Macross F @ Tokyo International Anime Fair 2010

[Tochiro]

Hey there guys.

Well I dropped by the Tokyo International Anime Fair (TGIAF) yesterday. I do this every year. Its my 6th or 7th TGIAF this year and I wasnt expecting anything Mac F related since the first movie is still playing at selected cinemas and the release of the 2nd one has yet to be announced. To be honest I mainly went to see the trailer for the new CG Captain Harlock (which was 80% AWESOME and 20% wha?). I checked the Bandai booth for Macross stuff but found nothing. After a few hours I was just about to head out when I saw a crowd gathered around the Satellite booth. Then I heard someone mention Kawamori ....

And there they were - Aya Endo (Sherryl) and Shoji Kawamori on stage discussing...the FIRST movie?!?!?!

I managed to grab one shot before security jumped me. No photos apparently (sigh). It was also as noisy as hell thanks to the Hatsune Miku booth next door - I could hardly make out what was being said apart from a few comments on the popularity of the series and a request from Endo that people check out the movie in the cinema while they still can. Kawamori made a joke or two about the second movie and the mystery around it and showed the title onscreen for all of 3 seconds before telling people that there would be news in the future. If anyone finds any more information about what was said please posted here. It was seriously hard to hear anything.

The back of the booth had some interesting stuff too. There were a couple of (what appeared to be) character line artbooks by Ebata up for sale. buying both got u a free Macross convention bag (empty). I was tempted, but Im saving my extra cash this month for the Maaya Sakamoto concert on Wednesday ;-)

Would you accept Macross phone straps from THIS girl? Well, they were leftover pachinko promotional goods so Id probably take the girl instead ....

Inside the booth was a corner of valks and figures - including a new second series of "Half Age Girls: Macross Heroines." The concept behind these is figures that arent realistically proportions but arent quite super deformed either. They are half way in between. Love the fact that theres a Minmay and Mylene figure now (last series was all Mac F movie 1 characters/costumes). Do want.

A map on the wall outlined all the places Kawamori had travelled to while looking for locations and ideas for his animation. I"d heard him talk about this previously at an anime panel in Roppongi Hills but it was interesting to see everything on one map.

Finally, there were some signed, framed art pieces on the wall. The Kawamori one was also from the Roppongi Hills talk.

Anyways, thats about it. No major news (that I could hear anyway). Some nice looking valks and figs tho. Between the 2nd movie and the new CG Harlock, my merchandise spending for this year seems to be pretty much decided...lol.

[Graham]

Wow, I want that framed Tenjin painting of the VF-25F, that is just pure awesome.

Graham

[shiroikaze]

Awesome pictures taken!

I definitely like the girl and the frame pieces . Thanks for the coverage.

*second to the last picture*

I thought that VF-25 was doing a Ranka Sparkle for a moment there...

Edited March 28, 2010 by shiroikaze

[UN Spacy]

Thanks for the inside review Tochiro.

That Tenjin art is beautiful.

[Beltane70]

Those SD Macross figures look very cute!

[Mr March]

That painting of Alto on his VF-25F Messiah is legendary. Do want

[David Hingtgen]

Interesting how much more tan the VF-27 kit is compared to the quite green VF-27 toy. (still can't see if they've added tailfin markings though)

[sketchley]

A map on the wall outlined all the places Kawamori had travelled to while looking for locations and ideas for his animation. I"d heard him talk about this previously at an anime panel in Roppongi Hills but it was interesting to see everything on one map.

There's a magazine or a book on the shelves right now that has a section related to this. It's about the places he went to in preparation for MF. Can't remember the name of it... but it wasn't sealed in plastic by the store to stop tachiyomi... It's in Macross Ace #004.

Edited March 28, 2010 by sketchley

[Vepariga]

Great photo Tochiro, looks awesome! Thanks for the look I want all those artworks

[David Hingtgen]

The VF-25 painting is VERY nice. (forgot to mention it earlier). Damned realistic, that's the difference between an "artist" and an "aviation artist" when it comes to making a valk look like it could actually be built---all the little things, like the gloves being so much thicker than the wings, the bulges for the rudder actuators, knuckles in the landing gear, etc.

[ntsan]

The painting is jaw-dropping! Hopefully Tenjin would make another art book base on MF.

[s001]

WOOOOOOOOOOOW. That vf-25 painting is... I have no words. Tenjin Hidetaka rules!