You know what I would pay good money for?

[Vostok 7]

I would love to see accurate Fighter-mode model/toys.

Now, listen up before the "IT MUST TRANSFORM!!!" lynch mob comes or someone says I'm raping their childhood...

I love the fighter modes. Yeah, GERWALK and Battroid are cool and all, and there's something awesome about giant transforming fighter jets, but who doesn't love Kawamori-san's beautiful fighter designs? Where's the justice for them? Every now and then someone has toyed around with it like Doyusha and Yamato with the new 1/200 line, but there has yet to be an accurate fighter-mode only toy. And I for one would LOVE it if Yamato did it. Model kits don't count (as beautiful as Hasegawa's fighter-mode kits are).

Think about it, make them in a nice scale, pack them with features and gimmicks like removable plates to show detail, make them 100% accurate to the line art, pack accessories like maybe some ground crew or something. I know for a fact that Yamato could do all that for around the same price point (or even less) than the transformable alternatives.

I would fly to Japan and kiss every single person at Yamato if they were to do that.

Vostok 7

Edited March 13, 2008 by Vostok 7

[vermillion01]

I'd pay good money for a Bandai PG (yes i know its gundam!....) styled Valk.. any valk would do! just a really large, transforming, hyper detailed, removable covers (to see mechanisms) model/toy.

Why was something like this attempted for the 25th anniversary?

think about it.. a 1/32 PG VF-1!!!! how hands up who wouldn't buy one... (cue tumbleweed rolling past)

Edited March 12, 2008 by vermillion01

[jenius]

This makes more sense to me than the GNU line but still, that'd mean Yamato vs. the model industry and inevitably people would just talk about how much better detailed the Hasegawas were.

[Vostok 7]

I'd pay good money for a Bandai PG (yes i know its gundam!....) styled Valk.. any valk would do! just a really large, transforming, hyper detailed, removable covers (to see mechanisms) model/toy.

Why was something like this attempted for the 25th anniversary?

think about it.. a 1/32 PG VF-1!!!! how hands up who wouldn't buy one... (cue tumbleweed rolling past)

Yeah a PG-grade kit would be pretty sweet. Little chance of it ever happening, though.

Vostok 7

[Vostok 7]

This makes more sense to me than the GNU line but still, that'd mean Yamato vs. the model industry and inevitably people would just talk about how much better detailed the Hasegawas were.

That hasn't stopped Yamato one-upping the resin kits with their new 1/60 Mac+ Valks. Just for a guy like me, I spend $100+ on a Yamato valk to transform it maybe 3 times and otherwise just leave it in Fighter-mode (since usually all the other modes suffer from floppy joints or something else wrong ). I just think it would be a good way for Yamato to market something that has less chance for trouble (joints, breaking tabs, parts that don't fit right together, etc. etc.) and give us collectors something (maybe) less expensive that looks cool and would have really neat features. They could make them in scales to work best with the existing fully transformables (1/60 and 1/48). Look at all the companies who make these sorts of things for real world fighters (Corgi, Dragon, Doyusha, etc.), it's pretty successful for them! They wouldn't even need much die-cast, just make them from sturdy plastic like they're already doing with the transformables.

Come on Yamato, let's do it! It makes way more sense than an iffy non-transformable "action figures" when the Revoltech's are already doing a knock up job of that!

Vostok 7

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

I wouldn't buy fighter mode only toys. Sorry. One of the reasons I got into collecting all these expensive toys is the working transformation of the mecha even though I am the type to only transform the thing once or twice and leave it alone for ages. My Konig monster is gathering so much dust from not touching it for ages. But I like that they transform.

I mean, with the beauty of the upcoming 1/60 yf-21 why would you buy the non-tf fighter mode only toy? These were designed to look good in fighter mode weren't they? So long as yamato can make the toys beautiful in fighter mode (vf-0 for example) then I think it would be a risk. It's like what happened wit hthe swapping parts idea for the 1/100 VF-0 that yamato was going to bring out. People would rather transformation.

