Valk Buyer's Remorse

[Roy Focker]

A Topic like this is just asking for trolls to bash toys. Please try to keep it under control

I started to rearrange my display cabinets. Some of the stuff I barely touch or play with that much. My newest Toys take center stage. Older or just the biggest ones get pushed to the back. During this time I get to handle them again and look at them up close. Unless it breaks right out of the box I rarely have buyer's remorse over pricey toys. These kind of purchases are thought out. Even if I start having doubts on the first day I push those doubts back. If I paid about $100 and there if nothing seriously wrong with the toy I'm gonna make myself love it. No going back now. Maybe after a while it will grow on me.

Thought Yamato's VF-1 1/60 V1 were kinda cool at the time. Only got 2 of them. Was really disappointed by the battroid mode. Keep them in Fighter only. Got the 1/48 and really liked them but their size made shipping too pricey for me to collect them all. Saw no reason to get the V2 of the 1/60 VF-1. Starting seeing they were the current focus of Yamato and collectors here. Looked at my V1 VF-1s and thought they do look pathetic in every mode but fighter. I got my large ones. Lets get rid of these V1 and buy just one of these V2. I've since bought several. I am very much aware that some are disappointed with Yamato for the V2. I have had none one those problems yet. All I know is that they still look nice in the cabinets and they are still in good shape after my seasonal play time with them. I know some are hopeful for the new Bandai 1/100 line. I doubt that even they can meet all of our expectations.

Time to get to my current years after I purchased them Buyer's Remorse. I'm looking at you Mister YF-19 1/60. Was this the first of Yamato's second attempts? I'm mostly a Macross TV & DYRL fan. The Macross Plus mecha designs are really cool looking high tech Valks but nothing beats the VF-1. I like the VF-11 only because it looks like a upgraded VF-1A with a bayonet. The YF-19 is goofy looking but it great to see it animated. I think I transformed it about 5 times in the first month of owning it and maybe just few times since them. I was handling it again. Besides looking more Toy like in appearance compared to my other Valks the thing is a floppy mess. If I pretend it is taking off flying in battroid mode it is pretty loud on its own without me making sound effects. I don't even have to lift it upside down to have part sliding to undesirable position. When I do turn it upside down it starts transforming on its own. Unlike my current VF-1 1/60 V2 I think I will welcome a new replacement for the YF-19. I'm gonna have to see if I can tighten the joints on ragity Ann-Valyrie.

[DARKWIND]

Great topic!

The way I see it, I don't have any remorse for anything current but the 1/72 mac plus birds.

Compared to the 1/60s they just seem blaah, but I understand "in order to make an omlet ya gotta break some eggs".

Now there are other toys I've purchased over the years and look at now and feel, "Ugh, what was I thinking?"

But for the most part my Macross collection is pretty solid in my eyes.

[Mommar]

I only just got into collecting Valk's with Yamato's V2 1/60 line. The first valk I got was the DYRL Hikaru 1A with fast packs. To be honest, I didn't like it much. The thing that really bothered me was the crotch was too hard to manipulate to warrant transforming much and it would always fall open with the fast packs attached. Several months later I was still itching for more valks (I do love the Macross TV Valks best too.) I saw they were releasing multiple version of Max's valks. I decided to get his TV 1A, 1J with fast packs and his 1SD from DYRL (which has a functioning crotch system so that's where Hikaru's fast packs now reside.) Since then I started collecting more of the VF-1's, got Milia's 1J, the Low Vis one, the Elint Seeker, the GPB (which has not exploded on me as of yet.) I liked the way the VF-11B was designed but disliked the color scheme, ended up with a VF-11C which I love to death. Like Roy, though, the VF-19 is the one that I don't care for as much. I always liked the fighter and Gerwalk modes but didn't care for the color scheme until the Double Nuts version came out. I decided to get one, the fighter mode was kind of cool except it didn't quite fit together right. The Gerwalk mode looked good except the back half is floppy and doesn't attach in any way. Then I switched to Battroid... good Lord, it doesn't hold together at all. The other valks I can't turn every which way and they remain intact, the VF (YF, rather) is in pieces just picking it up. Quite a bummer to me as well.

