Graham Posted March 7, 2009 Author Posted March 7, 2009 A quick battroid pic, snapped at night. Battroid is definitely the most stable and secure mode IMO and my favorite out of the three modes on the 1/100. However, after 3 days with the 1/100 VF-25F, I've decided I probably wont be buying anymore of the 1/100 VF-25 variants. They are just too fiddly and not enough fun IMO. It's DX all the way for me. While the DX is not perfect, it's certainly a lot more fun and far less troublesome than these pesky parts-formers. Graham
505thAirborne Posted March 7, 2009 Posted March 7, 2009 You still going to get a VF-171 or VF-2SS in 1/100 if there made Graham, or just give it enough time for 1/60's to made in the future?
Graham Posted March 8, 2009 Author Posted March 8, 2009 I'll still get a VF-171, VF-17 and VF-2SS if they are made in he VF100's line, but other releases I'll probably skip. And the reason a VF-4 is not on my 'must buy' list of VF100's is not beacuse Yamato is making it, but rather beacuse I'm not really a fan of the VF-4. Graham
kanedaestes Posted March 8, 2009 Posted March 8, 2009 Don't mean to throw off the thread but when did Yamato say they were making the VF-4??? Or is it just a consideration thing?
Graham Posted March 8, 2009 Author Posted March 8, 2009 Sigh....Yamato are not making a VF-4. Just because I said I wouldn't buy a Bandai VF-100's VF-4, some people took that to imply I was waiting for the Yamato version. The truth is I'm just not a fan of the VF-4 design, or the VF-9 for that matter. They are my least favorite VF designs & I don't care if they never get made as a toys. Please stay on topic.
Black Valkyrie Posted March 8, 2009 Posted March 8, 2009 Thanks for the review Graham, well ... so its just kits for me.
nightmareB4macross Posted March 8, 2009 Posted March 8, 2009 This may give you some insight on the licenses Bandai owns ("Bandai owns"! I sound so fanatic): (Picture borrowed from uwants) Looking at the right top corner of the box. What is imposed by "Macross Another"? Does this mean there is more to come soon or does this mean "any" Macross related mecha as long as it is 1/100 scale?
edwin3060 Posted March 8, 2009 Posted March 8, 2009 Looking at the right top corner of the box. What is imposed by "Macross Another"? Does this mean there is more to come soon or does this mean "any" Macross related mecha as long as it is 1/100 scale? I take it to mean Macross II, which is not canon.
anime52k8 Posted March 8, 2009 Posted March 8, 2009 I take it to mean Macross II, which is not canon. it says macross II. the "another" underneath it probably because it's not part of the official time line and because there isn't a defined year in which MacII takes place other than "around 90 years after SWI"
GGemini Posted March 9, 2009 Posted March 9, 2009 GGemini: That looks like it works, but it wouldn't allow the classic spread leg Gerwalk pose? The base connector that comes with the VF-25 for Gerwalk mode attaches to the back of the legs, thus avoiding the spread leg Gerwalk pose I found the stand that Bandai is promoting for the VF100's and man, is it lame. Good thing is that the Bandai pramo stand also works for fighter: ... using this piece: The only problem is that the legs drop down way more than the model kit
ff95gj Posted March 9, 2009 Posted March 9, 2009 And that stand costs much more than the SMS action base stand? (1375 yen vs 800 yen) I like that stand pretty much, BTW.
cart Posted March 9, 2009 Posted March 9, 2009 And that stand costs much more than the SMS action base stand? (1375 yen vs 800 yen) I like that stand pretty much, BTW. It costs more but includes 3 pieces. http://tamashii.jp/item/item.php?eid=00957&pref=9998
GGemini Posted March 9, 2009 Posted March 9, 2009 And that stand costs much more than the SMS action base stand? (1375 yen vs 800 yen) I like that stand pretty much, BTW. The VF100's VF-25 looks very good on the SMS base! http://www.toysdaily.com/discuz/thread-88669-1-1.html it says macross II. the "another" underneath it probably because it's not part of the official time line and because there isn't a defined year in which MacII takes place other than "around 90 years after SWI" Hmm... there's no "Flashback" section, so if the VF-4 is ever released I guess it'll go under DYRL
edwin3060 Posted March 9, 2009 Posted March 9, 2009 The base connector that comes with the VF-25 for Gerwalk mode attaches to the back of the legs, thus avoiding the spread leg Gerwalk pose I found the stand that Bandai is promoting for the VF100's and man, is it lame. The only problem is that the legs drop down way more than the model kit Further disappointments for the VF100s line.. sigh.
