Arcadia 1/60 Perfect Transformation VF-0D for 2015

[seti88]

Luckily nothing steamy ever happens in macross!

[Grey728]

8 hours ago, seti88 said:

All these postings abt ships reminded me of the titanic movie.

And then i saw your pic of steamed windows....

and a plus of kermits hand on the window. 

Yeah.... I really needed that image burned into my brain... I don't think I'll ever be able to look at this meme the same way again. Thanks..

[Dobber]

42 minutes ago, Grey728 said:

Yeah.... I really needed that image burned into my brain... I don't think I'll ever be able to look at this meme the same way again. Thanks..

Lol! Well he IS alone and we can’t see what his other arm is doing.

Chris

[Grey728]

8 minutes ago, Dobber said:

Lol! Well he IS alone and we can’t see what his other arm is doing.

Chris

That makes it worse. Childhood ruined. RUINED!

[sqidd]

Just now, Grey728 said:

That makes it worse. Childhood ruined. RUINED!

Your childhood is anchored to the Titanic movie? Weird man, really weird. 

[NeoVanguard]

Finally got my VF-0D from  FromJapan.  I asked for Surface Mail when they asked me which delivery service.  Took almost 3 months from Japan to SF, but arrived in pristine condition.

[sqidd]

2 hours ago, NeoVanguard said:

Finally got my VF-0D from  FromJapan.  I asked for Surface Mail when they asked me which delivery service.  Took almost 3 months from Japan to SF, but arrived in pristine condition.

Enjoy! That will be a grail some day.

[SuperHobo]

And now to get the thread back on topic! I've gotten to mess around with my copy of the PF VF-0D. It's a beauty and the most I have ever paid for one valkyrie. I will most likely not ever pay this much for one valk again, but this is a great one to go out on. No major QC issues to report. Some minor problems like the ankles just won't budge going backwards for gerwalk poses and there's a few small paint blemishes in a few areas. Everything else, works as intended and it's damn nice to finally have the 0D in the right colors. The color of the fingers and wrists are also a different color and I hope they're made out of a slightly different plastic that doesn't crack like the Arcadia 0S, 0D and probably 0A's hands. I really like that Arcadia even added some subtle weathering to the gun pod as well as the feet. All around, a worthy piece for the premium finish line. 

[Sanity is Optional]

I had the same issue with the feet being suuuuuuper stiff when trying to bend them backwards. Eventually managed it, but dear god it took a lot of force.

[Grey728]

4 minutes ago, SuperHobo said:

I LOVE seeing images like this! They're always so fun to look at and show off the pose-ability of a toy better than any hero or action stance could. 

[SuperHobo]

8 minutes ago, Sanity is Optional said:

I had the same issue with the feet being suuuuuuper stiff when trying to bend them backwards. Eventually managed it, but dear god it took a lot of force.

Maybe I'll give them a bit more slow and even force later to get them moving. If it involved the amount of force I took to get the Riobot legioss shoulders to move....... my fingers will get a real workout. 

6 minutes ago, Grey728 said:

I LOVE seeing images like this! They're always so fun to look at and show off the pose-ability of a toy better than any hero or action stance could. 

Yes indeed! Got to have fun with your toys no matter the price of admission. 

[sqidd]

1 hour ago, SuperHobo said:

 

Love it!!!!

[funkymonkeyjavajunky]

My toy arrived, two months to the day. It appears intact.

I am less than overwhelmed by the customized weathering. You can spot incomplete brushstrokes and other minor imperfections. Has anyone else seen this? I get the impression YMMV on each piece.  Otherwise, it's a gorgeous toy, and a substantial improvement over the first release.

Edited September 4, 2020 by funkymonkeyjavajunky

[spanner]

On 9/3/2020 at 5:09 AM, SuperHobo said:

*snipped*

I have chosen this pose for my Zero! 

