Hi-Metal R

[VF5SS]

[Sildani]

Mm. Not quite yet though, since Arcadia still makes, arguably, the best VF-1 toy yet made.

The Hi-Metals were superior in a couple ways, but overall Yamcadia's beat it. If Bandai did some re-engineering for this R series, though, it could be a whole new ball game.

[Gakken85]

Lolz... Arcadia reducing MSRP...

To be fair, the GBP are pretty cheap, relatively speaking.

Edited December 28, 2014 by Gakken85

[Kanedas Bike]

To be fair, the GBP are pretty cheap.

Thank you.

And nothing against Bandai or this line (though it's not for me) but those trying to hail this as the second coming of VF-1's...well, that's the lolz.

-b.

[jenius]

Relative to what? Let's say Arcadia did come back with a 'decent' MSRP on a VF-1 toy, are the two VF-1 releases a year really going to overshadow anything? I still love my V2 VF-1 toys and they absolutely did crush the Hi-Metal line originally by being thrown in bargain bins for nearly the same price as the brand new Hi-Metal toys... but that ship has sailed. Arcadia isn't going to pump out VF-1 toys and what they do make is going to cost 40% more than MSRP of Yamato products... and the Yamato products cost the same as the Hi-Metal toys when they were 40% off... which isn't going to happen on anything except ugly non-canon stuff. I'm still hoping this is all just prelude to a DX toy but in the meantime... Arcadia is on life support and won't be doing any game changing for a while.

[Kanedas Bike]

^...sure.

All I'm saying is these, as cool as they may or may not be and as reasonably priced as they may or may not be - IMO they aren't better or more game changing as the Yamato/Arcadia VF-1's are or were.

-b.

[jenius]

^...sure.

All I'm saying is these, as cool as they may or may not be and as reasonably priced as they may or may not be - IMO they aren't better or more game changing as the Yamato/Arcadia VF-1's are or were.

-b.

Agreed. Most adult collectors don't want small scale stuff anyway so they're immediately ruling out a large swath of the collecting market. Even if they had integrated landing gears and heat shields (which, depending on execution could make them arguably better than the Yammy V2) many collectors would still prefer the incredibly similar but larger Yammy/Arcadia offerings. For the VF-1 market, there's no game changers until we see something in at least 1/72 but more likely 1/60 territory, be it an Arcadia V3 or Bandai DX and assuming there are several improvements to the existing V2 king..

[EXO]

We haven't seen the Hi Metal-Rs as a success yet. Let's just see how it goes before taking sides. We don't even know the quality yet. Looking forward to seeing non VF's though, especially the enemy mechs.

[Gakken85]

Well.. that's what bandai will create eventually.

If they put out a product after Arcadia puts one out just to catch-up like with the yf-19, and then release old Hi-metals to grab re-issue dollars, eventually somebody will make a V3 to control the market.

I think Arcadia will be ok for their Niche. Bandai wasn't going to be putting out any VF-0D's. And I don't think any collectors will be clamoring to replace their V2 collection with a slightly better hi-metal line, but the competition will be good for all involved.

Edited December 28, 2014 by Gakken85

[Kanedas Bike]

A DX VF-1 would be so intriguing.

I'm on the side of the more choices the better - I don't want a Bandai or Arcadia only scenario.

-b.

[spanner]

hehe! now that's just mean!

[aaajin]

Maybe Arcadia should team up with urmm...Toynami and capitalize on the American market under the Robotech banner?. Its a win-win for both.

*ducks stones & chairs, fleeing*

[jenius]

Maybe Arcadia should team up with urmm...Toynami and capitalize on the American market under the Robotech banner?. Its a win-win for both.

*ducks stones & chairs, fleeing*

It would be brilliant for Arcadia if they never planned to do business with BigWest again.

[EXO]

Bandai got into bed with Toynami... wonder why that didn't even last a year.

[wmkjr]

Maybe Arcadia should team up with urmm...Toynami and capitalize on the American market under the Robotech banner?. Its a win-win for both.

