Hi-Metal R

[sh9000]

These will be my standard VF-1S Roy and VF-1S Low Vis Roy.

[jvmacross]

8 minutes ago, sh9000 said:

They should still release the Tomahawk and Phalanx together to take care of them in one shot.

Agreed...if Bandai has convinced itself that collectors will pay 20K JPY for an Orguss mech...surely a 2-pack Detroid set can sell for that amount or possibly less....but who can figure out Bandai's logic at times

Edited February 25, 2023 by jvmacross

[MisaForever]

So after a few decades of not having any new Macross toys I finally pulled the trigger on 2 HMRs: VF-0S and Max's VF-1J. Can't wait to get them!!!! 

Edited February 26, 2023 by MisaForever

[Big s]

2 hours ago, MisaForever said:

So after a few decades of not having any new Macross toys I finally pulled the trigger on 2 HMRs: VF-0S and Max's VF-1J. Can't wait to get them!!!! 

Enjoy, those are a couple nice ones. Don’t skip the destroids or the Zentraedi mecha though 

[derex3592]

@MisaForever Agreed with @Big s - The Hi Metal R Destroids and enemy mecha (most notably the Monster and Glaug) are definitely the high point of the line thus far IMHO and many others here.  Also, the ELINT seeker and Macross 2 Valks are great as well! Just because they are such oddballs! 

[sh9000]

I'd buy Revival versions of VF-1J Max and Milia Super Valkyries with TV arm armor and similar colors to Yamato/Arcadia.  Of course after Bandai releases the Tomahawk and Phalanx.

Edited February 27, 2023 by sh9000

[sh9000]

HMR VF-1J TV Max Super Valkyrie.

HMR VF-1J TV Milia Super Valkyrie.

[Chronocidal]

I honestly don't really mind the different paint schemes they gave the M&Ms, the white parts don't look terrible.  I do like the leg packs better without the extra paint though.

I think I got doubles of those, so maybe I'll repaint one set someday.

[sh9000]

I now consider the standard M&M releases as quasi DYRL Valkyries and keep them in the DYRL collection.

[jvmacross]

28 minutes ago, sh9000 said:

I now consider the standard M&M releases as quasi DYRL Valkyries and keep them in the DYRL collection.

That's a good way to think of those....they are more DYRL than SDFM TV....maybe what their VF-1's would look like post-SW1 and before the events of FB2012

[MisaForever]

Thanks all of you for the suggestions and pics!! A few questions just sprung to mind...

1) Do you think there will be any more Milia mechs in the HMR line? I ask because if not, I might as well get her VF-1J as well.

2) I never thought of this before but does the Monster ACTUALLY change into anything? LOL I mean I know its weapons move and such but I don't recall seeing it "transform" so to speak.

3) I plan on just focusing on the HMR pieces for now since they're all the same scale and there are quite a lot of them. Hoping to get at least one figure for each Macross show if possible. Any idea which MacII valkyrie is best? I only want one but I've seen a few of them.

Thanks!

Edited February 28, 2023 by MisaForever

[MisaForever]

Aaaaaand I just pulled the trigger on the VF-1S DYRL Red Hikaru edition. >_> I better stop for now. LOL

[MKT]

1 hour ago, MisaForever said:

2) I never thought of this before but does the Monster ACTUALLY change into anything? LOL I mean I know its weapons move and such but I don't recall seeing it "transform" so to speak.

The original Monster doesn't transform, but the VB-6 Konig Monster from Frontier does. Bandai does make one in the DX line, and at close to 1/100, it's in ballpark of HMR scale:

http://anymoon.com/blog/?p=4194#more-4194

 

1 hour ago, MisaForever said:

3) I plan on just focusing on the HMR pieces for now since they're all the same scale and there are quite a lot of them. Hoping to get at least one figure for each Macross show if possible. Any idea which MacII valkyrie is best? I only want one but I've seen a few of them.

There's the HMR VF-2SS, and only 2 variants have been made:

http://anymoon.com/blog/?p=10337#more-10337  

The only other VF-2SS are the 1/60 ones from Evolution Toys. These are hot mess and avoid them unless you can pick them up for 85% off retail.

