Bandai 1/55 VF-1A Hikaru and VF-1A Max, with fast packs

[eriku]

I assume the reason Bandai wants to get more Macross stuff out there right now is to help draw attention to their new Frontier toys.

[Fortress_Maximus]

How many other 9" tall fully variable and armored Valkyrie toys are you finding for less than $85?

Not many and part of that is due to the demand. Macross just is not popular as before and with the 85 pricepoint how many average collectors will pick one up casually? The armored parts are nice but again I am concerned that the pricing will deter potential buyers. The standard valk pricing is simply bad. After all these need to do really well otherwise it is highly unlikely the more desired ones will get released. I for one doubt they will do the full line up.

Edited May 8, 2008 by Fortress_Maximus

[jenius]

I assume the reason Bandai wants to get more Macross stuff out there right now is to help draw attention to their new Frontier toys.

Agreed... but it's not like they didn't see this moment coming. The idea for MacF must have been kicked around for quite some time. It seems they could have prepared something a bit more exciting than more of the same.

[Apollo Leader]

Wow...I'm actually quite shocked that anyone would believe Toynami anymore. Where's the Beta we were promised, or the 1/100 fast packs, or the Cyclone? Perpetual pergatory, that's where. That Beta on display at all the cons is there for one reason only: to sell the Alphas/Legioss that they still have in stock.

After all their empty promises, HG actually has the nuts to claim they will be releasing ALL the rare 1/55 variants, which could only mean the Super-O and Elint, and people actually believe it? And if I don't believe it, if I look at Toynami's track record, and realize that a business exists to make money and HG's talk about "rare variants" is marketing only, I'm a conspiracy theorist nutjob?

People have to realize that they can't believe everything a business tells them.

If you look at history (the 1/55's and the Yamatos), the two-seaters are among the last toys released...IF they are ever released. That means that all the other toys in the series have to sell pretty well first. So, IF that happens, and IF Bandai wants to risk producing the lesser known, less popular two-seaters (casual fans want the ones with guns), then they will look to see IF the moulds can be found or even still exist (moulds are regularly lost or broken) OR IF they want to pay for new moulds. I think those are all big ifs and I'm just too jaded and cynical to believe it will happen.

I could be wrong, but I think my viewpoint is perfectly valid. Instead of calling someone a conspiracy theorist nutjob, you might as well say, "Not believing the official statements of a business or government makes you a bad or undesirable person." That's really what it means.

EDIT: I still love Apollo Leader as a brother in arms and fellow Spartan! (You still playing Halo 3 online?)

Funny you asked about Halo 3... I actually played the game for the first time in 3 months earlier this week. I had quit during this time in part because because I was back into seriously playing Gears of War again and that I really needed to take a break from it since I had started becoming too obsessed with getting my rank up and trying to earn the last achievement I needed to totally beat the game.

Regrading "my fanboy conspiracy nutjob" statement, it wasn't intended as a personal jab at you, but instead was intended to be a general comment towards some of the attitudes that exist here. Whether it be here on Macross World or other enthusiast based message boards (Macross, anime, video games, etc.), we sometimes get too wound up in our hobbies and take things way too personally. We also start anthropomorphicizing these companies into these imaginary friends/protagonists (Big West, Yamato, etc.) or enemies/antagonists (Harmony Gold, Toynami, etc.) when most of us know very little about the actual people who run and work for these businesses, what legal issues they are dealing with, economic restraints and limitations, etc. Sadly I used to go off on a lot of these fanboy tangents myself in part to take out my fustrations with situations I couldn't control and situations I didn't have a complete understanding of.

I feel real sorry for people like George Sohn. The guy is clearly a fan and enthusiast like the rest of us. He's put a lot on the line trying to make a living for himself and his employess based off of something he loves to do. But yet by coming to a place like here or other boards, you would think that George was the anti-Christ. Just a day or two back, someone started a thread which called Toynami "Toynazi" just for the sole purpose of bashing the company. What are people like George or any of his employees suppose to think when they hop onto Macross World? It's one thing to criticize the company because of delays, QC issues, accuracy and appearance of the products, etc., but when we start getting this wound up, personal, and venomistic, that is just taking it too far.

