Official Bandai DX Chogokin VB-6 König Monster Thread

[ntsan]

Looks like they make the cannon shorter so the body won't look hideous in shuttle mode, I mean what with the extra long butt on Yamato's?

[Twoducks]

I'm beginning to wonder if I'm looking at the same pictures as some of the people in this thread.

I mean, ignoring the nose cone gap for a second (it may not even be a problem until the final toy, I'm willing to reserve judgment until we get to that stage), I can't see any way how the Bandai monster is in any way NOT better than THIS

I'm in agreement with Jenius, Bandai's sculpt does a fine job of capturing the Frontier Koenig monster, it's probebly as close as anyone is going to get to recreating the K-monster in the form of a 3D toy.

I get the impression that people are forgetting just how Ugly the VB-6 is, and not taking into account that the hand drawn line-art can't physically be recreated in 3D

+1

[Cent]

But but but... the cannons are shorter They look smaller in diameter too. I guess they were sacrifices to be more for better proportions. Although this just makes me want to have a gerwalk-only VB-6 again.

[eriku]

You can thank Frontier for the shorter cannons, they're drawn that way in the show.

[Lonely Soldier Boy]

In my case the let down comes from the fact that, as far as we can see, Bandai has done very little to improve the Yamato toy. Looks like all the efforts were invested in copy Yamato's half assed engineering as close as possible. OTOH if the nose cone manages to stay in place and the wingroot gaps are gone in the final version, I'll happily buy at least one. I'm not mentioning the arms floppyness here because I honestly don't expect Bandai to even bother addressing that problem.

[UN Spacy]

Edited March 26, 2010 by UN Spacy

[anime52k8]

But but but... the cannons are shorter They look smaller in diameter too. I guess they were sacrifices to be more for better proportions. Although this just makes me want to have a gerwalk-only VB-6 again.

they have to be short, if they were as big as the drawings they would never fit inside the shuttle mode.

[Lonely Soldier Boy]

Actually, I think shuttle mode looks tad shorter than the lineart. They could have "stretched" it out a bit along with the legs and still make it look good. Not a deal breaker for me, really

[ruskiiVFaussie]

Those new pics make me wanna scream, Awesome! MUST HAVE!

[M'Kyuun]

Bandai's attempt already wins for a sleeker design, which is closer not only to the Frontier look, but also the original lineart. I never realised just how bulky the Yamato Monster looked in shuttle mode until I saw these pics. Big difference.

Nitpicks:

- The body, to me, looks a bit too fat, and so diminishes the slightly lankier look of the lineart.

- Also, in keeping with DX tradition, the hip joint looks like it's mounted lower on the leg than it should be, so that the top of the leg will hinder any chance of getting an "A" stance out of the battroid. I like the Monster's battroid mode best out of the 3, and I hope there is a lot of ratcheting goodness in Bandai's version.

Pros:

- Sleeker shuttle mode

- Tampo FTW

I hope they find a way to give the legs more functionality and poseability. Aside from the over-extending kneecaps, the rest of the leg doesn't seem that complex. The new movie Prime toy is overall more complex than this, and it manages an excellent transformation, aesthetics, and poseability, not to mention it has to look like a real vehicle. I would expect the same from Bandai, who have the expertise and resources, to solve the problems so inherent on Yamato's toy.

Hope Bandai takes their time, examines the failures of the Yamato version, and designs a superior toy.

Edited April 15, 2010 by M'Kyuun

[Vepariga]

wow,ive always wanted a good VB-6, this looks like the one to get. looks mad!

[Radd]

I enjoy my Yamato VB-6, warts and all, but I love what I'm seeing so far from the Bandai version. I was disappointed with the DX VF-25, but I absolutely love the Quarter, what I've seen of the VF-27 looks good, and this looks great! I hope it doesn't disappoint when it's released.

