Yamato: From YF-19 to Low-Vis VF-1A

[Diverdown]

My Yamato Valkyrie Addiction -- An Essay

They're far more than that... they, in part, symbolize my youthful dreams coming true at last. 

-Dan

That was Beautiful! I almost cried!

Gawd!!

I have to second that!!

[Lightning]

Mine was a SVF-1J Hikaru (1/60)

i have since bought a Millia and the Low Vis, and now my parents look at me funny too....kinda weird how things turn out....

[rocco_77]

I was a HUGE Robotech fan when the show aired in 1985... I was 15. I was such a geek, I used to run home after school so I wouldn't miss the beginning... picture a 15 year old Sophmore in high school running home to watch a cartoon...hmmmm

I LOVED it though... And I wanted all the toys, but there were mostly models, and the toys were really hard to find and expensive. A neighborhood friend had Jetfire, and two of the Gakken Alphas. (Green and Blue) He would let me "borrow" them for a couple months at a time to display in my room and of course play with... he he.

So as the Robotech craze lost steam, the toys and models all but disappeared... So I waited...... and waited..... and forgot about it.... then remembered..... and waited........ and THEN!

Robotech.com was live! And they had a store! And they were going to sell the toys! 15 years later I will have them all!!

So my very first of the reissues was a Toynami Rick Hunter VF-1J MPC... I was thrilled!

Up to this point I had only seen Robotech... Macross was just part of it.... Then someone at RT.com broke the TOU and mentioned Macross World... So I ventured over, and I haven't left... I don't post as often as some, but I feel like a member of the community here. You guys are going to hate me, but I still haven't seen Macross, DYRL?, M+, M7, M2, MZero.... But I really want too! Just can't afford the toys AND the DVDs right now... So I have to go with the toys...

So my first Yamato was the VF-19A. Saw it on ebay... Didn't look like the "Veritechs" I was used to, and it was called a "Valkyrie?" hmmmm.... ok.... I LOVE the color, and the design.... got it for $60.

Then the other reissues began to flood the market. What to get? Bandai or Yamato? After seeing the two side by side, the choice was obvious... Yamato could make a toy look that good AND TRANSFORM! That was it for me, and Yamato is where it's at....

Now some 25 or so Valks later, I'm still addicted, still broke, and can't wait for the new ones to keep popping out of the factory... WOO HOOOO!!

I have one of each release thus far besides the Low Vis which I plan to purchase... HELL maybe TODAY!

So that's my story.... Long live Yamato!

[crasis]

My Yamato Valkyrie Addiction -- An Essay

They're far more than that... they, in part, symbolize my youthful dreams coming true at last. 

-Dan

That was Beautiful! I almost cried!

Gawd!!

I have to second that!!

<clapping>

Heh. Thanks guys. What can I say? I get all weepy when I sit down at the computer and see this giant Roy VF-1S pointing his gunpod at my head every day. Sure, Yamato has some QC bugs here and there, and I don't mindlessly buy everything they put out, but I still get a kick out of knowing that it's 2003 and Macross fans never had it so good. Here's to many more years of amazing films and toys!

-D

[Graham]

My first yamato was of course the YF-19 ver.1. I bought 3 of them the day they were released. This was long before I had any contact with Yamato (that didn't start until after the release of the YF-21).

I remember when I first handled the toy being a bit disappointed with the paint job of the YF-19 and the groin piece blcking the gunpod in fighter mode, but I still loved it, as in terms of an accurate sculpt, it was light years ahead of Bandai's horribly out of proportion VF-19Kai/VF-19S toy. And yes, I broke the Tab-B on one of my YF-19 toys, but only on one. It actually didn't bother me that much as I was able to work out a fix for it pretty quickly.

The last few years have been a real pleasure for me with release after release of new Macross toys, each one better than the last. OK we'll forget the VF-11B shall we

Compared with the dark decade of the lat 80's to late 90's where we had no new Macross toys accept the Macross 7 toys, we are in real heaven now with so much choice.

Yamato just keeps getting better and better. The 1/48 really deserves the title of Masterpiece and with the addition of the FAST packs should be even better.