Hopefully this is an adequate explination of where it was I was trying to come from with my original comments.

As for your concerns with some of Toynami's past record when it comes to the timeliness and actually following through on some of their products (though it looks like their Beta is heading towards an actual reality now AND the 1/100th FAST Packs are now very close to release), it has to be remembered here that it's BANDAI doing the heavy work here. Toynami is just being the middle man. We are going to see some real results here since we are talking about a company with the size and resources as Bandai does.

Edited May 8, 2008 by Apollo Leader

[eriku]

As for your concerns with some of Toynami's past record when it comes to the timeliness and actually following through on some of their products (though it looks like their Beta is heading towards an actual reality now AND the 1/100th FAST Packs are now very close to release), it has to be remembered here that it's BANDAI doing the heavy work here. Toynami is just being the middle man. We are going to see some real results here since we are talking about a company with the size and resources as Bandai does.

Yeah, Toynami shoul be quick to release something when all they're doing is importing it. Didn't some of the Megahouse Ride Armors have "Toynami" on the box right out of the gate?

[misterryno]

Yeah, Toynami shoul be quick to release something when all they're doing is importing it. Didn't some of the Megahouse Ride Armors have "Toynami" on the box right out of the gate?

Yeah....I got my Ray from HoHoToys and they said they had to wait for it to ship from overseas and when I got it the box had the Toynami sticker on it. Still does. I should take that off.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

The pricepoint for the chunkies just is not appealing at all to me as a Macross collector and I doubt it will entice the average toy collector either.

.....and the alternative being Yamato valkyries which cost more, and at this point FAST pack versions are a minimum of $100+ at least?

The status of the original molds shouldn't matter. Nowadays it's pretty simple to take an existing 3-D item and copy it, you just need to have the money, and the reassurance that you're going to make several times that amount of money back.

I'm pretty sure that Bandai created all new molds in China for the Valkyrie reissues, and it would have been worth it because they ended up using them seven times (if my count is right), and it was most likely much cheaper and faster to do that rather than digging up the old Takatoku/Bandai/Matsuhiro ones in Japan, shipping them to China, and getting them serviceable again.

(Deja vu?)

Thats true.

It's like seven years ago ALL OVER AGAIN!! Just like in 2001: Yamato announces 1/60s... so Bandai revives the 1/55 line. Are they TRYING to saturate the market!? It's pretty ridiculous. wacko.gif

Years later, which toys will remain in one piece though?=)

More reissues of a 20 year old toy? That's not nearly as exciting.

It is for me, its an option. I don't know how well the new 1/60 will feel in my hands. I stupidly neglected the old Bandai reissues in favor of the old 1/60. That was a big mistake on my part. The 1/55 is something timeless, a toy that has always proven durable, its a piece of history. Hell what Bandai/Toynami is doing isn't any different than other brands. Transformers anyone? Hey at least with this one, the 1/55 can actually move its legs =)

[misterryno]

.....and the alternative being Yamato valkyries which cost more, and at this point FAST pack versions are a minimum of $100+ at least?

Thats true.

Years later, which toys will remain in one piece though?=)

It is for me, its an option. I don't know how well the new 1/60 will feel in my hands. I stupidly neglected the old Bandai reissues in favor of the old 1/60. That was a big mistake on my part. The 1/55 is something timeless, a toy that has always proven durable, its a piece of history. Hell what Bandai/Toynami is doing isn't any different than other brands. Transformers anyone? Hey at least with this one, the 1/55 can actually move its legs =)

I was only going to qoute one part of this....but it is all true. Keepin it real Shin.

[jwinges]

I for one will be buying mine through HLJ. I'd rather have bandai receive all the profits than toynami seeing a dime. Personally I don't trust toynami one bit...it just as likely that they will screw up the box with their rotten sticker.

I wouldn't be surprised if this all falls through and those who preorder through outlets using toynami get shafted. Sorry to say it but this is what I think is going to happen.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

Personally I don't trust toynami one bit...it just as likely that they will screw up the box with their rotten sticker.

