Hi-Metal R

[Black Valkyrie]

Don't get me started on getting a squad of those . I hope Bandai will release TV Max and Kakizaki too!

Build a a huge squadron. Its more fun to play with and put it against the Gunplas .

[Mommar]

Brilliant move by Bandai.

The Yammies are too expensive and hard to find now and Arcadia isn't releasing any VF-1's that people really want.

A lot of new collectors are coming and will want to start collecting and the Hi Metal line will be easily available.

I recall the HI-Metal line in its original form being considered awfully expensive for their size and non-PT status. Now that there aren't $90-$120 Yammies what makes you think these things aren't suddenly going to cost $100+? Every other Valk from both Bandai and Arcadia have had a price hike, these things won't be a better value if they have to rise in price as well.

[Duymon]

I must resist the urge to buy a whole squadron of cf“s...anyone whose seen my vf-171 cf display can attest that I am weak to CF's :0

Edited November 26, 2014 by Duymon

[Vifam7]

I recall the HI-Metal line in its original form being considered awfully expensive for their size and non-PT status. Now that there aren't $90-$120 Yammies what makes you think these things aren't suddenly going to cost $100+? Every other Valk from both Bandai and Arcadia have had a price hike, these things won't be a better value if they have to rise in price as well.

The Hi-Metal VF-1s without super-packs generally sold for around 4,000 to 5,000yen. I purchased my VF-1J at Amiami for just under 4,000yen back then. The Strike VF-1S came out later at around 7,000yen IIRC. Keep in mind that they came out when the yen-to-dollar exchange rate was terrible.

Edited November 26, 2014 by Vifam7

[chyll2]

I really dont think they will go beyond 10k yen on this. The DX Messiah are listed at 14k but it needs more material (since it is bigger by scale and real size) and requires lots of paint application (VF-1 paint scheme are really simple and most of the time, just needs to be molded in the correct correct)

[SuperSenpai]

Brilliant move by Bandai.

The Yammies are too expensive and hard to find now and Arcadia isn't releasing any VF-1's that people really want.

A lot of new collectors are coming and will want to start collecting and the Hi Metal line will be easily available.

I have to agree. I think before, the fact that you could get a Yamato valk on sale for not a whole lot more than a Hi-Metal was the biggest factor working against it. But now with Arcadia valks commanding a higher price tag, the Hi-Metal line does start to look more attractive. The fact that they are planning enemy mecha as well as Destroids is another plus. I just hope they don't re-engineer the line so much that you can't swap parts between the old Hi-Metals and the new Hi-Metal Rs... I have Max 1J that I'd like to outfit with super parts.

[VALKYRIE ACE PILOT]

I am sure Arcadia is going to lower its prices in order to face Bandai threat I just hope Bandai not increase them for taking advantage of inflation created by Arcadia...It´s about Macrossnomics

Edited November 26, 2014 by VALKYRIE ACE PILOT

[Chronocidal]

Back when the Hi-Metals first came out, I didn't see the reason to get one when Yamato VF-1s could easily be found on clearance for $10 or so more. With the market that saturated back then, the Hi-Metals couldn't really compete.

If Bandai can keep their original price point against the higher prices Arcadia needs to charge now, they might see the success the line should have had to start with.

I probably won't re-buy every VF-1 in 1/100, but I might pick up one or two of the classics to put on my desk at work. The smaller scale will be great for that.

[Karaoke Ninja]

Back when the Hi-Metals first came out, I didn't see the reason to get one when Yamato VF-1s could easily be found on clearance for $10 or so more. With the market that saturated back then, the Hi-Metals couldn't really compete.

If Bandai can keep their original price point against the higher prices Arcadia needs to charge now, they might see the success the line should have had to start with.

I probably won't re-buy every VF-1 in 1/100, but I might pick up one or two of the classics to put on my desk at work. The smaller scale will be great for that.

Agreed. I hope Bandai will make other valkyries and not just SDF stuff. I actually had a dream I ordered one of the Hi-Metal VF1s and recieved a VF-9 in the mail...

