Yamato 1/60 VF-17 Nightmare Diamond Force

[Mommar]

I know, but I want it to look like this:

a nose closer to the profile art and everything else the same would look so much better in my eyes.

Based on that prototype pic you can also tell that it's really isn't holding together that well either. Look at all of those seems and the whole front of it looks like it's dropping. Tighten up those joints and I bet that will make it look more slim.

Edited October 18, 2011 by Mommar

[kensei]

Something bugging more about Battroid than Fighter (or Gerwalk, who's legs are usually back lack that in the anime). Might be the collar, but something about the shoulders doesn't look right.

The Battroid has huge shoulders and doesn't look like he has the body to back it up. I think thats what you initially saw. I think it's alright.

I know, but I want it to look like this:

a nose closer to the profile art and everything else the same would look so much better in my eyes.

I quite like the Yamato's version. The lineart that you posted up looks a little strange.

[Mog]

Based on all the other angles, the fighter mode looks great.

It's just that side profile shot that really gives me pause.

Maybe if the nose was extended a little bit (like anime52k8 said), it would help. But then, we'd have the issue of the codpiece in battroid looking a bit too long.

Compromises between the three modes. Always a tricky thing to manage.

[crasis]

Man, I feel like Yamato just keeps on pricing me out of the Macross 7 line. Even IF the current yen conversion wasn't so mind-bogglingly awful, 24,800 (MSRB) - 21,800JPY (amiami) is still ABSURD. And this is one of my "grail" valks. If this was the ONLY line I collected, I could maybe justify it (after a few stiff drinks), but as of right now, I may have to pass on one of my favorite valks of all time.

[eriku]

Am I the only one who is content with 1/60 VF-17?

Nope, I'll take him as-is and hug him and love him and call him George.

This is the VF I've wanted more than any other for so many years that it still almost seems unreal to be just a few months away from having it in my hands.

I do agree that the price is on the absurd end, but I'm helpless against the VF-17 so I'll just find something nice and soft to bite down on while I'm bending over to pay for it.

Edited October 18, 2011 by eriku

[crasis]

Nope, I'll take him as-is and hug him and love him and call him George.

This is the VF I've wanted more than any other for so many years that it still almost seems unreal to be just a few months away from having it in my hands.

Stop it, eriku. You're making me start to get sentimental. And when I do that, I do stupid things like completing my cart at amiami and throwing reason (And $340) out the window...

[Mommar]

check !!! and hole for the gun!!

In the anime I'm not fond of that Gerwalk at all. Based on the two Gerwalk Stances (arms up and down) I almost prefer that mode to the other two on this toy though. I expected this to be the first toy I would keep primarily in Fighter or Battroid because I don't like it's Gerwalk configuration but I'm not getting that feeling with these prototype pics.

Based on all the other angles, the fighter mode looks great.

It's just that side profile shot that really gives me pause.

Maybe if the nose was extended a little bit (like anime52k8 said), it would help. But then, we'd have the issue of the codpiece in battroid looking a bit too long.

Compromises between the three modes. Always a tricky thing to manage.

I really think that side-profile shot is suffering from the fact it's a resin kit that doesn't hold together well. You can see huge gaps in the shoulder area. The nose is obviously dislodged and drooping in multiple spots. It also appears the legs are not attached at the back and are hanging away from the backpack as well. I think it will look a lot tighter (obviously still a little chunky) in fighter mode with the final toy.

[Desty_Nova]

I don't really care about the price. The only thing potentially stopping me from buying this is that the alternate head version and a potential milia version. This would look really good in red.

[VF5SS]

hey they should totally make the one variant from VF-X2

am i right

[Uxi]

The Battroid has huge shoulders and doesn't look like he has the body to back it up. I think thats what you initially saw. I think it's alright.

I think it's the huge head like someone else posted. "Forehead like a movie theater." I like fighter mode but as far as battroid I'd like to see the head scaled down a bit, canon or not. It could also use a neck/collar to raise it up a tiny bit.

I quite like the Yamato's version. The lineart that you posted up looks a little strange.

I think the nose is too "bulbous" and probably is the new gullet and that simply noone looked at the exact angle comparison like anime52k8 posted. Probably too late to change by this point, I imagine. The rest of fighter, I'm more than happy with and expect it to be a bit tighter in production.