I wouldn't be surprised if this all falls through and those who preorder through outlets using toynami get shafted. Sorry to say it but this is what I think is going to happen.

If Bandai's new creative division is actually behind this, you're just making things harder for yourself, and spending more money in the process for the very same toy.

[jwinges]

If Bandai's new creative division is actually behind this, you're just making things harder for yourself, and spending more money in the process for the very same toy.

Actually, with the exchange rate, $5 cheaper price and SAL shipping it cost me an extra $3 to get it from japan and not have that toynami sticker on them.

[Roger]

Actually, with the exchange rate, $5 cheaper price and SAL shipping it cost me an extra $3 to get it from japan and not have that toynami sticker on them.

You're a real hero, you know that?

[AcroRay]

it cost me an extra $3 to get it from japan and not have that toynami sticker on them.

You should do it... I hear the Toynami sticker will yellow the Valk's plastic and may even cause it to burst into flame!

[VALKYRIE-EXCHANGE.COM]

I spoke with George Sohn this afternoon and got a rundown of the how the 1/55 Valkyries are coming to the states. In short, Toynami has partnered with one of the Bandai divisions, Tamashi, earlier this year (February, I recall) and is calling the partnership Toynami/Tamashi

Because of this partnership and coupled with the 'Macross distribution rights outside of Japan' licensed through HG, Toynami is able to bring them stateside without involvement/approvals with Big West. The 1/55 molds are the EXACT same as those used to produce the Bandai Valkyries Reissues years back.

-K

[misterryno]

I spoke with George Sohn this afternoon and got a rundown of the how the 1/55 Valkyries are coming to the states. In short, Toynami has partnered with one of the Bandai divisions, Tamashi, earlier this year (February, I recall) and is calling the partnership Toynami/Tamashi

Because of this partnership and coupled with the 'Macross distribution rights outside of Japan' licensed through HG, Toynami is able to bring them stateside without involvement/approvals with Big West. The 1/55 molds are the EXACT same as those used to produce the Bandai Valkyries Reissues years back.

-K

Yo K Dogg....THANKS for that update! OOOOOooooooooo EXCITED = ME!

[jenius]

Exact same molds huh? That doesn't sound promising for rare/exotic!

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

Because of this partnership and coupled with the 'Macross distribution rights outside of Japan' licensed through HG, Toynami is able to bring them stateside without involvement/approvals with Big West. The 1/55 molds are the EXACT same as those used to produce the Bandai Valkyries Reissues years back.

Kevin, did he say if the VF-1J/S will have a cheaper price, now that the SUPER valkyries are only $5 more?

Exact same molds huh? That doesn't sound promising for rare/exotic!

The molds for the bodies are the same, who is to say that the Strike, Super O, and ELINT armor pieces haven't been accounted for or recasted from the vintage toys?

I have a feeling we will be seeing Angel birds, Max/Kakizaki TV type, and a low viz VF-1A. Has George tried asking Bandai to recast the old HCM?

[sidearmsalpha]

I spoke with George Sohn this afternoon and got a rundown of the how the 1/55 Valkyries are coming to the states. In short, Toynami has partnered with one of the Bandai divisions, Tamashi, earlier this year (February, I recall) and is calling the partnership Toynami/Tamashi

Because of this partnership and coupled with the 'Macross distribution rights outside of Japan' licensed through HG, Toynami is able to bring them stateside without involvement/approvals with Big West. The 1/55 molds are the EXACT same as those used to produce the Bandai Valkyries Reissues years back.

-K

So, is Toynami merely distributing the Japanese versions in the US, or that AND have some deal with Bandai/Tamashi to have variants, hence the rare/exotic ones they alluded to on Robotech.com, made that Bandai may not produce for the Japanese market?

Edited May 10, 2008 by sidearmsalpha

[Vifam7]

Exact same molds huh? That doesn't sound promising for rare/exotic!

Exact same mold... but will it also mean "exact same quality"?

If it's Bandai's product simply being repackaged, we're safe. But if it's the 1/55 mould/design being manufactured at Toynami MPC standard/tolerances.....

