Hi-Metal R

[Spark-O-Matic]

2 hours ago, Convectuoso said:

No. Probably won't ever get released, like the Tomahawk or the Regult Scout

Never say never! She is a Piloted Fembot, those are all the rage right now Lol.  In all seriousness Bandai needs to allow crowd funding like Hasbro has done. as long as they know they are covered with funding then a Tomahawk or the Regult Scout should be no problem. I know your pain, I'm praying for a once in a lifetime anniversary G1 Jetfire this year or next . when pigs fly.

[Chronocidal]

Whether it gets released or not, it won't look anything like that prototype.

I'm genuinely concerned about them attempting to make that into a transforming VF-11 derivative, because it shares almost nothing with the source design, and I have no idea how it will hold together in fighter mode with completely round arms and legs.

Edited April 14 by Chronocidal

[Big s]

19 hours ago, Spark-O-Matic said:

Never say never! She is a Piloted Fembot, those are all the rage right now Lol.  In all seriousness Bandai needs to allow crowd funding like Hasbro has done. as long as they know they are covered with funding then a Tomahawk or the Regult Scout should be no problem. I know your pain, I'm praying for a once in a lifetime anniversary G1 Jetfire this year or next . when pigs fly.

Bandai is an unpredictable beast at times. There could be a completed prototype of a popular character or robot, but then they may never release it. As far as female toys, I still remember the Faye Valentine from cowboy bebop. It looked really great, had all the joints and paint, all they had to do was get them on the shelf. She was a wanted character and what was showed was amazing, but all we got was a tease. Other times they go wild and overproduce items nobody gives a damn about like Kyoukai Senki toys and models and nobody buys them

[Mommar]

On 4/13/2024 at 12:16 AM, Spark-O-Matic said:

Has there been any new info about her since last year?

 

It's not a mold that can be milked.  Likely they won't touch it.

[jenius]

Ya know, while that's true, Bandai has done plenty of bizarre things in the past. So likely they won't touch it but.... if that's your thing, you can hold out hope. 

[Big s]

1 hour ago, Mommar said:

It's not a mold that can be milked.  Likely they won't touch it.

That’s probably the case, but as said above by jenius, they’ve picked some oddballs. They did do the Monster and Glaug. Not too many examples beyond those in hmr though 

[MisaForever]

Man. I wish Bandai were as big as Hasbro and the like so they could churn out pallets of awesome Macross toys on a regular basis. 🙁

[wmkjr]

21 minutes ago, MisaForever said:

Man. I wish Bandai were as big as Hasbro and the like so they could churn out pallets of awesome Macross toys on a regular basis. 🙁

Bandai Namco is bigger than Hasbro.

[MisaForever]

49 minutes ago, wmkjr said:

Bandai Namco is bigger than Hasbro.

Seriously? So what keeps them from churning out Valks left and right to vendors? Do they not have the market to do so?

[Big s]

1 hour ago, MisaForever said:

Seriously? So what keeps them from churning out Valks left and right to vendors? Do they not have the market to do so?

Hasbro is almost going broke by taking too many gambles. They cut a lot of jobs lately and have had many other companies handling their licenses. Too many toys in the clearance isles I guess 

[Sanity is Optional]

1 hour ago, Big s said:

Hasbro is almost going broke by taking too many gambles. They cut a lot of jobs lately and have had many other companies handling their licenses. Too many toys in the clearance isles I guess 

Literally the only profitable part of the company is Wizards of the Coast, which makes D&D and Magic:The Gathering.

The Toy and Board Games divisions are just anchors right now.

[Big s]

47 minutes ago, Sanity is Optional said:

Literally the only profitable part of the company is Wizards of the Coast, which makes D&D and Magic:The Gathering.

I’ve been hearing that they’re having some problems as well, not sure how bad though. I kinda paid more attention to the toy stuff

[Sanity is Optional]

44 minutes ago, Big s said:

I’ve been hearing that they’re having some problems as well, not sure how bad though. I kinda paid more attention to the toy stuff

https://hasbro.gcs-web.com/news-releases/news-release-details/hasbro-reports-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2022-financial

I suppose more accurate to say the most profitable and only part of the company that's growing is Wizards.