As far as VF-22, seems obvious to me that Yamato got a bit lazy. VF-22's belly profile should roughly match that of YF-21 with the FP plates on (a bit thinner since we wouldn't need "double layers") and be a bit thicker/chunkier in fighter than YF-21 without the plates but thinner than YF-21 with the plates.

[Mommar]

I think the nose is too "bulbous" and probably is the new gullet and that simply noone looked at the exact angle comparison like anime52k8 posted. Probably too late to change by this point, I imagine. The rest of fighter, I'm more than happy with and expect it to be a bit tighter in production.

It's already been pointed out that the lineart anime52k8 posted is not official and isn't accurate.

hey they should totally make the one variant from VF-X2

am i right

Totally right, I think it's a brilliant idea and they should do it.

[alchemo]

The side profile of the fighter is a bit thick and yet the leg in batroid mode is still not chunky enough, if it is to compare with the official line arts.

However, it is because the line art was unrealistic.

Many of the VFs are proportional different when drawn in different mode, and that was especially obvious in M7 VFs as the show feature a super-robot-ish mood and the batroid were drawn to look more powerful with chunkier limbs, which would not be possible when in a fighter mode. Yamato manage to get it right with the VF-19 because the design was not as crazy as the the VF-17, unless Yamato make the legs sink into itself when in fighter mode, it will never get as slim as it was drawn in fighter mode (definitely no gun pod storage ).

Look at YF-21 and VF-22, the fighter was perfect but in batroid mode the legs are just too slim, and the gun pods are like pistols

This VF-17 is a compromise, and may be not as perfect as the VF-19, but it is already quite good IMO.

Edited October 18, 2011 by alchemo

[Uxi]

The shoulders are TOO chunky and not long enough. The head is also a bit too blockish compared to the anime instead of tapered.

[valhary]

originally only wanted the "D" version but now I want a "S" too

[Kelsain]

I think it looks good overall, and I like the chunky fighter over the too-skinny lineart. What I don't care for is the tone of the grey. I think the white area of the head should be the color of the intakes, and everything else much darker. The blue/black of the exterior is great. Just way too much contrast on those intake covers.

Bottom line, it's pretty cool, but way out of my $$ range. If I want this, I'll have to wait to see if it goes on sale like the VF-22s. I'll save my $ for the 19F.

[Frogze]

I think it looks pretty good in all modes, fighter being my favorite of all these pics of the prototype. Battroid head may look a bit weird but I think it looks faithful to the design.

But like many others here I think the pricing is gone out of control... Have chinese factories production costs gone over the roof lately?

[Dobber]

Curious, are these prices considered high in Japan as well or is just the exchange rate.

Chris

[Uxi]

IIRC YF-19 and YF-21 were 18,800'ish or something like that? Mostly it's the exchange rates. As of 10/19, the rate was 76.818497JPY:USD. That makes 22,000¥ = $286.39. On 4/3/2010, it was 94.9409 JYP:USD. That would make a 22,000¥ = $231.72.

[Uxi]

This one is supposedly MSRP at 24,800¥, though. :eek:

[Reïvaj]

This toy’s going to look great with the Super Pack on. I’m glad to see all the necessary attachment points seem to be there.

[typhoon]

I didn't waste any time and Pre ordered it the moment I saw it at AMIAMI.

Having some NEW valk designs that are designed and built using modern technology obiously comes at a price. I think a few members have already posted that they may only get one version of these more expensive valks (VF-17S or VF-19S). That kind of sucks as I'm sure I'm not the only one who would love to get EVERY variation possible.

Hope everyone can get a little extra cash around Christmas, I'm sure you all agree it would be nice to have a few new VALKS under the tree.

[pud333]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who would love to get EVERY variation possible.

If I had the money, I would buy every single release. No joke. But I don't, so there's that.

[Archer]

Color me dissappointed. I don't know, I'm not really a stickler for line art accuracy or anything. Just.....something doesn't seem right to me.

Maybe I have been spoiled by the really good proportions of the -19, but yeah, especially the shoulder and chest area seem a little too gangly, and

the bottom fourth of the head is covered up as well. I know that this is a hard design and all, but yeah, easy pass, although I wish it weren't

EDIT: The thing(s) that would make this an instabuy though would be a rotating cockpit that opens in battroid, and ratcheted ankles rather than ball joints, although I am doubting the latter will come to fruition.

