Best Yamato Design Features

[kensei]

I just wanted to open a topic to just state the best design features of all the releases of the current available toys from Yamato. I feel that while they have made great leaps forward, they just seem to omit using the improved technology again in new releases. This is my personal opinion only though.

Best Sliding Heatshield Design - 1/48 VF-1

The original and the best, nuff said.

Best Shoulder Design - 1/48 VF-1

This is so simple and solid. Never had one break on me yet.

Best Elbow Design - 1/60v2 VF-1

In terms of solidarity, the 1/48 tops off this lot, but the new 1/60v2 gives you strength with extra articulation past 90 degrees. Other figures do too, but I think that the 1/60v2 VF-1 is the strongest.

Best Knee Joint - 1/60 YF-19

This is the best knee joint as it does not need hinged kneecaps but yet still provides good articulation. Also, the extendable knee allows it to pull off a wicked GERWALK pose. I wish that they did it on ALL of the releases after the 19.

Best Foot Design - 1/60v2 VF-1

This is pretty awesome and yet accurate to the original show. Top marks here.

Best FAST Pack Design - 1/48 VF-1

The weight of this pack and also the details involved make this a true winner. Maybe a little heavy, and a bit of an average design on missiles, but the FAST Packs rock.

Best Missile Designs - 1/60 VF-0

These are the best missiles I've owned so far. The details are far beyond what I expected when I got my first 1/48 VF-1. And the fact that they are prepainted makes them extra awesome.

Best Wing Designs - 1/60 VF-0

It could apply to the 1/60v2 as well, but really, it was a lesson learnt from the original 1/48 that you really don't want moving wingflaps.

Best Gunpod Design - 1/60 SV-51

It was hard to decide this one, I feel that ALL of the toys in the Yamato series are way undersized. I think this one comes the closest to the best thing, and also allows you to carry a spare magazine on the fighter too. To be fair that's a feature of the craft though, but they could have found a way to do it for the YF-19 too.

Best Landing Gear - 1/60 VF-0

Could apply to the future releases too, but I think that the VF-0 came out with the first solid one design that didn't make me hesitate to display a fighter with the greats deployed. I like the simpleness of the YF-19 one, but the front landing gear spoiled it for me. I loved the single door landing gear bays on the YF-19 though.

Best T bar Connection Point Design - 1/60 VF-0

Just the area where the T-bar in designs such as the VF-1 and 0 connect to the bottom of the nose in battroid mode. I just like the way you don't have to use a special tool to get the little "nubs" back out so that are don't end up with two holes in fighter or GERWALK mode again. I wish that they did this with the 1/60v2 again.

[arrow]

I like the general aesthetics for yamato toys.

[Graham]

I far prefer the 1/60 V2 FAST Packs to the 1/48 FAST Packs. The V2 1/60 FAST Packs are just so secure in all three modes that you never have to worry about them coming loose and tearing off the back hinge. Plus, you can actually roll and loop your 1/60 V2 with FAST Packs without fear.

Also, the 1/60 V2 FAST Packs don't really give up anything on detail, appart from the micro-missiles being non-removable (which I actually prefer), as they don't fall out whenever you take off the covers, like on the 1/48.

Graham

[VFTF1]

Yeah, what Graham said about the fastpack.

Howver- I did not know about those extendable knees on the 19... I can't believe there's still features I have no clue about even though I've had the thing for three years now...

Pete

[Mowe]

We might see some stiff competition from VF-11B when it is in production.

Best Sliding Heatshield Design - 1/48 VF-1

The original and the best, nuff said.

[regult]

I am not so sure the landing gear design on the VF-0 is the absolute best, from a technical perspective, my main landing gear are floppy and it is hard to deploy the nose gear. They do look fantastic of course, but could have used some better engineering.

[edwin3060]

I am not so sure the landing gear design on the VF-0 is the absolute best, from a technical perspective, my main landing gear are floppy and it is hard to deploy the nose gear. They do look fantastic of course, but could have used some better engineering.

Could you have had a damaged copy? Both my 1st version VF-0A and my re-issue VF-0S have good landing gear.

[regult]

Could you have had a damaged copy? Both my 1st version VF-0A and my re-issue VF-0S have good landing gear.

Supposedly I have the latest (V3.0?) standalone VF-0S with the extra padding behind the tailfins, feet locking, rubber inside shoulder ball-joint and non-exploding arms...but it does seem to be a bit suspicious: it came with yellowed taping (as if it was packed a lot earlier than late 2008) and the following issues:

1) heatshield to fuselage gap: the cockpit is not so as tight as I'd like it to be (or as the V2.0 1/60 VF-1S)

2) leg to backpack peg is neither as tight as I thought it would be

3) feet do have a locking mechanism, but barely...sometimes the weight of the battroid still makes the feet retract into the leg.

Of course there is the landing gear, which is nice looking with its outward splaying mechanism, but when you try to roll the thing, they do wobble a bit although they do stay deployed. I never handled a V1.0 VF-0S in all its floppy mess, but this supposedly new version isn't comparable to the V2.0 VF-1S...maybe I was expecting too much from the reissue or some unscrupulous seller repacked a lemon?!?

