New Popbox Macross Figures at Asia Toy Expo 2006

[Graham]

Popbox the manufacturer of the 1/6 scale Macross figures that MWer Blackaces (Noel) works for had a booth at the recent Asia Toy Expo 2006 held at the Hong Kong Convention Center on 25-26 November 2006.

Fellow HK MWer Valk009 (Andy) and myself decided to visit Noel at the Expo and check out Popbox’s booth to see what new items they had that would be of interest to Macross fans.

Noel who is heavily involved in the design and manufacturing of the 1/6 scale Macross figures was happy to take some time out from his busy day and explain the upcoming new products to us.

I must apologize for the quality of the photos, as they were all taken through the glass window of the display cabinet and also I didn’t have a tripod with me on that day. I also have to apologize to Noel for not getting the photos posted sooner, as I promised him.

First of all here’s the prototype of the DYRL 1/6 scale Roy Focker figure. Note that it is actually taller than the Hikaru and Max figure and will have a specially made taller than normal body. Noel mentioned that the body in the photos is just a mock-up and the limbs are not proportionally accurate (compare the forearm and upper arm lengths). However, this will all be fixed on the production body. If I remember correctly, the face and hair will also e resculpted slightly. The Focker figure features an ‘anime-accurate’ darker uniform and will come with a beer glass (no shown) as well as dog tags, and iron-on batch. The Focker figure is scheduled to be released after the Max figure.

Graham

[Graham]

Next up we have the Maximillian Jenius figure, which is actually the next figure to be released. IIRC, Noel said this is production standard or close to production standard, so it is what the actual toy will look like.

While the face sculpt looks pretty good IMO, I’m not 100% sure about the glasses.

Graham

[Graham]

Here’s photos of the long-awaited flightsuit prototype. Note this is still an early prototype and will probaly improve quite a lot by the time it reaches production. Noel mentioned that the Flightsuit would come with two different heads, one for wearing with the helmet and one for use when not wearing the helmet. Obviously the typical Macross hairstyle of Hikaru, Max & Roy would not fit into a helmet when molded in hard plastic or resin! The helemt should also have an opening visor.

A possiblity for the future would be a flightsuit variation with light up pads.

Graham

[Graham]

Here’s some photos of the ‘Fish On A Stick’ and ‘Camp Stove’ accessories for Hikaru, which may be sold seperately, or perhaps offered as part of a mail-in campaign.

Graham

[Graham]

Finally, some shots of the whole display.

Any errors made in the description of the products are mine. I hope Noel will feel free to jump in with corrections and/or clarifications.

Graham

[Mr March]

Cool. The irradiated fish is a nice touch

[BoBe-Patt]

pretty cool. I'm not sure I'm feeling that accessory though. How much would it be? It's only the stove and fish so it can't be that much now, can it?

[Valk009]

he he...I was there and must say that the figures look great! Fockker is finally available in proportion.

Although the Hikaru figure in DYRL pilot outfit is not yet available until some time next year, this is an action figure, which cannot be missed!

[Roy Focker]

I notice cooking fish Hikaru has a hands the can grasp. Are these the 'fisted' hands with Max?

Max's face and hair look right but I agree with Graham with the glass. Are they suppose to be removable? Maybe sculping the head with glass on might of had a better effect.

The pilot suit looks off right now. Not the part of it but how it fits on the dummy. Needs to be snug and fitted. Even it means glue and screwed on the figure I'll grudging accepting that possible comprose if a removable version is too tricky to get right.

[Macross73]

I haven't been to eager on getting any of these but seeing them together like that makes this very tempting.

if anything I really like the Flight suit. thats one that I'll be looking forward too. The only downside is that

when I buy it, it may be hard to stop with just one.

[glane21]

I'm excited the line is continuing, but the helmet on the flightsuit is way too small.

[thegunny]

Hmmm, Fish on a Stick, Camp Stove, can we expect Hikaru's other "accessory" Misa

Edited December 6, 2006 by thegunny

[EXO]

As mentioned, the size and accuracy of the Pilot Suit will be anime accurate

Noel

As mentioned the flightsuit is off and the helmet is way too small! But I'm excited that we finally got pics and the line is continuing. Please they to get it as close to the anime as possible.

[anime52k8]

Is it just me or does anyone else thing that Roy's face looks... off.

Every time I look at it I get the feeling that the figure is having very dirty thoughts.

[Graham]

Is it just me or does anyone else thing that Roy's face looks... off.

Every time I look at it I get the feeling that the figure is having very dirty thoughts.

But isn't that the idea?

Graham

[VF-1James]

I think the liknesses are way better on these two. The Hikaru had something a bit off about his face (though the hair was 100% amazing). I think PopBox is the first company to get the hair right on these characters. The expressions are also much better on these two. They really feel like the characters they represent this time. I personally think that dirty look that Roy has is awesome, and just what I was thinking he should have in my mind (it DOES follow the line-art, since he has that expression in one picture). The hair is a bit strange though... I think it's perfect on Roy, except where the neck begins. What is that? Those aren't his sideburns, because they're too far off his head. That part baffles me, but other than that, the hair on top is 100%.

