First (and most likely only) Yamato

[Mad Llama]

Hi All,

Even though I've been a Macross fan since the '80s I only very recently found out about the toys. Being very new to this and have finally plucked up the courage to spend what seems to be an insane amount for a toy.

Regardless, I'm thinking of going all out on one of the Yamato range since I'll likely only ever buy one Macross toy. I want something I can actually have some fun with, not look at on the shelf or in a sealed box... I live in Australia and will probably end up buying from Valk-1S who is offering the following:

QUOTE:

2 x VF-1A CF A$135 each or A$155 shipped to Metro Australia via registered post

3 x VF-1S Roy A$170 each

3 x VF-0S Roy A$140 each or A$160 shipped to Metro Australia via registered post

2 x VF-0A CF A$170 each 1 Sold, 1 Left

1 x VF-1J Hikaru non-fp A$160

1 x VF-1A Angel bird A$160 each

I love the look of the VF-0S but have been reading about the problems with it. So it's a toss up between that and one of the VF-1 models.

I need some advice. If you were only ever going to buy one from this list, which would it be and why. Thanks for your help

[eugimon]

I would recommend any of the current batch of 1/48s. They're nice and problem free and pretty sturdy, get whichever one strikes your fancy.

Just make sure you're getting the reissues when it comes to the roy vf-1s. The first release had crooked skull emblems on the tail fins and the nose cone wasn't as secure, as well as the front landing gear doors being harder to open.

Until we hear otherwise, i still maintain that the VF-0 line is plagued and it's a roll of the dice whether or not your individual toy will suffer a breakage in the shoulders.

[Guest sh002]

i would recommend the 1/48 vf-1s roy as that or the hikaru would be the only 1/48's i would get in my collection

[miriya]

I agree about the Roy. It is a beautiful piece of art.

I put stealth fast packs on mine and it is just stunning to look at!

Although if you want to play with it a lot and not display, the fast packs may get messy. With mine the front part of the booster comes off when I play to much and when it falls the cover comes off and all the little white parts fall out and then I spend the next 20 minutes trying to locate all of them. Now I just display this one.

I had a VF-1j Hikaru and it was beautiful but I personally find the vf-1s roy to be an overall better composition. With the black and yellow lines against the white, it is very nice. I found that the Hikaru looked less detailed than the roy because of less painted lines and in batt mode the black vertical lines on the calf of the 1s looks great where as the single red horizontal line on the 1j seems to look sparse. Although if you do panel lines on the 1j it would fill in the detail and may look great. They are both great toys.

I personally never liked the angel birds. The Cannon fodder is cool, though not as much as roy or Hikaru. If it is going to be your only valk then maybe think about what character you like best. For me, my first yamato valk was a miriya because she is my favorite and I like red.

The Macross zero toys are gorgeous and my vf-0a is the most beautiful batt mode valk that I have but if you want to play with it and transform it loads of times and pose it all the time then it will be Russian roulette with the shoulders and biceps.

Hope this helps. Art is subjective though and my opinion is not everyones.

[Sumdumgai]

As much as I love the VF-0, I'll have to say go with the 1/48 VF-1 series valkyrie. I'm one of the numerous people with a broken VF-0 shoulder (0A in particular), and it's definitely not in play-with condition anymore. I wouldn't take the risk with that much money if I were you. The VF-1 is a design that's been all ironed out and holds up fine. Just be careful not to force the backpack to lock into place.

I have three 1/48 VF-1s. One has a broken backpack hinge from being overstressed from putting on and removing fast packs, despite my being careful.

[ruskiiVFaussie]

Another aussie! Get a 1/48 Cannon Fodder 1A or if you want a hero valk get your 1S Roy or Hikaru.

My first 1/48 was Hikaru's VF-1S and i bought a strike pack same time i ordered.

You NEED a Strike pack. If you grab a VF-1A Cannon Fodder as your only purchase make it your own designated Valk.

Make a new hero! There had to be one or 2 Cannon Fodder pilots that survived out there. But buy it a Strike FP set!

P.S. With the Cannon Fodder (CF) i found it's got more potential for cooler poses than the 1S heads as the 1S heads have

some ugly angles and i'm picky and im my experience with posing in my display cabinent the 1A CF > 1S in Battroid mode.

