1/60 Macross 7 VF-19S Blazer Valkyrie Emerald Force Unit Announced

[Chronocidal]

I noticed this about the Fire Valk too, the molding on the wings is very precise. I love toys with lots of sharp points.

[kamadoma]

Now if Macross 7 featured emo rock songs, someone would have committed suicide with their Fire Valk by now. Just kidding. =P

[David Hingtgen]

Hey, the real-life F-104's wings have extremely sharp edges. To this day they are STILL covered up when on display in museums etc, to prevent people from killing themselves...

[Macross_Fanboy]

Hey, the real-life F-104's wings have extremely sharp edges. To this day they are STILL covered up when on display in museums etc, to prevent people from killing themselves...

Su-79s and Su-80s on Super Hornets suck too...

Anyways, thanks to the holiday season and unforeseen expenses, I had to cancel my pre-order. I hope I get my amended return soon so I can snag it. Can't wait for Xmas though, I'm making my wife get me the VF-17.

[VF-18S Hornet]

Su-79s and Su-80s on Super Hornets suck too...

Anyways, thanks to the holiday season and unforeseen expenses, I had to cancel my pre-order. I hope I get my amended return soon so I can snag it. Can't wait for Xmas though, I'm making my wife get me the VF-17.

Sorry to hear that, hope you get your finances back in order to get this bird.

[Reïvaj]

A new pic:

Source: http://blog.yahoo.com/cybergundam/articles/204905/index

[anime52k8]

oh man, I still want this... but ThreeA just announced a new 1/6 Caesar release that looks so pretty... with pay up front preorders opening up on Wednesday... why must everything be so expensive at the same time...

Edited November 22, 2011 by anime52k8

[charger69]

Head shot! (Thanks to BAT)

Edited November 21, 2011 by charger69

[Reïvaj]

IMO this is the most beautifully ever sculpted VF head

[David Hingtgen]

The blue plastic looks metallic in that shot. (or it could just be grain in the pic)

[Reïvaj]

The blue plastic looks metallic in that shot. (or it could just be grain in the pic)

IMO it's the grain in the pic.

[Archer]

That angle and essence of that pic are pure awesome. I don't even know why I was considering getting the VF-17, this is sooo much cooler.

And I agree, I've never seen a cooler head sculpt!

EDIT: I honestly wish it was a brighter blue though, akin to the blue presented on the resin prototype. I just really think that a lighter blue is more applicable here...

Edited November 22, 2011 by Archer

[jenius]

I love these toys but that giant hump in front of the chin is just killing it for me! How much better would that toy look if the chest sloped down in front of his chin instead of going essentially straight forward and then having a big gap?

Edited November 22, 2011 by jenius

[Tking22]

Indeed the gap is a little unsightly, honestly though I never noticed this on my kai.

[eugimon]

meh, honestly doesn't bother me in battroid and I love the lines of the fighter mode and wouldn't be interested in changing the geometry that much just for battroid.

And yeah, I'm aware that the hi-metal doesn't have the same problem but I also think the hi-metal vf-19 looks like horrible in battroid for a variety of other reasons and the fighter mode is severely wanting as well.

[Tking22]

meh, honestly doesn't bother me in battroid and I love the lines of the fighter mode and wouldn't be interested in changing the geometry that much just for battroid.

And yeah, I'm aware that the hi-metal doesn't have the same problem but I also think the hi-metal vf-19 looks like horrible in battroid for a variety of other reasons and the fighter mode is severely wanting as well.

That aside you had to buy what? 2 or 3 other exclusive add-ons to even get a stand and landing gears?

[eugimon]

honestly, that didn't bother me that much. I mean, the rest of it was so crappy that the fact that it didn't have landing gears was pretty far down on the list.