areaseven Posted March 9, 2009 Posted March 9, 2009 I got mine in Hong Kong over the weekend. While drawing panel lines, I noticed that the back panel has a surface that looks like someone dropped some glue and let it dry. Also, the joints are very loose. I've applied clear nail polish on most of the joints, but I'm disappointed that it can't stand well on Gerwalk mode. Thus, I'm keeping it displayed on Battroid mode.
ff95gj Posted March 9, 2009 Posted March 9, 2009 It costs more but includes 3 pieces. http://tamashii.jp/item/item.php?eid=00957&pref=9998 Ah thanks for clearing that up. It looks better in the tamashii too for what it is actually designed for. It looked so bland with a fighter mode VF100 in the pic above.
Alex Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 (edited) Heh. I love the audacity of Bandai to have the tag-line: "THIS is 100% perfect. THIS is VF100s." Printed in large letters on the box. What exactly is their definition of "perfect" Edited March 10, 2009 by Alex
ff95gj Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 Heh. I love the audacity of Bandai to have the tag-line: "THIS is 100% perfect. THIS is VF100s." Printed in large letters on the box. What exactly is their definition of "perfect" Funny when it is not even perfect transformation. I know I shouldn't ask that much for such a small toy, but then it's them who said "perfect" first.
Graham Posted March 10, 2009 Author Posted March 10, 2009 Notes to Bandai if you are listening. I can live with all the fiddly small parts and parts swapping, but if you want me to carry on buying these things for a 5,000+ Yen price, then at least make the following changes: - 1) Sell these things with a simple display stand and adaptors for all 3 modes, not just Battroid and Gerwalk. 2) Rework your Gerwalk stand adaptor so that it allows a spread-leg stance. 3) For fighter mode, engineer in some locking pegs for the wing gloves, to stop them flapping up all the time and also add some locking pegs for the lower legs to stop them sagging. Graham
Alex Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 Good points there Graham. The thing that gets me about this line is why release the 25 at all? Why not go straight to the other valks? If people wnat a representation of the 25 then they have the perfect transorming 1/60 and 1/72.
edwin3060 Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 3) For fighter mode, engineer in some locking pegs for the wing gloves, to stop them flapping up all the time and also add some locking pegs for the lower legs to stop them sagging. Graham The funny thing is that they had the perfect locking mechanism in the DX toy and didn't copy it even though they copied some unnecessary features from the DX
jenius Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 Good points there Graham. The thing that gets me about this line is why release the 25 at all? Why not go straight to the other valks? If people wnat a representation of the 25 then they have the perfect transorming 1/60 and 1/72. The answer to that one is really quite obvious... Macross Frontier just had a good TV run and has a movie coming out and it stars the VF-25. Not everyone likes models and the DX might be too large or expensive for many people. So, the advertising engine is in place and it has a niche.
miriya Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 The answer to that one is really quite obvious... Macross Frontier just had a good TV run and has a movie coming out and it stars the VF-25. Not everyone likes models and the DX might be too large or expensive for many people. So, the advertising engine is in place and it has a niche. Well put. No wonder you are the official reviewer of Macross figures.