More profitable than the "consumer products" division overall, despite only having a third of the net revenue.

Edited April 15 by Sanity is Optional

[Slave IV]

On 4/14/2024 at 9:38 PM, MisaForever said:

Seriously? So what keeps them from churning out Valks left and right to vendors? Do they not have the market to do so?

Of course not. The market for all the other franchises Bandai deals in dwarfs the demand for Macross. They aren't going to produce a bunch of shelf warmers and take up factory resources when they can get sell outs in higher quantities from other brands.

[MisaForever]

1 hour ago, Slave IV said:

Of course not. The market for all the other franchises Bandai deals in dwarfs the demand for Macross. They aren't going to produce a bunch of shelf warmers and take up factory resources when they can get sell outs in higher quantities from other brands.

I'm not expecting them to line shelves at Walmart, but the demand for Macross merchandise far exceeds their supply. That's my point. Can they not do something about that?

[Slave IV]

5 minutes ago, MisaForever said:

I'm not expecting them to line shelves at Walmart, but the demand for Macross merchandise far exceeds their supply. That's my point. Can they not do something about that?

It actually doesn't. There are some popular items that sell out instantly and are in high demand but when we say "high demand" Macross, that number probably tops out around 10k, 20k maybe at most for the top items. While they probably have other items that can easily double to 10 times that amount. Obviously, I don't have actual numbers but I think I have a fair estimate based on how I've seen the market move in the last couple decades. I love Macross Valks more than any other toys but the passion of a relative few does not dictate business moves by one of the biggest toy manufactures in the world (Bandai is only 2nd to Lego last time I checked?).

[505thAirborne]

Wake me up when SV-51's & VF-11B/11C's are announced. 

[MisaForever]

17 minutes ago, Slave IV said:

It actually doesn't. There are some popular items that sell out instantly and are in high demand but when we say "high demand" Macross, that number probably tops out around 10k, 20k maybe at most for the top items. While they probably have other items that can easily double to 10 times that amount. Obviously, I don't have actual numbers but I think I have a fair estimate based on how I've seen the market move in the last couple decades. I love Macross Valks more than any other toys but the passion of a relative few does not dictate business moves by one of the biggest toy manufactures in the world (Bandai is only 2nd to Lego last time I checked?).

Hmmm, I suppose I see what you mean. It just stinks that there's so much potential from all Macross universes for merch and hardly anyone other than those in Japan can get to it.

[ScrambledValkyrie]

On 4/13/2024 at 7:50 PM, Convectuoso said:

No. Probably won't ever get released, like the Tomahawk or the Regult Scout

I'm still holding out hope for those two.

[Arthurius]

I just found out today that there was preorders for the VF-19 Kai, so obviously i missed out on a preorder, and this is a big one for me as need in my collection (was sad i had to sell my 1/60th, but needed to downsize, and 1/100 is the perfect scale for me)

Need recommendations.

Wait for Mandarake?  Wait for 1 month before release and check in every day with CD Japan and HLJ and Amiami?

Thanks in advance.

[sh9000]

It's available to preorder from Nin-Nin-Game for 12870 JPY with private warehouse and pay later option.

https://www.nin-nin-game.com/en/hi-metal-r/122609-hi-metal-r-macross-7-vf-19-custom-excalibur-fire-valkyrie-bandai-spirits-.html

Edited April 19 by sh9000

[jvmacross]

2 hours ago, Arthurius said:

I just found out today that there was preorders for the VF-19 Kai, so obviously i missed out on a preorder, and this is a big one for me as need in my collection (was sad i had to sell my 1/60th, but needed to downsize, and 1/100 is the perfect scale for me)

Need recommendations.

Wait for Mandarake?  Wait for 1 month before release and check in every day with CD Japan and HLJ and Amiami?

Thanks in advance.

