a tribute these would be perfect.

[JSBHSI2021]

When will Bandai reissue another 1/55 for sale do you think?  Thank you.  

[no3Ljm]

37 minutes ago, JSBHSI2021 said:

When will Bandai reissue another 1/55 for sale do you think?  Thank you.  

No one knows. The only way for now is to look on secondary markets.

Here's some used listings in Mandarake:

https://order.mandarake.co.jp/order/detailPage/item?itemCode=1173565743

https://order.mandarake.co.jp/order/detailPage/item?itemCode=1168159368

https://order.mandarake.co.jp/order/detailPage/item?itemCode=1172311620

https://order.mandarake.co.jp/order/detailPage/item?itemCode=1169641706

https://order.mandarake.co.jp/order/detailPage/item?itemCode=1112557575

https://order.mandarake.co.jp/order/detailPage/item?itemCode=1171714699

 

Edited August 23, 2021 by no3Ljm

[jvmacross]

11 minutes ago, JSBHSI2021 said:

When will Bandai reissue another 1/55 for sale do you think?  Thank you.  

The next anniversary would make sense....1982-2022....but Bandai works under don't ask, don't tell so it's anyone's guess

[JSBHSI2021]

1 minute ago, jvmacross said:

The next anniversary would make sense....1982-2022....but Bandai works under don't ask, don't tell so it's anyone's guess

Thank you.  What was the retail price for the below 1:48 scale?  Amazon has them for around $330-340.  eBay has them for slightly less ($320, maybe).  

 

Bandai spirits DX Chogokin VF-1S Valkyrie Roy Focker Special The Super Dimension Fortress Macross

[JSBHSI2021]

46 minutes ago, no3Ljm said:

No one knows. The only way for now is to look on secondary markets.

Here's some used listings in Mandarake:

https://order.mandarake.co.jp/order/detailPage/item?itemCode=1173565743

https://order.mandarake.co.jp/order/detailPage/item?itemCode=1168159368

https://order.mandarake.co.jp/order/detailPage/item?itemCode=1172311620

https://order.mandarake.co.jp/order/detailPage/item?itemCode=1169641706

https://order.mandarake.co.jp/order/detailPage/item?itemCode=1112557575

https://order.mandarake.co.jp/order/detailPage/item?itemCode=1171714699

 

Thank you!

[no3Ljm]

11 minutes ago, JSBHSI2021 said:

Thank you.  What was the retail price for the below 1:48 scale?  Amazon has them for around $330-340.  eBay has them for slightly less ($320, maybe).  

Bandai spirits DX Chogokin VF-1S Valkyrie Roy Focker Special The Super Dimension Fortress Macross

The original MSRP for Roy's when it first came out is Y18000/19800. 

Amazon Japan now has it for Y27400. But you have to use a forwarding service like Tenso or Buyee to get it for you. It's probably going to be less than what Amazon US is offering.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Chogokin-Dimension-Fortress-Valkyrie-Die-Cast/dp/B08C3GRZ4P

You can find some below $320 at eBay as well.

Good luck on the hunt!  

 

Edited August 24, 2021 by no3Ljm

[jvmacross]

14 minutes ago, JSBHSI2021 said:

Thank you.  What was the retail price for the below 1:48 scale?  Amazon has them for around $330-340.  eBay has them for slightly less ($320, maybe).  

 

Bandai spirits DX Chogokin VF-1S Valkyrie Roy Focker Special The Super Dimension Fortress Macross

I know you are new...but please take some time and look around the various treads here.....you need to post your questions in the appropriate threads.......you are asking for info on a figure that has nothing to do with the thread you are posting your question on....

Please keep this in mind going forward....with that said, and since you are new....the original MSRP for the figure you are referring to was 18,000 JPY

Info can be found here:

https://tamashii.jp/item/13309/

 

Edited August 24, 2021 by jvmacross

[JSBHSI2021]

1 minute ago, jvmacross said:

I know you are new...but please take some time and look around the various treads here.....you need to post your questions in the appropriate threads.......you are asking for info on a figure that has nothing to do with the thread you are posting your question on....