Although I do like the idea of huge amounts of inner detail but I don't think too many people can afford it. Remember they are going from 1/48 scale back to 1/60 scale. Maybe they should first concentrate on 1/60, then go back to revisit 1/48 for only the most popular toys. (or just ones we've been dying to see? VF-4 would be nice)

I think they made a good move by doing the 1/200 scale micromachine minitures of all three modes. I wouldn't mind seeing stuff like the breast fighters or zentradi fighter pods. These things wouldn't look too bad at small scale.

I think instead of making fighter mode only toys, yamato should continue to make non-transforming toys of non-transforming mecha like the tomahawk they are doing. Because they don't transform, they can concentrate on things like putting details (seperate micromissiles? tamp printed markings?) and gimmicks. (removable covers, parts that detach)

Edited March 13, 2008 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[Vostok 7]

I think the 1/200 scale toys are a good start.

If 1/60 or 1/48 would be too expensive, what about 1/72 or 1/100? That's big enough to still have internal detail without breaking the bank. Look at Dragon's models, they're all die-cast with tons of detail and only cost around $40. Like this F-15D: http://www.hlj.com/product/DRA50043 I have one like that and it is fantastically detailed. At the same scale using plastic instead of die-cast I'm sure you could have all the internal detail for around the same price or not much more.

This would also give them a chance to get more obscure designs to the market sooner, like they're doing with the 1/200s. Since the engineering would take a heck of a lot less time they could get more designs done faster than they otherwise would with the fully transformables.

Vostok 7

Edited March 13, 2008 by Vostok 7

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

Maybe, but will they come with fast packs and stuff? I just think the only reason that yamato release the non-transforming battroid toys and 1/200 is because it's cheaper and not so risky. (smaller toys like 1/100 1/200 allow them to reach a broader base of people not just the collectors spending huge amounts of money. It offers an alternative to those who only display their valks and don't play around with it)

Edited March 13, 2008 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[Vostok 7]

Maybe, but will they come with fast packs and stuff?

I would assume so. It'd be dumb to not

I just think the only reason that yamato release the non-transforming battroid toys and 1/200 is because it's cheaper and not so risky. (smaller toys like 1/100 1/200 allow them to reach a broader base of people not just the collectors spending huge amounts of money. It offers an alternative to those who only display their valks and don't play around with it)

That's exactly my point. Make cheaper versions of the fighters so they're more accessible, but still have all the cool gimmicks and stuff you'd expect from the more expensive transforming toys.

Vostok 7

[Arthurius]

If they made a PG valk, then it would cost >300$, and i wouldnt be able to afford it. However, if they made Master Grade Enemy Mecha, SDF-1, Valks, or Destroids, with the exoskeleton system, and even if it wasnt transforming, but was 50$ - 70$, it would definetly be on my list. Same for the Alpha/Beta thread. I would have so much fun with that, making some exoskeletons gold, others chrome, others black, and make nice customisation (low vis, or 25th aniversary, or orange, etc..).

[Vifam7]

Vostok 7, you have my support. Fighter mode is my favorite mode for ALL the variable fighters ever designed.

I too think the 1/200 variable fighters collection that Yamato will be releasing soon is a good start. I hope that the quality is better than the 1/144 F-toys Chara-works VF-1s. I like the 1/144 collectables but there's so much room for improvement.

I'd love to get accurate non-transforming fighter-mode only collectables in a scale larger than 1/200. 1/200 is a bit too small. Maybe something in 1/100 scale?

Or heck, how about 1/72 scale non-transforming diecasts? Priced somewhere like the fighter plane diecasts we see from companies like Dragon, Century Wings, Hobby Master, and the like. Around say $40-50?

Edited March 13, 2008 by Vifam7

[Graham]

I've been trying to persuade Yamato to do GN-U fighter modes, but no luck so far.

I'd buy them.

Graham

[David Hingtgen]

I'd buy a diecast *1/72* VF-1, YF-19, VF-11MAXL Kai, etc. Or a PG-style kit of almost any of them. (must transform)

[eugimon]

I still want a wood 1/48... made out of say aspen or basswood with cherry inlays for the stripes and other details.