Alex Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 (edited) The answer to that one is really quite obvious... Macross Frontier just had a good TV run and has a movie coming out and it stars the VF-25. Not everyone likes models and the DX might be too large or expensive for many people. So, the advertising engine is in place and it has a niche. True. But the kit is exactly the same price and it's hardly that much bigger than the 1/100. Not enough to make a difference to anyone. And the total amount of "build" time for the 1/100 really.....reeeeeeally outweighs the 1/172's. Edited March 10, 2009 by Alex
GGemini Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 Notes to Bandai if you are listening. I can live with all the fiddly small parts and parts swapping, but if you want me to carry on buying these things for a 5,000+ Yen price, then at least make the following changes: - 1) Sell these things with a simple display stand and adaptors for all 3 modes, not just Battroid and Gerwalk. 2) Rework your Gerwalk stand adaptor so that it allows a spread-leg stance. 3) For fighter mode, engineer in some locking pegs for the wing gloves, to stop them flapping up all the time and also add some locking pegs for the lower legs to stop them sagging. Graham I would add: 4) Make the gunpods collapse and include just one (and in a decent plastic tray that doesn't bend them) 5) Try to avoid replacing parts that can be designed to work in any mode (ie. tailfins) 6) Include a box for the remaining parts or at least sell a Macross-themed case for them (like the Haro Multi-box - http://www.hlj.com/product/BAN956193 -)
eriku Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 (edited) True. But the kit is exactly the same price and it's hardly that much bigger than the 1/100. Not enough to make a difference to anyone. And the total amount of "build" time for the 1/100 really.....reeeeeeally outweighs the 1/172's. Again with these comparisons to the model kit. I just don't get it. The 1/100 is not a model kit, nor is it even built like one. The difficulty of swapping the 1/100 isn't anywhere close to the difficulty of assembling the model kit. It's just not. Far, far less parts, no sprues to cut, no details to add. And not everyone can make a model kit look good. If you're good at putting kits together, good for you. Not everyone is. Nor does everyone even like the look and feel of model kits. Edited March 10, 2009 by eriku
Alex Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 (edited) Again with these comparisons to the model kit. I just don't get it. The 1/100 is not a model kit, nor is it even built like one. The difficulty of swapping the 1/100 isn't anywhere close to the difficulty of assembling the model kit. It's just not. Far, far less parts, no sprues to cut, no details to add. And not everyone can make a model kit look good. If you're good at putting kits together, good for you. Not everyone is. Nor does everyone even like the look and feel of model kits. The point is that the time you spend assembling and RE-assembling the vf100 is far greater than the initial assembling of the kit. At the very least you could say that this is a kit except pre-cut and painted. The definition of kit is quite wide but it kinda fits under that banner. I am actually really liking it though. It's fun to pose and very space-friendly. Edited March 10, 2009 by Alex
anime52k8 Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 The point is that the time you spend assembling and RE-assembling the vf100 is far greater than the initial assembling of the kit. At the very least you could say that this is a kit except pre-cut and painted. The definition of kit is quite wide but it kinda fits under that banner. this is not a kit by any stretch of the imagination. it's a toy, with lots of small parts. and even if over the lifetime of the toy you spend more time going through the parts swapping process than you do building the model, it still doesn't even come close to how complex the model is. most people who don't want to build the model arn't really concerned with time so much as effort. the model takes a lot of fiddling with tiny parts and complex subasemblies then you have to paint and decal and do a whole list of other things before the model looks even equal to how the VF-100 comes out of the box. and then when it's done it's more fragile. not that I'm defending the VF100 because I'm not.
edwin3060 Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 While most of the counterpoints are true, the one about fragility is probably not-- the stickers that come with the model kit are no more fragile than the paint on the 1/60 DX toy,and probably the VF100 as well-- and assuming you want to build the model kit as a toy you would use the stickers in the first place anyway. The kit itself is probably more durable than the VF100 toy, due to the parts being bigger and all.
Graham Posted March 10, 2009 Author Posted March 10, 2009 The one real weak spot on the 1/72 model kit IMO, is the tab on the underside of the nose, that locks into the back of the groin piece in battroid mode. I think no matter how careful you are it has a limited lifespan and will break sooner or later if you transform the toy often enough. The 1/100 feels flimsy, but is probably not. Still too early to tell though. I guess these probably won't get transformed a great deal, due to the fiddlyness of the parts-swapping. Agree about the paint on the 1/60 DX being nearly as delicate as decals on the model kit. Graham
edwin3060 Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 Hmm.. my tab hasn't broken off my 1/72 VF-25F, but then again I don't force the tab into the slot too much since the whole mechanism seems tight enough to hold position even without it... As an additional point, if you just get the model kit, build it up, and apply the stickers, you basically get a line-art accurate, 1/72 MF toy-- which you can easily panel-line if you want, just like you can panel line the DX or the VF100. Things like clear coating, decals etc are for if you want to treat it as a model kit and not a toy. Hopefully I will get my VF100 in a few days and can evaluate all three (DX, 1/72, 1/100) together-- but as of now what I can say is, if you are short on funds and have even a few hours of leisure time, I would recommend getting the 1/72 over the other two.
DarkReaper Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 I wonder how long those stickers will stick to the model. Is there maybe some more permanent solution to this?
edwin3060 Posted March 10, 2009 Posted March 10, 2009 I wonder how long those stickers will stick to the model. Is there maybe some more permanent solution to this? Yes-- decals. Those are also more fragile unfortunately. Someone in the model kit forums mentioned using a thin coat of super glue before sticking on the stickers, so that might work as well. However, my Bandai Gundam model kits which were stickered up still have their stickers stuck on, even after 5 years now, so they should be fine. Let's not derail this thread any further.
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