Please keep this in mind going forward....with that said, and since you are new....the original MSRP for the figure you are referring to was 18,000 JPY

Info can be found here:

https://tamashii.jp/item/13309/

 

Sorry about that.  Thanks for the info.  

[sqidd]

I'd really like some Fast Packs for my M&M's. No way I'm ever going to have the time to paint match some. I wonder if @DYRL VF-1S's guy who did his 1D would/can do some???

I'm out of space for Chunkies. I've got the Skull Squad (some customs). I'd actually like to have the Vermillion Squad/SDFM lineup. That would mean a custom 1A Max and Kakizaki. I may check with @DYRL VF-1S's guy and see what hye can do. Then sell off my Skull Squad stuff.

[nightmareB4macross]

22 hours ago, sqidd said:

I'd really like some Fast Packs for my M&M's. No way I'm ever going to have the time to paint match some. I wonder if @DYRL VF-1S's guy who did his 1D would/can do some???

I'm out of space for Chunkies. I've got the Skull Squad (some customs). I'd actually like to have the Vermillion Squad/SDFM lineup. That would mean a custom 1A Max and Kakizaki. I may check with @DYRL VF-1S's guy and see what hye can do. Then sell off my Skull Squad stuff.

I am sure you can make these customs with relative ease. Not much to but use Scale Coat and rub off the paint where needed on VF-1A Reissues then paint as desired. 
 

These were done in a matter of days. Only because it took time for the parts to dry.

Give it a shot.

 

[masarujasu]

Hi all. First post.

I've done a little bit of legwork and am aware the Elint/Strike have specimens with TF Jetfire armor. And these have been explained in this and other threads as the result of surplus Jetfire armor being paired with Macross Valks which I inferred (correct me if wrong) were manufactured specifically to facilitate the sell off of the surplus armor. Packed and sold at discount to retailers (possibly) in the mid 1990s.

Also this is a variants thread, so I felt this is the perfect place to ask...

So, I was wondering if anyone here was aware of these Jetfire figures that turned up at Mandarake around 2018? I purchased two between 2018 and 2019 (pictured side by side), and there are multiple specimens photographed in store (from twitter) as well as from other web auctions. If I recall one or both jet modes were auctioned on YAJ. The Japanese よいこのおもちゃ translates to 'good children's toy' and is kind of a catch all generic package labelling for budget toys.

https://twitter.com/starscream_d22/status/1031505281765625856

https://twitter.com/giantrobo/status/1027038578101051392

For the specimens I have:

• Both missing Autobot stickers on nosecone
• Both are rubsign
• Both are dated Bandai 1984 stamp
• The legs however look to belong to the undated Bandai version, missing the outer thigh detail, missing sprue marks on the front thigh, missing wraparound panel lines on the diecast portion of lower leg
• Both have the stenciled rudder paint as per dated Bandai versions

For others:

• Some have Autobot stickers
• Some have poorly placed stickers
• Some have the fullbleed rudder paint seen on undated Bandai/Matsu figures

My conclusion was that these were likely QC failed figures, which were either failed whole, or assembled from failed parts, after the end of the production run, which explains the parts mixing within figures as well as the variant mixing within this packaging variant. They were sold out the back door to KS for distribution to those corner stores that sold cheap toys and candy. Not good enough for Hasbro but too distinctly Hasbro IP to be shoe-horned into Macross products domestically (unlike the red armor), so they ended up as a separate grey-market item. 

Now, I have no idea how many of these existed, and not sure whether they were sold mid 80s, or aligned to the stock liquidation that may have occurred mid 90s à la Pony Go Round. The question on my mind - are these figures perhaps the originally intended owners of all that surplus red armor? 

Edited October 14, 2021 by masarujasu
Clarity

[TheLoneWolf]

Welcome to the board! At first glance, I thought those were just relatively new Jetfire knock-offs, but I can see that they're vintage by the oxidization on some of the die-cast metal parts.

