Revoltech Full Transformation Valkyrie

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

Heh, yeah that pic above actually makes me think about picking up a Toynami for a cheap fun transforming VF-1.

Revoltech transforming VF-1 = free advertising for Toynami!

Graham

Honestly man I'd rather pony up and pay $30 more for the upcoming VF HI-METAL. The Toynami looks good and poses well and battroid, but mine have cracked insertion points all over the place(or do they call these poly caps? They are the parts that the peg joints plug into made out of soft plastic). It's great that the toy is mainly made out of ABS and for Toynami, actually priced affordably, but that's the primary thing going for it.

I think the VF HI-METAL version will turn out much better. It already looks much better, and with Bandai, the materials will more than likely be superior to Toynami's.

[fifbeat]

I think the VF HI-METAL version will turn out much better. It already looks much better, and with Bandai, the materials will more than likely be superior to Toynami's.

Where can I see a picture of it?

[Tober]

Where can I see a picture of it?

here

[fifbeat]

here

Thank you. That does look pretty good. =)

[Alpha OTS]

I didn't feel like grabbing the Jolly Roger shield for the Toynami out of the box in the closet, so I left it as is with the normal cockpit. The Jolly Roger shield lets the top part of the chest connect firmly to the cockpit, you can see the small tab for the connection right above the cockpit. Btw, you can't do that with the Revoltech, you *need* the Jolly Roger shield in place or otherwise the front of the chest won't connect as there's a peg sticking out of the top of the shield that's not present on the regular cockpit.

(obviously)Left is Revoltech, right is Toynami 1/100:

I know this last picture sucks, but at least you can make out the proportions. I hate to say it, but the Revoltech's growing on me, and that's mainly because of the color and deco. Battroid looks good, but I still hate handling the thing. It was frustrating trying to get it into a "stand at attention" pose because of the loose hips. I'll give them credit for having the thruster feet connect via revoltech joints. It's a minor range, but it does help with finding a stable pose. As you can see from the pictures, they're two very different figures. The Toynami's more of a "chunky munky". The Revoltech is very slender. I found out today that it has a peg to connect the hips to the cockpit. However, the peg isn't long enough, and I had a bit of trouble getting the connection to stay(go ahead and ask me how many times the wings fell off while I tried to make sure the connection was firm, I dare you!) It doesn't help at all with the loose hips, but it does help the rest of the torso hold more tightly together.

edit: Actually, if you look at the last picture, you can see that weight issue with the hand holding the gun pod that I was talking about earlier.

Edited February 4, 2010 by Alpha OTS

[Ivan]

I didn't feel like grabbing the Jolly Roger shield for the Toynami out of the box in the closet, so I left it as is with the normal cockpit. The Jolly Roger shield lets the top part of the chest connect firmly to the cockpit, you can see the small tab for the connection right above the cockpit. Btw, you can't do that with the Revoltech, you *need* the Jolly Roger shield in place or otherwise the front of the chest won't connect as there's a peg sticking out of the top of the shield that's not present on the regular cockpit.

I know this last picture sucks, but at least you can make out the proportions. I hate to say it, but the Revoltech's growing on me, and that's mainly because of the color and deco. Battroid looks good, but I still hate handling the thing. It was frustrating trying to get it into a "stand at attention" pose because of the loose hips. I'll give them credit for having the thruster feet connect via revoltech joints. It's a minor range, but it does help with finding a stable pose. As you can see from the pictures, they're two very different figures. The Toynami's more of a "chunky munky". The Revoltech is very slender. I found out today that it has a peg to connect the hips to the cockpit. However, the peg isn't long enough, and I had a bit of trouble getting the connection to stay(go ahead and ask me how many times the wings fell off while I tried to make sure the connection was firm, I dare you!) It doesn't help at all with the loose hips, but it does help the rest of the torso hold more tightly together.

edit: Actually, if you look at the last picture, you can see that weight issue with the hand holding the gun pod that I was talking about earlier.

