Hi-Metal R

[borgified]

3 hours ago, Slave IV said:

I agree it’s too early to worry. Bandai is probably focusing on the DX VF-1 release, which is basically the biggest deal in original Bandai Macross releases ever.

Don't forget that Bandai also has the DX YF-19 as well (to be released and the end of next week I believe). Once the VF-1 and the YF-19 is released, I'm sure that Bandai re-focus back in the HMR lineup.

[Slave IV]

7 minutes ago, borgified said:

Don't forget that Bandai also has the DX YF-19 as well (to be released and the end of next week I believe). Once the VF-1 and the YF-19 is released, I'm sure that Bandai re-focus back in the HMR lineup.

Yeah, I thought about the YF-19 too but that is nothing compared to the first, large scale VF-1 ever originally released by Bandai. Anyways, I'm all for more HMR but my wallet can certainly take a break...not like I won't have them when they do come out and even if nothing comes out, my HMR collection is still the most complete Macross display I have with in scale Destroids and enemy Mecha all on one shelf. It's hard for me to complain about that.

Edited September 12, 2018 by Slave IV

[Sanity is Optional]

Just now, Slave IV said:

Yeah, I thought about the YF-19 too but that is nothing compared to the first, large scale VF-1 ever originally released by Bandai. Anyways, I'm all for more HMR but my wallet can certainly take a break...not like I won't have them when they do come out and even if nothing comes out, my HMR collection is still the most complete Macross display I have with in scale Destroids and enemy Mecha all on one shelf. It's hard for me to complain about that.

First since the 1/55 Chunky, that is.

[Slave IV]

Just now, Sanity is Optional said:

First since the 1/55 Chunky, that is.

That was technically Takatoku, right? This will be the first time we get an original Bandai designed release...it's a super big deal!

[Sanity is Optional]

1 minute ago, Slave IV said:

That was technically Takatoku, right? This will be the first time we get an original Bandai designed release...it's a super big deal!

True, though I think they did some minor tweaking to the Takatoku design.

Either way, their current designs are way better than anything from the 80s.

[jenius]

Bandai had the HCM if that counts.

[technoblue]

I'd like to think that the DX releases are mutually exclusive and that Bandai has more planned for the HM-R line. What would surprise me at the next Tamashii Nations event is if we get through it with absolutely no Macross announcements. That would be peculiar.

Even then, though, I could probably shrug it off to Bandai taking a break after the 35th anniversary.

[Slave IV]

While they might be mutually exclusive, it doesn’t make sense for a company that is about to release one of the biggest deals ever for a franchise to dilute the market or use resources towards something similar but lesser. When DX Mazinger Z came out, there were no SOC releases within about 6 months near it and two years before they released another Mazinger Z, which was a reissue/repaint.

Edited September 13, 2018 by Slave IV

[technoblue]

I'm not sure what Mazinger has to do with Macross. That example seems more like apples and oranges to me.

But I'm not arguing that Bandai has produced less Macross HM-R releases this year to date. One only needs to visit tamashii.jp to see the evidence of that: 2 Macross HM-R releases in 2015 when the line was relaunched, 8 Macross HM-R releases in 2016, 7 in 2017, and 4 in 2018.

Basically, my point is that Bandai hasn't stopped releasing Macross HM-R figures, and the conjecture that they will do so is odd. Remember we just had the VT-1 HM-R release in August and Nexx's VF-2SS is coming in November. Bringing up the DX VF-1J and this idea of a Macross HM-R embargo assumes that Bandai will go with another VF-1 HM-R release. They don't have to do another VF-1 straight away, though. They can do another Destroid or another Zentradi mech. There are more options with the HM-R line that won't overlap with the larger DX line.

[Slave IV]

It’s fine if you don’t see the relation, it really doesn’t matter to me either way who gets it, why or what Bandai is doing with the HMR line. If they make more, great, if they are done, oh well. I was originally just joining in the conversation because people are worried about it so I suggested some possible reasoning. To me, the DX Mazinger Z release is very similar to the current situation we have with the DX VF-1. 

[Chronocidal]

Makes sense to me, they don't want to cannibalize the release of their big ticket item by selling a slightly smaller and cheaper item of the same type.  Bandai haven't been in this situation with Macross before, since they had always been releasing different valks than Yamato/Arcadia, or in a different scale.  Competition with the Yamato 1/60 VF-1s was almost certainly a big part of why the original HM line failed.

[BlueMax]

Bandai not wanting to cannibalize their own sales makes sense, and I am also of the opinion that competition with the Yamato 1/60 V.2 VF-1s was almost certainly a big part of why the original HM line didn't do well. 

Personally, I am happy that the HMR releases are not as fast now... gives me a chance to catch up what I had missed over the last 2 years.

[Karaoke Ninja]

What ever happened to those Hayate and Mirage VF-1EX figures? I remember seeing an image of them about a year or so ago.

[jenius]

I thought they just put out stickers so you could convert VF-1J hikaru figures or something to emulate them...

[no3Ljm]

11 minutes ago, Karaoke Ninja said:

What ever happened to those Hayate and Mirage VF-1EX figures? I remember seeing an image of them about a year or so ago.

Yes, they were shown in some Bandai event. But there's no official word yet if it's going to get released. Same goes with Kaki's VF-1A, and Vrlitwhai.

 

[DewPoint]

And this leads us back to the "where are our Destroids and Zentradi mecha"? They would not cut into the profits of the 1/48 line as much as I cannot see Bandai offering us Destroids and Zentradi in 1/48 scale. But you never know. 