I think you're absolutely right, these certainly look like QC failures. Like you, I also figured that Bandai's excess surplus of Jetfire armor was due to Jetfire QC failures (the armor would've been much easier to manufacture and assemble compared to Jetfire himself). But it's nothing short of amazing to see that Jetfire's QC failures actually managed to survive for three decades and find their way to store shelves. Better late than never?

I'd love to buy one just for giggles, but that ¥20,000 pricetag tho.

Thanks for sharing your findings!

[masarujasu]

On 10/15/2021 at 4:19 PM, TheLoneWolf said:

I'd love to buy one just for giggles, but that ¥20,000 pricetag tho.

Agreed, very steep for just the bot, but I had to do it for science.

[masarujasu]

I have more questions, regarding the maker's mark/copyright stamping on the 1/55s.

The Big West/Takatoku Toys stamp was drilled out and replaced by the MATSUSHIRO/TOKYO JAPAN stamp, and then the MATUSHIRO was replaced by BANDAI, resulting in BANDAI/TOKYO JAPAN. As far as I'm concerned this is the same piece, modified over time. (So, if limiting to 1S gift sets, these are seen across Super, Strike and Jetfire)

I have two Strikes and I can see that both have the original Big West/Takatoku stamp under the glossy black stickers. These tend to peel up a bit because they don't have a lot of adhesive contact due to the raised lettering.

I have also seen multiple Strikes that have the final BANDAI/TOKYO JAPAN stamp. Does anyone know if this variant normally does not have the glossy black sticker applied? I'd assume no, because I speculate the purpose was to hide the Takatoku aspect of the stamping, and possibly to show the 1984 date (not sure why later stamp okay to not have a date). 

Secondly, on my Ostrich, the glossy white sticker looks to be sitting over the square logo Bandai stamp (which is from a different mold). I can tell it is the square logo by the way the light reflects off it. But, I can't tell if this is the 1984 or 1985 stamp. My guess is that it is the 1984 date, because the sticker says 1985, and the box says 1985, and if the toy stamp said 1985, the sticker would not be necessary. Unless the sticker's purpose was also to show Big West, in which case, refer back to the later sticker-less Strike which has no date and no Big West.

Does anyone know which version of the copyright stamp is under the sticker on the Ostrich and/or Elint?

 

Edited October 17, 2021 by masarujasu
Add photo

[rsvictor1976]

When I first immigrated to the U.S. in 1985, I saw this kid in the aisle accross from me on the airplane playing with a cool jet plane that transformed into a robot. I had no clue what it was but when the flight stopped for a layover in Japan, I found the toy in a gift shop and asked my mom to get it for me. It was a VF-1A from Bandai and was my first introduction into Robotech that would later grow into my love for Macross. 

[jvmacross]

4 hours ago, rsvictor1976 said:

When I first immigrated to the U.S. in 1985, I saw this kid in the aisle accross from me on the airplane playing with a cool jet plane that transformed into a robot. I had no clue what it was but when the flight stopped for a layover in Japan, I found the toy in a gift shop and asked my mom to get it for me. It was a VF-1A from Bandai and was my first introduction into Robotech that would later grow into my love for Macross. 

That is a cool story!  I assume it was the DYRL Hikaru VF-1A? 

One of the hardest things to find on the web are pics of Macross toys displayed on Japanese toy store shelves from the SDFM/DYRL era.

The only pics I have been able to find are from trade shows. 

It's funny how you can find tons of vintage pics of US toy store aisles filled with Star Wars merch from the 70's....but no one in Japan thought of taking similar pics of Macross toys during it's early 80's run?  I hope I am just not searching correctly...LOL.

Again, great story on your intro to Macross collecting!

[nightmareB4macross]

On 10/14/2021 at 1:58 AM, masarujasu said:

Hi all. First post.