I actually think the Toynami version is not bad at all. I only own the VF-1S Hikaru Strike, but I find it a lot of fun to play with. It's cheap, more durable, and quite easy to pose.

[treatment]

(obviously)Left is Revoltech, right is Toynami 1/100:

Good grief!

Even with the Revy's fugliness, the Toynami's even MORE FUGLY THAN EVER!

At least in Battroid-mode.

[Alpha OTS]

Found this youtube reviewer who pretty much says exactly what I said. He's probably more negative about it than I am though, but he does admit he's anti-revoltech. Anyway, major reason I'm posting this is because it shows all the flaws I was talking about. He gives the flaws a good amount of video time, and you can see in the rear of the gerwalk those mini dual revoltech joints I was talking about and why they're a problem. English is obviously his second language, but he's effective at making his points.

2010 Revoltech Yamaguchi - Macross Valkyrie VF-1S Review Pt 1

2010 Revoltech Yamaguchi - Macross Valkyrie VF-1S Review Pt 2

He also agrees with me that it looks really nice, but playability is pure frustration.

[Faceless One]

Just received my VF-1S and VF-1A.... These things are horrible.

[anotheran]

Found this youtube reviewer who pretty much says exactly what I said. He's probably more negative about it than I am though, but he does admit he's anti-revoltech. Anyway, major reason I'm posting this is because it shows all the flaws I was talking about. He gives the flaws a good amount of video time, and you can see in the rear of the gerwalk those mini dual revoltech joints I was talking about and why they're a problem. English is obviously his second language, but he's effective at making his points.

2010 Revoltech Yamaguchi - Macross Valkyrie VF-1S Review Pt 1

2010 Revoltech Yamaguchi - Macross Valkyrie VF-1S Review Pt 2

He also agrees with me that it looks really nice, but playability is pure frustration.

It looked really floppy in that video. if it wasn't so flimsy and parts came off, he might have been the toy i buy to travel with

[Cent]

The video review suggests using the Revoltechs for display? Uhh lol? I would have thought that was one of Revoltech's weakest characteristics.

Edited February 5, 2010 by Cent

[Graham]

Just saw one on display in fighter mode in the big Animate branch in Mong Kok.

First time to see it in person out of the box. Really, really ugly. Even had a drooping (warped?) nose in fighter mode.

Really completely unacceptable. I've seen better looking dog vomit.

Graham

[EXO]

as bad as he revvie is... and it's bad... it still has better proportions than the toynami... seriously... why the long face, veritech?

[sidearmsalpha]

as bad as he revvie is... and it's bad... it still has better proportions than the toynami... seriously... why the long face, veritech?

Didn't the guy that sculpted the Super Poseable version also sculpt the 1/100? I think he's Japanese. I figured he would have seen enough of the lineart to get it right the second time. Hell, even Yamato got it right the second time with the 1/48. I would have thought that after the Super Poseable version, even Robotech fans would have said, "WTF is this?! Get it right!" Actually, I guess they did do it a little better on the Masterpiece VF-1S, but they screwed up on the head lasers (making them bend inward).

[Alpha OTS]

as bad as he revvie is... and it's bad... it still has better proportions than the toynami... seriously... why the long face, veritech?

The VF-1A and 1J have MUCH better head sculpts, and they don't make their figures proportions look as off as the Fred Gwynne head on the VF-1S does. I like the Toynami 1/100's. They have their obvious faults, but I never had the amount of disappointment with them that I had with the Revvie. I still regret selling my Max with fast pack. He probably had the best paint job out of the line.

The video review suggests using the Revoltechs for display? Uhh lol? I would have thought that was one of Revoltech's weakest characteristics.

In battroid, it is a good display piece. The damn thing is growing on me even more because of the color deco and better battroid proportions than the Toynami. Just don't touch! He gave it a 6/10 for display. Considering battroid's the best mode, and the weakness of the aesthetics of gerwalk and fighter, I'd tend to agree with that assessment. I also fully agree with the 2/10 for playability.