[pondo]

My first valk was a 1/48 VF-1A CF. Although it's a thing of beauty...I wish I had gotten a hikaru 1J or something. But I've never looked back. I also love my revoltechs. Totally sweet.

My next was a VF-1J...version 1. I bought it by mistake thinking it was a V2. I TOTALLY regret getting that. IMagine the horror when I tried to transform it and the legs fell off.

THEN, I got a roy fokker broken arm special. Again, buyers remorse (which stings even more now that the TV versions are coming out.

But I have made up for it with my Vf-1a max tv. It totally makes up for the roy. Amazing.

[mechaninac]

Ditto on the YF-19. Although I can't really say that I truly regret getting it, it's my least liked Valk; compared to Yamato's other 1/60s (specially the SV-51 and YF-21) the 19 is just poorly executed, but it still looks good in fighter mode and leagues better than the 1/72 version.

I've purchased many anime toys over the last 8-10 years and can honestly say that I haven't been too disappointed on anything that I've bought Macross related -- Notable exception goes to Bandai's 1/55 VF-19 Fire Valkyrie re-issue; when I took it out of the box I remember thinking: That was money flushed down the toilet...

This board has been of immense help in feeling out what is worth my money and what is unworthy of consideration; thus, I have avoided taking the plunge on many items that I would have considered were it not for the information and opinions found on MW, like Bandai's VF-100 Fire Valk, their 1/60 MF DX line, Toynami's Masterpiece VF-1 Veritechs, and CM's Legioss and Treads, to name a few.

[Horatio Positronic]

The only valk that's given me any buyer's remorse is the VF-25S Full Armor. When I got it I was really excited about it. It has piles of die cast and the skull emblem looks great. That enthusiasm started wearing off as soon as I tried to put the armor on. Nothing seemed to fit quite right. Some parts were loose and some parts were tight. So I took the armor off and put it back in the box. Then I realized that even though it is pretty sturdy, it just doesn't click together as precisely as a Yamato VF-1. Now it's just sorta hanging our in Fighter mode on a stand with no armor on and I barely ever pick it up.

Even abandoned to sit on its stand the wing joints in the back are starting to show some cracking. Now it sits on my desk in the shadow of my VF-27 (literally, I used a shorter Flightpose stand).

[JET7]

agree on the threadstarters sentiments, at first it was such a cool thing to see.. specially when you came from the chunky monkey toy lines.. but as months, years goes by.. i just want to stare at it.. coz i dont want to play with it because of the @#%@#$^ crotch that simply wont cooperate. heck sometimes i wanna swap this with a MASTERPIECE GRIMLOCK

[arrow]

I love my yammy & bandai valks. In regards to valk buying regrets- that would be the non-transforming valks I have-gn-u & revoltech.

[anime52k8]

I feel kind of lucky because I haven't had buyers remorse over a toy in a long time. the only things I regret buying are my 1/60 v.1's, my 1/72 VF-19A, and my MPC VF-1's. Excluding the VF-19A, all of these were purchased when better alternatives where available, but I wasn't really aware of them.

From my first 1/48 onward I've been happy with and still love all my Macross stuff. It's mostly because I'm more choosy about what I buy and tend to wait to hear what other people think before I buy something.

So I guess I should be thanking all you guys here for keeping me well informed and taking quite a few bullets for me so that I only end up with toys I like.

[Chronocidal]

Over the past year, I went from owning a single 1/48 Super VF-1J (which I still love), to having around 20 Valks of various types. I sometimes think to my self "Oh God, WHY?" but then I start playing with them, and it mostly goes away.

It started last year with the first HLJ free shipping sale, where I got my first two V2 VF-1s (and my first 4 broken shoulders ), as well as a CF SV-51. If fixed up the shoulders, and still enjoy them. But it was only the start.

