Official Bandai 1/100 VF HI-METAL VF-19 Kai Fire Valkyrie

[nexxstrait]

Some comparison pics:

VF19 Kai fighters (the one on the left is a 1/100 bandai transformable model kit - yes, the one with internal landing gears)

VF19 Kai battroid

Edited June 1, 2010 by nexxstrait

[EXO]

that's a whole lotta Basaras...

[nexxstrait]

that's a whole lotta Basaras...

I must confess I have a soft spot for guitar-controlled red valkyries

[Jarrod]

So way back when this thing was first released I was (un)lucky enough to recieve my first Fire Valk broken, but AmiAmi kindly sent a brand new replacement, and I got to keep the broken one. So I did the appropriate thing, and hacked it up!

First thing I did was modify the second gunpod to store in Fighter mode.

Then I cut out the landing gear doors from the broken one, and built some add on gear for the intact VF-19. I used the old 1/100 Bandai kit for the front strut and all wheels, and built the rear struts out of styrene. I followed the Add-on pack design where the deployed gear just sit over the closed doors, but I also drilled some holes and added pegs so they'd actually attach. In hindsight, I should have drilled the nose gear hole further back...my VF-19 now has a bellybutton in battroid mode:) They're not terribly detailed, but hey, they're landing gear!

Lastly, I cut up the extra left hand and rebuilt it into a fist.

Ha! Take that over-priced Tamashii-exclusive add on set!

[Cent]

Pretty impressive

So what you're saying is that instead of buying the exclusive set, we should just buy 2 VF-19s. =P

[EXO]

not sure if this is posted

http://ngeekhiong.blogspot.com/2010/06/vf-hi-metal-from-dengeki-hobby-july.html

oh and diamond force...

http://ngeekhiong.bl...hobby-july.html

[Graham]

So way back when this thing was first released I was (un)lucky enough to recieve my first Fire Valk broken, but AmiAmi kindly sent a brand new replacement, and I got to keep the broken one. So I did the appropriate thing, and hacked it up!

First thing I did was modify the second gunpod to store in Fighter mode.

Then I cut out the landing gear doors from the broken one, and built some add on gear for the intact VF-19. I used the old 1/100 Bandai kit for the front strut and all wheels, and built the rear struts out of styrene. I followed the Add-on pack design where the deployed gear just sit over the closed doors, but I also drilled some holes and added pegs so they'd actually attach. In hindsight, I should have drilled the nose gear hole further back...my VF-19 now has a bellybutton in battroid mode:) They're not terribly detailed, but hey, they're landing gear!

Lastly, I cut up the extra left hand and rebuilt it into a fist.

Ha! Take that over-priced Tamashii-exclusive add on set!

Really excellent work Jarrod.

Graham

[Jarrod]

Pretty impressive

So what you're saying is that instead of buying the exclusive set, we should just buy 2 VF-19s. =P

Haha...well, the add-on set would probably be best for those who don't happen to have a free broken extra

Really excellent work Jarrod.

Graham

Thanks!

[Renato]

That is excellent. Very, very nice. The add-on set doesn't even have any parts to let you attach the Gunpod in Fighter, so you've already one-upped them.

Jarrod, I looked at your homepage and found that I remember your customs from ages ago... that Variable Hasegawa is incredible. My only question is: I thought Geocities closed down??

Otherwise, really nice work, great skills.

[CF18]

VF-19 Kai 50% off, plus 50% off shipping if you pay via Paypal:

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10100170

[ryoshoko]

VF-19 Kai 50% off, plus 50% off shipping if you pay via Paypal:

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10100170

Thanks for the head's up. Ordered 1 immediately. With all the promotions from HLJ, amiami and hobby search, bought lots of discounted stuff.

[Fort Max]

Sold out now, lol.

[Graham]

Anybody know a good online source for preordering the two accessory sets for the Fire Valk (Sound Booster & stand)?

Just looked at HLJ & amiami, but couldn't see them.

Graham

[Darth Mingus]

Tokyo Hunter had them listed. I never did any business with these guys so I don't know what commission they charge:

http://tokyohunter.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-05-11T01%3A35%3A00%2B09%3A00&max-results=10

It was listed towards the bottom of this page on his blog.

Oops, just noticed that the pre-order period ended on June 14th.

Sorry...

Anybody know a good online source for preordering the two accessory sets for the Fire Valk (Sound Booster & stand)?

Just looked at HLJ & amiami, but couldn't see them.