I've done a little bit of legwork and am aware the Elint/Strike have specimens with TF Jetfire armor. And these have been explained in this and other threads as the result of surplus Jetfire armor being paired with Macross Valks which I inferred (correct me if wrong) were manufactured specifically to facilitate the sell off of the surplus armor. Packed and sold at discount to retailers (possibly) in the mid 1990s.

Also this is a variants thread, so I felt this is the perfect place to ask...

So, I was wondering if anyone here was aware of these Jetfire figures that turned up at Mandarake around 2018? I purchased two between 2018 and 2019 (pictured side by side), and there are multiple specimens photographed in store (from twitter) as well as from other web auctions. If I recall one or both jet modes were auctioned on YAJ. The Japanese よいこのおもちゃ translates to 'good children's toy' and is kind of a catch all generic package labelling for budget toys.

https://twitter.com/starscream_d22/status/1031505281765625856

https://twitter.com/giantrobo/status/1027038578101051392

For the specimens I have:

• Both missing Autobot stickers on nosecone
• Both are rubsign
• Both are dated Bandai 1984 stamp
• The legs however look to belong to the undated Bandai version, missing the outer thigh detail, missing sprue marks on the front thigh, missing wraparound panel lines on the diecast portion of lower leg
• Both have the stenciled rudder paint as per dated Bandai versions

For others:

• Some have Autobot stickers
• Some have poorly placed stickers
• Some have the fullbleed rudder paint seen on undated Bandai/Matsu figures

My conclusion was that these were likely QC failed figures, which were either failed whole, or assembled from failed parts, after the end of the production run, which explains the parts mixing within figures as well as the variant mixing within this packaging variant. They were sold out the back door to KS for distribution to those corner stores that sold cheap toys and candy. Not good enough for Hasbro but too distinctly Hasbro IP to be shoe-horned into Macross products domestically (unlike the red armor), so they ended up as a separate grey-market item. 

Now, I have no idea how many of these existed, and not sure whether they were sold mid 80s, or aligned to the stock liquidation that may have occurred mid 90s à la Pony Go Round. The question on my mind - are these figures perhaps the originally intended owners of all that surplus red armor? 

Welcome to the boards.

Great details on another rare find.

for questions to your answers regarding what’s beneath the stickers go here.

 

It only about three or four pages back from this post.

 

[masarujasu]

6 hours ago, nightmareB4macross said:

Welcome to the boards.

Great details on another rare find.

for questions to your answers regarding what’s beneath the stickers go here.

 

It only about three or four pages back from this post.

 

Thanks heaps, it's just what I'm looking for.

[masarujasu]

On 12/28/2020 at 4:25 PM, jenius said:

Here are the known first issuance dates:

Bandai DYRL VF-1S Strike Hikaru: October 1984, 4,980¥
Bandai DYRL VF-1A Hikaru: January 1985 3,980¥
Bandai DYRL VT-1 SuperOstrich: April 1985, 4,980¥
Bandai DYRL VE-1 Elintseeker: June 1985 4,980¥

Does anyone know when Matsuhiro did their first run of Jetfire?

I would suggest that the 1S and 1A toys were released three times (or more). 1) Takatoku stamp with Bandai sticker and textured box. 2) Bandai stamp and textured box, 3) Bandai stamp and smooth box. I doubt the second releases happened before the VT/VE-1 toys due to how tight the schedule is, I would guess instead that the box manufacturer made more of what they did the first time for the second release and then were specifically told on the third time to drop the texture to save some yen. 

The Takatoku Super Valkyrie was released in February 1984. Since this was the first Fast Pack version of the 1/55, it's reasonable to say that this must have been the figure that Hasbro 'discovered' and decided to bring into the Transformers line, and the party they dealt with in the first instance must have been Takatoku.

There is a product briefing document for their 1985 product line which has character bio and sample photos dated 30th April 1984. Though the photos are terribly reproduced in the scans, you can see that the Jetfire sample is the pointy nosed Takatoku figure. Also, by this point Hasbro had already decided on the sticker design, I.e. the diagonally striped feet stickers are visible, as well as the Autobot stickers on the booster armor. Indeed, by this point the instruction manual (which encompasses the sticker application) has been finalized. This implies a period of development that could only have begun after the release of the Super. Takatoku went bankrupt on May 25th 1984. Matsushiro took over the relationship. See TheLoneWolf's Matsu stamped Super in a Jetfire POC package.

