1/48 Hikaru Vf-1s Reissue - It's Here

[ghostryder]

Can't take pics right now, but here's the quick 'n dirty:

1. crooked skull on left fin, just like 4th ed. Roy

2. tight airbrake

3. slight nose gap

4. some overspray of black stripes on legs and wing, not as bad as some of the 1st ed. Hikaru 1S's, but not as sharp a 4th ed. Roy

5. super clean paint job on gummy pilot

6. plastic color is a bit more yellow-ish than 4th ed. Roy, looks similar to 1st ed. Hikaru 1A

7. yellow dot on head

8. tight head fit in fighter mode

Pics to follow soon

Thanks to Samurai-Monkey for the quick delivery!

Edited January 25, 2006 by ghostryder

[JKeats]

Can't wait for pics!

[kensei]

Then they must have used the Roy production line. The tight airbrake and the crooked skull are the big clues.

Cept for the gummy pilots and red paint of course.

[Graham]

[Homer Simpson]

Mmmmmmm.......gummy pilots

[/Homer Simpson]

Graham

[ghostryder]

Okay, here's the scoop...

Left side - slight overspray on rear leg stripe and friggin' crooked skull - worse than my former 4th edition Roy

Right side - pretty decent

Nose - actually, gap is minimal. Crooked skull more evident here.

Top - stripes are ok, but there's some tooling mark on wing (left one in picture) and chest plate

Batteroid - where's my strike pack? Knees are pretty loose - too much play between ratchet teeth?? Hip ball joints are not loose, but not as tight as 4th ed. Roy

Head - this yellow dot will soon be painted red. Note airbrake is up and tight.

Side-by-side w/ Max (former 4th ed. Roy). Hikaru's eye piece is noticeably lighter than Roy's. Gad, the Mac7 flashback!

Note the slight yellow hue compared to 4th ed. Roy (damn flash hides the difference)

I couldn't get a good shot of the gummy pilot, but I was very pleased with the crisp paint job.

Overall, pretty decent QC, but the loose knees and crooked skull are disappointing. Both can be fixed with little effort, I hope.

Edited January 26, 2006 by ghostryder

[Wicked Ace]

Can't take pics right now, but here's the quick 'n dirty:

1. crooked skull on left fin, just like 4th ed. Roy 

2. tight airbrake 

3. slight nose gap 

4. some overspray of black stripes on legs and wing, not as bad as some of the 1st ed. Hikaru 1S's, but not as sharp a 4th ed. Roy 

5. super clean paint job on gummy pilot 

6. plastic color is a bit more yellow-ish than 4th ed. Roy, looks similar to 1st ed. Hikaru 1A

7. yellow dot on head 

8. tight head fit in fighter mode 

Pics to follow soon

Thanks to Samurai-Monkey for the quick delivery!

364114[/snapback]

Thanks for the quick review. Yamato needs to fix the damn crooked skull problem. The only reason I'd get one of these reissues is to switch out the smudged-from-the-factory battroid chest plate paint on my original issue Hikaru -1S. I've had bad luck with my last two Yamato 1/48 scale Valkyrie purchases as far as paint and skull application.

[Murphy]

i got a question did the 1st edition hikaru-1s have a yellow dot on the head?

[ghostryder]

i got a question did the 1st edition hikaru-1s have a yellow dot on the head?

364324[/snapback]

Yes

[Ginrai]

I have a question on the 1st edition Hikaru, too. Is the skull straight on that batch? While I'm at it, is the first edition whiter?

Edited January 27, 2006 by Ginrai

[Skull-1]

Okay, here's the scoop...

Note the slight yellow hue compared to 4th ed. Roy (damn flash hides the difference)

*sarcasm on*

AWESOME!! Pre-yellowed Yammies! WOOT!

*sarcasm off*

I think they must be wearing out their molds for all these QC problems.

[ghostryder]

I have a  question on the 1st edition Hikaru, too. Is the skull straight on that batch? While I'm at it, is the first edition whiter?

364609[/snapback]

From what I've seen, 1st edition had straight skulls. Whether they were whiter, I'm not sure. Like I said, I've seen a Hikaru 1A with the same yellow-ish tint, so it may be that the Roys (or at least the 4th issue) has whiter plastic.