[MacrossJunkie]

21 hours ago, funkymonkeyjavajunky said:

My toy arrived, two months to the day. It appears intact.

I am less than overwhelmed by the customized weathering. You can spot incomplete brushstrokes and other minor imperfections. Has anyone else seen this? I get the impression YMMV on each piece.  Otherwise, it's a gorgeous toy, and a substantial improvement over the first release.

 

I made the same complaint some pages ago. I was not at all satisfied with the weathering compared to what they showed in pics. They left the brush touch points on without bothering to clean it off, the streaks on the airbrake and such don't look like streaks at all and the overall weathering just doesn't look very good. I wish they would have just left out the weathering as I'd prefer no weathering than half-assed weathering and would have been happy with the improvements to the toy, the corrected color, and the tampo printing. I'm still trying to decide if I should clean it all off and weather it myself or leave it stock and do the original release version instead. My main concern here is accidentally ruining the tampo and painted areas while trying to get the factory weathering off. 

Edited September 4, 2020 by MacrossJunkie

[wm cheng]

Yes I see what you mean @MacrossJunkie, but I think people who are happy with it have no customizing or modeling expertise at all and are happy with what they get out of the box.  The problem for people like you and I and others that customize is that our standards are too high since we only have to work on one at time for ourselves.  There is no way any mass manufacturing is going to complete with our level of customization.  Those brush touch points are actually intentional, I've seen them in the anime lineart and was considering replicating them for my custom VF-0D back in the day, but then decided against it as it didn't fit with my weathering style visually.

Edited September 4, 2020 by wm cheng

[sqidd]

I just refrain from wearing my readers when I'm looking at it. Problem solved.

[DYRL VF-1S]

5 minutes ago, wm cheng said:

I think people who are happy with it have no customizing or modeling expertise at all and are happy with what they get out of the box. 

*Raises hand* Exactly. I really appreciate the value of what you, @Lolicon and others do with customizing, but it's like art that I understand but can't personally create.  So, the 0D is a thing of beauty for me that I could never have outside of commissioning the work anyway.

1 minute ago, sqidd said:

I just refrain from wearing my readers when I'm looking at it. Problem solved.

 

[Slave IV]

14 minutes ago, wm cheng said:

Yes I see what you mean @MacrossJunkie, but I think people who are happy with it have no customizing or modeling expertise at all and are happy with what they get out of the box.  The problem for people like you and I and others that customize is that our standards are too high since we only have to work on one at time for ourselves.  There is no way any mass manufacturing is going to complete with our level of customization.  Those brush touch points are actually intentional, I've seen them in the anime lineart and was considering replicating them for my custom VF-0D back in the day, but then decided against it as it didn't fit with my weathering style visually.

Great points! I'm good with or without extra details but I do see the value in it. I mean honestly, how many hours does it take to customize something at that level AND give it the extra attention to detail to live up to a one off custom? I'm sure the time it takes is worth more than the entire price of the PF Valk and much more, not even counting the base Valk itself.

[Slave IV]

Oh, and lookee what I just found outside!

This is the first time I’ve seen these Arcadia shipper boxes for their exclusives. Are they taking a page from Bandai and their TWE releases? Also noticed the C/NO on the side. Anyone else get this and notice any differences based on the number? Anyways, looking forward to opening this beauty.

[sqidd]

1 hour ago, DYRL VF-1S said:

*Raises hand* Exactly. I really appreciate the value of what you, @Lolicon and others do with customizing, but it's like art that I understand but can't personally create.  So, the 0D is a thing of beauty for me that I could never have outside of commissioning the work anyway.

 

Come on now, I'm at least 4% more adorable than that!

[MacrossJunkie]

2 hours ago, wm cheng said:

Yes I see what you mean @MacrossJunkie, but I think people who are happy with it have no customizing or modeling expertise at all and are happy with what they get out of the box.  The problem for people like you and I and others that customize is that our standards are too high since we only have to work on one at time for ourselves.  There is no way any mass manufacturing is going to complete with our level of customization. 