[McFly!!]

I am sure Arcadia is going to lower its prices in order to face Bandai threat I just hope Bandai not increase them for taking advantage of inflation created by Arcadia...It´s about Macrossnomics

and i hope that arcadia doesn't lower quality to match bandai's prices...

[Kanedas Bike]

and I hope that Arcadia doesn't release a product line to try and compete with these smaller scale Valkyries

1/60 for me

-b.

[xrentonx]

I don't see myself buying the Regults unless on clearance...I'm a bad man

[SuperSenpai]

I am sure Arcadia is going to lower its prices in order to face Bandai threat I just hope Bandai not increase them for taking advantage of inflation created by Arcadia...It´s about Macrossnomics

I'd say Bandai raising prices is more likely than Arcadia lowering theirs. The entire reason why Arcadia raised their prices is because their old pricing model was not sustainable, so it wouldn't make sense for them to lower them (unless it's just a little bit).

Honestly, I think the smartest thing for Bandai would be to price the new line comparable to the old Hi-Metal line. The figures are small, and they involve some modest parts swapping, so it won't make sense for most collectors to price it high. And as they start to approach Arcadia's threshold, it doesn't seem like a bargain anymore, and people will find them overpriced for the size and features.

[skullmilitia]

Arcadia needs to just announce something period. How hard is it to pop out a damn VF-1 repaint?
Unless... you know... they can't do that.. anymore.

[jenius]

I think we should expect some inflation in the HI-Metal prices if for no other reason than the Yen is weak right now so it's going to cost more to pay their Chinese workers and then ship the product. If Bandai tries to make the Hi-Metals more intricate that will only get worse.

[TheFallen]

The cheaper these are the more I will get

[alchemo]

The Destroid and the Armored VF-1 look nice, but the VF-1(s)still look odds to me, the hip joints are too wide apart in B mode and the whole body looks too wide in F and G mode. The shoulder transforming mechanism is better then Yamato's but that's the only thing that it out does the 1/60 V2 in my opinion.

(Still, I bought and kept 1 Hi metal VF-1S, and it has two left knee caps...)

Bandai really knows how to get fans excited with their product fairs but often many of the products they show in a fair would not be produced after all.

For M&M, although many members here claimed that they want them so much (in all scales) except for the first batch of 1/48, all other released end up being sold at deep discount. 1/60 v2 with super parts were sold once at USD100 and 1.48 re-issued were even cheaper.

The same happened with C/F, some people may buy multiples but still most of the time they just don't sell.

Edited November 28, 2014 by alchemo

[jenius]

Maybe they should make M&M a gift set.

[Black Valkyrie]

Its nice to get a few CF but I`m concern about the price.

[TheLoneWolf]

I think we should expect some inflation in the HI-Metal prices if for no other reason than the Yen is weak right now so it's going to cost more to pay their Chinese workers and then ship the product. If Bandai tries to make the Hi-Metals more intricate that will only get worse.

I completely agree. Incorporating an internal heatshield and landing gears will mean more complex mechanisms that will need to be manufactured, which will probably increase the MSRP. And, not only could these changes make the toy more expensive, but it might also increase the risk of it breaking, since it's such a small scale.

The only safe changes I'd like to see would be a fix for the crooked gunpod in fighter mode, reinforced ankles, upscaled TV pilots (they're way too small), and a new VF-1S head. I don't think any of these would jeopardize the toy's infrastrusture nor significantly increase its cost.

[EXO]

For anyone not hppy with the Hi-Metal Vf-1 Proportions they can always get the Wave 1/100s...

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10276496

I myself love the 1/100 toy... It's fun to pick up and play with.

[VALKYRIE ACE PILOT]

Bandai really knows how to get fans excited with their product fairs but often many of the products they show in a fair would not be produced after all.

Any Example ? I think you mean Toynami...

Edited November 28, 2014 by VALKYRIE ACE PILOT

[Frogze]

Any Example ? I think you mean Toynami...