Graham

Edited July 10, 2010 by Darth Mingus

[Graham]

So way back when this thing was first released I was (un)lucky enough to recieve my first Fire Valk broken, but AmiAmi kindly sent a brand new replacement, and I got to keep the broken one. So I did the appropriate thing, and hacked it up!

First thing I did was modify the second gunpod to store in Fighter mode.

Jarrod, what did you use to make the attachment strut for the gunpod?

Looking to do a similar modification for the Hi-Metal VF-19S Blazer Valks gunpod.

Graham

[ae_productions]

I'm not really a fan of the small scale, but damn.

These are VERY detailed for their scale.

I'm starting to get tempted...

[ff95gj]

Anybody know a good online source for preordering the two accessory sets for the Fire Valk (Sound Booster & stand)?

Just looked at HLJ & amiami, but couldn't see them.

Graham

You can preorder the Tamashii items from shops such as Sino Centre 3/F (one level above the shopping arcade); they charge a reasonable amount (compared with how much you pay through other online channels).

Of course it is too late to pre-order now...

[Ivan]

You can preorder the Tamashii items from shops such as Sino Centre 3/F (one level above the shopping arcade); they charge a reasonable amount (compared with how much you pay through other online channels).

Of course it is too late to pre-order now...

Try IN's Point. There is a store on the second floor that seems to still take pre-order

[Jarrod]

Jarrod, what did you use to make the attachment strut for the gunpod?

Looking to do a similar modification for the Hi-Metal VF-19S Blazer Valks gunpod.

Graham

Just a piece of styrene strip. I just happened to have a size that fit perfectly and securely into that little triangle gap where the arms meet. Of course I also had to cut away the gunpod to fit the countours of the VF-19 underbelly.

[VFTF1]

Finally managed to get my hands on this. I like the scale. Thus far I've just removed the fighter and put it on a stand (and put the stand on a Gundam stand...doesn't plug well, but it stays in place) ... Anyways... First impression is good. Certainly a nice effort and very happy to finally have Basara's fighter.

Pete

[Renato]

Sample pics of the Sound Booster. Will be shipping out on the 26th of August.

[ae_productions]

As much as these small guys are growing on me, I think I just may hold out for the 1/60.

[Renato]

Check it yo.

I can't really do a whole review right now, but I should point out that while I'm at least glad they made this thing, it is by far perfect and I'm disappointed with a number of things.

Looking forward to the Yamato 1/60 version!

[CF18]

Reviews of the accessory packs:

http://srblood.blog89.fc2.com/blog-entry-716.html

http://www.flawara.info/archives/1082809.html

http://oniityan.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2010-08-29-1

Why couldn't Bandai include that fighter mode gun mount with the VF-19S?

[Renato]

OK, review time.

VF-19kai option parts:

You get two stand pylons, a base, open shoulders, fists, and a bunch of attachment parts, including "open landing gear" cradle pieces.

With the exception of the base, I suppose, each and every item here should have been included in the original valk box. I and many others have been saying that for months but it's just so hard to get over. In particular the fists. It almost seems spiteful! Well, whatever, beggars can't be choosers, etc.

OK, so first of all, the attachments. I haven't tried the gerwalk one yet, but the battroid and fighter pieces attach the valk to the base steadily enough that there should be no worry about it falling off at all, and the black stand itself is ratcheted (though the clear one for the Sound Booster isn't) so it's stable, even with Sound Boosters attached (more on that later). The problem with the way that the attachment piece for fighter mode connects to the valk is that it pushes the arms up which means you have to spend several minutes getting it to all fit together again on the stand, since the whole rear section of the fighter becomes a real mess as soon as you touch it. The attachment for the gunpod is interesting, but pointless since you cannot attach the gunpod and then put the valk on the stand. One or the other, baby.

Next, let's take a look at the open shoulders. They look nice and all, but they're really missing paint apps. Why is it all dark? Whatever. The issue here is that you have to detach the standard shoulders, detach the arms too, and put everything together again. Simple enough, but for some reason one arm goes in easier on mine than the other. It's almost like it's straining the connection. Needless to say I'm afraid to leave the open shoulders on. I'm also afraid of taking it apart and putting it back together again too often. There have been reports of shoulder breakages because of those two tiny prongs that hold the entire arm assembly... I can see them being under a lot of pressure if you repeatedly reattach stuff all the time.

Next, fists. OK, they're fists. Yay.

