Aoshima Variable 1/48 Legioss for 2007

[eriku]

Thanks for the review, jenius, it was an interesting read. I'm glad you mentioned that if people want one they should get it from a place that does returns. If I hadn't been able to return mine it would be in the garbage already.

[Vermillion21]

Awesome review jenius!! Thanks for that. So it looks like I'll just stick to the 2 Crapnami MPC Alphas I already own and pass on the Aoshima's.

Maybe one day I'll find an old skool 1/35 Gakken for a decent price.

Edited February 8, 2008 by Vermillion21

[jenius]

From the review pictures, it looks like the upper legs on the Aoshima release are cast in plastic, whereas the MPCs were diecast. Is this correct, and does this also explain why the upper leg seam appears to be better "smoothed" on the Aoshima?

Do you mean the thigh area? It's plastic on both but on Aoshima they modded it to better resemble the model. This means there are two pieces of plastic forming the majority of the thigh with a flat piece of plastic applied to the top of the thigh (giving it a seamless finish) whereas the MPC is just two pieces of plastic put together (creating a seam down the middle). The mold was definitely changed to allow for this so it's not like the Aoshima has a bulge where that new cap piece of plastic is. I imagine if Toynami ever makes Shadow Chronicles Alphas they will retain this mod and the ratcheted joints as I would say the legs overall seem to be a big improvement.

NOTE - Here's a fun fact I couldn't figure out where to put in the review. The MPC has a trap door on the back that gets pushed in by the cockpit when in battloid mode. Some endeavorous first owners of MPC tried to pull this trap door out to see if they couldn't squeeze the shoulder pod in when they transformed to the toy back to fighter mode (after all, it's called a "perfect transformation" toy right so why should you have to remove a part?). Anyway, pulling this door outward just snapped it in two, bad joojoo for the endeavorous owner. The new Aoshima version actually allows you to pull this door outward. Also, all the Aoshima versions have the hole for the destabilizer gun built into them... for no apparent reason (unless one thinks ahead to Shadow Chronicles toys).

Do you not own Mospeada?

I just watched that episode, didn't see a thing.

Okay, just plopped it in and you're right, the only Legioss we see are Houquet's and Yellow's/Ray's. I edited the review.

Edited February 8, 2008 by jenius

[jenius]

Do you mean the thigh area? It's plastic on both but on Aoshima they modded it to better resemble the model. This means there are two pieces of plastic forming the majority of the thigh with a flat piece of plastic applied to the top of the thigh (giving it a seamless finish) whereas the MPC is just two pieces of plastic put together (creating a seam down the middle). The mold was definitely changed to allow for this so it's not like the Aoshima has a bulge where that new cap piece of plastic is. I imagine if Toynami ever makes Shadow Chronicles Alphas they will retain this mod and the ratcheted joints as I would say the legs overall seem to be a big improvement.

Sorry! I was wrong, on the Toynami it is, indeed, two pieces of diecast, not plastic. On the Aoshima it is now three pieces of plastic. My bad, sorry.

[promethuem5]

It's really upsetting, bc/ I do try and like the MPC toy overall, and I love the leg improvements on the Aoshima, but it's still just too much of a gamble to get a good specimen out of either product...

[rei]

Jenius, thanks for your review! Very imformative and I still find myself somewhat on the fence to decide which one to go with. I agree with you on the center missle pod, though I'll probably be able to live with it. The brighter paint is the biggest turn off. Most likely my vote goes with to Aoshima for the Stick version and will run with Toynami/Robotech versions for the others.

Thanks again. I'll add my 2 cents once I get them.

[eyesonme78]

from the toynami's recent exposure of beta, it makes me feel so much like getting one of them..,hahaha who knows i will get one set of CM corp and one set of Toynami..

[hutch]

I wish that the Toynami Beta had a release date.

[Lonely Soldier Boy]

I wish we could see at least some features, such as landing gear, missile bays etc. This roller coaster of showing the same prototype show after show is getting pathetic.

[jenius]

Since we saw MPC Alpha boxes for Maia's Shadow Chronicle's release I have to guess that would be the next release. It's rather dubious not a single one of these products is available for preorder yet...

[eyesonme78]

well seems like toynami has gotten our attention hooked..again with their beta..

but however, is it really coming out? i am so curious, but the linkup looks sooooooooo gooooooddddd, man i am drolling ovewr the overall linkup...