[BlueMax]

2 hours ago, DewPoint said:

And this leads us back to the "where are our Destroids and Zentradi mecha"? They would not cut into the profits of the 1/48 line as much as I cannot see Bandai offering us Destroids and Zentradi in 1/48 scale. But you never know. 

Actually they do, though they are different products, but they are bought by the same, or at least overlapping, group of consumers. Not all the consumers are able to buy all these releases so close to each other (like me), and would have to be forced to make a choice as to what would be the priority. Some would totally give up and not get anything, since in their minds it is all, or none.

[technoblue]

Customers have to make choices all the time, though. That’s normal with collecting. If you can save costs by focusing on just one or two lines, then that’s being good to yourself and your savings account. There’s nothing wrong with picking and choosing, IMO.

I’m not going to insist that I know what Bandai decides behind the scenes when planning releases, but I will say that I think there are more variables at play than overlapping customer concerns.

Anyway, if people are inferring that Bandai has been giving more focus to the DX releases this year, then I can agree with that statement. There has been a lot going on in that line given the Macross Delta DX releases, the DX YF-19, and the upcoming DX VF-1J. It could be that Bandai had to put more resources there and take them away from the smaller 1:100 line teporarily. That makes more sense than some buying embargo—it’s a shift of resources and I can see how that may happen.

My point from before stands, though, all of this doesn’t preclude them from announcing other figures in the HM-R line (especially for 2019). I think we can all agree that would be welcome news.

[sh9000]

DX YF-19 September

DX VF-31F Messer/Hayate October

HMR VF-2SS Nexx November

1/48 DX VF-1J December

DX Lill Draken set for VF-31F January

I can see Bandai announcing the next HMR some time between October and December or one of the months in 2019.

[Ignacio Ocamica]

I desperately want the Nousjadeul Ger, TV and DYRL please!!!

[jvmacross]

1 hour ago, Ignacio Ocamica said:

I desperately want the Nousjadeul Ger, TV and DYRL please!!!

Everything on the original Macross HMR diorama has been produced....no reason to think these will not...

 

 

Believe! 

[Slave IV]

5 minutes ago, jvmacross said:

Everything on the original Macross HMR diorama has been produced....no reason to think these will not...

 

 

Believe! 

I want that display more than anything else on it!

[seti88]

Yes! Believing but not holding my breath either! 

[jvmacross]

So VF-2SS was released and YF-19 on the way.......what's next? 

[borgified]

26 minutes ago, jvmacross said:

So VF-2SS was released and YF-19 on the way.......what's next? 

You mean Silvie's VF-2ss I take it? Yes it has been released and the most recent HMR was the VT-1 in which it got lost of flack here to a degree (the reasons why are up for debate for simplicity purposes). 

Here's @sh9000post to keep you up to speed.

3 hours ago, sh9000 said:

DX YF-19 September

DX VF-31F Messer/Hayate October

HMR VF-2SS Nexx November

1/48 DX VF-1J December

DX Lill Draken set for VF-31F January

I can see Bandai announcing the next HMR some time between October and December or one of the months in 2019.

The question is.... Which HMR is next? The teased Phalanx, Tomahawk, N-ger and other offerings are available. Other that, Bandai hasn't mentioned a peep.

[jvmacross]

4 minutes ago, borgified said:

You mean Silvie's VF-2ss I take it? Yes it has been released and the most recent HMR was the VT-1 in which it got lost of flack here to a degree (the reasons why are up for debate for simplicity purposes). 

Here's @sh9000post to keep you up to speed.

The question is.... Which HMR is next? The teased Phalanx, Tomahawk, N-ger and other offerings are available. Other that, Bandai hasn't mentioned a peep.

Perhaps my post was too subtle or the attached pic did not go through?.....

[borgified]

I trimmed your attached pic out of my reply to keep things simple @jvmacrossif that  is what your asking (and I did see it). 

[jvmacross]

3 minutes ago, borgified said:

I trimmed your attached pic out of my reply to keep things simple @jvmacrossif that  is what your asking (and I did see it). 

Ok...then I guess it was too subtle...

[Ignacio Ocamica]

1 hour ago, jvmacross said:

Everything on the original Macross HMR diorama has been produced....no reason to think these will not...

Believe! 

I would think so. It's just a matter when.

[Ignacio Ocamica]

5 minutes ago, jvmacross said:

Ok...then I guess it was too subtle...

Is the last VF on that pic a VF-4G?

[jvmacross]

16 minutes ago, Ignacio Ocamica said:

Is the last VF on that pic a VF-4G?

Yes

 

[jenius]

To add a bit more color, the N-ger toys were allegedly done (or near done, with functioning joints) at the time of the show. IIRC,, other 'toys' like the VF-4G and the DX VF-19K, were just 3D print jobs of one solid piece of plastic.

[borgified]

1 hour ago, jenius said:

To add a bit more color, the N-ger toys were allegedly done (or near done, with functioning joints) at the time of the show. IIRC,, other 'toys' like the VF-4G and the DX VF-19K, were just 3D print jobs of one solid piece of plastic.

Based on your reply back, is it theoretically possible that the N-ger is up next; however, I could be wrong in saying that. 

[no3Ljm]

I should probably make a GIF of this one with some Valks in it.

 

[jenius]

Yes, the most obvious front runners, assuming the line continues are (in no particular order)
A) A VF-1 repaint
B) Tomahawk Destroid
C) Phalanx Destroid
D) N-Ger
E) Reissue of one of the more popular toys (like the Regults since they're around 3x MSRP right now)