It looked really floppy in that video. if it wasn't so flimsy and parts came off, he might have been the toy i buy to travel with

He's not really exaggerating anything in that video. Mine's legs are just as floppy. That thing he did, shaking the top of the figure back and forth, and the rag doll like legs dangling like they do? Mine does that too. The wings on mine are just like his too; it doesn't take much for them to pop off. The backpack on mine doesn't fall off like his does, BUT, the upper back door behind the head that opens during transformation to let the head come through falls out on mine if I turn it upside down. Once the torso's locked in so those dual mini revoltech joints don't move, the arms joints are pretty good, on mine at least.

One of the redeeming aspects of it as a travel piece is the parts box. It's just the right size, but I don't know where you'd be able to store the wings.

[promethuem5]

Hmmm... seems like the QC might be more to blame than the actual design of the figure. I still like the look of it better than the Toynami, as Exo pointed out, but if it's floppy and doesn't hold together than it's basically worthless. It's weird tho... I've got like a dozen Revoltech figures, and never had a loose joint, I think on any of them, PVC-on-PVC or the Revolver joints.

[EXO]

Didn't the guy that sculpted the Super Poseable version also sculpt the 1/100? I think he's Japanese. I figured he would have seen enough of the lineart to get it right the second time. Hell, even Yamato got it right the second time with the 1/48. I would have thought that after the Super Poseable version, even Robotech fans would have said, "WTF is this?! Get it right!" Actually, I guess they did do it a little better on the Masterpiece VF-1S, but they screwed up on the head lasers (making them bend inward).

It's OK, I told him already so I'm not saying behind his back... I actually prefer his Alpha design to other Legioss toys except for the big feet which we agree on. He's actually better than Toynami could afford him to be. Hence his Battle Pod toy gets turned into a vinyl toy instead.

[Alpha OTS]

Hmmm... seems like the QC might be more to blame than the actual design of the figure. I still like the look of it better than the Toynami, as Exo pointed out, but if it's floppy and doesn't hold together than it's basically worthless. It's weird tho... I've got like a dozen Revoltech figures, and never had a loose joint, I think on any of them, PVC-on-PVC or the Revolver joints.

It'll hold together as long as you don't handle it. So yeah, display piece.

And the regular revoltech joints on this are fine. It's the new smaller ones, some of which are double ended, which are the problem. They're supposed to be tightly held together so the ratchets inside mean something, but more often than not they're not and there's a visible space between them as is the case in the hip joints. It'll be interesting to see if the VF-1J tightens these up.

[pondo]

I gotta say..this whole development has been hilarious!

[Alpha OTS]

I've been fiddling with the stand and fighter mode. One of my complaints was that the stand had difficulty balancing the fighter mode. I've found that if you use the revoltech joint intended for displaying the battroid on the stand that you could achieve pretty much the same poses without the balance issues.

As you can see, the back of the gun pod works as a rest for the joint. The stand on the base is reversed as well. This helps change the center of gravity so it's no longer tip prone.

This level pose isn't quite as level as you can achieve with the standard revoltech joint in the stand, but the difference is that this is balanced perfectly and is in no danger of tipping at all. However....

The back of the gun pod does have a different size fin on the bottom vs the top. I don't think its accurate if you turn it around, but if you do, you can level out the fighter mode. So this gives you a little more play in how you want to display it. The important thing is that in either of these level poses, if I tap the nose of the fighter, it's not going to tip over plus the *entire* bottom surface area of the base is cleanly against the ground. You can't do that with the regular joint.

This last one is pretty nice because you can then put this on your top shelf and have it look like it's swooping down. You're not intending to touch it again anyway, so you may as well have it look good in a spot you don't intend to reach for. You can do this pose with the regular joint, but I wouldn't recommend it because it's in even more danger of tipping over than the level pose with the regular joint.

peaugh has a youtube review up. He says that he used some nail polish on those problem joints. I was thinking you couldn't get them apart without breaking them. I'll have to take a closer look. His is definitely making clicks that mine doesn't.

