Bandai 1/72 fully transform able VF-1 plastic kit for Macross 30th Ann

[jenius]

I think it's integral but you need to remove the canopy maybe?

[Valkyrie addict]

min 1:45, you can notice a housing at the inner chesplate similar to Yamato's heatshield sliding mechanism.

[Vifam7]

SKMBT_C36013052814040.pdf

The article from the latest Model Graphix

The article suggests that they're still not finished making changes and adjustments - particularly detail on the nosecone, landing gears, and gunpod. Same with the Strike packs - cannons are going to be bigger sized and more detail to the boosters it says.

[Vi-RS]

min 1:45, you can notice a housing at the inner chesplate similar to Yamato's heatshield sliding mechanism.

Yes, I think it's pretty much like the Yamato's.

[kyekye]

One thing I noticed is the head laser on S.

The angle on fighter mode looks parallel, but angle on Battroid looks spread apart. Does that mean they have some kind of joint/hinge on the root of that tiny head laser??

[hulagu]

Doubt posable head lasers is feasible. Probably swappable "ear" parts for battroid posing like the Hi-Metal 100.

[kyekye]

Doubt posable head lasers is feasible. Probably swappable "ear" parts for battroid posing like the Hi-Metal 100.

Well, if that's the case, that ruins the whole concept of transformation!

It's same as landing gear parts swap!

[Vifam7]

Doubt posable head lasers is feasible. Probably swappable "ear" parts for battroid posing like the Hi-Metal 100.

No, it's feasible. All 4 lasers could potentially have a ball joint much like those gunpla fingers.

Edited May 29, 2013 by Vifam7

[Shaorin]

i'll see how other members fare with their finished examples of this "Disasterpiece" before i consider a copy myself.

perhaps i'll pick up the Focker 1S. if i miss that boat, i'll wait for the Ichijo 1J T.V.

[connor99]

Price will be a deciding factor for me, just like with a lot of folks here on MW. Lots of gimmicks and detail, so if it's not gonna go for the price of a YAMATO valk, then maybe I'll pick one up.

[MechTech]

I know there is a lot of criticism, but this kit is looking better each time! If they make the changes Vifam pointed out, all the better.

I'm diggin the armament package too! I thought the folding knee piece looked awkward too. The original Imai Valks looked pretty good in that department and they didn't have that piece in there. My main concern is with all those parts that can move, they would eventually become loose; unless this becomes a mostly ABS kit? - MT

[Vi-RS]

Those old Imai basically don't have any knees, just molded in one piece. IMO Yamato did a much better job on the movable knee caps.

Hopefully they will change the stripes on the chest and wings. Those stripes on the chest should be paralleled with the contour of the neck area, their rendering in commercial is correct though.

[Chronocidal]

Actually, no, I don't think any Bandai rendition of the VF-1 has ever had correct chest stripes.

They're not horizontal across the chest, they're two angles of sweep. The only horizontal part is across the speed brake area. They've done that wrong since they acquired the original Takatokus, and every instance since then has copied that (incorrect) scheme.

[Duymon]

Maybe they used the 1/55's as a reference lol

[Chronocidal]

That's actually the part I really don't get. Like, really cannot comprehend it.

You have absolutely overwhelming piles of sources that directly contradict something that they're clinging to like a trademark. And they keep doing it wrong every time. Why?

It's not that it's a huge deal, or looks terrible (though the markings shown are pretty bad on this kit), but it's an obvious flaw, and it's like even though it would be incredibly easy to fix, they can't bring themselves to admit it's ever been wrong.

It's like that elephant's been in the living room so long, it's now a dead corpse, and Bandai has just gotten used to using it as a foot rest.

[funaka]

Well I'm totally getting one and even if this thing or that thing isn't perfect I'm going to enjoy the EXPERIENCE of building this neat little kit and seeing all the things it can do. I'll snap it together, transform it, pose it, decide how it looks best and then fix or detail what I think needs fixing and detailing (probably nothing more than some panel lines, unless they fix the ones that dead-end on the chest), take it apart and paint it up.

I am somewhat on the fence with the super/strike pack but I'll probabaly get it. I'm not going to preorder so I'll get the chance to see the final cut before I send my money off to Japan. I doubt they're gonna run out.

Once I've at least done the snapping I can assess what the kit is good for then I'll start to think about if I want more than one. I'll proabbaly have no use for this kit in fighter mode with the Hasegawas I have in the stash (and the one Wave kit I have for it's old-school goodness) and I'm figuring 90% chance my first Bandai will be Gerwalk since that's been neglected and that's probably my favorite mode (I'm weird that way). The real question will be the Battroid mode. The Hasgawa Battroid looks pretty good but there are a brazillion seam lines to fix and parts that clamshell within other parts (IIRC) and the soft relatively simplistic polycap joints... not my fave. I figure the Bandai kit will have the ease-of-building (in the sense of lack of seams and easier paint breakdown) and poseability engineering advantage and the Hasegawa kit will have the looks advantage. It'll be a competition between the two kits to see which becomes my Battroid-mode Minmay Guard. Unless the Bandai kit is fantastic in Battroid and exceeds my expectations and I get so enthusiastic I go Minmay Battroid with my first Bandai kit.