I did acknowledge on my previous posting on my thoughts on this matter that we can't expect a high standard from factory workers who have to churn through these en masse, but my issue with the weathering is that Arcadia had set a different level of expectation for the toy than what they actually provided. I would have been happy if it had come out like what they showed in pics of the toy. They themselves set that level of expectation and we as the customer can only go by that when making the purchase. In any industry, setting the right expectations is important to avoid making people unhappy. They didn't do that. They showed one thing and gave another (kind of like the original release of the 0D with its colors now that I think about it, and I was not happy then either. I guess I just don't learn.). It would have been different if what they showed was at the expected level of what we'd actually get. Then we, as the potential buyers, could act accordingly and not feel deceived.

 

Quote

Those brush touch points are actually intentional, I've seen them in the anime lineart and was considering replicating them for my custom VF-0D back in the day, but then decided against it as it didn't fit with my weathering style visually.

Just like I had done with the SV-51, I had spent some time studying the 0D in the series and taking screenshots for reference for when I do finally get around to weathering it and while they do have those areas where the oil/grime has pooled up or collected, like below,

my opinion is that instead of that, where it's placed strategically in areas that make sense like where panel lines intersect/junction, they were just instructed to not clean up any of the touch points at all, so any and all the numerous touch points were just left on the toy.

 

In the end, and I've said this in the "What's next from Arcadia?" thread, it would be nice if they offered a premium finish version with and without weathering. That way, people who want all the tampos and like to keep their collections consistent (like most of their collection isn't weathered) can have that option as well as provide those of us that do customize a clean slate. While the people who do want the weathering can have that choice as well. It would be the best of both worlds. I wouldn't have cared if they offered a non-weathered version but was still the same price. I like the fixed color, all the tampo markings, and much better joints and would have gladly bought one of those and been happier with the purchase.

 

Edited September 4, 2020 by MacrossJunkie

[Lolicon]

Wow, tough crowd.  I do like reading these kinds of critiques though. 

I do disagree that Arcadia set up a higher standard than they actually delivered. The final product is near identical to the samples shown. 

Photo taken by me at Wonderfest last year. 

[sjoebarry]

6 hours ago, Slave IV said:

Also noticed the C/NO on the side. Anyone else get this and notice any differences based on the number?

My C/NO says 560

[Slave IV]

4 minutes ago, sjoebarry said:

My C/NO says 560

Is your copy really good or does it suck? Haha, it seems like all of them have been pretty good as far as I've heard.

[funkymonkeyjavajunky]

6 hours ago, MacrossJunkie said:

I did acknowledge on my previous posting on my thoughts on this matter that we can't expect a high standard from factory workers who have to churn through these en masse, but my issue with the weathering is that Arcadia had set a different level of expectation for the toy than what they actually provided. I would have been happy if it had come out like what they showed in pics of the toy. They themselves set that level of expectation and we as the customer can only go by that when making the purchase. In any industry, setting the right expectations is important to avoid making people unhappy. They didn't do that. They showed one thing and gave another (kind of like the original release of the 0D with its colors now that I think about it, and I was not happy then either. I guess I just don't learn.). It would have been different if what they showed was at the expected level of what we'd actually get. Then we, as the potential buyers, could act accordingly and not feel deceived.

 

Just like I had done with the SV-51, I had spent some time studying the 0D in the series and taking screenshots for reference for when I do finally get around to weathering it and while they do have those areas where the oil/grime has pooled up or collected, like below,

my opinion is that instead of that, where it's placed strategically in areas that make sense like where panel lines intersect/junction, they were just instructed to not clean up any of the touch points at all, so any and all the numerous touch points were just left on the toy.