[nexxstrait]

Revoltech comparison: old and new!

[omg]

Looks OK to me considering what it costs and how small it is. Still wouldn't buy yet another VF-1 model, perhaps they should have implemented this on a Messiah.

[areaseven]

Revoltech comparison: old and new!

Further proof that the old one is better, but I'd rather have the Yamato GN-U Dou version.

[Vifam7]

Further proof that the old one is better, but I'd rather have the Yamato GN-U Dou version.

Speaking of which, it's currently hard to find the GNU Hikaru VF-1J at a decent price. Most of the net shops seem to be out of stock on them.

[nexxstrait]

Further proof that the old one is better, but I'd rather have the Yamato GN-U Dou version.

Being a happy customer of both versions, I don't see the GNU 1J as particularly mind blowing if compared to the new revoltech. While nicely sculpted (legs leave something to be desired, though), mine is a messy flop around the waist and articulations. It doesn't transform and is more expensive than the revoltech. Now, call me crazy but I like them both despite their failings! Comparison pics coming later.

[nexxstrait]

Revoltech old (small) and new (transformable) VS Yamato GNU and Toynamy transformable 1/100 comparison pics (picture quality is awful, I know).

Front

Back

Side

.

Note: even if they are the same size, the revoltechs heads cannot be swapped between the old model and the new one without modification (due to different holes size in the neck)

PS: the new revoltech hip joints are a royal pain in the you-know-what. The good news is that they can easily be fixed by using some very thin sheet of paper to make them tight. Remove the revoltech joint, disassemble it and put the paper inside. Reassemble, take off the excess paper and put the joint back into the leg and hip sockets. Now your Battroid can stand on his own and look pretty. I used some toilet paper to do the trick (Oh, the irony!).

Edited April 26, 2010 by nexxstrait

[Maiden Japan]

We can't have too many Hikaru 1J

[ff95gj]

I am such a weirdo. I like the Toynami scale better.

I don't know what is the new transformable VF-1 revy good for. Good for Bandai, maybe.

[Vifam7]

PS: the new revoltech hip joints are a royal pain in the you-know-what. The good news is that they can easily be fixed by using some very thin sheet of paper to make them tight. Remove the revoltech joint, disassemble it and put the paper inside. Reassemble, take off the excess paper and put the joint back into the leg and hip sockets. Now your Battroid can stand on his own and look pretty. I used some toilet paper to do the trick (Oh, the irony!).

Let me get this straight.

So you disassemble the revoltech joint and put in a piece of paper into the mechanism to give it more friction?

Or are you putting in a piece of paper into the hip hole where the revy joint goes in?

[nexxstrait]

So you disassemble the revoltech joint and put in a piece of paper into the mechanism to give it more friction?

This one

[Funkenstein]

Get a set of scratch-less pliers and just squeeze the sides of the joints together. That will tighten it up for most of the joints.

[UN Spacy]

The kazen henkei Revoltechs are 40% off at HLJ.

IBITSSTILLTOOEXPENSIVESH!TSUX.

VF-1J http://www.hlj.com/product/KYD010179 (177 remaining)

VF-1S http://www.hlj.com/product/KYD010186 (165 remaining)

VF-1A http://www.hlj.com/product/KYD010216 (162 remaining)

[ff95gj]

I thought about it, trying to figure out how cheap it has to be for me to get them (I own an 1S already).

My own answer is under US$3...

[areaseven]

Well, that didn't take long:

Revoltech Transforming VF-1 @ RT.com

[Vostok 7]

Well, that didn't take long:

Revoltech Transforming VF-1 @ RT.com

And that explains the recent rash of C&Ds.

Really, I don't mind if they want to start legitimately importing Macross goods and selling them. Their draconian control over the licensing is getting a little long in the tooth, hopefully they are seeing the error of their ways.