*ducks stones & chairs, fleeing*

All this talk about Arcadia vs Bandai, one thing for sure is that I would rather have nobody help prolong the life support of HG so that we can get both of these companies products here without jumping through hoops.

[aaajin]

Team up with Toynami & Harmony Gold, produce superior VF-1 toys and oversaturate the US & Japan market, just to ruin the Hi-Metal R plans prematurely and piss Bandai off

But that would mean the death of other molds such as VF-11, YF/VF-21/22, YF/VF-19, VF-4 and the list goes on. But if they are not touching the other molds ever again, why not?.

If the new series is just a remake of the original and going to be all about VF-1, the other molds would be pretty much useless since they do *not* warrant enough sales without a new show. Make your move now Arcadia..

sorry to bring up a topic that has been beaten to the death 999 times

Edited : **

Edited December 28, 2014 by aaajin

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

Arcadia released what? one new mold and about to release another and it's the end of the world??? lol clueless...

[wm cheng]

Hopefully it could make Arcadia wake and realize they could tampo a few more markings on there other than the UN Kite

[xrentonx]

I doubt the tampo is the reason Arcadia is releasing so few Valks as of late though...being a big company that can buy up licenses and fund more current cartoons helps a lot in that dept. Funny thing is despite the arguably less tampo, what they have released has sold pretty well, I think (not counting the 30th Anniversary Valk, of course).

It's still early on the new Hi-Metal Rs. Though I'd like to see a few new things, there may be a chance this is all just vaporware...

Edited December 28, 2014 by xrentonx

[onnasake]

So with Arcadia's YF-19 hitting last year, and the upcoming Bandai VF-19....seems like a pretty saturated market.

But the ONE toy I've wanted, my ONE Macross holy grail, is to have an awesome looking transformable YF-19 in a smaller, handier scale. JUST like the Hi-Metal series. And there were even RUMORS of it happening about 4 years ago! A prototype was in development for his arch-nemesis the YF-22!!

I'm basically a Macross amateur....I don't know a lot. What do you guys think....is there a realistic chance of seeing these two titans of Macross Plus in this awesome compact scale with the resurgance of the Hi Metal line? Or should I just keep dreaming?

[Mommar]

So with Arcadia's YF-19 hitting last year, and the upcoming Bandai VF-19....seems like a pretty saturated market.

But the ONE toy I've wanted, my ONE Macross holy grail, is to have an awesome looking transformable YF-19 in a smaller, handier scale. JUST like the Hi-Metal series. And there were even RUMORS of it happening about 4 years ago! A prototype was in development for his arch-nemesis the YF-22!!

I'm basically a Macross amateur....I don't know a lot. What do you guys think....is there a realistic chance of seeing these two titans of Macross Plus in this awesome compact scale with the resurgance of the Hi Metal line? Or should I just keep dreaming?

They already made the VF-19. Maybe. Though I honestly thought the VF-19 was a poor rendition in the High Metal line, I can't see the YF-19 being better.

[derex3592]

I'd be down for a 1:100ish scale 21/19 all day long.

[Mechapilot77]

as cool as high metals were and might yet again be (even better)...they are still 1/100 and in the end for my "main" VF collection...i need 1/60. the high metal line will be nice if it lets me get a few vf-1 (and other valks) to hang around larger mecha that would be awesome in 1/100 scale done to the ihgh metal standard...such as the regults, glaugs, etc. and yes...this would scale well with that forntier monster bandai did too. sort of like a line for the larger mecha where 1/60 would be too large but 1/100 might be a nice sweet spot (although ithink a 1/72 regult or glaug would be NUTS and you could pretend its in scale with 1/60 with some clever photo tricks).

[derex3592]

I love the 1:60 stuff for display purposes. However..other than the VF-1's, they are kinda hard to just wanna get out and actually mess around with on a regular basis due to their size. I'm speaking mainly of the 19/21 line.