It is typical for Hasbro to do safety/drop tests and request modifications. This is certainly the reason for the nosecone change, Mr. Morishima confirmed that Matsushiro did this change for overseas, I.e., Hasbro. Probably the reason for the antenna change, as this only transitioned within the Jetfire series, and probably the reason for the addition of dated copyrights. (Hasbro requested copyrights be added to TF toys by Takara in their contracts). This will also be why Matsushiro filed patent in April 1984 (on behalf of Takatoku but at the request of Hasbro).

As stated above, the DYRL Strike was released October 1984, notable for still being TT stamped. Mr. Morishima said that when Bandai took over the DYRL project, he added the heat shield and asked Mr. Kawamori to coin new names such as Strike, to differentiate it from the Takatoku Super. Initially, Takatoku was slated to produce these toys before they went bankrupt. "Morishima: Strike Valkyrie, there were drawings and prototypes made by Mr. Takatoku Toys. With that as a reference, Bandai raises the mold. As for the Valkyrie body, Mr. Matsushiro had already produced it, so I used it."

The TF Jetfire, was known to have been on US shelves as early as October 1984 according to print ads. (https://web.archive.org/web/20180112104043/http://pleasesavemerobots.com/vstp/vstptf84.html)

I'm not sure exactly when Matsushiro itself fell into crisis, but obviously there was a point where they were the 'owner' of the mold, hence the removal of TT stamp and replacement with MATSUSHIRO stamp. But given that by the time the first Matsushiro Jetfires were hitting the toy shelves in USA, the boxes/instructions were stating that the toy was a BANDAI product, Matushiro must have hit financial struggles well before any orders were ready to be packed, let alone ship, and transferred ownership to Bandai, while continuing to be responsible for manufacture. After which Bandai was the party that on paper, packed and shipped all orders to Hasbro. Indeed, BANDAI stamped Jetfires already began appearing before the rubsign (heat sticker) was introduced to the toy (I.e., all Matsu Jetfires are prerub, and some BANDAI Jetfires are prerub, and all dated BANDAI Jetfires are rub). Rubsigns were added to TFs before Hasbro merged with Milton Bradley on September 17th 1984, meaning Bandai took over ownership of the mold and became party to the Hasbro deal much earlier than September 1984. (In all likelihood maybe only a couple of months after Matsu took over from Takatoku).

Edited October 19, 2021 by masarujasu

[masarujasu]

I messed up and triple submitted the above reply. I'll use this real estate to ask another question.

In May 2019, some 'prototypes' appeared on YAJ. I saved all the auction photos, bought a few for myself, for illustration purposes I've added some pics below. I also submitted all the auctions to web archive for posterity at the time, thinking they may be significant.

In all, 12 specimens. New head sculpts, painted, with a painted pilot in the cockpit. Base figure is 2001 China.

I wanted to know if anyone had seen the specimens that xstoys brought to the MWCon in 2004, in person. Those figures appeared to have unpainted heads, but no close ups were ever shared. Even though I certainly thought I could see some key indicators from the convention photos, they are extremely small and not definitive. Can anyone corroborate whether these look like they are related to those unpainted prototypes?

Edited October 18, 2021 by masarujasu
I am an idiot

[masarujasu]

I have one more piece of real estate to cover up. 

Maybe 2 or 3 years ago I picked up on YAJ this super yellow Jetfire, but oddly it had been strapped into a 1990s Bandai foam/box.

Though yellow, the thing is absolutely pristine as far as glossy shine goes. Thought this might have been some internal test piece. The gun/clip is from the 1990.

Edited October 18, 2021 by masarujasu
I am an idiot

[uzernaem]

Just asking: anyone got some pics of Strike Valkyrie with the red heatshield and vintage decal applied?