Over the months of October to February, I picked up a total of 8 V2 VF-1s, 2 SV-51s, the 1/60 Mac+ trio, VF-0A with ghost, 2 VF-22s, two DX VF-25s, a DX VF-27, and a Hi-Metal Fire Valk.

While I could have spent that money for far more useful things, I did manage to somewhat limit myself to the ones I really liked.

I only have two regrets really.

1. Again with the YF-19. I really only got it since I found it very cheaply in good condition (never transformed, but it had bum shoulders out of the box), and I wanted the complete Mac+ set. It's still my favorite design from that, but it got the worst treatment by far. I still hope Yamato will see the light and rebuild it again, because that plane deserves so much better. Even then though, I might hang onto this one as a reminder of what being a completist entails.

2. My Max TV VF-1A. This one definitely needs an explanation. I have no problems with the valk itself, it's beautiful. What I regret is my timing, and willing to settle for something I hadn't planned on getting. I had been planning on buying a CF-1A, and HLJ ran out of stock before I got to it. I was already ordering a stack of Frontier kits, and wanted to get a TV 1A, so I settled for Max. Up to that point, I'd been pretty good about not buying pilot duplicates (except for the crazy number of unique valks Hikaru went through in DYRL and the series).

If I decide to get a TV Focker, I might pony up and still get the CF-1A with it. But then I'll have 10 V2 VF-1s.. oy.

Actually.. maybe my biggest regret.. I still have not gotten a second DYRL strike pack. I already have a Focker, and don't feel like buying a Hikaru Strike 1S when I can just "make one" by sticking Roy's head on his 1A (really don't mind the wrong numbers). But I really want to be able to make a dual strike setup.

[boyarque]

Haha, interesting topic....and interesting choice of mecha the TS pointed out!

Cause I remember thinking I would never be able to own a macross toy coz it's so expensive here ( also the chunky-munky that were offered to me is just a turn off.. ). Then one day ( it was 2004 I think ) in a local toystore, I noticed a peculiar looking jet on the cover of a box which also sports the all-too-familiar kite emblem. The store owner noticed my curiosity, and proceeded to explain that it was a newer version Macross, not like the 80's VF. I was already by the sleek design that I whipped out my credit card.....

Today, the Yamato 1/60 YF-19 ( hah! that's right ) parks among my other macross valks, and I still wonder why the heaven did i buy it in the first place....

Maybe it is more of a love-hate relationship...I can't live with it, but I can't live without it either. After all its design fault like Roy Focker mentioned above, I still cannot bring myselt to part with the YF-19.....

[raptormesh]

I'm probably one of the more selective collectors here with only 3 1/60 valks - VF-0A, SV-51 and VF-22S but i've had no grief even though my 0A's shoulder's cracked AND one of the two stubs holding the swing bar broke off mid-transformation(ouch). I mean, what other possessions do you own that could beckon a smile and a sigh of contentment when you gaze on them(cars, yachts, bikes and women notwithstanding)?

My only remorse, and not a big one at that is the VF100 VF-25S. The only use for it now is as a broken up fodder for a possibly future Hi-Metal VF-171

[NSJ23]

I regret the 1/72 tab b yf-19 and the i lost mt legs VF-11b.

i kinda regret the v1/60 after the 1/48's and v2 1/60's but before those i loved them flawed or not.

and the Nora 1/60 is the only current regret looks pretty but too floppy.

[Roy Focker]

Ditto on the YF-19. Although I can't really say that I truly regret getting it, it's my least liked Valk; compared to Yamato's other 1/60s (specially the SV-51 and YF-21) the 19 is just poorly executed, but it still looks good in fighter mode and leagues better than the 1/72 version.

I transformed it to fighter mode after starting this post. Holds together much better, looks better but takes up more space.

If I decide to get a TV Focker, I might pony up and still get the CF-1A with it. But then I'll have 10 V2 VF-1s.. oy.

In my opinion the Mass Production Type VF-1A is worth it.