Bandai did that many times, items like the armored vf-25s from the vf100 line and that sweet looking vajra figure come to mind

[RyuRoots]

Bandai did that many times, items like the armored vf-25s from the vf100 line and that sweet looking vajra figure come to mind

True, but the VF100s line itself disintigrated in general (much like the VF-25's FROM that line). But yeah, Bandai does do this a fair bit. There are several MG Gundams that never materialized from trade shows too, like F90. So while hopefully everything pictured will get a release, there's no guarantee, strictly speaking.

I also think it's an atrocious idea to ask for an integrated heat shield/landing gear. Yes, I LOVE horrifically flimsy and fiddly parts. Because at this size, that's what they'd be and it's hard for me to imagine otherwise. "perfect" transformation has always been one of the most overrated things possible in the world of toys, for me personally. Better to have something that's stable and pretty in every mode on offer...to a point, anyway. VF100s is the *other* awful extreme. Not that I'd call that stable.

I'm fine with upgrading the toy in various ways, of course. I do hope they still look right next to the previous wave of VF-1 Hi Metals once they're finally on shelves/in our homes though. It'd be awful to put the new Valks next to my old ones and have them seem mismatched. That's a big plus of collecting within a single line. ....not that this would put me off anyway, probably since I *really* want that brown 1A. To think, "I'll just get Roy's Valk" has turned into ten valks and growing...

[aaajin]

not that they (integrated heatshield and landing gear in 1/100 scale) havent been done before :

Experten's VF-1

fighter to gerwalk

gerwalk to battroid

Experten rawks!

Edited November 28, 2014 by aaajin

[Duymon]

the hi-metals as is are good considering the scale. integrated heat shield will break because there simply isn't enough size to have something sturdy in there.

plus, it would drive the cost up even further. people need to actually hold a vf hi-metal in order to appreciate how small they really are

[ArchieNov]

For anyone not hppy with the Hi-Metal Vf-1 Proportions they can always get the Wave 1/100s...

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10276496

I myself love the 1/100 toy... It's fun to pick up and play with.

That actually looks pretty good. The proportions seem to be the best I've seen so far for battroid. Too bad it's a model kit though. I don't have the skills to assemble/paint one to look as good or better than the box photos.

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

is that wave a parts former?

[Vifam7]

That actually looks pretty good. The proportions seem to be the best I've seen so far for battroid. Too bad it's a model kit though. I don't have the skills to assemble/paint one to look as good or better than the box photos.

The Wave kit's fighter sculpt is excellent as well. Pretty easy to build as it's mostly snapfit. Much much easier to build than the 1/72 Hasegawa or Bandai kit.

is that wave a parts former?

No. You build to one mode only. However, IIRC you need to buy both the fighter kit and battroid kit if you want to build into gerwalk mode.

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

The Wave kit's fighter sculpt is excellent as well. Pretty easy to build as it's mostly snapfit. Much much easier to build than the 1/72 Hasegawa or Bandai kit.

No. You build to one mode only. However, IIRC you need to buy both the fighter kit and battroid kit if you want to build into gerwalk mode.

thanks!!!

[TheFallen]

Why haven't these been released yet?

I am impatient

[Karaoke Ninja]

So what are the odds we'll see a release before the end of the year?

[Scyla]

So what are the odds we'll see a release before the end of the year?

This year? I think this is highly unlikely since we don't have any release date and they already got other products in the pipeline like the reissue of the Koenig Monster in April 2015. I will probably get a release date a few month in advance.

If they don't go back into Bandais vault like the S.H.Monsterarts Vajra.

[Frogze]

Just picked up the VF-1J Hi-metal and noticed there are very fine cracks at the gerwalk joint on both legs. Bummer.

Has anyone else noticed a similar problem on theirs? I've transformed mine quite a few times since I bought it on release back then but never noticed this issue so I can't really tell when it happened

[Renato]

Here's Kawamori making further revisions to the CAD files just last week. There is no way these are anywhere near ready yet.