Next, Landing gear. Dear God, this is hateful. As we all know by now, Bandai did a major cop-out by making the valk just sit on top of the landing gear which attaches via tiny off-centre prongs into the base. I only attached them to the base once and I will probably not be using them again, because as light as the valk is, I can really see those prongs just snapping off under the weight of the valk, since the pressure is put at an angle.

This option set does not include the Sound Booster, you had to buy that separately.

Sound Booster:

The SB comes with an attachment piece to dock with the valk... and nothing else. Its stand is included with the option set described above.

Displaying it in flyer mode on the stand is stable and poses no problems. I wish the stand was a little taller so you could display it above the valk itself in fighter mode, but whatever. Looks pretty good when it's all together.

The plastic seems quite "Yamato"-like, and the shade of red used is a tad darker than the Fire Valk. I don't really have a problem with that. Transformation is simple, just take off the antenna, flip some stuff up, some down and and some round.

Now, the SB needs a piece to connect to the valk. This piece connects to the two prongs at the back of the Battroid which plug into the backs of the legs in Fighter mode. I don't know what happened, but Bandai must have made a miscalculation as the piece, which is in a U-shape, bends outwards as it seems a fraction of a millimetre too narrow. This, again, causes immense pressure on the plastic of the piece and the two prongs in question. I don't get it. I'm really afraid of breaking everything on this toy!!

Once attached, you bring back the two large speaker units over the shoulders... Now the problem is that the speaker units themselves are not long enough to fully clear the shoulders, so you have to tilt the shoulders back enough so that you can actually get them to come under. Which means that you have to have the shoulders constantly tilted back at 45 degree angles. Which is OK for posing, I guess, but still, it just seems like yet another oversight...

So those are my impressions of the SB & "Options" (yeah, right) for the Hi-Metal Fire Valkyrie. I've only had it for a couple of days and just fiddled around for about 45 minutes in total so far, so there may be some things which turn out to be better than I feared with regards to durability, etc... But overall I guess I will just treat it as a placeholder until the true Fire Valk comes our way courtesy of Yamato. I just really hope they are designing the valk with the Sound Booster attachment method in mind from the start.

Bottom line, I'm glad I bought both sets because it completes the Valk, and it all looks good on display, but there are major oversights in the design, which obviously comes from not planning ahead. That, combined with the whole attitude of "oh you want fists? Guess what they're limited" is just a big "F-U" which forever tarnishes my enjoyment of this toy. So I still have mixed feelings on this figure, we shall see if over time the good will outweigh the bad.

Edited August 30, 2010 by Renato

[Graham]

Renato, would the gunpod attachment peice also work with the VF-19S's gunpod do you think?

Graham

[Renato]

I imagine so, because it doesn't attach to any part that is unique to the Kai.

[Graham]

How exactly does the gunpod attach to the connecting piece? It's not quite clear from the pic.

Does the gunpod's handle (grip), just slot into a rectangular hole in the connecting piece?

Graham

[Renato]

How exactly does the gunpod attach to the connecting piece? It's not quite clear from the pic.

Does the gunpod's handle (grip), just slot into a rectangular hole in the connecting piece?

Graham

Yep, exactly. And its tightness, combined with the thin plastic of the gunpod handle makes for yet another point to be weary of. Unlike the Hi-Metal VF-1, if you snap the handle off on this toy, you're screwed.

EDIT -- Stupid, embarassing grammatical mistake.

Edited August 31, 2010 by Renato

[Renato]

Anyway, here's the ridiculous attachment piece. Note how far back the main body of the Sound Booster is placed, causing a huge gap between it and the valk. Also, notice the angle on the shoulders.

Also, the figure can stand up by itself according to some of those bloggers in the links above, but the problem is that Bandai never puts in ratchet joints in the feet, in any valk toy, so if you've had the toy as long as I have you might have problem standing it up with the SB attached, as those loose ankles are treacherous.

Otherwise, here are some display options, which is where this toy shines... While it lasts

[crasis]

BOMBAAA!!!!

[hutch]

Crap in a hat that's awesome.

[Smegalot]

That is really cool, where did you ever get such a cool Basara figure?

[ff95gj]

Great pic!

That's Basara from CMS.

[ruskiiVFaussie]

This is what we got to look forward to December i guess! Wishful thinking for the yammie 1/60 release date? Put a damn mp3 player in them fully working 1/60 scale SPEAKERS.

Edited September 4, 2010 by ruskiiVFaussie