[areaseven]

Though the Tab B broke on mine, I have no regrets on buying the 1/72 YF-19 v1.0. If anything Macross-related, my buyer's remorse was on the flimsy Banpresto transforming VF-1. I'd also mention the 1/65 Fire Valkyrie, but mine's a $10 bootleg, so no big loss there.

[ff95gj]

I regret for the DX VF-25 line (didn't get the VF-25F Movie Bundle though).

But given that it's the only way you can get the whole Skull squad, probably if I can choose again, I would do it wrong again.

About YF-19... I never really liked the valk from the OVA (the color). I love the Double Nuts and Bird of Prey much better.

[David Hingtgen]

I rarely own more than 4 valks at a time. Sell old ones to buy new ones. And I too would buy a V3 YF-19---maybe this time they'll finally get one that locks together. Seriously, the FIRST one locked together better especially in GERWALK mode--mainly because they had a tab and slot just for that mode--the new version doesn't have it, and guess what--it doesn't hold together as wel. Brilliant move there...

[Jasonc]

The first VF-1s I was collecting was the Bandai chunky monkey reissues. I kept them for a long time. When the v.1 1/60s came out, I only bought one, and sold it for as much as I bought it for 2 months later. Just couldn't justify spending so much for a removable leg transformation. When the 1/48s came out, I couldn't justify spending $150, then $50 for shipping. So I only got 3 of them, and sold all 3 for as much as I paid for them. When the v.2 1/60s came out, it had the same quality transformation as the 1/48s and the scale that I like. When those came out, I sold the chunkies, and haven't looked back. I never really had buyer's remorse, except for when Yamato releases an upgraded unit, like the 1/72 YF-19 vs. the 1/60 YF-19. Luckily though, I've been able to liquidate the older ones before they completely lost all value.

It's a hard thing to figure out what is going to be the definitive toy, especially when we've had 3+ incarnations of the same valk. At least it seems the quality is good enough and the scales seem to be relegated to 1/60 and 1/100 now. Hopefully that keeps the buyer's remorse lower.

[zanderwitaz]

I regret my v2 1/72 yf-19 and I only paid 20 bucks for it. The paint was shipped/bubbled to hell. so I stripped it, primed it, painted 4 coats base, 3 coats clear, 1 dull coat. It still chips. pisses me off. and the gerwalk mode is god awful.

I also regret the v.1 1/60 vf-1a I have. I only paid 45 for it within a year that it came out and I still regret it. I argued on the forums that the 1/55 chunkey is a better toy, and I still stand by that.

partsformer, yellowed when it was MIB out of sunlight (random parts too) and the paint wasnt sprayed properly. on some die cast parts the metal shows through and is a bit rough. the landing gear doors have poor fitment,

and to top it all off the tab B broke under normal stress. What a POS.

I do love my 1/48s, and even my 1/65 series. (original and bootlegs)

but my favorite value is the toynami 1/100 line.

[Macross_Fanboy]

Ho ho, I loathe my VF-25S Armored. Like others have said, nothing fits quite right and causes more frustration than anything, then it's a POS when transforming it. And I know some people that argue it's better than a Yamato. NO THE HELL IT IS NOT.

[bowman]

I was planning to get the YF-19 but now i'm not so sure about it after all the remorse i read on this valk. Better use the money on other 1/60 VF-1 valks? And if Yamato is reading this any chance for a V3 1/60 YF-19 in the near future?

[Horatio Positronic]

If anything Macross-related, my buyer's remorse was on the flimsy Banpresto transforming VF-1.

Ain't that the truth. As of today I own 102 unique Macross toys (not counting duplicates, hence unique), and the only one I don't keep on display is the Banpresto VF-1A/J/S. I bought it at a time when my collection only consisted of the Bandai 1/55 VF-1A cannon fodder and the Hasegawa 1/72 VF-1D which I assembled poorly, so I was trying to get my hands on anything with that red and white kite.

The thing is too flimsy to stand well in Battroid and I lost one of the little landing gear pieces, so it doesn't work so well in Fighter either.

[logos]

I kind of regret my VF-25 purchase. There are just so many little things wrong with it, and like my Yamato YF-19 it turned into a floopy mess with time.