EDIT: clarity and grammar

Edited February 17, 2009 by regult

[kensei]

That's alright if you disagree with me. Just looking for discussion, not to stir things up.

VFTF1, the extension of the knees on the YF-19 you can get a sharper angle in GERWALK. I just love the low set GERWALK, makes it look meaner.

Yeah and about the landing gear on the VF-0, it's not the best ever, but having fiddled around with this and other VFs, I just find it has good detail as well as strengthand ease of use. The Ghost, SV-51, and 1/48 were a pain in the arse to use.

[EXO]

The one thing I don't like about the double jointed elbow is that they tend to fold at the bicep primarily instead of the elbows. Otherwise I think they are a great addition. Would rather have them than not.

[logos]

I think best foot design has to go to the destroids. The range of movement and pose-ability there just rocks.

Otherwise my favorite Yamato feature is the lack of need for swappable parts. With Yamato 1/60 and 1/48 Valks swappable parts are an extra feature (anime hands) not a requirement for the transformations.

Also I have yet to see a Yamato toy do the Gerwalk mode wrong unlike some Bandai releases.

Edited February 17, 2009 by logos

[isa_o]

I just wanted to open a topic to just state the best design features of all the releases of the current available toys from Yamato. I feel that while they have made great leaps forward, they just seem to omit using the improved technology again in new releases. This is my personal opinion only though.

Best Sliding Heatshield Design - 1/48 VF-1

The original and the best, nuff said.

Best Shoulder Design - 1/48 VF-1

This is so simple and solid. Never had one break on me yet.

Best Elbow Design - 1/60v2 VF-1

In terms of solidarity, the 1/48 tops off this lot, but the new 1/60v2 gives you strength with extra articulation past 90 degrees. Other figures do too, but I think that the 1/60v2 VF-1 is the strongest.

agreed 1/48 were the first to have the awesome heatshield designs.

and yes you can barrel roll the 1/48 with fast packs not the way the 1/60's work but you just have to hold on to more of the toy for the 1/48

[Mog]

Best Knee Joint - 1/60 YF-19

This is the best knee joint as it does not need hinged kneecaps but yet still provides good articulation. Also, the extendable knee allows it to pull off a wicked GERWALK pose. I wish that they did it on ALL of the releases after the 19.

Personally, I'm a fan of the 1/48's knee joint. Being able to adjust the look of the kneecap in battroid and gerwalk (either close to the thigh or flared out away from the leg) is a feature and added articulation point I like too damn much.

Best Landing Gear - 1/60 VF-0

Could apply to the future releases too, but I think that the VF-0 came out with the first solid one design that didn't make me hesitate to display a fighter with the greats deployed. I like the simpleness of the YF-19 one, but the front landing gear spoiled it for me. I loved the single door landing gear bays on the YF-19 though.

I'd have to go with the YF-21's because of what they did for the look of the fighter mode: by having those back landing gears twist, it allowed the YF-21 to have a much sleeker side profile. Without those little twists, we don't get the -21's signature sexy sleekness. That's what makes these particular landing gear "the best."

If we're talking about ease of use and "solidness" though, I think the 1/48's landing gear are top-notch.

Edited February 18, 2009 by Mog

[nightmareB4macross]

1/60 VF-0 - Fuselage

The way it was created to slide back up into the chest of battroid is sheer genius. This is one feature that totally failed the v.2 1/60 VF-1.

1/60 YF-21 - Hands

Really nice and full when compared to the chicken hands of the other transforming mecha.

[indigofx28]

I personally like the 1/48's, they are the best in fighter mode; while across the board their size is what draws me more to the 1/48's.

However, I do like the 1/60 v2. for the sheer ability to just move them around from the home to the office and back.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

BEST FEET

v2 1/60 VF-1. Stable, sturdy, hold position very well, and very secure due to tight ratchet connection points. No worries of looseness whatsoever.

BEST Shoulder Hinge

1/48 VF-1. Doesn't break. Never heard of it breaking. Ever.

BEST Canopy

v2 1/60 VF-1. Freaking beautiful finish.

BEST Fighter mode

1/60 YF-21. Just LOOK at it.

[regult]

[1/60 YF-21. Just LOOK at it.

Agreed, but the whole reason why I still didn't pull the trigger on Omega 1 is the looks of the other 2 modes...too much anime-magic maybe, the design team at Yamato probably did their best.

[EXO]

best yamato feature:

the 1/48 box.

NOT!

Yeah, I used the NOT joke...

[SchizophrenicMC]

Best Gunpod:

1/48 (VF-1S 25th Anniversary in particular)

The 1/48 gunpod never seemed to small to me. It took me a month to figure out that the handle folded out of the pod. (and this one beats all of them; It's in BLACK, instead of that bluish grey... Friggin' Bley...)

Best heatshield:

VF-11B

Best scale:

1/48

Because wider is better. (Who remembers Pontiac?)

Best wings:

VF-0

Best gimmicks:

1/48 VF-1S

(It has the whole neck thing that the 1A and J didn't.)

I'm kinda unable to remember the rest of my categories right now... Kinda woozy...

[edwin3060]

Best heatshield:

VF-11B

We'll have to get our hands on the 1/60 before we can say that... although it looks promising in which case I would also add:

Best Ejection mechanism:

VF-11B