I'm no collector and am not willing to pay $300 just for a Hikkie with a straight skull . I can fix the skull no prob (did it with my Roy/Max). With some minor cosmetic touch-ups, this will still be a fine centerpiece to my pitiful collection.

[ghostryder]

*sarcasm on*

AWESOME!!  Pre-yellowed Yammies!  WOOT!

*sarcasm off*

I think they must be wearing out their molds for all these QC problems.

364645[/snapback]

Funny, that's what ran through my head as I opened the box .

I dont want to give people the wrong idea. OVERALL, I'm happy. The only real non-cosmetic issue I saw was that the knees and hips were a bit looser compared to my Max/Roy, but then again that one is so tight I was afraid I would break it.

Of course, if I bought toys to keep in the box stored in my closet, or wasn't intending to customize, I'd be pissed.

Edited January 27, 2006 by ghostryder

[Ginrai]

How do you fix the crooked skull?

[ghostryder]

How do you fix the crooked skull?

365269[/snapback]

Other than pulling a new fin off another 1/48, you could do this...

see thread

I only painted black over the skulls on this Roy, but you can also mask off and paint the whole fin. I just painted over the whole fin on my Hikkie and applied Takatoy skulls, and it looks good as well.

Edited February 1, 2006 by ghostryder

[ghostryder]

Parting shot - Gummi Hikaru

[Fortress_Maximus]

Thanks for the heads up.

Man Yamato is just getting fracking LAZY! They are not even bothering to make an effort to fix the well known problems! IMO incredibly LAME! When things like this continue to happen I don't blame people for feeling like they are getting squeezed.

[ghostryder]

Thanks for the heads up.

Man Yamato is just getting fracking LAZY! They are not even bothering to make an effort to fix the well known problems! IMO incredibly LAME! When things like this continue to happen I don't blame people for feeling like they are getting squeezed.

365491[/snapback]

Yeah, they need to fire that cock-eye mofo in charge of left tail fin Tampo Skull printing . As far as the semi-loose hips, I just pulled the legs off and tightened the screw that holds the ball-socket halves together - all is tight now.

The wobbly knee ratchets - well, I fixed that but I won't get into details here. If someone wants, I can do a sketch and post on the toy mods section.

[Fortress_Maximus]

Might take you up on that info, but IMO for the amount we pay, we the consumer should not have to FIX a damn thing. Am I the only one who feels this way?

[Mechafan]

Might take you up on that info, but IMO for the amount we pay, we the consumer should not have to FIX a damn thing. Am I the only one who feels this way?

365530[/snapback]

I feel you on that one. For a $100+ figure they should be correcting at least the minor issues. They are starting to get like Toynami.

[Macross73]

Crooked skull or not I need this

i missed out on the 1st go around.

So i have to get this.

[Fortress_Maximus]

I missed out on the first go around too... I place an order awhile ago hoping for the best. But, I still feel since it is a reissue Yamato should FIX the bloody QC errors that are reasonable to expect from them to be corrected! After all for the prices we are all paying for just one, IMO it is not unreasonable for us to expect a product that is fixed.

[ghostryder]

I missed out on the first go around too... I place an order awhile ago hoping for the best. But, I still feel since it is a reissue Yamato should FIX the bloody QC errors that are reasonable to expect from them to be corrected! After all for the prices we are all paying for just one, IMO it is not unreasonable for us to expect a product that is fixed.

365917[/snapback]

AFAIK, I'm the only one who has posted a review, and I KNOW those who bought from Rob have theirs. COME ON GUYS, chime in and give Fortress_Maximus some hope for a perfect valk! ... or dash his dreams, just put him out of his misery.

Edited February 2, 2006 by ghostryder

[bryan_f_davis@yahoo.com]

I missed out on the first go around too... I place an order awhile ago hoping for the best. But, I still feel since it is a reissue Yamato should FIX the bloody QC errors that are reasonable to expect from them to be corrected! After all for the prices we are all paying for just one, IMO it is not unreasonable for us to expect a product that is fixed.

365917[/snapback]

I am with my boy Fortress on this one. As consumers, we SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FIX a damn thing. Especially at these prices.

SNAP SNAP!

[bryan_f_davis@yahoo.com]

DAMN!

I am looking to replace my old 1/48 Hikary 1S.

QC issues or not, it is a nice toy. I am going to get it still, despite all the QC issues.

And...

At least it's not Toynami. Have you seen their so called Masterpiece Veritech? SHeesh.