My VF-25 Tornado though is awesome. I just wish that they did not have those stupid web exclusives coming out for it. That being said I love how all the fast parts click nicely onto it. A definite improvement over the super and armored parts and the VF-25 from this toy has better and more correct paint apps over the oringinal VF-25 release. I know the SWS on the right thigh armor..... .....

Edited May 12, 2010 by logos

[lechuck]

I don't have much Macross stuff, but by far my biggest mistake was getting the YF-19 closely followed by the VF-0S.

The YF-19 has plenty of gaps, missing locks, horrible carve outs, it's floppy and

it has a cockpit transformation step that will at first leave you with stress marks

and later on with a broken plastic piece.

The VF-0S is just so loose that battroid mode becomes a completely useless, not to mention the stress marks on the shoulders.

In retrospect I really can't understand why I jumped and got these, willingly making myself a beta tester for Yamato...

Edited May 12, 2010 by lechuck

[Cent]

Reading this thread is like watching grown men weep. >_>

[eugimon]

Reading this thread is like watching grown men weep. >_>

It's like watching Lebron's game 5 postgame interview.

[Vostok 7]

Ain't that the truth. As of today I own 102 unique Macross toys (not counting duplicates, hence unique), and the only one I don't keep on display is the Banpresto VF-1A/J/S. I bought it at a time when my collection only consisted of the Bandai 1/55 VF-1A cannon fodder and the Hasegawa 1/72 VF-1D which I assembled poorly, so I was trying to get my hands on anything with that red and white kite.

The thing is too flimsy to stand well in Battroid and I lost one of the little landing gear pieces, so it doesn't work so well in Fighter either.

I modded and superglued mine in to fighter only. Looks decent and works great, and doesn't piss me off anymore

[Jasonc]

Luckily, I haven't had any issues with my YF-19, and thus far, it isn't a floppy mess. That said, I've been quite lucky with my Yamato purchases. Issues I've had with any have been able to be fixed.

[derex3592]

Luckily, I haven't had any issues with my YF-19, and thus far, it isn't a floppy mess. That said, I've been quite lucky with my Yamato purchases. Issues I've had with any have been able to be fixed.

ditto here. My YF-19 Double Nuts is great....All my ver2's have been 99.9% perfect. As for regrets...None yet! I love all my Macross/Mospeada stuff! The only REGRET I have is NOT HAVING ALL THE DESTROIDS YAMATO...hint. hint.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

This thread has been helpful, I think I will use the money that I was contemplating on using for the Double Nuts on the YF-21 reissue or VF-22S Gamlin instead.

[mr.chogokin]

How confident can we be with the YF-21 reissue? Cuz I know the VF11B turned out great (so did the YF-21 first issue) but then the VF11C didn't turned out so well after that... Sigh, Yamato and their Lanjiao QC.

[bowman]

How confident can we be with the YF-21 reissue? Cuz I know the VF11B turned out great (so did the YF-21 first issue) but then the VF11C didn't turned out so well after that... Sigh, Yamato and their Lanjiao QC.

So what's wrong with your VF11C?

[nightmareB4macross]

So what's wrong with your VF11C?

The legs keep falling off with the slightest touch.

[Macross_Fanboy]

Same here, my left leg keeps falling off on the 11C. my V.2 VF-1s are perfect with no breakage of any arms. the YF-19 DN holds up a lot better than they YF-19. You can fly it around and it won't come apart like the regular one and looks even better with FPs. I don't have much to say about the 21/22, never transformed my 21 and left my 22 in Battroid after a few test transformations. for some reason I couldn't get the swing bar to get into my VF-0S re-issue so I put it back in fighter mode, any suggestion on what I'm doing wrong? My lone 1/48 VF-1 is awesome.

[STL]

I would say that at one point I regretted the YF-19 as well. I was particularly disappointed about its floppiness. That said, over time I've come to really appreciate it's aesthetic and I think I would much prefer it in my collection than not despite its flaws.