2 of my best poses.

Edited August 5, 2007 by ruskiiVFaussie

[miriya]

By the way mad llama, I have to warn you about the highly addictive nature of Yamato Valkyries. . .

I personally obsessed over looking at photos of them online for years before finally taking the scary and expensive plunge into my first valk, feeling horribly guilty about the high cost and what I should be doing with the money (and time) instead. I thought, "Well I will just get one and then I will get it out of my system and I will be happy and pleased and can stop obsessing over online photos of Valks and will not have to get another" or something like that.

So what happened was that the Valks are so freakin sweet that I just cant get enough. Now I have bought 5 yammie valks and the quedluun rau and still all I can think of (other than sex of course - oh yeah and food) is how I can get enough money to get more valks.

I am not saying that getting one is not pleasing. On the contrary, it is a great feeling to have one in your hands and to see it in three dimensions, it is totally worth it, but just consider yourself warned that it may turn into a very expensive habbit.

good luck....

[ruskiiVFaussie]

That's it.

[Chowser]

You can't go wrong with a 1/48 VF-1S.

Especially with one of Anasazi's sticker/decal sets or a Takatoys sticker set on it!

Here's my 1/48 VF-1S with Anasazi stickers next to a 1/60 YF-19 Takatoys custom.

All my VFs have either Anasazi or Takatoys stickers on it. I rarely use Yamato's.

If you look at my avatar, that was my 1/48 VF-1A Max TV custom by Kurt with Anasazi water decals. Long since sold.

Edited August 5, 2007 by Chowser

[miriya]

ruskiiVFaussie,

Those are some sweet poses! Where did you get those hands for the valks?

Looking at your valks makes me NEED another 1/48 vf-1! You just cost me another $200!!!

Edited August 5, 2007 by miriya

[ruskiiVFaussie]

Ohh no! Don't say that, your girlfriend/wife would hate me if i convinced you to spend 200 bucks other than on herself.

Those hands are the GBP-1S hands. Makes Battroid mode look sweeeeet. Thanks man.

Edited August 5, 2007 by ruskiiVFaussie

[miriya]

Thankfully I am single but I do have to hide all my macross paraphernalia from my baby's momma who, if she found out what I have and how much it cost, would deliver unimaginable suffering upon me for the remainder of this life and likely to continue on to future lives. But if she does find out I can blame at least one 1/48 vf-1 on you, LOL!!!

So does that mean that I have to spend even more money getting GBP because of you!?

Ohh no! Don't say that, your girlfriend/wife would hate me if i convinced you to spend 200 bucks other than on herself.

Those hands are the GBP-1S hands. Makes Battroid mode look sweeeeet. Thanks man.

[Knightdramon]

First of all, the prices are a bit on the absurd side. 1/48 Valks cost 120 USD from Japan, I doubt that shipping would go over 30-40 USD.

That being said, I'll simply agree with everyone here about the 1/48 line. My first one was kakizaki's DYRL valk, which I didn't even like, because it was the cheaper. It's one of my favourite toys at the moment, if not the best. And trust me, every valkyrie is going to look much cooler with the fast pack accessories. My Kakizaki Super valk >>> Max's bare valk.

I highly doubt you're going to get only one once you have a taste, unless you receive a super loose\defective sample.

[Auto Pilot Off]

no regrets.. get the roys 1/48... if possible do get a fast packs for him too... its nice to zoom them around the house....

[rowlund]

I'd suggest a 1/48 valk. The VF-1S Roy in particular. Nothing beats a 1/48 in terms of accuracy of sculpt and playability. A super/strike pack for it would be great too. I got to warn you though, once you cross over and buy that first 1/48, you may not want to stop until you've gotten all of them. Hehe, I started with a VF-1A Hik and told myself too that it would be the last one I was gonna get, before I knew it, I bought a super/strike pack for it, and then another 1/48 valk, and then another..........

[ruskiiVFaussie]

Thankfully I am single but I do have to hide all my macross paraphernalia from my baby's momma who, if she found out what I have and how much it cost, would deliver unimaginable suffering upon me for the remainder of this life and likely to continue on to future lives. But if she does find out I can blame at least one 1/48 vf-1 on you, LOL!!!