[Noyhauser]

Well I'm totally getting one and even if this thing or that thing isn't perfect I'm going to enjoy the EXPERIENCE of building this neat little kit and seeing all the things it can do. I'll snap it together, transform it, pose it, decide how it looks best and then fix or detail what I think needs fixing and detailing (probably nothing more than some panel lines, unless they fix the ones that dead-end on the chest), take it apart and paint it up. I am somewhat on the fence with the super/strike pack but I'll probabaly get it. I'm not going to preorder so I'll get the chance to see the final cut before I send my money off to Japan. I doubt they're gonna run out. Once I've at least done the snapping I can assess what the kit is good for then I'll start to think about if I want more than one. I'll proabbaly have no use for this kit in fighter mode with the Hasegawas I have in the stash (and the one Wave kit I have for it's old-school goodness) and I'm figuring 90% chance my first Bandai will be Gerwalk since that's been neglected and that's probably my favorite mode (I'm weird that way). The real question will be the Battroid mode. The Hasgawa Battroid looks pretty good but there are a brazillion seam lines to fix and parts that clamshell within other parts (IIRC) and the soft relatively simplistic polycap joints... not my fave. I figure the Bandai kit will have the ease-of-building (in the sense of lack of seams and easier paint breakdown) and poseability engineering advantage and the Hasegawa kit will have the looks advantage. It'll be a competition between the two kits to see which becomes my Battroid-mode Minmay Guard. Unless the Bandai kit is fantastic in Battroid and exceeds my expectations and I get so enthusiastic I go Minmay Battroid with my first Bandai kit.

The problem with your analysis is that first you claim that there are a bazillion seam lines to fix on Hasegawa, then laud the Bandai kit which has two glaringly obvious un-fillable seam lines in the form of the landing gear doors, and several others for hand hatches, ect. If I want to make a display grade battroid, I'm not going to buy the bandai over the hasegawa kit because I'd just be spending my time covering up all of the parts that don't make it look realistic in order to allow it to transform.

Edited May 31, 2013 by Noyhauser

[joscasle]

The problem with your analysis is that first you claim that there are a bazillion seam lines to fix on Hasegawa, then laud the Bandai kit which has two glaringly obvious un-fillable seam lines in the form of the landing gear doors, and several others for hand hatches, ect. If I want to make a display grade battroid, I'm not going to buy the bandai over the hasegawa kit because I'd just be spending my time covering up all of the parts that don't make it look realistic in order to allow it to transform.

Totally agree with you!!!

[Vifam7]

The problem with your analysis is that first you claim that there are a bazillion seam lines to fix on Hasegawa, then laud the Bandai kit which has two glaringly obvious un-fillable seam lines in the form of the landing gear doors, and several others for hand hatches, ect. If I want to make a display grade battroid, I'm not going to buy the bandai over the hasegawa kit because I'd just be spending my time covering up all of the parts that don't make it look realistic in order to allow it to transform.

That's just your reasoning. Others do not consider landing gear doors and hatches as seam lines to fix. And still others have differing opinions of what is "realistic".

[Shaorin]

... And still others have differing opinions of what is "realistic".

indeed. to me, the 1/60 VF-19F/S is as realistic as it gets... for a MAC-7 Valk anyway...

[Reïvaj]

Yeah, well, you know...

Edited June 6, 2013 by Reïvaj

[drifand]

I'm just glad I have the choice of not having to deal with the uncertainty of Yamato's beautiful yet never-quite-fully-thought-out CAD designs. Most definitely will purchase the new kit for the sheer pleasure of putting it together and enjoying the most canonically accurate transformation produced to-date. Hurrah!

[anime52k8]

Yeah, well, you know...

I don't know what you were trying to link there but it's pretty broken on my end.

Most definitely will purchase the new kit for the sheer pleasure of putting it together

At this point, That's entirely why I'm still interested in this kit. I don't care if it's accurate or even if it turns out ugly, I just want the build experience. Lately I've been finding the act of assembling a complex, fiddly little robot model to be extremely engaging and fun.

[VF5SS]

I'm just glad I have the choice of not having to deal with the uncertainty of Yamato's beautiful yet never-quite-fully-thought-out CAD designs. Most definitely will purchase the new kit for the sheer pleasure of putting it together and enjoying the most canonically accurate transformation produced to-date. Hurrah!

Man leave the old ToyboxDX days behind. If you haven't noticed, it's Bandai whose been screwing up these days :v

Edited June 5, 2013 by VF5SS

[anime52k8]

Man leave the old ToyboxDX days behind. If you haven't noticed, it's Bandai whose been screwing up these days :v

You know it's hard out here for a pimp Macross Fan.