[jenius]

I don't see why fixing that gap would have created such a huge difficulty for Yamato. It's rather easy to fix in photoshop . Seriously though, it wasn't impossible, and they wouldn't have had to ruin fighter mode, but it probably would have required one or more moving parts and I'm guessing at that point they were like "This thing is already a billion parts and is going to be ridiculously expensive so let's call it a day."

[Raptor One]

Well the Hi Metal gets around the problem by having the nose point slightly up in Battroid mode. It's not that great of a compromise imo. But I'm sure the YF-19 v2 will have less of a gap

[Reïvaj]

It’s a matter of proportions. To avoid that gap the whole nose should be cylindrical in fighter mode which is certainly not according to the line art, where it’s fairly obvious that the front section is wider than the rear one, making it impossible to fit it in the chest plate.

Besides, most of the good previous renditions of the YF/VF-19 –and I’m not including the Hi-metal- had that gap and I don’t remember anybody complaining about that.

See these:

Thanks actar.files.wordpress.com for the pic

[jenius]

Um... really? Those are your examples of "better" YF-19s? Yikes. If it was just a matter of the 19's nose being a little bit thicker it seems like something could have been engineered to overcome this (especially at this price point). Besides, what's the use of focusing on battroid mode if you're going to throw it out at the end and put a big gap right in the center of the chest? I know I know, thou shalt not disparage Yamato on these boards. I'll go back to my hole.

[Black Valkyrie]

IMO this is the most beautifully ever sculpted VF head

Agreed but to me it has been always an updated VF-1S head.

[Reïvaj]

[...] Besides, what's the use of focusing on battroid mode if you're going to throw it out at the end and put a big gap right in the center of the chest? I know I know, thou shalt not disparage Yamato on these boards. I'll go back to my hole.

That’s called balance between modes and you, as a toy reviewer, should know that

And I don’t think disparaging Yamato on these boards is a problem, it’s just that at the end of the day that gap you care so much about has proven not to be such a nuisance for most of people.

[jenius]

I'm not the one who stated Yamato was focusing on battroid mode... Yamato was. If they said they were focusing on balance between modes I wouldn't have pointed it out (wouldn't have pointed out they SAID they were focusing on battroid mode that is... I still would have pointed out the big gap in the front).

Edited November 22, 2011 by jenius

[MacrossJunkie]

I'm not sure why the gap doesn't really bother me. I think I just assume in my mind there would naturally be one there due to the difference in shape.

The gap in the 1/60 YF-19 seems pretty minimal to me, actually. It also has a little wall a little further in that sort of covers the gap so the hole doesn't reach further in. Does the 19 Kai have that?

On a completely unrelated note, sometimes when I look at the VF-19S in the pics, the bright yellow stripes make me think "hey, it's a tron valk!"

Just the way the bright thin squiggly lines look against the darker colors in battroid mode brings that to mind. I guess I'm just weird

[Archer]

I think it is very possible to fix that gap (one more *click* downwards I think), but honestly, I don't feel as though it REALLY gets to me, making it a deal breaker.

But I can see where Jenius is coming from, in that it is what it is, a gap on a $280 toy. Take that as you will I guess.

[Reïvaj]

I'm not the one who stated Yamato was focusing on battroid mode... Yamato was. If they said they were focusing on balance between modes I wouldn't have pointed it out (wouldn't have pointed out they SAID they were focusing on battroid mode that is... I still would have pointed out the big gap in the front).

If you think focusing on one mode means forgetting the others then I would recommend you just to start collecting model kits.

Edited November 22, 2011 by Reïvaj

[Isamu Dyson]

Forget the gap. Surprisingly no one has mentioned The "Made in China" stamped underneath the wing. Of all the places and of all the font size and of all the color combinations we got a CVF-19 ( China's Variable Fighter -19)

Personally, I don't agree with Yamato's concept to focus more attention on one mode just because it appeared in that mode most of the time. It is a perfect transformation toy and all modes should be equally balanced. Being a fighter displayer - The China stamp really annoys me when I look at it in flight mode on my Yamato Stand. The non-removable intake covers to compensate for a fatter and more mobile battroid really didn't go well with me either. Surely there must be a way to engineer a small piece of plastic without conceding shape in this day and age of touch screen technology.