[jvmacross]

7 hours ago, uzernaem said:

Just asking: anyone got some pics of Strike Valkyrie with the red heatshield and vintage decal applied?

courtesy of @DYRL VF-1S
 

[uzernaem]

1 hour ago, jvmacross said:

courtesy of @DYRL VF-1S
 

Nice! I have a soft spot for the vintage skull logo. Are there any aftermarket options for the red shield and replica stickers?

[jvmacross]

1 hour ago, uzernaem said:

Nice! I have a soft spot for the vintage skull logo. Are there any aftermarket options for the red shield and replica stickers?

Not sure about the decals, I believe there are but maybe someone else can recall the site for them...as for the shields...I think there is someone on eBay selling them...maybe someone here has purchased them and can speak of their quality

[sqidd]

8 hours ago, uzernaem said:

Nice! I have a soft spot for the vintage skull logo. Are there any aftermarket options for the red shield and replica stickers?

There was a guy on FB selling them/ @DYRL VF-1S is probably going to be your best bet of finding him.

[DYRL VF-1S]

14 hours ago, uzernaem said:

Nice! I have a soft spot for the vintage skull logo. Are there any aftermarket options for the red shield and replica stickers?

 

13 hours ago, jvmacross said:

Not sure about the decals, I believe there are but maybe someone else can recall the site for them...as for the shields...I think there is someone on eBay selling them...maybe someone here has purchased them and can speak of their quality

 

5 hours ago, sqidd said:

There was a guy on FB selling them/ @DYRL VF-1S is probably going to be your best bet of finding him.

Here ya go for the decals: https://toyhax.com/labels-for-other-bots/2980-labels-for-1983-84-vf-1s-battroid-valkyrie.html

https://toyhax.com/labels-for-other-bots/2976-labels-for-1984-strike-valkyrie-armor.html

I actually advised on these and my Valk is featured here. Great repro set for sure but missing the factory applied decals. (They wanted to wait on those.)

As far as the heatshields, there was someone selling them on Facebook eons ago but I can’t remember. Might be worth scouring the various groups. Otherwise, eBay.

[uzernaem]

Great, thanks!

Edited October 19, 2021 by uzernaem

[nightmareB4macross]

On 10/17/2021 at 6:41 PM, masarujasu said:

I have one more piece of real estate to cover up. 

Maybe 2 or 3 years ago I picked up on YAJ this super yellow Jetfire, but oddly it had been strapped into a 1990s Bandai foam/box.

Though yellow, the thing is absolutely pristine as far as glossy shine goes. Thought this might have been some internal test piece. The gun/clip is from the 1990.

This is the first time I have ever seen this combination. It’s very hard to say it didn’t happen as stranger things have been found. It just seems odd to find a 1990 box with 1984-85 figure inside.

Have you ever pulled the item from the packaging? Might be good to document this.

[masarujasu]

29 minutes ago, nightmareB4macross said:

This is the first time I have ever seen this combination. It’s very hard to say it didn’t happen as stranger things have been found. It just seems odd to find a 1990 box with 1984-85 figure inside.

Have you ever pulled the item from the packaging? Might be good to document this.

Not yet. I took a look and assumed it was undated BANDAI, and since the tape was firm I put it away. I will come up with a way to unpeel one side and remove it without snapping the foam strap. It's almost worn through in the center.

Yeah, it is odd I agree. If that Pony Go Round business really happened mid 90s then it's possible there were Transformers leftovers when this Super was released.

Speaking of leftovers, this YAJ seller has been offloading the following vintage surplus parts for years and years, which supports the idea that Bandai pushed a whole bunch of factory surplus onto the market.

https://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/seller/dstatumi?sid=dstatumi&b=1&n=50

• Strike Legs
• Takatoku GBP sets
• Transformers Roadbuster figures w/accesories (Bandai) ex Takatoku Mugen Calibur
• Transformers Deluxe Insecticon sealed manual/weapons bags (Bandai) ex Takatoku Beetras