Bandai 1/55 Super VF-1A Max review

[Salamander]

(Well, since some people apparently managed to get the Chunky reissue thread locked by going off-topic , I'll be posting this in its own topic... )

Since no one has yet posted a review here's one:

Box:

Some people have complained about the box being ugly, but I do quite like it. Of course, it's not a Takatoku or original 1980s Bandai box, but it looks quite fancy with all the black and makes me think of a SoC box. One thing I noticed is that it appears to be thinner and somewhat more compact than those of the last batch of reissues...

Inside is a nice sturdy tray, better than of the reissues from a few years ago:

The bag with the instructions and sticker sheet is taped to the cardboard tray and contains this:

The stickersheet is entirely pre-cut and made from very thin material. There's three numbered stickers that aren't shown in the instructions but that are meant to go on the landing gear doors. The instruction sheet is a bit small and short. The other paper is what looks like a feedback form, with questions on Valks-people-would-like I presume.

A look at the top tray with the Valk and the Super parts:

Super parts are green. The Valk, the missiles, and the heatshield are protected with plastic sheet and plastic baggies.

Super parts and accessories out of the box:

(Some parts have been turned upside down to show the innards)

The Valk itself in Fighter mode:

The landing gear is spring-loaded and works well as usual. I think the springs have been tweaked a bit to be somewhat less strong.

Tail with skulls and fine tampo-print on leg:

Nose with tampo-printed pilot name:

I think these new reissues have some more detail painted on than the last batch of reissues. Also note that Max's VF-1A is light gray and not white. Of course, the gunpod still can't be attached in this mode.

Fighter with Super armor:

The armor fits on quite tightly, except for the leg armor, which tends to fall off at times. One thing I don't like is that the Super-pack equipped fighter mode tends to sag in the middle because the legs don't support the wings/arms anymore like without the Super-pack.

Gerwalk, normal:

Check out the tampo-printed detail on the hands. Nice. Except that this mode still suffers from the usual chunky monkey problems: the poses that are possible are minimal without compromising stability and it looks weird with the legs like that.

Gerwalk with Super parts:

See above for comments.

Now here we get to the best mode of the Chunky: the Battroid:

Doesn't Max look handsome?

Of course, articulation in this mode is excellent for such an old design. Jointed neck, shoulders, upper arms, elbows, hipes, knees, and ankles. The gunpod attaches to the arm with the gunclip, or fits snugly into the right hand. The heatshield is easily swappable with the canopy.

With Super parts we get this:

No stand was used for this picture. Nor for the next one, by the way.

Chunky Monkey Action!

I haven't been able to find any painting errors, nor anything that felt like it might break at any time. Plastic quality seems to be excellent, as well as the molding and fit. Gimmicks work as expected. Bandai managed to add more detail with nice tampo-prints. The sticker sheet was improved, and the packaging is quite nice.

Some things could be done better, like the instructions

9.5/10

[miriya]

Thanks for the review.

Very cool.

I just can not get past the green fast packs.

I almost bought this a few weeks ago and did not do so because of the green parts.

If it was grey or gray or blueish gray or even blue I would have gotten it but green?!?!?!

I actually do like the box art a bit too. Not the best but good.

[Hikaru Ichijo]

Thanks for the review.

Very cool.

I just can not get past the green fast packs.

I almost bought this a few weeks ago and did not do so because of the green parts.

If it was grey or gray or blueish gray or even blue I would have gotten it but green?!?!?!

I actually do like the box art a bit too. Not the best but good.

What Miriya said. THANKS for the review!

The difference is though. I DIG the color of the Booby Ducks BIG TIME! They look good!

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

The green is accurate to DYRL though. Blue/grey was TV accurate. Nice review man, I enjoyed it! Man I want this toy. I plan on getting it later this year. I love how its straight to the point, guaranteed goodness. I also love how the skulls were printed on the FAST packs!

[treatment]

Tail with skulls and fine tampo-print on leg:

oh noes! crooked crossbones!

nice writeup, mang.

obtw, anybody seen it locally (US), yet? read a post from kevin (VE) somewhere that the US-release has been delayed or something by Toynami for some reason.

Edited September 23, 2008 by treatment

[sidearmsalpha]

Looks like these reissues are still plagued by the slight problem with the hatch and back part not mating properly with the chest piece in fighter mode. The hatch sits a little high and there's somewhat of a gap there as seen in the 1st and 3rd fighter mode pics.

[Sturmvogel]

Thanks for the review, it looks great! I can't wait to get mine. I hope the delay from Toynami is a short one.

[Salamander]

One more picture: Takatoku VF-1J with reissue Super parts attached:

There's a gap between the lower arm and the arm armor near the hands, but the arm armor simply clips on. Not true fit problems.

Now I don't have a vintage Bandai Valk handy, so I don't know whether it fits on those...

[AcroRay]

Yay! Thanks for the review! Everything I expected.... can't wait to get one.

[Ginrai]

Looks like these reissues are still plagued by the slight problem with the hatch and back part not mating properly with the chest piece in fighter mode. The hatch sits a little high and there's somewhat of a gap there as seen in the 1st and 3rd fighter mode pics.

Just like the 2001...

[VFTF1]

Sweet! Lots of nostalgic chunky goodness here!

The economy must improve so I can get thse guys as well!

Pete

[Vi-RS]

They change the eyepiece painting, the old bandai has Hikaru 1A eyepiece painted all green. Now they have black trim around it which is more anime correct.

[jedimech]

Thanks for the great review.

Too bad there is no pilot figure for bandai version....

[Fortress_Maximus]

Cool review! Thanks for sharing! Now if only they'd release 1/55 Elint, Ostrich, Max and Millia!

[Guest sh002]

anyone in the US manage to get this?

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

anyone in the US manage to get this?

Delayed till next year, hopefully not too much longer, valk exchange has the best price on the web for it! After all these years I still love the 1/55.

[katsuden]

Thank you for the review! Bought two of these cos it is the first time 1/55 DYRL Max is introduced. I will soon open one to play and blog about it.