Old Bandai 1/72 VF-25S messiah

[MinoRem]

So I've taken the time to rearrange my old vf-25S messiah ozma lee custom from bandai. As it a kit that I didn't do a lot with (removing nubs and making it all look pretty), I was wondering who bought this model kit and does anyone have/had any problems with it? I like the valkyrie mode of it but I realise that almost none of the parts fit together nicely, the legs are on a slight V shape and wants to stay that way unless you push them together, the side two flap that's connection to the legs are very loose and doesn't stay connected, also loose arms in gerwalker/battroid mode.

It was a nice build for someone who uses minimum effort but not sure where I could of went wrong to make all these pieces not connect properly. Is it me or the kit isn't as well made? Just want to hear what people say about this kit.

[Vifam7]

The kit is actually quite good. It just requires a lot of work in every way.

If you don't clean the nubs, test fit the parts, and correct the alignment at every turn, you're going to run into problems.

There will be some loose areas even if you build it perfectly though. Just the nature of it being a transforming snap fit kit. Frankly I would recommend to glue down some parts and lock it into the mode you like most.

[MinoRem]

The part where the torso meets the arms when it's in valkyrie mode doesn't seem to fit together so it's causing the whole thing to just break apart. I've seen some reviews and such and I do believe it's a good kit. I gave up on trying to put it in valkyrie mode and put it back in the box.

[Hikuro]

It should fit together really well, I never had any problems like that. Really the worst offenders are the hip kibble for fighter mode, and the fact the legs don't lock into the fighter mode body. that insanely pissed me off. Seeing how you gotta sticker the back of the legs with the numeric designation "007" etc, you lose that detail cause they'll slightly sag down.

[modelglue]

...Frankly I would recommend to glue down some parts and lock it into the mode you like most.

This...

...and the fact the legs don't lock into the fighter mode body. that insanely pissed me off.

...and this.

See my post here too:

http://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=35120&p=1099817

I am going to have four of these kits soon, I will do two glued together in fighter mode as I am experiencing the same leg/hip issues you guys are talking about. The biggest, I repeat, BIGGEST gripe for me was the rear of the lower legs not locking up or meeting up with the shield and upper fuselage like the VF-27 does so nicely. The hip joint was a buggar too, but that will glue up nicely.

I would just glue the crap out of it and maybe get another to pose in Battroid along side it like I will.

[Duymon]

You can make a VF-25 look pretty good if you add in some magnets. The decals are crap but the stickers are slightly better at not being totally transparent.

A little painting on the canopy / pilot and some panel lining with a wash and you have a decent looking Vf-25 Ozzy

[Berttt]

Or just buy a Hasegawa version. It's cheaper and better.

[MinoRem]

Man that one looks so nice. I've been fidgeting with mine for so many times the decals have been fading off

This part is meant to be connected to the bottom right?

The parts aren't all fitting that well like these parts

This is what happens when you just leave as is. The legs aren't really fitting snuggly upon the arms

[modelglue]

Or just buy a Hasegawa version. It's cheaper and better.

That might be the best idea for someone who hasn't already dumped $ into a Bandai..... I spent 2x as much on a Bandai kit, I would rather work with my investment personally. Regret will set in permanently if Hasegawa releases a series of VF-25 Battroids like the Zero and 1. I'd love a Hase' kit too, but the rate at which they are released leaves something to be desired. My current (no kids yet) disposable income and lust for collecting in the moment have governed my purchases to the here and now.

I wasn't around for the genesis of the Bandai kits so maybe you guys dealt with the same thing back when transforming Bandai '25s were hitting the scene.

I've been fidgeting with mine for so many times the decals have been fading off

Well, maybe (just a suggestion here) you could use that wear to your benefit by adding paint chipping effects with silver paint or graphite to create a really worn out looking Veef. Duymon has a nice looking model there, I might go back and fiddle with mine more. looks to me like you've doen some panel lining already, which is pretty awesome.