Edited May 10, 2008 by Vifam7

[treatment]

hmmm.

That last info from Kevin somehow got me bit worried and a bit suspicious regarding this "deal" with Toynami.

I was already leery and not really sure if I can really trust Toynami with proper and timely distribution of these Bandai-1/55s domestically. That "same molds" bit just added more apprehension to me. I want these domestic 1/55s to be genuine Bandai and not some repackaged Toynami-MPCs or something.

I also just don't wanna be futilely hunting these supposedly domestic 1/55s way way beyond whatever the official release-date will be. Especially the Super-Max and Super-Hikky.

To be safe, I pre-ordered at hlj to be sure I'm getting genuine Bandai and to take advantage of the measly 5% preorder-discount.

I don't mind double-dipping if I see genuine Supers in stores here in the US.

[AcroRay]

I have to admit I'm just astounded at the paranoia here. It simply amazing. Like Bandai doesn't know how to do business with a foreign company like they've been doing for years, and like Takara and Tomy before them.

Ooohhh, Toynami is soooooo evil. Everyone b1tch3s & cries that they can't get genuine Japanese Macross toys from a toy company outside of Japan. Now it'll be rolling right out of Bandai's factories, into Bandai packaging and showing up stateside with nothing but a distro sticker on the box. Finally! After decades. But Toynami touched it! Now its got cooties! Parts will fall off! It'll make my other Valks cry! I'm soooo worried! The molds, the molds! The lies, the lies! Oh, no! Yamato save us!

Gimme a break. This is just ridiculous and embarrassing. The armchair conspiracy theories and fanjaculations are laughable.

Sure, just pay more and have 'em shipped from Japan so you can keep it all out of Toynami's evil hands. Help prove to Bandai that the Tamashi division is a waste of their time and that no one in the west wants to buy their stupid toys. Call the warehouse & tell 'em Tamashi said to stop refurbishing that other tooling, we lost the North American & UK markets.

Gah...

[kaka1]

I have to admit I'm just astounded at the paranoia here. It simply amazing. Like Bandai doesn't know how to do business with a foreign company like they've been doing for years, and like Takara and Tomy before them.

Ooohhh, Toynami is soooooo evil. Everyone b1tch3s & cries that they can't get genuine Japanese Macross toys from a toy company outside of Japan. Now it'll be rolling right out of Bandai's factories, into Bandai packaging and showing up stateside with nothing but a distro sticker on the box. Finally! After decades. But Toynami touched it! Now its got cooties! Parts will fall off! It'll make my other Valks cry! I'm soooo worried! The molds, the molds! The lies, the lies! Oh, no! Yamato save us!

Gimme a break. This is just ridiculous and embarrassing. The armchair conspiracy theories and fanjaculations are laughable.

Sure, just pay more and have 'em shipped from Japan so you can keep it all out of Toynami's evil hands. Help prove to Bandai that the Tamashi division is a waste of their time and that no one in the west wants to buy their stupid toys. Call the warehouse & tell 'em Tamashi said to stop refurbishing that other tooling, we lost the North American & UK markets.

Gah...

IF they actually reissue the elintseeker and the super ostrich iam buying 10 of each

[danth]

The molds for the bodies are the same, who is to say that the Strike, Super O, and ELINT armor pieces haven't been accounted for or recasted from the vintage toys?

Boy are you optimistic. But this raises a question: would Elint or Super-O armor fit on the re-release valks? I know that some forearm armor is incompatible with some 1/55 valks.

I have a feeling we will be seeing Angel birds, Max/Kakizaki TV type, and a low viz VF-1A. Has George tried asking Bandai to recast the old HCM?

As much as I plan on saving my money for the new Yamato 1/60, I would just have to get a 1/55 Angel Bird!

[Roger]

I have to admit I'm just astounded at the paranoia here. It simply amazing.

"Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown."

;p

[misterryno]

I just don't get it. Yes I understand that Toynami has had some bad runs in the past. But...MH let them distribute their Ride Armor and all they did was put that silly little "Toynami" sticker on it. I can bet it will be just the same with the reissue bandais. All you people who are "paranoid" about this just are being silly.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

I know that some forearm armor is incompatible with some 1/55 valks.