[Tking22]

I no longer own a single valk, sold off my last Yamato VF-1 a few weeks ago, I don't care for Frontier, Plus, or any of that so no 1/60 stuff coming up interests me at all. I can't wait to get into these things, I loved my HIkaru 1J and Roy 1S, they were both quite detailed and articulated for their scale, so I am 100% in on this line, plus multiple Regults. Hopefully this line does well and Bandai releases some other TV valks so I can finally actually complete a Vermillion Squad, some other enemy mecha would be appreciated too, "cough" Glaug, "cough" again.

[Gakken85]

What made you sell off all your yamatos?

I only have one frontier valk, and that's the Prophecy. Mostly because the tampo and colors are so unique. At the end of the day I don't love the Bat mode for Frontier. I hate it for Plus and 7. I pretty much have all the Yamato stuff I plan to buy except for a few rare weathered pieces. I'll buy up what interests me from Arcadia and probably skip everything Bandai puts out, beyond a funky piece like the Spartan to round out my Destroids.

I just can't do the frenzy-PO's-that-turn-into-over-stock-on-second-hand-markets-that-is-less-than-what-you-PO for madness.

But yeah the 1/100 scale is just too toyish and small to seriously collect, though I could see the appeal of having one to play with on your desk.

Edited January 7, 2015 by Gakken85

[Tking22]

What made you sell off all your yamatos?

Well first my 0S renewal fell apart, sold it, sold my SV-51 since I no longer had a 0S, I was ready to pre-order an Arcadia 1J with armor in order to finish off my Vermillion Squad, but then Bandai announced this line. I was really happy with the quality of the original Hi-Metal releases, to the point I liked them as much as my Yamatos, so I figured I'd save some space and money and collect this new line instead. The Yamatos were great, but I just really liked the 1/100 scale, and the Hi-Metals were super clean and accurate for their size, plus this new line has Regults and other human mecha confirmed which is big for me, and knowing Bandai, at a minimum I'm expecting some Regult variants or add-ons.

[xrentonx]

For your sake, I hope Bandai actually does something with this line

[rasky]

Hey I have a question as a newbie... will these valks be as hard to acquire as the Bandai VF-19 was, with pre-order madness, or will they actually be easy to acquire?

Thank you very much!

[jenius]

Probably easier, people don't go so crazy for small scale toys.

[Gakken85]

Well first my 0S renewal fell apart, sold it, sold my SV-51 since I no longer had a 0S, I was ready to pre-order an Arcadia 1J with armor in order to finish off my Vermillion Squad, but then Bandai announced this line. I was really happy with the quality of the original Hi-Metal releases, to the point I liked them as much as my Yamatos, so I figured I'd save some space and money and collect this new line instead. The Yamatos were great, but I just really liked the 1/100 scale, and the Hi-Metals were super clean and accurate for their size, plus this new line has Regults and other human mecha confirmed which is big for me, and knowing Bandai, at a minimum I'm expecting some Regult variants or add-ons.

Ah, yeah most of the zero stuff is fairly floppy. I thought you had a v2 collection you decided to scrap.

I sold off my VF-0's as soon as the VF-0D was announced.

[xrentonx]

Hey I have a question as a newbie... will these valks be as hard to acquire as the Bandai VF-19 was, with pre-order madness, or will they actually be easy to acquire?

Thank you very much!

I would think easier. The original releases shelf warmed for a good while. Preorder madness for a fricken smaller scale means I sit out the entire line...Hahah

[Mommar]

I would think easier. The original releases shelf warmed for a good while. Preorder madness for a fricken smaller scale means I sit out the entire line...Hahah

It was even pretty easy to pick up the Tamashii Web Exclusive stuff years after release for relatively cheap. I picked up my Max 1J three years after they were available for only $80.

[rasky]

Thank you very much for letting me know!

By the way, do you think they'll release like five of them at a time, or one at a time over several months or years?

Hopefully they won't hit my bank account all at once!

[jenius]

No one can say anything for certain but chances are you'll get a break between each release unless they go crazy low price on these... and yeah... that's not gonna happen.