[MinoRem]

Hase is slightly slow, I usually buy the vf0/1 or vf25. I also about to finish the hase 1/72 VF25 that was recently released which is coming along nice.

They make a lot of valkyrie and battroid modes but wheres the love of the gerwalkers? That's my favourite mode.

[Kyp Durron]

Or just buy a Hasegawa version. It's cheaper and better.

Great if you have an air brush, but I'd rather buy a kit where the parts are already molded in color.

[Duymon]

Or just buy a Hasegawa version. It's cheaper and better.

Unless they actually want it to transform.....

[MinoRem]

I think hase will be "cheap" if you already have all the tools and paint to make them. I ended up buying a packet of brushes, thinners, paint and sand paper to build the kits which none is required for a bandai model but if you already have the tools then I guess it is cheap.

[SebastianP]

Depending on where you buy them, the Hasegawa kits are 1000 to 1200 yen cheaper than the corresponding Bandai kit. (At HLJ, the difference is 1040 yen - the Bandai kits are 3600 yen, the Hasegawas are 2560 yen). To build them right, you're going to need a bit more than 1000 yen worth of paints alone, though, especially if you're doing anything other than Alto's VF-25F, which is the simplest color option there is. (it's all over white with some metallic and black parts, nearly all of the other colors are on the decal sheet).

Each of the kits has a substantial list of pros and cons. The Hasegawas a: are stuck in fighter mode permanently; b: require expensive paint and glue; c: are not play-friendly *at all*; and d: only come in a very limited subset of the types available from Bandai, i.e. only plain F/G/S. There are as yet no super, armored or tornado packs for the Hasegawa kits, and the Bandai items won't fit. (I've checked this.) On the plus side, since the kits are stuck in fighter mode only they won't sag, and Hasegawa has seen fit to include underwing ordnance and the hidden back seat, complete with a little Ranka in the VF-25G kit. And Super parts are probably only a matter of time, given that pretty much all the other VFs have gotten a super parts release if such parts existed in the anime. (Only the VF-19 doesn't have any, but I don't think the super parts for that were shown on screen anyway). Also, even if the decals for the Hasegawa kits turn out to be as thick and fragile as the Bandai ones, they're *still* superior, for the three reasons of being solidly colored, much more detailed, and unlikely to be scraped off during transformation...

The Bandai kits, being transformable, sag horribly in fighter mode (at least the plain and super versions do; the Tornado and Armored not so much); have decals that start flaking off if you look at them sharply; make a bunch of concessions to snap-fit assembly and transformation that result in terribly crude or off-scale parts (such as the landing gear, the pilot figure and windscreen, not to mention the very ugly joints at the wing root) or even non-existant parts (no back seat, no wing ordnance); are a royal pain in the butt to squeeze into proper fighter shape; and are fragile if you do play with them any(broken shoulder on my Super VF-25S) in a way that can't easily be fixed (styrene cement doesn't work on ABS plastic, and superglue is not recommended.) Also, the series appears to have been discontinued - they still make the existing kits, but nothing new has been added for a couple of years now. On the other hand, all versions of the VF-25 including the prototype, the RVF and the Tornado and Armored packs are available; they *are* transformable and can be displayed in Gerwalk or Battroid mode if that's what you want to do; they don't *require* glue or paint (unless you do something stupid, like break a part); and most of them come with stickers that are at least less fragile than the decals.

All in all, if you want a plain VF-25 that will hold together perfectly in fighter mode above all else, and are prepared to spend the time needed to paint and decal it properly, get the Hasegawa kit. It looks *awesome* in fighter mode. If you want *anything* other than a plain VF-25, want to display it in something other than fighter mode, or don't have the patience to paint it, get the Bandai kit, because the Hasegawa version won't give you any of the above...yet. Maybe in the future.

(here's hoping we actually get a VF-29 from Hasegawa at some point, given that Bandai has abandoned the 1/72 builders...)