[VF5SS]

You have to forgive them. They only recently discovered facebook.

[drifand]

Man leave the old ToyboxDX days behind. If you haven't noticed, it's Bandai whose been screwing up these days :v

Here's the thing... we obviously value different things while being very passionate about Macross. Nothing you say will change my opinion of Yamato: auteurs in highly detailed mecha-model design, that have improved and innovated on the ART but nevertheless, keep stumbling on the CRAFT. It is the high promise they offer that makes the pain so much more unforgettable.

Similarly, Bandai doesn't inject as much passion into the ART of Macross toys and models. They may even have lowered their standards in crafting the Frontier v1 toys - I loathe v2 bullsh*t from any vendor - but, I am confident all my Bandai-made Macross toys will be in one piece 20 years from now. I don't know if there will still be a cottage industry of hobbyists recasting spare parts for the unlucky owners of whatever-overlooked production deficiency from Yamato.

So back to the topic: This kit is innovative and some Macross fans will enjoy it more than other alternative choices. I certainly respect your right to support your preferred franchisee; more power to your luck!

[VF5SS]

Similarly, Bandai doesn't inject as much passion into the ART of Macross toys and models. They may even have lowered their standards in crafting the Frontier v1 toys - I loathe v2 bullsh*t from any vendor - but, I am confident all my Bandai-made Macross toys will be in one piece 20 years from now. I don't know if there will still be a cottage industry of hobbyists recasting spare parts for the unlucky owners of whatever-overlooked production deficiency from Yamato.

Are you trying to suggest that 3d printing will go away in 20 years? I think you need to rethink the mental gymnastics you keep bringing into every Yamato bash you do because it's getting worse each time.

I hope your Bandai Valkyries last 20 years because my first Ozma Valkyrie could even last one :v

Edited June 5, 2013 by VF5SS

[Shaorin]

I'm just glad I have the choice of not having to deal with the uncertainty of Yamato's beautiful yet never-quite-fully-thought-out CAD designs. Most definitely will purchase the new kit for the sheer pleasure of putting it together and enjoying the most canonically accurate transformation produced to-date. Hurrah!

indeed, all two or three transformation cycles you might coerce out of the crazy thing before something very small, very delicate and very vital goes - SNAP -

i might just be a Doubting Thomas, woefully underestimating the engineering virtuosity of BANDAI's R&D staff,

but i seem to have an exceedingly difficult time fathoming the durability if such a mechanism in 1/72

without at least a HEALTHY modicum of zinc content, or at least POM plastic...

I don't care if it's accurate or even if it turns out ugly, I just want

the build experience. Lately I've been finding the act of assembling a

complex, fiddly little robot model to be extremely engaging and fun.

it can be a most enjoyable experience...

Edited June 5, 2013 by Shaorin

[xrentonx]

Preordered for the snappy-fun-good-times of the build too

Love Yamato but I got some extra cash to throw over yonder to see what it's like.

Edited June 5, 2013 by xrentonx

[Shaorin]

do keep us all posted on the UPs/DOWNs/LEFTs/RIGHTs/HORIZONTALs of this sucker now...

Edited June 5, 2013 by Shaorin

[Duymon]

I've got a few on preorder. have a ton of hasegawa decals to use in case the bandai ones suck balls.

[David Hingtgen]

It's 1/72 scale. There's approximately 3.4 zillion aftermarket sets that'll have something useful on it. Mainly F-4, F-8, F-14, and F-18 sheets...

[drifand]

Are you trying to suggest that 3d printing will go away in 20 years? I think you need to rethink the mental gymnastics you keep bringing into every Yamato bash you do because it's getting worse each time.

I hope your Bandai Valkyries last 20 years because my first Ozma Valkyrie could even last one :v

I'm sorry for your loss. Having an expensive toy of a subject you care about fall apart through no fault of your own can be a painful and dispiriting experience. Now try to imagine what it feels like to have that happen over and over again across different iterations, variants and related series...

Like I said, we value different things.

Bandai BAD because 'Y U NO TRY HARDER TO RESPECT LINE ART AND MODERNIZE VF LIKE GUNDAMN?!'

Yamato BAD because 'Y U NO THINK ABOUT HOW MATERIALS WORK AND FIT BEFORE YOU MAKE THINGS?!'

I guess the ideal situation is having the best of Yamato aesthetics and the best of Bandai's production acumen. Best; not worst. I think the 1/60 YF-29 and VF-171 showed this kind of promise. And 3D printing shouldn't even have to come into the picture.

We all choose what we can live with and what we can't. FOR ME: Inaccuracies? Subjective. If it isn't too ugly I can imagine it away as I play with it. Documented physical failures? Would rather not have to deal with it. Logic tempers passion.

Edited June 6, 2013 by drifand

[VF5SS]

Dude you're the guy who gladly bought every terrible CM's figure and talked up how great they are.