 

In the end, and I've said this in the "What's next from Arcadia?" thread, it would be nice if they offered a premium finish version with and without weathering. That way, people who want all the tampos and like to keep their collections consistent (like most of their collection isn't weathered) can have that option as well as provide those of us that do customize a clean slate. While the people who do want the weathering can have that choice as well. It would be the best of both worlds. I wouldn't have cared if they offered a non-weathered version but was still the same price. I like the fixed color, all the tampo markings, and much better joints and would have gladly bought one of those and been happier with the purchase.

 

Ok, after seeing this screenshot I rescind half of my rant. The splotches are anime accurate. But the streaking (coming from the vents) should connect to the source, which makes logical sense. Any suggestions what I can use to clean those up, and fill the unpainted gaps on my figure?

Edited September 5, 2020 by funkymonkeyjavajunky

[MacrossJunkie]

2 hours ago, Lolicon said:

Wow, tough crowd.  I do like reading these kinds of critiques though. 

I do disagree that Arcadia set up a higher standard than they actually delivered. The final product is near identical to the samples shown. 

Photo taken by me at Wonderfest last year. 

I guess it's a matter of opinion at this point and we'll just have to agree to disagree. That looks like the very same model they used in the pics distributed for shops to use like this one:

The shape and location of the splotches an the shapes of the jaggies on the lines and weathering are the same, despite the different look in the color which is probably either lighting or some photoshopping or both. In either case, I feel like the areas around the panel lines and the highlights are tighter and more contrasted than what I got or what funkymonkeyjavajunky got which mostly look like round splotches sprayed near the general area of the center of each panel for the most part. There's also a lot more deliberateness to the panel lines as you can see they are thicker with more of a jagged, uneven quality to them, while on the actual toy it looks more like they just touched the brushes to the corners and let the capillary effect to the rest, with the exception of the tail fins and the backpack area. I think the deeper color probably helps the look too. Any one thing might not really be a huge deal, but I feel like the actual toy is missing something that makes the above pic look better than what I actually have in my hands. Although I'm glad the actual toy doesn't have those extra panel lines on the chest area.

Now I'm not trying to crap on anyone's purchases of the PF 0D or try to make people regret buying it or anything like that. I'm glad people are happy with it.

I guess my point is if what I got looked like the above pic, I'd have been satisfied enough. If it looked like what I have in hand now in the promo pics, I would have not considered dropping $500+ on it, which could have gone toward other things I'd have been happier with.

So I have two choices. I can sell it or I can try to work with what I've got and see if I can improve it without ruining the tampo prints in an attempt to first clean it up. That will be a big expensive gamble though. 

32 minutes ago, funkymonkeyjavajunky said:

Ok, after seeing this screenshot I rescind half of my rant. The splotches are anime accurate. But the streaking (coming from the vents) should connect to the source, which makes logical sense. Any suggestions what I can use to clean those up, and fill the unpainted gaps on my figure?

To clean it up, I guess it depends on what sort of paint they used. I'd try some turpenoid first. Then if that doesn't work rubbing alcohol/acrylic thinner, and lastly if that doesn't work, some lacquer thinner. Once off, I'd recommend some black pigment powder from whatever brand you favor (like Citadel, AK, Mig, etc.) or some graphite from a pencil and put some on the holes and smear it in the direction you want it to go with your finger. If you want more control, you can try using a rubber or silicone tip hobby brush, like this.

[Lolicon]

If you're unhappy with the product that you got, that's cool. I'm just saying that Arcadia didn't promise anything far and above what they finally delivered. As @wm chengsaid, a mass produced toy will never be as good as something a skilled hobbyist like yourself, spending however it long it takes to get everything perfect, will look. At least not without pushing the cost up to really ludicrous levels.

I think it would be much easier to start with the non-PF version and weather it from scratch yourself than trying to undo the PF weathering. 

[kkx]

46 minutes ago, Lolicon said:

If you're unhappy with the product that you got, that's cool. I'm just saying that Arcadia didn't promise anything far and above what they finally delivered. As @wm chengsaid, a mass produced toy will never be as good as something a skilled hobbyist like yourself, spending however it long it takes to get everything perfect, will look. At least not without pushing the cost up to really ludicrous levels.