I think Yamato's releases in the next few years are going to blow us away.

Graham

[GreenGuy42]

I picked up my first Yamato about a little over a year ago.... was my YF-19A. I remember yanking off the tabs, and getting quite annoyed at the whole endeavor. It was all worth it....

...to all but my finances.. heh..

So started my addiction...

[NoSuchFile]

I think Yamato's releases in the next few years are going to blow us away.

That and our wallets LoL

[Sebastian]

My frist Yammie was the YF 19 Ver 1. I bought two from HLJ and I never broke the famous Tab B, so I never bought the Ver 2. After this toy I had bought every single valk Yamato had released, doubles sometimes.

I guess I am totally hooked with Yamato and his Yammies. I just cant stop buying them.

Thanks good my job pays well.

[mcpaz]

I think Yamato's releases in the next few years are going to blow us away.

Graham

Mmmm... you think or you know? <_<

BTW, my first was the vf11b. I knew about all the issues it had, but I loved that plane... And with tons of patience, following Graham's instructions in that report in MW (where are they? I REALLY loved reading them in depth, they were fantastic!! Don't you guys miss 'em?), I did all the modifications to my vf-11 to let it transform ok to all the modes. Oh, how much I played with it... I even make some tiny improvements by sliding here and there... I must have transformed the thing dozens of times. But three months ago, I discovered stress marks on the hip joints... So now I treat him with twice care. Anyway, their other 7 yammie brothers help him not to feel bad...

mcpaz

[Commander McBride]

I only got my first Yammie last october. It came to a time where I became certain of my desire for a Valk, and I was torn between a Yammie and the Bandai reissues. The Yammies are a cooler valk overall, but the bandai appealed to my "fetish" for 1980s mecha toys. I ended up going with a Yammie Max 1A, and have bought a few more valks since.

[JRock]

For years, I've always kept a magazine clipping about the "Robotech toys we didn't get". It basically a short article about Robotech and all the toys that could have been imported in the US. Mainly the Takatoku Valks. They had a display with the 1S in the GBP-1 (Dammit...I KNOW I mispelled the Heavy Armor's model number), The 1J Millia, and The 1A CF. They also listed the prices, which were at the time. Just a simple daydream for me.

To make a long story short, I was referred to MW in a video game forum that had a topic about the origins of the Transformers. On the front page, Pics of the Yamato VF-1A Hikaru. My Jaw dropped! I knew I had to have it. I looked to the forums, and through the suggestions of the peoples, I ordered it from ValkExchange. A couple weeks later, I was applying the decals, while my then GF was whining on how I was still playing with toys (Which was funny as she knew I was a gamer and anime fan, and saw a few TF in my place). Now fast forward a couple years, and I'm now enjoying my VF-1S, and constantly telling my moms that they're not Optimus Prime toys.

[Vostok 7]

My first yammies were the full Mac+ set purchased late 2000, early 2001 from TSKOH (can't remember his name lol) in Singapore by my dad while he was over there on a visit. I had joined (a very early incarnation of) MW shortly before that and that's how I got hooked up with TSKOH. I barely remember those days. I didn't participate in MW much back then, but then when the new Ikonboards moved in I started posting a storm.

Vostok 7

[Blaine23]

My first Yamato was the VF-21. I saw the prototypes at the San Diego Comic Con and talked to the Toycom folks who promised me that if the Mac Plus valks sold well, they would make a VF-1 next. I had all three Toycom valks on preorder through Robozone... then all the crap started and I eventually got reimbursed since the toys were apparently never coming out. I never even considered importing them. I didn't even know you could.

Some time went by and I saw some import VF-21s for sale and I bought one. Loved it. Started lurking at Macrossworld. Bought the VF-11. Was scared to death of it. Bandai, Yamato, and Toynami all announce plans to make a VF-1. I start posting at Macrossworld.

And here we are. I never got a YF-19 because I thought the originals were overpriced by the time I started collecting and I've never been a fan of the baby blue VF-19A version.