[Sumdumgai]

I'm sold on a VF-4, VF-11, VF-14, and VF-22. But they'd have to be well done and very affordable.

[Vostok 7]

I'm sold on a VF-4, VF-11, VF-14, and VF-22. But they'd have to be well done and very affordable.

Yeah, a VF-11 is a big one for me.

The advantage of doing this is not only that they could make obscure valks faster as I mentioned previously, but they could release more color schemes per version as well instead of just a few.

Plus they would be easier to customize.

Vostok 7

[wolfx]

I'd buy small, cheap and detailed die-cast models of nontransformable valkyries like the doyushas. But dang the doyushas are too friccking expensive. I'd pay for less than half the price. If Hotwheels were 9.99 each, i can't see why can't valkyries be about the same price range too.

[ruskiiVFaussie]

die-cast. Don't want hulking size plastic fighter mode. Diecast only.

Edited March 13, 2008 by ruskiiVFaussie

[Vifam7]

I'd buy small, cheap and detailed die-cast models of nontransformable valkyries like the doyushas. But dang the doyushas are too friccking expensive. I'd pay for less than half the price. If Hotwheels were 9.99 each, i can't see why can't valkyries be about the same price range too.

You simply can not compare diecasts of VFs to Hot Wheels. There's a huge difference in detail, production scale, and buying demographic.

I suppose you can price at $9.99 but then I wouldn't be surprised if detail and quality went waaaaay down.

[mechaninac]

I'd be interested in 1/60 scale fighter toys manufactured by Yamato, but only for subject matter that is not meant to transform. Prime examples would be the F-14A Kai flown by Shin in M0, the Anti-UN Mig-29, the Dragon II and Karyovin from SDFM, the Cat's Eye recon from SDFM, the Ghost X-9 from M+, etc.

Edited March 13, 2008 by mechaninac

[Vostok 7]

I'd be interested in 1/60 scale fighter toys manufactured by Yamato, but only for subject matter that is not meant to transform. Prime examples would be the F-14A Kai flown by Shin in M0, the Anti-UN Mig-29, the Dragon II and Karyovin from SDFM, the Cat's Eye recon from SDFM, the Ghost X-9 from M+, etc.

Actually, you know what? I love this idea. I would kill for a Siokorvsky Comanchero.

Vostok 7

[Knight26]

I agree I love the fighter modes most of all, and really the only moving parts for a fighter mode only valk toy would be the undercarriage, canopy, control surfaces, and maybe parts for attaching fast packs, like the VF-1 tail folding and legs kneeling. Then like has been suggested openning access panels on a few key areas would be nice. I know I would love to buy those up since my valks stay in fighter mode most of the time, since unlike some on here, I can't afford three of every one that comes out to show them in all modes.

[Beware of Blast]

You simply can not compare diecasts of VFs to Hot Wheels. There's a huge difference in detail, production scale, and buying demographic.

I suppose you can price at $9.99 but then I wouldn't be surprised if detail and quality went waaaaay down.

Nope, it's the licensing fees. Big West are nothing but a buncha greedy c0cksuckers. As for paying good money for Macross stuff, are we not doing that countless of times already?

[Retracting Head Ter Ter]

I would but fighter mode toys too. Out of my 7 1/48s, only the 1st Hikaru has been transformed. All else never made it to Gerwalk.

[mechaninac]

Retracting Head, Every time I see your avatar I want to smack my screen...

The only reason I have most of my 1/48s in Battroid mode is because they take up less shelf space that way, but they do look best in fighter mode, don't they?

Edit: Woo Hoo! Thousandth post!

Edited March 17, 2008 by mechaninac

[miriya]

Yamato Please make:

1/60 Regults

1/60 Perfect Transformation VF-4

1/60 Perfect Transformation VF-0D

1/3000 Transforming SDF-1 (TV color, then of course DYRL colors and finally battle damaged weathered Macross Plus version)...

[amptor]

I'd pay for a yamato that doesn't yellow Too late for that I guess, waiting for Bandai to release more reissues

[Scream Man]

i have to admit Id love a 1/60 F-14 tomcat made up like Shins. Just to round out the Zero line...