If Yamato did put more emphasis on battroid mode - It is not that unreasonable to have wishful thinking of a no gap chest. Especially if fighter mode doesn't get the luxury of a removable intake cover and the China thing all for the sake of a better looking battroid. Jenius shared his opinion and he is entitled to that opinion - despite whether the majority agrees or not.

Graham: If a V3 YF-19 is in the works - Please, please, please (begging on my knees) - tell Yamato removable intake covers and no obvious "Made in China" stamps or imprints visible on all modes. How about behind the shield??? but not in black markings.

[Renato]

Why did it need non-removable intake covers stuck on in the first place? Alex pryed his right off and there is ample room for intake detail in there.

It's a sad fact that the closer to perfection Yamato reaches, the larger their shortcomings seem.

The worthless stand attachment for Fighter mode, the loose ankles, the unremoveable intakes, and yes, the chest gap, all play their part in detracting from a really fantastic toy.

[Actar]

If you ask me, I think the problem is exacerbated in that picture due to the chest being angled up and the head pointing down. It wouldn't look as bad if the chest was angled down more and the head tilted up, which I think is supposed to be the proper position.

[Isamu Dyson]

It's a sad fact that the closer to perfection Yamato reaches, the larger their shortcomings seem.

I have to agree. When the VF-19 came out so did the YF-29.

Yamato's VF-19 - $300+ toy with it's small flaws is an engineering masterpiece compared to Bandai's YF-29

Bandai's YF-29 - $200+ toy that isn't all that bad but at least included full tampo and display stand - ready to go straight

out of the box.

The VF-19 is the better toy to an extent but for $300 dollars I expect a little extra. At least an open lid box. I know we all miss those boxes. It may be plashemy for me to say but the YF-29 wins because the toy isn't all that bad in design, it is much more affordable (at least back then ), no need for stickers and it came with a full colored SMS stand. It spoke more value for your money than just one heavy toy.

Back on track - The VF-19S is a beauty but for the going price it is a pass. I remember Yamato's SDF valks going for about $120-150. Macross Zero and Plus went pretty close if not at least $200. This year they've been floating at around $300. Next year we may see Yamato flirt around the $400 range. Times are tough for the toy business? Well for those prices the consumers will be even tougher.

[Ignacio Ocamica]

I don't see why fixing that gap would have created such a huge difficulty for Yamato. It's rather easy to fix in photoshop . Seriously though, it wasn't impossible, and they wouldn't have had to ruin fighter mode, but it probably would have required one or more moving parts and I'm guessing at that point they were like "This thing is already a billion parts and is going to be ridiculously expensive so let's call it a day."

I'm attaching a quick sketch I made illustrating what Reïvaj is saying about the front section being fatter than the rear section. I'm just trying to show that the curve of the chestplate is thinner than the section of the nosecone where both pieces meet.

I guess yamato played a little bit with the proportions but tried not to ruin fighter mode. Bandai's VF-19 front fuselage and the section behind the cockpit are wrongly shaped.

[Mommar]

Yup, good example drawing Ignacio. The Hi-Metal 19 looks MESSED up in fighter mode because they attempted to change that. The only way I could possibly think to correct that is to make the fuselage area two pieces and have that bump click down a notch (kind of like on the back plate of the VF-1 in Battroid) though that would introduce a whole new look to complain about because then it wouldn't look flush like in the anime. Time to start raging again!

[Mommar]

Bummer, looks like after this and 17 I will have to skip picking up the F variants or any more VF-25's. My Mom just had some major medical problems and she has no insurance so I'm covering all of it. First bill, $6000. That's the toy budget (and Christmas) so far.

[Ignacio Ocamica]

Hope your mother recovers and gets well soon!!!