[hutch]

I know a guy who's there. I'm TRYING to get him to ask the Toynami guys about the Beta AND the Mega House Cycles.

[Vermillion21]

This roller coaster of showing the same prototype show after show is getting pathetic.

Tell me about it. How many years has Crapnami been teasing us with the same BETA prototype ... like 3 years now???

WTF???

:angry:

[hutch]

I agree, but I think jenius pointed out that there are some changes to this one, at least I think he did... (jenius correct me if I'm wrong...)

[jenius]

It's really hard to say. The prototype at NY Toy Fair is NOT the same as the last prototype we saw. You can tell because their last prototype had the cockpit from the fighter mode Beta simply lean down in front of the chest in battloid mode. This new one has the more correct white finish piece shown at the chest. Here's the issue I'm having though, the "new" one being shown at Toy Fair looks suspiciously like the very first painted prototype they showed... the one where they hadn't figured out at all what to do with the cockpit so it simply didn't have one yet. That said, the combined Alpha Beta clearly has something going on above the arm that you can see if you zoom way in. My guess? They weren't happy with having the cockpit fold straight down in battloid mode so they're working on a cost effective solution to make it appear more like their first prototype.

[Knight26]

can we see pics somewhere of this "new" prototype

[Kyp Durron]

I've noticed that on the Shadow Chronicles Shado fighters, the upper thigh piece is the same as the regular Alpha fighters and that the paint scheme is now more like the Blue and Green Alphas as well.

Not very "shadow-like" anymore if you ask me. I might get the regular SC Shadow fighter, but I'm not getting Maia's, that pink scheme makes me wanna vomit. I still prefer my Sue Graham Shadow over the SC version.

-Kyp

[jenius]

I think it'd be a little too easy for Toynami just to take a few parts and repaint the toys so I wouldn't put too much stock yet into the upper thigh piece. I would be surprised if the Aoshima improvements to the thighs weren't present on the next MPC Alpha toy (especially considering the Aoshima toys inexplicably feature a slot for carrying the destablizer gun none of them come with).

[Vifam7]

I don't know if this has been posted before or if anyone is interested in knowing...

But here's one guy in Japan who had a horrid experience with his Aoshima: http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/nezuppo_chu_taro/51122851.html

Even if you can't read Nihongo, I think the pictures says everything.

Last November, the owner called Aoshima and complained. About 3 months passby. Then surprisingly 2 days ago Aoshima calls him back to say they were shipping him a new Legioss. Happy ending?

*Apologies if I'm rehashing/reopening the bashing of Toynami/Aoshima Legioss.

Btw, I too recently acquired the Toynami's Legioss. I can quickly see some of the issues. I dare not try to transform the toy. It's staying in fighter mode. It's the mode I like best anyways. ^^;;

Edited February 20, 2008 by Vifam7

[Kyp Durron]

I'd be upset too if I ordered one and got something like that.

Btw, I too recently acquired the Toynami's Legioss. I can quickly see some of the issues. I dare not try to transform the toy. It's staying in fighter mode. It's the mode I like best anyways. ^^;;

Which MPC Alpha did you get?

-Kyp

[Jasonc]

I bought the Aoshima set awhile back ago, just for study and because I got them for so cheap. I have to admit that the colors aren't as good as the Toynami versions, but mine seem to hold up okay. I think the ratcheted legs is the only improvement. So far, I've managed to take apart a few of my Toynami ones that I received broken from a bulk buy, and to my surprise, I found that a lot of the reason why things don't fit properly is because of runny glue, oversprayed paint, and bad plastic molds. After taking one of these apart, cleaning it up, and putting it back together, I think it is now my best transforming MPC to date. It's sad that I have to spend over an hour taking the whole damn thing apart, but if you are mechanically inclined, and have PROPER tools, it may be an option for you.

the crappy hands, I can't do anything about those, but I am looking at various Gundam kits with comparable hands to mod these. Learning the mechanics of these has also helped to fix the problems I had with my personal stash. I think I'm gonna work on selling the rest off though. I have too many of these things, and I am out of space for new stuff.