It didn't stop them from retooling the FAST pack arm parts. If the ELINT/Super O sets come out, why wouldn't they remold the arm armors?

But...MH let them distribute their Ride Armor and all they did was put that silly little "Toynami" sticker on it. I can bet it will be just the same with the reissue bandais. All you people who are "paranoid" about this just are being silly.

Exactly. I have a feeling if Toynami struck the deal with Yamato instead, people would be rejoicing. People would say "oh man, Toynami is finally doing the right thing, and we can get broken VF-0 arm replacements from Yamato USA in coordination with Toynami rather than paying HLJ! Man I knew they would come to their senses! Isn't it a better place now that Toynami and Yamato are friends rather than competitors? Man I knew Toynami would come through! Cheaper US prices for us as opposed to import prices! Freaking Bandai, they are too lazy to make use of an opportunity like this."

Toynami didn't tool up the Megahouse Ride armors, so I don't know why everyone thinks somehow they will even tinker with the Bandais. For Bandai this is easy money. For Toynami this is easy for them, no r/d on their part. If Yamato were distributing these, rather than Bandai, I bet that alliance would be called the "best of both worlds", David hand in hand with Goliath, the pioneer with the sleeper.

Edited May 10, 2008 by Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0

[TheLoneWolf]

Because of this partnership and coupled with the 'Macross distribution rights outside of Japan' licensed through HG, Toynami is able to bring them stateside without involvement/approvals with Big West. The 1/55 molds are the EXACT same as those used to produce the Bandai Valkyries Reissues years back.

Thanks for update, Kevin. This clears a lot up.

I have to admit I'm just astounded at the paranoia here. It simply amazing.

Agreed. It seems people are letting their personal opinions of Toynami cloud their reasoning. From what Kevin has said, these toys are being assembled by Bandai/Tamashi and shipped to the US for resale by Toynami. It's the exact same thing that happened with Jetfire back in the 1980's. The toy was assembled in Japan and sold in the US by Hasbro.

Boy are you optimistic. But this raises a question: would Elint or Super-O armor fit on the re-release valks?

The Elintseeker arm armor plugs into the slot underneath the forarm, so it fits all 1/55's. The Super Ostrich doesn't have arm armor, so it's a non-issue. Bandai's inclusion of arm armor with it in the 1980's was a mistake.

Edited May 10, 2008 by TheLoneWolf

[EXO]

I don't think that it was that hard for Toynami to strike up a deal with Bandai, since they already had one with one of Bandai's subsidiaries.... Megahouse.

[misterryno]

It didn't stop them from retooling the FAST pack arm parts. If the ELINT/Super O sets come out, why wouldn't they remold the arm armors?

Exactly. I have a feeling if Toynami struck the deal with Yamato instead, people would be rejoicing. People would say "oh man, Toynami is finally doing the right thing, and we can get broken VF-0 arm replacements from Yamato USA in coordination with Toynami rather than paying HLJ! Man I knew they would come to their senses! Isn't it a better place now that Toynami and Yamato are friends rather than competitors? Man I knew Toynami would come through! Cheaper US prices for us as opposed to import prices! Freaking Bandai, they are too lazy to make use of an opportunity like this."

Toynami didn't tool up the Megahouse Ride armors, so I don't know why everyone thinks somehow they will even tinker with the Bandais. For Bandai this is easy money. For Toynami this is easy for them, no r/d on their part. If Yamato were distributing these, rather than Bandai, I bet that alliance would be called the "best of both worlds", David hand in hand with Goliath, the pioneer with the sleeper.

I had a feeling there would be a few who felt the same as I.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

I had a feeling there would be a few who felt the same as I.

ph34r.gif

There maybe a few of us, but at the end of the decade, there will be more Bandais in one piece than Yamatos. Its a classic toy and we aren't paying a huge price for one. This is an opportunity I waited years for, one I never thought would happen, and one I am not going to pass up. I plan on getting the new Yamato 1/60 too, but the chance to own a classic is too much to resist, especially since I know how durable it is. I play with my toys, and my Bandais have survived without having the "worn in" feeling. For a Macross toy, this is rare.