[M'Kyuun]

Broke out my Yammie VB-6 yesterday for the first time in over a year. Bandai's is looking much better. The head placement on the Yamato version sits too far behind the shoulders, it barely locks together in battroid, the battroid is "scrunched", the legs have nearly no articulation at the hips and their attachment is contrary to the lineart (the joints should attach directly to the flaps that fold down on either side of the nose in battroid). And, of course, the arms are pretty floppy, and the legs nearly the same when not locked together. Gerwalk sags a fair bit.

Despite these and sundry other flaws, I still like it, though. I guess it has 1/55 appeal..it's not very accurate, but it's the only toy of its kind for the time being, and it's close enough to the source to be more than recognizable. And I'm generally just a fan of transformable toys, and Macross designs, of course.

EXO's propped up Yamato looks pretty good. I love the battroid mode of the VB-6, and that pic make the Yammie version look much better than the actual toy's battroid as designed. Looking at the pics of Bandai's shuttle compared to Yamato, the gaps between the legs and the arms is far reduced on Bandai's ...the whole shuttle looks much sleeker. The gaps on the Yamato are huge.

Edited April 15, 2010 by M'Kyuun

[ruskiiVFaussie]

I can't wait for this to be honest!!

It's just so different from all other VFs.

[M'Kyuun]

It's just so different from all other VFs.

Besides actually liking how the VB-6 looks, I think what you said is also a large part of the appeal. I'm glad Bandai is taking a stab at creating this. I had hoped Yamato, back when they were making M-Zero toys, would have also tried making an Octos, as well, just to make something non-valkyrie, but still transformable. Besides, the Octos was a pretty cool design.

[ruskiiVFaussie]

Well main point is that making the MONSTER variable in the first place is right up there with the bigest of F Yeahs.

Edited April 17, 2010 by ruskiiVFaussie

[M'Kyuun]

Well main point is that making the MONSTER variable in the first place is right up there with the bigest of F Yeahs.

True. When I happened upon it for the first time in my Designworks book many years ago, I was wow-ed. I knew of thee monster, of course, but seeing that converted into a full 3-mode variable mech was sure impressive, and the shuttle mode just seemed appropriate and fitting for such a massive machine. Mr. Kawamori, IMHO, has an excellent imagination, and equally impressive design skills.

[Gunpod71]

My biggest concern at the moment is that this thread is still subtitled "Giggitish" and we've yet to be given an explanation.

Can anyone translate those scans??

Edited April 17, 2010 by Gunpod71

[Archer]

So, I like the look of the Monster, and I don't own a yamato one, so I plan on buying one.

Do you guys think I should wait for the bandai one, or jump on a yamato for about $100 on ebay?

Can someone kind of sum up the issues with the yamato?

Thanks - Archer

[M'Kyuun]

So, I like the look of the Monster, and I don't own a yamato one, so I plan on buying one.

Do you guys think I should wait for the bandai one, or jump on a yamato for about $100 on ebay?

Can someone kind of sum up the issues with the yamato?

Thanks - Archer

Scroll up and check my post #83...those are some of the issues with battroid. Additionally, the shuttle mode is pretty wide, esp the shoulder parts (not streamlined at all...they stick out like Prince Charles' ears). And of course, there's the infamous gap between the wings and fuselage in shuttle mode. In gerwalk, it droops a bit, and requires a bit of patience to get the kneecap panels to sit in the indents in the feet to give it some support. The legs contain a lot of linkage, both fore and aft, and no ratcheting, so it has a tendency to be floppy when the legs are unlocked.

While I like my Yammie, if I didn't own one, I'd be more willing to hold out for Bandai's..it's better looking in shuttle mode, the head stowage and placement looks to be much better, and it has panel lining and lots of tampo, based on the pics. The Yamato monster is very plain, with sparse paint apps, and very little panel lining. I'm hoping that Bandai will correct all the wrongs inherent in the Yamato toy. At the time, though, it was a bold choice for Yamato to make the thing, and it was fairly impressive, but a number of years have passed, and Bandai should have had ample time to study its strengths and flaws and produce a better Monster in their DX line. I look forward to seeing more development pics/reviews, and most likely I will add a DX Monster to my collection. Hope this helps.