I think it would be much easier to start with the non-PF version and weather it from scratch yourself than trying to undo the PF weathering. 

I have limited knowledge about this sort of result and what it takes to setup production run to get it "right" for the customer. The only reference I have is the F-14D from CW, that result looks much better (maybe they are going after totally different feel/look, I don't really know) and it does not cost so much more compared to their standard non weathered version of F-14.

The line are crips and the shading is nice looking.

I really value your opinion on how these two compare. I would have learn something.

[MacrossJunkie]

@funkymonkeyjavajunky

Through testing, the streaks can be removed with acrylic thinner or isopropyl alcohol... BUT I don't recommend doing that. It will also remove the black filter sprayed over top the entire valk and reveal a bright light powder blue plastic underneath. You will be going down the same deep dark rabbit hole I just jumped into.

If you want to just try something simple, jump straight to using the black pigments and just go over the streaks, if nothing else than to fill the gaps, with those and then spray a matte clear coat over top of it to keep it from getting rubbed off. Even simpler and faster since you wouldn't be trying to make more realistic looking streaks, use a GM01 Gundam Marker instead and fill the gaps with that and then lightly matte coat locally (with a brush or airbrush) over the area since the ink is fairly glossy and to prevent it from getting rubbed away or smeared on areas you don't want it to be on.

Edited September 5, 2020 by MacrossJunkie

[MKT]

14 hours ago, wm cheng said:

Yes I see what you mean @MacrossJunkie, but I think people who are happy with it have no customizing or modeling expertise at all and are happy with what they get out of the box... 

This more or less describes me. I guess ignorance is bliss haha.. but I do appreciate the critical eye of experienced modelers. Just curious, how does this VF-0D weathering stack up with previous Yamato weathering efforts? In my casual eye, when I look at pics of the older Yamato VF-1 weathering editions, I just go somewhat 'meh' while this VF-0D makes me very impressed.

 

[Lolicon]

41 minutes ago, MKT said:

This more or less describes me. I guess ignorance is bliss haha.. but I do appreciate the critical eye of experienced modelers. Just curious, how does this VF-0D weathering stack up with previous Yamato weathering efforts? In my casual eye, when I look at pics of the older Yamato VF-1 weathering editions, I just go somewhat 'meh' while this VF-0D makes me very impressed.

 

Arcadia 0D is an order of magnitude better than the old Yamato weathering editions.

[MKT]

59 minutes ago, Lolicon said:

Arcadia 0D is an order of magnitude better than the old Yamato weathering editions.

I suppose, despite the perceived faults, this 0D is still the best factory-weathered Macross item.. not counting the Mac-Z F-14 yet.

[sqidd]

1 hour ago, MKT said:

not counting the Mac-Z F-14 yet.

But that's not a Macross unit. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

[funkymonkeyjavajunky]

22 hours ago, MacrossJunkie said:

@funkymonkeyjavajunky

Through testing, the streaks can be removed with acrylic thinner or isopropyl alcohol... BUT I don't recommend doing that. It will also remove the black filter sprayed over top the entire valk and reveal a bright light powder blue plastic underneath. You will be going down the same deep dark rabbit hole I just jumped into.

If you want to just try something simple, jump straight to using the black pigments and just go over the streaks, if nothing else than to fill the gaps, with those and then spray a matte clear coat over top of it to keep it from getting rubbed off. Even simpler and faster since you wouldn't be trying to make more realistic looking streaks, use a GM01 Gundam Marker instead and fill the gaps with that and then lightly matte coat locally (with a brush or airbrush) over the area since the ink is fairly glossy and to prevent it from getting rubbed away or smeared on areas you don't want it to be on.

Let me rephrase ... I don't want to remove the streaks, just complete them.