 

[Anasazi37]

1 hour ago, MisaForever said:

Thanks all of you for the suggestions and pics!! A few questions just sprung to mind...

1) Do you think there will be any more Milia mechs in the HMR line? I ask because if not, I might as well get her VF-1J as well.

2) I never thought of this before but does the Monster ACTUALLY change into anything? LOL I mean I know its weapons move and such but I don't recall seeing it "transform" so to speak.

3) I plan on just focusing on the HMR pieces for now since they're all the same scale and there are quite a lot of them. Hoping to get at least one figure for each Macross show if possible. Any idea which MacII valkyrie is best? I only want one but I've seen a few of them.

Thanks!

We might see a Millia Q-Rau, but we don't even have a standard one yet. The Destroid Monster doesn't change into anything else. It just sits there, looking very impressive. Yamato and Bandai both produced transforming Koenig Monsters, but not at this scale (although the Bandai might be close).

59 minutes ago, MisaForever said:

Aaaaaand I just pulled the trigger on the VF-1S DYRL Red Hikaru edition. >_> I better stop for now. LOL

Once you start collecting HMR, it's really hard to stop. They are just the right size and price point. Even the harder-to-find ones generally aren't insanely expensive on the secondary market.

Edited February 28, 2023 by Anasazi37

[MisaForever]

1 hour ago, MKT said:

The original Monster doesn't transform, but the VB-6 Konig Monster from Frontier does. Bandai does make one in the DX line, and at close to 1/100, it's in ballpark of HMR scale:

http://anymoon.com/blog/?p=4194#more-4194

 

There's the HMR VF-2SS, and only 2 variants have been made:

http://anymoon.com/blog/?p=10337#more-10337  

The only other VF-2SS are the 1/60 ones from Evolution Toys. These are hot mess and avoid them unless you can pick them up for 85% off retail.

 

Ah okay, thanks for the Monster knowledge.

And yeah, I noticed there was a Rexx and a Sylvie version but didn't know if there were any other differences besides color scheme.

[MisaForever]

1 hour ago, Anasazi37 said:

We might see a Millia Q-Rau, but we don't even have a standard one yet. The Destroid Monster doesn't change into anything else. It just sits there, looking very impressive. Yamato and Bandai both produced transforming Koenig Monsters, but not at this scale (although the Bandai might be close).

Once you start collecting HMR, it's really hard to stop. They are just the right size and price point. Even the harder-to-find ones generally aren't insanely expensive on the secondary market.

Okay, thanks for all the info! And yes, you're right. It's hard to stop. 

[borgified]

We’re all going to drain your wallet dry @MisaForever with all the HMR and their future releases (if they do actually get released and not teased).
 

As you well know, it snowballs further than you realize and where to officially call it stop, who knows? 

[no3Ljm]

22 minutes ago, borgified said:

We’re all going to drain your wallet dry @MisaForever with all the HMR and their future releases (if they do actually get released and not teased).
 

As you well know, it snowballs further than you realize and where to officially call it stop, who knows? 

I wonder how many VF-1's will be re-released in between now and so-called future releases? 

[DewPoint]

Keep an eye out for the Regult Missile Type Set. It is one of the more difficult to get especially at a good price. It was a TWE item.  Currently sold out at Mandarake...

https://order.mandarake.co.jp/order/detailPage/item?itemCode=1081982862&ref=list&keyword=hi metal macross&lang=en&deviceId=1

[Rhubarbarian]

11 hours ago, MisaForever said:

And yeah, I noticed there was a Rexx and a Sylvie version but didn't know if there were any other differences besides color scheme.

The Nexx has his specific gunpod and an accompanying armor part that lets him store it. Paint's obviously different, pilot is different but also wrong, IIRC? I think he looked like Hibiki's civilian Valk flightsuit. I actually really like the VF-2SS and I think the HMR is a pretty sweet toy, but the heatshield annoyingly doesn't close all the way in battroid mode unless you remove the cockpit canopy. Just a couple minor gripes to be aware of.