Edited April 23, 2010 by M'Kyuun

[ruskiiVFaussie]

True. When I happened upon it for the first time in my Designworks book many years ago, I was wow-ed. I knew of thee monster, of course, but seeing that converted into a full 3-mode variable mech was sure impressive, and the shuttle mode just seemed appropriate and fitting for such a massive machine. Mr. Kawamori, IMHO, has an excellent imagination, and equally impressive design skills.

He is a God. Not THE God, just a god.

Edited April 21, 2010 by ruskiiVFaussie

[QuinJester]

Mag scans from Cybergundam :

[Vifam7]

Before anyone pushes the panic button, the article mentions that this is still a pre-pro and that they are still working out how to get it sturdy (incl. get it to stand without support) as well as working out the gaps.

Edited April 23, 2010 by Vifam7

[Guest sh002]

what if they make the entire legs out of diecast

[Ignacio Ocamica]

Looking very good, but it's very small (same height as the DX 1/60 VF-25 in battroid)

[regult]

Ignacio beat me. I was going to say that.

[UN Spacy]

Very small? It looks the same size as the Yamato version.

[regult]

oh well, I didn't know that. It does look to scale with the Robot Spirits toy, that one is a tad smaller than 1/100 though! Would've liked them to use the VF100s for comparison instead, but I guess Bandai isn't very proud of that thing.

EDIT: does the shuttle mode have landing gears? or maybe, should it? I don't recall seeing it on screen, but maybe somebody has lineart revealing the tiny gears...

Edited April 23, 2010 by regult

[eriku]

The Konig doesn't have landing gear, it lands by converting to Gerwalk mode.

::EDIT::

Or by crashing.

Edited April 23, 2010 by eriku

[Ignacio Ocamica]

Very small? It looks the same size as the Yamato version.

It has the same height as the DX 1/60 VF-25 in battroid mode (not taking the canon barrels into account). So when transformed to gerwalk (which is the mode I most care about) Bandai's König Monster is going to be much smaller than Yamato's König.

I'm going to preorder it, but I wished it was bigger.

[Shun]

Thing is... will there be a Ranka "Monster Girl" version later? -.-

or will they provide the decals/stickers for it?

Edited April 23, 2010 by Shun

[eriku]

Thing is... will there be a Ranka "Monster Girl" version later? -.-

or will they provide the decals/stickers for it? (there's no space for it though)....

I would bet on a Monster Girl deco being a Tamashii Web Exclusive.

Not sure which version I'd prefer. I love the Ranka decal, but the toothy mouth is less likely to creep out guests.

[mph2501]

My thoughts:

That post is Fail. If it needs that to stand in Gerwalk, then yeah, sorry, I'll stick with my loosey-goosey Yamato one. At least that one has decent-sized cannon, even if the legs and floppy arm joints are terribad.

Overall all three modes are generally headed in the right direction. The shoulders could be larger, the cannons are way too small, and the fuselage looks a little too bulbous, but I think it's a solid design. If it rachets together solidly and stands on its own, it may win out over the Yamato version. The backpack sectional pegs on mine broke entirely, and I had to glue in some metal ones, which makes me sad. My last hangup is the size, but on the other hand, if the VF100's had been miniaturized DX versions and not partsformers, I would've been cool with it.

If I had the cash, I'd get it.

[eriku]

That post is Fail. If it needs that to stand in Gerwalk, then yeah, sorry, I'll stick with my loosey-goosey Yamato one. At least that one has decent-sized cannon, even if the legs and floppy arm joints are terribad.

See below, which is also above your post

Before anyone pushes the panic button, the article mentions that this is still a pre-pro and that they are still working out how to get it sturdy (incl. get it to stand without support) as well as working out the gaps.

Your preemptive strike failed!

the cannons are way too small

Keep in mind this is the Frontier Konig, which has much smaller cannons, so the toy is anime-accurate.

Edited April 23, 2010 by eriku

[ntsan]

I hope my shelf can fit that in, its getting crowded

This is yamato's VB-6 with 1/100 toynami, so Bandai is not much smaller, probably slightly smaller

Edited April 23, 2010 by ntsan