Bandai DX Chogokin VF-1 Speculation Thread

[SuperSenpai]

On-topic, would you guys like to see the leg transformation system from Bandai's latest VF-1 kits implemented ion a DX VF-1?

I wonder if they would go for that, or use something similar to the Hi Metal, or maybe something new altogether. Little changes like that is one of the things that draws me to each new VF-1 toy/model that comes out. I enjoy seeing the different solutions for transformation that the designers come up with, even if they are just small variations.

I used to think it would be cool if they did an anime-accurate leg transformation, but after seeing the results from the model kit I have changed my mind. In my opinion, it's no longer perfect transformation (a debatable point, but I come down on the "no" side), and it just looks too fragile and fidgety of a mechanism to implement well. It's a QA nightmare waiting to happen.

[TheLoneWolf]

Yeah, BW wouldn't be revoking the license to give it to someone else, I totally agree. However, licenses aren't granted on a forever basis and there seems to be a very good chance that Arcadia is operating in a gray area under a transition of a license from Yamato that BW allowed incredibly graciously because of the goodwill Yamato had. My understanding is that a new series sometimes triggers the expiration of licenses across the board as the licensor gets additional leverage and wants to flex it.

Ah, I see what you're saying. I agree that Arcadia's license probably isn't a perpetual license, and that technically anything could happen when it expires. But the fact that Yamato's VF-1 license seamlessly transferred over to Arcadia is very telling. Generally, licenses are non-transferable (even in the event of bankruptcy) unless permission is granted by the licensor. If Bandai had any aspirations for that license, Yamato's liquidation would've been an opportune time to make a move. Since Yamato "retained" that license having it transferred to Arcadia, that tells me that a) Big West was pleased with Yamato's handling on the VF-1 license and wanted to continue their business relationship, or b) there was little interest from outside parties (ie: Bandai).

[aceoftherebellion]

I actually wonder if the licencing rights were ever really exclusive in the first place. It's obvious Bandai has the right to produce and sell toys from first macross, as they do and have produced both new molds (ill-fated VF100s) and reissues of them chunky munkys. Having the right to make a thing (which yamato/arcadia clearly have) and having the exclusive rights to be the only ones who can make that thing are kinda different things, and bandai is a pretty big sponsor these days.

I kind of wonder if the reason we haven't seen Bandai make a VF-1 has less to do with licence rights and more to do with simple market over-saturation and lack of interest to invest in the new tooling.

[TheLoneWolf]

I seem to remember a while ago that Graham said that Big West's toy licenses are indeed scale exclusive*. It's a good business practice too, because as a licensor, it's in Big West's best financial interest to provide their licensees with a ripe market to exploit. If Big West allowed licensees to produce toys in any scale and from any show that they wished, that would pit licensees in direct competition with each other. While that situation could benefit fans in terms of quality and cost, it would cut into the licensees net profits, which would deter other companies from doing business with Big West in the future.

*As jenius mentioned earlier, we don't know how long these licenses last. They could be perpetual, which would be unusual, or they could be limited-term.

[treatment]

Ah, I see what you're saying. I agree that Arcadia's license probably isn't a perpetual license, and that technically anything could happen when it expires. But the fact that Yamato's VF-1 license seamlessly transferred over to Arcadia is very telling. Generally, licenses are non-transferable (even in the event of bankruptcy) unless permission is granted by the licensor. If Bandai had any aspirations for that license, Yamato's liquidation would've been an opportune time to make a move. Since Yamato "retained" that license having it transferred to Arcadia, that tells me that a) Big West was pleased with Yamato's handling on the VF-1 license and wanted to continue their business relationship, or b) there was little interest from outside parties (ie: Bandai).

Or maybe Bandai just didn't want the 1/60 VF-1 license at all.

They could've bought Yamato's licenses like they did with Takatoku's old licenses when Takatoku folded.

[jenius]

Definitely possible, but I think Arcadia was allowed to transfer licenses as a thank you from BW.

[RyuRoots]

I actually wonder if the licencing rights were ever really exclusive in the first place. It's obvious Bandai has the right to produce and sell toys from first macross, as they do and have produced both new molds (ill-fated VF100s) and reissues of them chunky munkys. Having the right to make a thing (which yamato/arcadia clearly have) and having the exclusive rights to be the only ones who can make that thing are kinda different things, and bandai is a pretty big sponsor these days.

I kind of wonder if the reason we haven't seen Bandai make a VF-1 has less to do with licence rights and more to do with simple market over-saturation and lack of interest to invest in the new tooling.

Just as a note, VF100s was only Frontier; other lines may have been planned, but only a few VF-25 variants actually got released in that line iirc. VFHi-Metal did, however, see a few VF-1 variants and they were significantly...less terrible than VF100s, to say the least.

I think Bandai could do a halfway decent 1/60, DX, or whatever VF-1 looking at those but I'm not sure it'd be a good move, even if I'd like one. Ignoring the licensing issue for a moment, there's the always-present and reasonable question of how to break into a niche that's been *flooded* by Yamato. They did a good job with the VF-1J and DYRL Valks for VFHM, but they didn't sell well enough to keep the line going, apparently. I dunno how much of that is due to VF-1 oversaturation, or if they were hurt by the flaws of the earlier VF-19 releases or what. It's hard to imagine they're eager to jump into that pool again with that combined with how well the Macross F stuff has been doing, though. I feel like they probably have their eyes firmly on Frontier and beyond.

Thouuuugh they *are* putting out a VF-19ACTIVE that is a YF-19 competeitor to Arcadia in all but name, which is interesting.

Edited November 21, 2014 by RyuRoots