Also, you really probably want a Tamashii stage act trident stand if you want to display it with the bits. It looks great with all the bits displayed, but it's an extra ~40 bucks probably so you might want to price that out first.

[twich]

2 hours ago, Rhubarbarian said:

The Nexx has his specific gunpod and an accompanying armor part that lets him store it. Paint's obviously different, pilot is different but also wrong, IIRC? I think he looked like Hibiki's civilian Valk flightsuit. I actually really like the VF-2SS and I think the HMR is a pretty sweet toy, but the heatshield annoyingly doesn't close all the way in battroid mode unless you remove the cockpit canopy. Just a couple minor gripes to be aware of.

Also, you really probably want a Tamashii stage act trident stand if you want to display it with the bits. It looks great with all the bits displayed, but it's an extra ~40 bucks probably so you might want to price that out first.

While I absolutely love the Hi Metal R VF-2SS, it just leaves me wondering how awesome a Bandai DX Chogokin VF-2SS would be and hope we will see one someday soon!

Twich

[kyekye]

Wow VF-0D pre-order came up and gone in like 30sec!

[Edit] Uhh.. Forgot there is thread for this now..

Edited March 1, 2023 by kyekye

[sh9000]

@MisaForever Everything looks good together.

More HMR pics here.  I recommend the HMR Macross line.

https://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/profile/21587-sh9000

[Rhubarbarian]

18 hours ago, twich said:

While I absolutely love the Hi Metal R VF-2SS, it just leaves me wondering how awesome a Bandai DX Chogokin VF-2SS would be and hope we will see one someday soon!

Oh man, I'd go nuts for a Chogokin VF-2SS. I don't think the HMR sold well enough? Still gonna dream, though!

[Chronocidal]

While I would love a properly-built 1/60 VF-2SS... I think the HMR demonstrated exactly what a sloppy mess of joints the design actually is.  Nothing about the design actually has anything that locks together in any way, and the whole thing is an intricate mass of interconnected joints that have to somehow remain flexible enough for battroid posing, but be solid enough to hold the thing in an ostensibly fighter-shaped shape.  

I like the little thing, don't get me wrong, but the overwhelming majority of time I ever spent handling a fighter-mode VF-2SS was primarily focused on getting all of the parts back in alignment after knocking everything out of place by picking it up in the first place.  

It's not really a fighter.. it's a robot that happens to have joints that let it assume a "fighter-shaped" pose.   If someone could come up with a way to make it lock together solidly, I would be more than happy to pick up a larger scale, but I worry that it's only going to get sloppier the bigger it gets.  The HMR size seemed kind of like the ideal size to balance between having all the right joints to make it work, but not make it so big that it couldn't support its own weight.

[no3Ljm]

1 hour ago, Chronocidal said:

While I would love a properly-built 1/60 VF-2SS... I think the HMR demonstrated exactly what a sloppy mess of joints the design actually is.  Nothing about the design actually has anything that locks together in any way, and the whole thing is an intricate mass of interconnected joints that have to somehow remain flexible enough for battroid posing, but be solid enough to hold the thing in an ostensibly fighter-shaped shape.  

I like the little thing, don't get me wrong, but the overwhelming majority of time I ever spent handling a fighter-mode VF-2SS was primarily focused on getting all of the parts back in alignment after knocking everything out of place by picking it up in the first place.  

It's not really a fighter.. it's a robot that happens to have joints that let it assume a "fighter-shaped" pose.   If someone could come up with a way to make it lock together solidly, I would be more than happy to pick up a larger scale, but I worry that it's only going to get sloppier the bigger it gets.  The HMR size seemed kind of like the ideal size to balance between having all the right joints to make it work, but not make it so big that it couldn't support its own weight.

I wonder if making the joints ratcheted for a bigger scale will help hold everything together? That is assuming that they will not put locking tabs on certain parts.

[wm cheng]

1 hour ago, Chronocidal said:

While I would love a properly-built 1/60 VF-2SS... I think the HMR demonstrated exactly what a sloppy mess of joints the design actually is.  Nothing about the design actually has anything that locks together in any way, and the whole thing is an intricate mass of interconnected joints that have to somehow remain flexible enough for battroid posing, but be solid enough to hold the thing in an ostensibly fighter-shaped shape.  