So does that mean that I have to spend even more money getting GBP because of you!?

lol, i think it was NightmareB4Macross that was doing recasts for the GBP hands... no need to buy the whole lot!

I got mine coz i wanted it for my 1J... no you don't need a 1J hik! or do yew............................ ?

[Al Bundy]

I'd suggest a 1/48 valk. The VF-1S Roy in particular. Nothing beats a 1/48 in terms of accuracy of sculpt and playability. A super/strike pack for it would be great too. I got to warn you though, once you cross over and buy that first 1/48, you may not want to stop until you've gotten all of them. Hehe, I started with a VF-1A Hik and told myself too that it would be the last one I was gonna get, before I knew it, I bought a super/strike pack for it, and then another 1/48 valk, and then another..........

They`re definitely the Lay`s potato chips of Macross........... Betcha can`t buy just one.

[ShadowerV2]

VF-1S and a Strike pack! Bam!

[Valk-1S]

Just make sure you're getting the reissues when it comes to the roy vf-1s. The first release had crooked skull emblems on the tail fins and the nose cone wasn't as secure, as well as the front landing gear doors being harder to open.

Mine are either 3rd or 4th issue but bear in mind a lot of the reissues other than the 2nd issue still have a slight crooked skull on the tail fin which is not as bad as the 1st issue.

First of all, the prices are a bit on the absurd side. 1/48 Valks cost 120 USD from Japan, I doubt that shipping would go over 30-40 USD.

If you read carefully, prices are in Aussie dollars and not USD. And also the Aussie dollar have been getting stronger against the USD the last few months which is making it harder for me to sell it to overseas. I purchased it when the AUS to USD was at $0.70 and now it's $0.85. In addition, I am selling the CF relatively cheap considering the availability of it now of days in Japan and this was also rumoured to be limited and until Yamato does a reissue it could very well be. I actually am having second thoughts about selling my CFs due to them having one of the better QCs and the limited availability. But I will still sell one to Mad Llama if he is interested in the CF.

[Lonewolf]

Go with Hikaru's VF-1J or Roy's VF-1S.

[Retracting Head Ter Ter]

Ditto the addictive nature of the Yamato valks.

I came on Macross world and drooled at the pics.

The 1/48 was about USD110 locally, I hummed and hawwed and couldn't decide due to the price.

But I gave in one day.

Soon, I had another 11.

[DARKWIND]

Yamato 1/48 VF's = Pokemon

(Sorry I knew it would be said sooner or later. . .)

Edited August 7, 2007 by DARKWIND

[Mad Llama]

Thanks for the help all (amazing to get 20+ replies and not a single flame for what I thought would be a real newbie question).

I'm glad I asked because I was just gonna rush headfirst into the VF-0 but now I'll think again

[eugimon]

I think you'll find that a lot of us really do like our yamato toys and love to talk about them.

keep your eye on the VF-0 replacement arm thread for Graham's post on what the situation is.

The VF-0 has some great updates and refinements to the 1/48 VF-1 design and has superior posability... the only ongoing concern is the shoulders.

[Dante74]

Thanks for the help all (amazing to get 20+ replies and not a single flame for what I thought would be a real newbie question).

We're actually pretty nice guys once you get to know us, but we can do the flaming too, if you're into that kind of thing.

[ruskiiVFaussie]

lol "Flame... ON~!" Arrragghh it burns! It BuRNS!!!!

[Retracting Head Ter Ter]

Thanks for the help all (amazing to get 20+ replies and not a single flame for what I thought would be a real newbie question).

If you want the flame effect, you'll need to say the 'R' word.

And maybe something about how robust Yamato 1/48 valks are or how well proportioned the original 1/48 hands are.

We promise nothing less than napalm.

[kanedaestes]

Robotech, Robotech, Robotech................... (its like saying candyman or bloody mary in a bathroom lol) Come on i have fire extinguishers for all you flamers let's go......... Or how about rick hunter, max sterling, ben dixon. Okay i will stop before i am tarred and feathered and placed on a stake with burning hay all around me.

Edited August 8, 2007 by kanedaestes

[Busted VF1A]

Robotech, Robotech, Robotech...................

Alright, everyone stand back. I'm using thermite on this one...

LOL