Max looks great too, but his glasses should be improved upon a bit. I think maybe adding a frame would help, and slimming down the part that sits on the nose. However, if a frame were added, it may take away from his closeness to the line-art (he doesn't really seem to have a distinct frame there). If the middle were slimmed way down, they'd look more like glasses, and less like a visor. Again, great hair (what kind of conditioner does Max use?).

Also, great idea on the extra hands. That fixes a problem that pretty much everyone who purchased the Hikaru was complaining about. The fish is kind of cool too... That set also needs a Minmay handkerchief as well though.

Oh yeah, btw, I still want that tubby bastard, Kakizaki. That'd complete the Skull crew.

Edited December 6, 2006 by VF-1James

[ruskiiVFaussie]

Here’s some photos of the ‘Fish On A Stick’ and ‘Camp Stove’ accessories for Hikaru, which may be sold seperately, or perhaps offered as part of a mail-in campaign.

Graham

WOOOO, love the fish idea!

And yes VF-1James is right, we need Kakizaki.

Edited December 6, 2006 by ruskiiVFaussie

[big F]

Thanks for the pics guys.

One question though. How do I get a job working for a Macross product producer company ?

The U.K is like the outer reaches when it comes to Anime and Manga.

Edited December 6, 2006 by big F

[F-ZeroOne]

Will the Roy come with bullet holes in his back? (oh, sorry, thats TV, not movie. Still...!)

Hope theres plans for a matching Milia to go with Max...

[Macross73]

Are there any plans for others .... maybe Claudia, Britai, or Exodol (sp) or others?

[Mechamaniac]

FYI - I added these images to the MW Toys section this morning...

MW Popbox Toys Section

[Dante74]

FYI - I added these images to the MW Toys section this morning...

MW Popbox Toys Section

Mods have acces to the main site?

The figures look great, especially the dirty looks Roy gives the viewer.

Edited December 6, 2006 by Dante74

[Mechamaniac]

No, I'm a special Mod.

I'm a front end admin so I can help Shawn and Graham, and a Mod on the forums, so I guess that makes me an Admoderator

And yes, the look on Roy's face is PRICELESS!. I can't wait to pose him behind my Ryuji Minmay with one hand on her ass and the other on a beer mug!

[Dante74]

???

The only thing I can think of is that you had sex with Hurin to get his Admin password.

*EDIT*No Fair!! You can edit your posts without it showing!

Edited December 6, 2006 by Dante74

[Mechamaniac]

Oh god no!

I had my choice of Graham, Shawn or Hurin. You know I chose Graham

[Fly4victory]

Can not wait to join the Roy Man Doll Collection!

So Minmay from behind?

And yes, the look on Roy's face is PRICELESS!. I can't wait to pose him behind my Ryuji Minmay with one hand on her ass and the other on a beer mug!

[bigkid24]

Well since the flight suit is a proto then I won't complain about it just yet as long as Noel already knows what the problems are with it.

The fish accessory is a nice touch but it's something that should have been included in the first release of the figure if they were going to do it at all.

[ghostryder]

Hope theres plans for a matching Milia to go with Max...

An in-scale DYRL Milia would be over 6' tall... unm... that's all I'm gonna say

Edited December 6, 2006 by ghostryder

[Apollo Leader]

SEMPAI!

Since there might be campfire scene accessories for Hikaru, when will the matching Misa with sleeping bag be out?

[do not disturb]

not my cup of tea but they look pretty good.

i dunno but i just can't bring myself to purchase any kind of man dolls.

[big F]

not my cup of tea but they look pretty good.

i dunno but i just can't bring myself to purchase any kind of man dolls.

Masculinity check...... Nope no man dolls here move along.....

[VF-1James]

All toys of people can be considered "dolls", right? I think the big difference is what the doll is made to do. These Macross ones are made to represent the characters. They were not designed to change their outfits so they can go out, do their hair in time for the party, or to make them go on dates with female dolls. No, they were made to satisfy the desire to capture our favorite characters from macross in a 3-D form, to bring the movie to life on our shelves, and to look cool in general. I fail to see how making a cloth costume makes it less masculine. A figure is a figure. The real question you should look at isn't whether buying these will make you look uncool in the eyes of others, but if you like them enough to buy them yourself. I'd figure since everyone here was posting in the toy forum, they'd gotten over thinking owning action figures was embarassing. I got over that a long time ago (more like I never stopped buying them, they just became more and more expensive, and nicer and nicer, until they were real art pieces).

[F-ZeroOne]

An in-scale DYRL Milia would be over 6' tall... unm... that's all I'm gonna say

It took me a second to translate ' as "feet" and then I snorted coffee all over my monitor. Er, yeah, I hear they're doing amazing things with life-size dummies these days. Anyone want to, er, pool their resources...?

[big F]

It took me a second to translate ' as "feet" and then I snorted coffee all over my monitor. Er, yeah, I hear they're doing amazing things with life-size dummies these days. Anyone want to, er, pool their resources...?

Just get one of those Shop windows dummies and give it a Miria Head sculpt and some Zentran clothing.

[EXO]

Just get one of those Shop windows dummies and give it a Miria Head sculpt and some Zentran clothing.

Looks like someone already has a setup.