I like the little thing, don't get me wrong, but the overwhelming majority of time I ever spent handling a fighter-mode VF-2SS was primarily focused on getting all of the parts back in alignment after knocking everything out of place by picking it up in the first place.  

It's not really a fighter.. it's a robot that happens to have joints that let it assume a "fighter-shaped" pose.   If someone could come up with a way to make it lock together solidly, I would be more than happy to pick up a larger scale, but I worry that it's only going to get sloppier the bigger it gets.  The HMR size seemed kind of like the ideal size to balance between having all the right joints to make it work, but not make it so big that it couldn't support its own weight.

I don't understand why they don't use strong rare earth magnets to lock things in place instead of pegs - the VF-2SS is a perfect candidate for this.  It would really help solidify these kinds of joints and modes.  Totally eliminate tabs and pegs all together!  You see them doing magnets for ordinances and landing gears in die cast planes nowadays. 

[Chronocidal]

37 minutes ago, wm cheng said:

I don't understand why they don't use strong rare earth magnets to lock things in place instead of pegs - the VF-2SS is a perfect candidate for this.  It would really help solidify these kinds of joints and modes.  Totally eliminate tabs and pegs all together!  You see them doing magnets for ordinances and landing gears in die cast planes nowadays. 

I think the issue is that there just aren't any good places for anything to lock to.  The legs don't even really attach, they just float completely independently on the hip joints.  Their position is based entirely on wrangling a chain of pivot and ball joints into the right orientation to get the legs to line up.

You can kind of sort of tie things together between the arms and legs with tabs, and I think the HMR does this, but even then.. the connection all of those items have with the main body is tenuous at best.  Everything is just floating.

Though, I really should pull that one out and revisit it, it's been a while since I messed with it.  Maybe I'm forgetting something that would work well.

Edited March 2, 2023 by Chronocidal

[MisaForever]

3 hours ago, sh9000 said:

@MisaForever Everything looks good together.

More HMR pics here.  I recommend the HMR Macross line.

https://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/profile/21587-sh9000

[Ignacio Ocamica]

Arcadia (formerly known as Yamato) makes solid 1/60 fighters.

[seti88]

4 hours ago, sh9000 said:

@MisaForever Everything looks good together.

 

More HMR pics here.  I recommend the HMR Macross line.

https://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/profile/21587-sh9000

So you collect HMR? 😁😄

btw bandai's trident stands for the win! 

[ValkAddict]

4 hours ago, Chronocidal said:

While I would love a properly-built 1/60 VF-2SS... I think the HMR demonstrated exactly what a sloppy mess of joints the design actually is.  Nothing about the design actually has anything that locks together in any way, and the whole thing is an intricate mass of interconnected joints that have to somehow remain flexible enough for battroid posing, but be solid enough to hold the thing in an ostensibly fighter-shaped shape. 

^ This 100%.

[DewPoint]

I don't think I have ever been able to find a Tamashii Stage Act Trident or Trident Plus stand for a decent price (less then $20 US).  I'm not paying $40+ for one.

Here's a link to a 3 pack of Stage Act 5 on Amazon.com for $25.  There is a 2 pack for $21.98, but you know... 

TAMASHII NATIONS Bandai Act.5 for Mechanics Clear Action Figure

The 2 pack was $9.99 back in 2019 and the 3 pack was $10.53 back in 2017!

[DewPoint]

Anyone know if Tamashii Effect Explosion work well with HMR?  Are they too big?  Are they even worth getting if they ever get re-released for 1980 yen again?

[MKT]

1 hour ago, DewPoint said:

Anyone know if Tamashii Effect Explosion work well with HMR?  Are they too big?  Are they even worth getting if they ever get re-released for 1980 yen again?

 

Always wanted to get some of these, but the orange ones sell out pretty quickly. Size wise, they work quite well with HMR. Here's a video, with comparison to 6" figures of which HMR are close in size to: