Arcadia 1/60 VF-19 Custom Nekki Basara Special with Sound Booster

[close313]

HLJ only allows SAL for items below Y15000

[no3Ljm]

Thanks close313. I didn't know that. Thought they're basing on the weight instead. Again thanks for the heads up.

[Valkyrie Hunter D]

Ack, I just got the HLJ payment notice for this...totally forgot my pre-order.

[Mommar]

HLJ only allows SAL for items below Y15000

This is not true. I have a $20 Master File book from HLJ shipping Fed Ex right now.

[MikeRoz]

This is not true. I have a $20 Master File book from HLJ shipping Fed Ex right now.

I think he means "SAL is only an option below Y15000", not "SAL is your only option below Y15000".

[Pedro2k6]

I think he means "SAL is only an option below Y15000", not "SAL is your only option below Y15000".

+1 ....SAL appears as an option under Y15,000.... over that it's no longer a option.

[Renato]

Super BOMBER, man.

[Renato]

Haha, the figures are just thrown in there at the bottom of the box.

[Renato]

First impressions of the actual toy.

As I expected, the gold/yellow coating on the canopy does indeed look pretty bad. It's like a yellowed old toy from the 80s. That was my first disappointment. Other than that, the right canard is super loose and can just fall off if you tilt the plane. My VF-19P had a similar problem (same piece, same side), but it was not as bad as this.

I haven't transformed it yet, and probably won't until later because I have to leave for a while.

Full disclosure -- I have all of the VF-19 Yamato variants because I believe this is the best-engineered toy ever. So the above nitpicks stand out for me since I already know the toy is going to be as awesome as the rest. They are, in the end, though, minute nitpicks.

[derex3592]

If ya don't want those figures.....just lemme know!!!

[aceoftherebellion]

Really curious if they did anything to help with those ankles. I juuuust got the earlier version of this, and it's an amazing toy but yeah, everything everyone has ever said about those ankles is 100% true

[jvmacross]

Haha, the figures are just thrown in there at the bottom of the box.

Being the only thing I am interested from this release....are the figures painted as nicely as the ones used for promoting them?

Looking at the pic you posted....the Mylene fig would indicate they are not...

Edited September 28, 2014 by jvmacross

[Renato]

Regarding the paint job on the figures -- I wrote earlier in the thread that Mr K had concerns about that, so it's no surprise.

As for the ankles -- Mr K had said that a re-design was out of the question, but that they would try to see what they can do within the constraints they have. I just got back home, it's 11pm, I haven't transformed it and I probably won't get the chance now, so I'll let you know when I do.

So far, only the canopy colour and the extremely loose canard bug me.

Edited September 28, 2014 by Renato

[Loop]

Hrmmm, I was not aware that the canopy was yellow

Edited September 28, 2014 by Loop

[Renato]

I'm sure I mentioned it ages ago here. They said it would be like that on the finished toy, it's just that it wasn't on the prototypes nor the display pieces, or even the promo pics.

[jvmacross]

I'd like to see a pic of the production figs posed like the promo fig pic...just to compare...

[aceoftherebellion]

As for the ankles -- Mr K had said that a re-design was out of the question, but that they would try to see what they can do within the constraints they have. I just got back home, it's 11pm, I haven't transformed it and I probably won't get the chance now, so I'll let you know when I do.

That's exactly what I head meant, yeah. I had remembered that there wouldn't be any retooling and frankly I don't blame them, a structural thing like that would be way too costly, but I'm interested to see if they achieved anything by changing tolerances or something.

[brouken]

Mine just shipped today from NY! Woot! Now the long wait for Indonesian Customs begin....:-(

As this is going to be my first VF-19, any tips on handling? They are using the re-engineered YF-19 version for this release right? How different is this release from the first Fire Valkyrie release from Yamato?

[barurutor]

They are using the re-engineered YF-19 version for this release right? How different is this release from the first Fire Valkyrie release from Yamato?

Nope, this is still the same mold as the Yamato VF-19Kai, but with gold trim instead of yellow and Fire Bomber figures thrown in AFAIK.

[Renato]

Heh. I actually forgot I had it. I was watching the last episode of Space Dandy while drinking tea just now. OK, well, I'm gonna do some other stuff now, I'll transform it later tonight and let you know all the ins and outs. Unless I decide that I need some whiskey, in which case it'll have to be tomorrow. Priorities!

[Renato]

Pics. Yeah, it's pretty much the same toy, with some joints looser and some tighter, basically the same situation as any time you get a repaint of anything.

As expected, many of the inner die-cast joint parts are unpainted. This was the same on the other VF-19 variants, as well as the Arcadia YF-19. The only one that had those painted was the original Yamato 19Kai release. It doesn't bother me.

Ankles are tight out of the box, at least more so than the YF-19 was, but then they always are. I haven't done Gerwalk yet, but that will be the real ankle test. Which is why I actually am probably not going to bother, at least not soon.

Haven't checked out the Sound Booster yet, that seems the same too, other than the gold trim.

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

Ankles are tight out of the box, at least more so than the YF-19 was, but then they always are. I haven't done Gerwalk yet, but that will be the real ankle test. Which is why I actually am probably not going to bother, at least not soon.

i personally wouldn't put any weight on the ankles, just keep it on a stand or keep it in fighter without a stand.

[Renato]

Here's the piece de resistance, though...

I think I'll leave it displayed like this for a while.

I forgot to mention that the eyes are also sparkly green now, rather than the plain, flat green of the Yamato version.

One more difference -- the panels inside the sound booster are now more cream-coloured than the faint pink of the Yamato. I vaguely remember that they wer sort of creamy-looking in the Macross Chronicle. Which doesn't really matter either way, as it's still not show-accurate... I think.

[abbadon]

Nice! I love the figures! The gold isn't bad at all.

[Renato]

Davidwangchoi -- My original Yamato Kai has super-loose ankles now, but as you can see, with a bit of patience you can get both dynamic poses and stoic neutral stances, even with the ultra-heavy Sound Booster equipped, so I wouldn't recommend taking the fun away.

Edited September 30, 2014 by Renato

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

Davidwangchoi -- My original Yamato Kai has super-loose ankles now, but as you can see, with a bit of patience you can get both dynamic poses and stoic neutral stances, even with the ultra-heavy Sound Booster equipped, so I wouldn't recommend taking the fun away.

nice review on the paint details

lol, i would just mess with the original kai and play with the new figurerines, while keeping the other ankles preserved by going gravity free.

Edited September 30, 2014 by davidwhangchoi

[brouken]

Thanks for the pics and observations Renato! That gold trim adds a lot of rock pizzaz to the Fire Valk without being too tacky. :-)

[Renato]

Yeah, it's pretty cool. Glad to see this mold is still holding up. I wonder if we'll ever see the other variants again, but for now I'm more than content with my complete collection.

[Mommar]

Nice collection. I wish I'd sprung for a second F and P though.

[MacrossJunkie]

Those little 1/60 FB figures actually make me want this, haha. Too bad the price of admission is too high for a valk I don't particularly care for.

[lechuck]

The face of the Basara figure reminds me of Gingerbread Man, a bit eerie in a way.

[jvmacross]

The face of the Basara figure reminds me of Gingerbread Man, a bit eerie in a way.

The product of the unholy union between Gingerbread man and Gumby...........

[aceoftherebellion]

I wonder how they compare to that little Ranka figure that came with that Gallia 4 fold booster pack

[spanner]

Thanks for posting up some great photos Renato!

I have to admit I do really like the gold painted bits and the inclusion of the little band characters is a nice touch too! Im still on the fence about the sound booster though, does it make it particularly top heavy at all?

And the fact I wouldn't be able to have it attached whilst on display anyways given the height restrictions of my Ikea Klingsbo cabinets is probably going to be enough to stop me from buying it..

I am more than happy with my original Yamato Fire Valkyrie!

Edited October 2, 2014 by spanner76

[vsim]

I would definitely want this one if I didn't have the Yamato with the sound booster already. And although the little band figures are an awesome addition in my mind, I can't shell out money for a nearly identical figure for just a few little figures .

I wish they would make toys of Mylene's and Ray's ships! There were a few models of them, but never any toys that I'm aware of.