I don't even mind the swing bars bulging at the sides of the cockpit. The common saying is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". I don't mind the sculpt at all, its balanced in all modes proportionally, which Yamato didn't achieve with the VF-1 until the new 1/60. The only thing I would want more from the Bandai would be universal hip movement, swivel thighs, missles, and an attachement point for the gunpod in fighter mode. None of these would get in the way of its fast transformation.

[misterryno]

There maybe a few of us, but at the end of the decade, there will be more Bandais in one piece than Yamatos. Its a classic toy and we aren't paying a huge price for one. This is an opportunity I waited years for, one I never thought would happen, and one I am not going to pass up. I plan on getting the new Yamato 1/60 too, but the chance to own a classic is too much to resist, especially since I know how durable it is. I play with my toys, and my Bandais have survived without having the "worn in" feeling. For a Macross toy, this is rare.

I don't even mind the swing bars bulging at the sides of the cockpit. The common saying is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". I don't mind the sculpt at all, its balanced in all modes proportionally, which Yamato didn't achieve with the VF-1 until the new 1/60. The only thing I would want more from the Bandai would be universal hip movement, swivel thighs, missles, and an attachement point for the gunpod in fighter mode. None of these would get in the way of its fast transformation.

Damn straight brother. I'm totally with you on this. I will be gladly restarting my Chunky collection.

[VFTF1]

I'm passing on the chunky.

I prefer to support Yamato because I prefer perfect transformation high end merchandise and I believe Yamato will ultimately come through with the QC issue.

I don't - by any stretch of the imagination - begrudge people buying the chunky through Toynami or whatever - it's all good.

But I just personally think the chunky is over-priced. It costs almost as much as a new Yamato 1/60.

Well that either means the Yamato 1/60 is amazingly cheap or that the chunky is marked up - perhaps for "collector value?" Again - I don't begrudge this slightly high price - since I buy G1 reissue Transformers for equally "inflated prices" - and I always say that the boxes are sturdy and great, the kind you can stick the figure in so it won't get worn out by the environment and stuff...

And I agree there is a certain positive aspect to the chunkies - their durability... but I am convinved that Yamato will end up finally giving us a high end, durable, perfect transformation Valkyrie.

Takara has done it with Masterpiece - the Prime and the Seekers are perfect. Megatron is a tad on the "touch me delicately or I will break" side - but he is actually quite durable all things considered.

Yamato has been making great progress and I think their effort is comendable.

I'm the type of buyer who WILL pump lots of money into a company that is making a comendable effort - even if they get a few things wrong sometimes; because I want to support the innovation and the attempt at making the perfect product.

Anyways - chunkys retailing at 9000 yen are over-priced IMO. they should be going for max 7000 yen - although 5,400 retail Yen would be more appropriate (aka the price of the newly reissued Binaltech line).

VFTF1

[misterryno]

I prefer to support Yamato because I prefer perfect transformation high end merchandise and I believe Yamato will ultimately come through with the QC issue.

VFTF1

What are you talking about. The Chunkys are PT too.

[VFTF1]

What are you talking about. The Chunkys are PT too. cool.gif

Har har

Actually - on this subject- I was amazed recently by one thing:

Even though the 1/48s are "perfect trransformation"...they do KIND OF cheat...

Namely - turns out it is possible to remove the legs.

This is actually a very sensible thing to do on Yamato's part - since the swing bar is so delicate, and it wouldn't be a good idea - for example - to let it tangle with the legs attached while you're transforming the main body (I just always transform it on a flat surface or on my laps so the swing bar doesn't dangle) -- but you can also cheat - and just remove the legs...

So...does this mean that the 1/48s are actually...just 1/60 original runs in disguise?

And do the 1/60 new versions have removable legs? In the same sense as 1/48 has removable legs?

VFTF1

[misterryno]

And do the 1/60 new versions have removable legs? In the same sense as 1/48 has removable legs?

VFTF1

In that sense yes. As far as I gather the new 1/60 is just a mini 1/48 ya know.