I think Yamao bettter ship up, or they are going to get a bad rep.

That would be very un-SNAP.

[Fortress_Maximus]

I missed out on the first go around too... I place an order awhile ago hoping for the best. But, I still feel since it is a reissue Yamato should FIX the bloody QC errors that are reasonable to expect from them to be corrected! After all for the prices we are all paying for just one, IMO it is not unreasonable for us to expect a product that is fixed.

365917[/snapback]

AFAIK, I'm the only one who has posted a review, and I KNOW those who bought from Rob have theirs. COME ON GUYS, chime in and give Fortress_Maximus some hope for a perfect valk! ... or dash his dreams, just put him out of his misery.

365938[/snapback]

I keep dreaming of the perfect 1/48 valk. Only Yamato can put me out of my misery. Oh the great Yamato giveth and taketh.... *sigh*

[Black Valkyrie]

Let me get this straight the QC issue for every new 1/48 is worse than the one before ?

[Fortress_Maximus]

That comment is merely one persons experience. Overall we do not know how the QC is for these b/c most of us have not received it, yet. I am just bitching about how the QC issues as mentioned by the thread creator, ghostryder was not addressed in his version.

[brakk]

Mine arrived today. I'd be impressed if I could get it to transform without exerting a silly amount of pressure on one stage. Transforming to Gerwalk has me stuck at moving the arms around the legs as there's a small bump either side that keep the arms locked in place (step 11 in the new instructions). I have already used what I consider to be a larger-than-is-reasonable amount of force and it won't budge.

Dave

Edited February 4, 2006 by brakk

[Dante74]

You could lift the die-cast swingbar. That'll make it easier to get the arms past the bumps.

[brakk]

I have attached an image to illustrate the bump that is preventing the arm assembly from moving downwards. I have tried lifting the assembly, twisting the part closest to the bump but there's so little play that it won't budge.

update: Sad but true, out came the screwdriver to unscrew the arms (just above the start of the arrow), tilted it inwards and then it moved into place.

I'm not going to say how old I am, but at my age you'd think this wouldn't be so hard!

Edited February 4, 2006 by brakk

[Murphy]

I have attached an image to illustrate the bump that is preventing the arm assembly from moving downwards. I have tried lifting the assembly, twisting the part closest to the bump but there's so little play that it won't budge.

update: Sad but true, out came the screwdriver to unscrew the arms (just above the start of the arrow), tilted it inwards and then it moved into place.

I'm not going to say how old I am, but at my age you'd think this wouldn't be so hard!

366665[/snapback]

dont you leave the sholder part folded down to get past that bump, then fold it out once you get past it?because if you leave the sholder part folded up you would have to apply alot of pressure to get it past that bump. thats what i do when i transform my 1//48.

[brakk]

dont you leave the sholder part folded down to get past that bump, then fold it out once you get past it?because if you leave the sholder part folded up you would have to apply alot of pressure to get it past that bump. thats what i do when i transform my 1//48.

366734[/snapback]

I would have thought so, but I found it wouldn't fit around the legs.

Now that I have it in Battroid mode I'm pondering purchasing another. Apart from that one issue, the rest of it was reasonably straight forward. Converting the cockpit down to the front made me want another pair of hands as it felt a bit fiddly but I'm sure it's easy enough to get the hang of.

I'm impressed with the build quality. This is the kind of stuff I wanted back when Robotech was screening during high school for me.

[ghostryder]

The picture looks right... all you need to do is lift the shoulder plate up (away from the plane of the chest plate) as you swing the thing around to lock it into place. You shouldn't have to exert too much force.

Hey, nobody's chimed in if they have the crooked skull or wobbly knees. DID I GET A DUD??!

[wolfx]

I jsut got mine. No real problems except my cockpit canopy seems abit magnify-y. I have 3 other valks and they are fine but with this latest reissue of Hikkie 1S, the canopy sorta magnifies the pilot, making him look bigger than he actually is, especially from the sides....which is kinda weird.

[Roy's Blues]

I jsut got mine. No real problems except my cockpit canopy seems abit magnify-y. I have 3 other valks and they are fine but with this latest reissue of Hikkie 1S, the canopy sorta magnifies the pilot, making him look bigger than he actually is, especially from the sides....which is kinda weird.

368113[/snapback]

gummy pilot optical effect?