[EXO]

I bought the Aoshima set awhile back ago, just for study and because I got them for so cheap. I have to admit that the colors aren't as good as the Toynami versions, but mine seem to hold up okay. I think the ratcheted legs is the only improvement. So far, I've managed to take apart a few of my Toynami ones that I received broken from a bulk buy, and to my surprise, I found that a lot of the reason why things don't fit properly is because of runny glue, oversprayed paint, and bad plastic molds. After taking one of these apart, cleaning it up, and putting it back together, I think it is now my best transforming MPC to date. It's sad that I have to spend over an hour taking the whole damn thing apart, but if you are mechanically inclined, and have PROPER tools, it may be an option for you.

the crappy hands, I can't do anything about those, but I am looking at various Gundam kits with comparable hands to mod these. Learning the mechanics of these has also helped to fix the problems I had with my personal stash. I think I'm gonna work on selling the rest off though. I have too many of these things, and I am out of space for new stuff.

hey Jason, I'd like to see your overhauled Alpha. Yeah it sucks that we have to fix them but if they can be saved, I rather have good ones than have to sell them. I got them so cheap anyway. If I can spruce up the blue one then I might pick up a tread if it can be gotten cheap. of course I'm anticipating their crappiness.

[Lonely Soldier Boy]

Hey Jason, could you post instructions of the mods you did? I decided to skip the CMs Legioss/TREAD combo, wich pretty much leaves me with my MPCs and the hopes that Toynami produces a decent Beta.

[Vifam7]

I'd be upset too if I ordered one and got something like that.

Which MPC Alpha did you get?

-Kyp

I got Lancer/Yellow's green VFA-6I. Number 4103 of 15,000. I'm guessing it's not a popular color. I kinda like the subdued green color.

2 pics.

Edited February 21, 2008 by Vifam7

[Vermillion21]

I don't know if this has been posted before or if anyone is interested in knowing...

But here's one guy in Japan who had a horrid experience with his Aoshima: http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/nezuppo_chu_taro/51122851.html

Even if you can't read Nihongo, I think the pictures says everything.

Whoa, that is some seriously bad QC ....

:o

[promethuem5]

I always thought of doing some tweaking mods to my red MPC, and I was going to paint and detail it, but I never got around to it... got stuck at how to fix the arms and hands without completely rebuilding way too much...

[aaajin]

Whoa, that is some seriously bad QC ....

:o

thats even worse than the MPC....

[Vermillion21]

thats even worse than the MPC....

good one mate!

:lol:

[Kyp Durron]

I got Lancer/Yellow's green VFA-6I. Number 4103 of 15,000. I'm guessing it's not a popular color. I kinda like the subdued green color.

Nice, I have one too, but I put most of the stickers on mine, so I guess mines the military version since the freedom fighters Alpha's were unmarked.

thats even worse than the MPC....

And that's no joke, these make the MPC's look like top of the line Yamatos.

-Kyp

[eriku]

It's unfortunate that people feel forced into gambling with these things, and even a 'good' one still isn't really something that can be handled like a toy. I'll say it again, folks, if you absolutely feel like you must play Aoshima Roulette, do yourself a favor and order one from BBTS so you can return it if it's rubbish.

[jenius]

Yep, I agree with Eriku. A word on that Japanese blogger though, some (mind you, not all) is stuff he is making worse than it is. One picture in particular shows a bent door for a missile bay. I've seen this before on MPCs and it happens simply when you unseat the pin for the door (the plastic is thin so it arches). Nothing is broken, you just have to set the plastic nub correctly and the door won't look wonky. It also looks like he takes it apart to try to repair it but I think some people might just take that to mean it completely fell apart on him. If it DID fall apart on him, he just got the worst toy ever and I feel thrilled mine came out pretty decent. Even though I got "decent" ones I'm still with Eriku on this... it's a sad gamble.

[rdenham]

Has anyone posted good well lit comparison pics of the original Toynami Alpha & the “new” Aoshima Legioss/Alpha’s. I would really like to see the difference between the paint shades.

[Save]

Has anyone posted good well lit comparison pics of the original Toynami Alpha & the “new” Aoshima Legioss/Alpha’s. I would really like to see the difference between the paint shades.

Here you go!

[eyesonme78]

gotten my legioss ( 3 types) managed to open the ETA version, file off the wings portion for pulling out and pushing in.

after that put my stickers on and VioLa!

I have a not too bad aoshima Legioss on displayed and i have transformed it once to check.

but i think i am starting to like this color scheme..

attached pics for viewing!! sorry for the poor pic quality..

Edited March 28, 2008 by eyesonme78

[jenius]

What did you have to file off for the wings to be able to be pushed in? I seriously hate that they don't go in on mine.