Edited October 18, 2011 by Archer

[Graham]

I think it looks pretty good in all modes, fighter being my favorite of all these pics of the prototype. Battroid head may look a bit weird but I think it looks faithful to the design.

But like many others here I think the pricing is gone out of control... Have chinese factories production costs gone over the roof lately?

Yes, due to the higher quality factory Yamato is using recently, plus price increases in China and increased material costs, Yamato told me their production cost has risen 2.5 times in the past year

They are also not happy about it, but would rather use this high quality factory.

Graham

[Old Man]

Preorders are up at HLJ:

http://www.hlj.com/product/ymt00225

[EXO]

Color me dissappointed. I don't know, I'm not really a stickler for line art accuracy or anything. Just.....something doesn't seem right to me.

Maybe I have been spoiled by the really good proportions of the -19, but yeah, especially the shoulder and chest area seem a little too gangly, and

the bottom fourth of the head is covered up as well. I know that this is a hard design and all, but yeah, easy pass, although I wish it weren't

EDIT: The thing(s) that would make this an instabuy though would be a rotating cockpit that opens in battroid, and ratcheted ankles rather than ball joints, although I am doubting the latter will come to fruition.

I'm kinda with you... Maybe I just got used to the VF-171 but for some reason this old favorite has not aged well for me even though it looks spot on. Yamato did a great job but something isn't doing it for me.

[Twoducks]

I think the leap from the YF-19 to the V-19 Kai raised expectations for this one. Yamato should have done a VF-17 five years ago, then this one would look a lot better

Really wish Yamato would take more care with their promo photos. They really shoot themselves in the foot with such a plain looking resin proto.

Off topic: Wow, the new MW look feels weird.

[Mommar]

I went back and checked out the old CAD photo of Battroid Mode from head-on. I know things can change between the CAD and implementation but all of the proportions look exactly the same. The only thing different is that, while the very bottom of the chin is covered, it appears the chest piece on the CAD sits lower then in these photos. I'm wondering if this prototype isn't quite sitting correct. It doesn't appear to be in fighter mode either. But I'm willing to bet that chest piece isn't set quite where it should be, which should make a least a small difference.

[Archer]

Any insight as to how/if there will be a cockpit mechanism for battroid, or if it has ratchet or ball jointed ankles?

Hovering over a pre - order with these two things in mind

[Mommar]

Any insight as to how/if there will be a cockpit mechanism for battroid, or if it has ratchet or ball jointed ankles?

Hovering over a pre - order with these two things in mind

I'm willing to bet this thing has ball joints.

[Reïvaj]

[...] I'm wondering if this prototype isn't quite sitting correct. [...]

It wouldn’t surprise me. Do you remember those pictures of the floppy VF-19Kai resin prototype? The chin, shoulders, side covers under the uniboob and even the whole torso weren’t in the right position. This is exactly the same case.

[BlueMax]

Save up and only buy one of each type. That's what I'm going to do.

That is what I have been doing actually so far.... but it has reached the point where the "is it worth this kind of money" question bugs me to no end.

[Jasonc]

What I see funny here, is many are making comparisons on screen shot of the t.v. show, that has the anime magic, that makes certain parts bigger or smaller for aesthetics of the screen shot. It can't be everything it was in the cartoon, and while I'm sometimes guilty of that myself, I have to realize that it's a real toy, and is engineered to incorporate all we expect, and at the most line art accurate it can be. Not an easy task. All that said, I like it. I'll be getting one. I probably won't get the D, but it just depends on finances at the time.

[anime52k8]

hey they should totally make the one variant from VF-X2

am i right

F*CK YEAH, PURPLE!!!

[physioguy]

I'm amazed.

I would love a sleeker fighter, but of course, there would be big sacrifices to the battroid (which I love). Bottom line, there is a design team that spends countless days engineering and re-engineering these wonderful toys, in which they have to make some compromises here and there to get the best final product, and then we tear it down on the internet.

Must be annoying for them, but I guess it's the same as pro athletes who are in the top 1% of players in their sport, dealing with the media and fans telling them they suck.

If you don't like it, don't buy it, and then they won't continue to bother us by making anymore Macross toys(...although I'm sure Graham and a few others will buy enough of a VF-17 fleet to keep them afloat)