I've Yamato stuff on preorder all over the place... but I still want them to put out another YF-19, dangit.

[F-ZeroOne]

My Valkyries are generally tied up with my recollections of my trips to Japan. I got the original 1/60 VF-1A from the Gamers store in Akihabara, just one part of a mind-blowing total experience.

My 1/48, I was able to get on the day of release, at a lovely shop opposite Akihabara station, from a female sales clerk with a marvellous sing-song voice, after spending most the day at a Wonder Fest. I'll be remembering them for things like that long after the rubber has seeped completely from its knee-joints... B)

Whats even better is the FAST Packs will now give me the Valkyrie I've always wanted, from the first early days of discovery of that "R"-series, to the gradual dawning of understanding...

[Kamion]

My first post since the new board... and my first Yamato is the 1/72 YF-19. Can't remember but it's probably a v2. Yup, I've been on the ride since the beginning. And I haven't realised that it's already 3 years later! Was tracking the progress since Toynami (or some other previous name) announced that they're going to be Yamato's distributor. Then all hell broke lose. Well, you know the rest of this sorry tale. Anyway, I bought the YF-19 from HLJ. Skipped the YF-21 and got the VF-11B through my Japanese flatmate and have been getting most of my valks through him since.

3 years later, I own

1/72: YF-19, 2xVF-11B

1/60: VF-1A Hikaru,Max & 2 CF, VF-1S, VF-1S Strike, VF-1J Hikaru,Max,Milia, VF-1D

1/48: Low-Vis

1/55: VF-1S Bandai Reissue (which I'm still trying to get rid of)

Am pretty happy... Oh my god... 3 years... Damn! Where'd the time go?!

[bigkid24]

My first Yammie was the YF-19 ver 2 when it was first released. I remember seeing it at Frank and Sons and thinking that $125 for it was WAAAAY too expensive for it, but I truly was in awe of the thing. Later, I was "lucky" enough to find a damaged box one for $85 at Kawaii Anime in Pasadena so I picked it up. Since then I've gotten smarter and I've purchased valkyries from practically every vendor here on Macross World.

[bandit29]

My first Yamato was the YF-19 Ver 1. Broke the tab B. Picked up a version 1.5 and 2 2.0 versions. I've owned at least one of of every Yamato product so far(sans the VF-1D, 1/48 Max, Super O and Elint). I've sold off most of my Macross collection. Even my 1/55s, original and reissues. I'm sticking with 1/48s only now.

Edited August 28, 2003 by dejr8bud

[MicronianDevil]

My first Yammie was the DYRL Max 1A which I purchased from the Valkyrie Exchange July of last year.

Actually, I sold my Rick Hunter MPC to purchase my first Yammie.

[Aegis!]

When I first knew of MW I went stright to the forums and lurked some time but never registered , in those days people were still waiting for ToyCom to release the M+toys but that never happened , I instantly fell in love with those toys but at the time I was unable to import any of them. One day I went to my local shop and saw the 1/72 YF-19 v.1 on the shop window and almost pissed myself of joy , I couldn´t believe my luck but as I went inside and asked for the price my ass droped and broke into pieces (basicly the guy was asking for nearly 200 Pounds as it was the only one he had and it was his own).

Then miraculously in one of my trips to Paris I found a tiny little anime shop with lots of Mangas but nothing too interesting and then in the display shelf there was a 1/72 VF-11 !!! I bought it immediately under the price of 60 Euros and to this day there´s been no problem , not even the hip has broken (I´m a lucky bastard ) but I´ve kept it inside its box ever since I transformed it once.

Then I registered in MW and was drawn into the new 1/60 VF-1 line , I was impatient for getting my own VF-1 and finally got a VF-1J Hikaru through HLJ and two weeks later I was as happy as a newborn baby.Since then I´ve waited for the right moment (or variant) to buy a 1/48 but haven´t found a coherent reason to spend so much money on a single toy but who knows maybe I´ll get a Low Viz when the prices go down to a reasonable level.

PS: Yamato , We want GBP god damn it !!!

Edited August 29, 2003 by Aegis!