If you do not care waiting until after it's released outside of Japan, you can probably get a discount on it come Xmas time later this year.....outside of Japan, I doubt this particular VF has enough recognition and demand to maintain current US retail pricing....guessing it will dip below 100 USD soon after domestic release....

https://www.amazon.com/TAMASHII-NATIONS-Macross-Valkyrie-Hi-Metal/dp/B0CZQKGSQ6/ref=sr_1_9

https://www.eknightmedia.com/macross-7-vf-19-custom-fire-valkyrie-hi-metal-r-action-figure-by-bandai-tamashii-nations.html?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwiYOxBhC5ARIsAIvdH50huzpFAZIOwtAw-qXRRvIt5ZXxlLL6JNrQK_Hk-qQBxU49ZqSRT3UaAjutEALw_wcB

[Arthurius]

22 hours ago, sh9000 said:

It's available to preorder from Nin-Nin-Game for 12870 JPY with private warehouse and pay later option.

https://www.nin-nin-game.com/en/hi-metal-r/122609-hi-metal-r-macross-7-vf-19-custom-excalibur-fire-valkyrie-bandai-spirits-.html

Thank you very much, preordered from there.

[leeboo1211]

On 4/19/2024 at 2:04 AM, 505thAirborne said:

Wake me up when SV-51's & VF-11B/11C's are announced. 

So... you gonna sleep forever then? 😅

[505thAirborne]

22 minutes ago, leeboo1211 said:

So... you gonna sleep forever then? 😅

 

[Raikkonen]

On 4/19/2024 at 1:04 AM, 505thAirborne said:

Wake me up when SV-51's & VF-11B/11C's are announced. 

Likely the SV will rely a lot on how well the Vf-0 did in sales. In Japan, they sold well, but in the American market, they seem still quite available. 

Perhaps another deciding factor will be the Zero streaming by Disney... ???

Undoubted, it will be a typical Bandai shame to leave out at least a canon fodder SV... 

[Mommar]

Amazon has the 0D for $122 right now.

Limited-time deal: TAMASHII NATIONS - Macross Zero - VF-0D Phoenix (Shin Kudo Use), Bandai Spirits Hi-Metal R Figure https://a.co/d/cNB22uy

[sh9000]

The cheapest price I've seen it sold and shipped from Amazon was for $110.

[Raikkonen]

With the Vf-1, is it only SDFM ones that come with the full cavity fillers?

And is the VF-1S latest release white plastic, or slightly grey. Difficult to tell from various pics.

[Froy]

2 hours ago, Raikkonen said:

With the Vf-1, is it only SDFM ones that come with the full cavity fillers?

And is the VF-1S latest release white plastic, or slightly grey. Difficult to tell from various pics.

Chest side cavity filler became a thing with the TV Hikaru Super VF-1S. Revival GBP VF-1J, TV VF 1-A Max and Kaki are the only ones that have them so far.

TV Super Hikaru is brigh white. 

[Raikkonen]

10 hours ago, Froy said:

Chest side cavity filler became a thing with the TV Hikaru Super VF-1S. Revival GBP VF-1J, TV VF 1-A Max and Kaki are the only ones that have them so far.

TV Super Hikaru is brigh white. 

Thanks!

[Raikkonen]

I read on Anymoon's VF-4 review that at one point Bandai teased the Max and Millia versions. 

Can't find the tease. Anyone still have the image? 

[no3Ljm]

6 minutes ago, Raikkonen said:

I read on Anymoon's VF-4 review that at one point Bandai teased the Max and Millia versions. 

Can't find the tease. Anyone still have the image? 

 

[Raikkonen]

32 minutes ago, no3Ljm said:

 

You're the holy guardian of archived images!!!! Thank you!!!

Dammit, that Max 😍... I guess this was a long time ago (During my collecting time out), and I guess in true Bandai fashion, now locked in the deep freezer... 

Edited May 21 by Raikkonen

[MKT]

I love me more VF-4.. and as I'm typing this I'm thinking Bandai would sooner release these than the dang Tomahawk.