Evolution Toy - VF-2SS Valkyrie I 《MACROSS II ~LOVERS AGAIN~&#1

[Kinzoku VF]

Here is a "venting my disappointment"...video I did last week when I received this lovely Vf-2SS."... For anyone still undecided, might help you make your mind up. ( at least for collector who like the VFs in Fighter mode...). No transformation.

As I had filmed it I though I might as well post it.

Whatever....here it is:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=foG-nNQUtUk&feature=em-upload_owner

Only thing that was done to the Vf when it was filmed was the panel lines.... Have since started putting decals etc (not using the crappy stickers included with it...they are huge!!! Made for a 1/55! Not 1/60....). It's already starting to look a bit better.

With a bit of luck though, looks like the price will go down drastically...I'll then pick up 1 or 2 just for 'painting fun'.

[treatment]

It's official!!!! - Nexx custom VF-2SS is available for PO! Available this July! Comes with bits!!!

https://www.hlj.com/product/evt57221

Looks pretty boss than the Sylvie and the Faerie.

Hope it really holds together better this time without requiring super-glue or future/pledge, and that ET has read and implemented the necessary improvements on it.

[sh9000]

I think I'll try to cancel the other one and get the Nexx custom instead.

[UN Spacy]

Still no word of stand alone SAP for Sylvie owners?

[derex3592]

So after reading this thread from the get go, I finally rented Mscross 2 on Amazon over the weekend and watched it to see what all the hype is about. I thought it was ok, better than Zero IMHO, but hey, to each their own. It wasn't great, but the plot was descent. Didnt like it enough to want this line of Valks, but I'm happy for those who are getting these and filling a hole in their collections!

Edited March 1, 2016 by derex3592

[505thAirborne]

Still no word of stand alone SAP for Sylvie owners?

Nothing yet, hopefully soon!

[jvmacross]

It's official!!!! - Nexx custom VF-2SS is available for PO! Available this July! Comes with bits!!!

https://www.hlj.com/product/evt57221

[cmal]

Realistically speaking, what are the chances that Nexx will be different from Sylvie/Faerie, other than a leg-stored railgun and fin funnels?

[treatment]

Realistically speaking, what are the chances that Nexx will be different from Sylvie/Faerie, other than a leg-stored railgun and fin funnels?

Well, it does have the blue stripes...

[treatment]

It's official!!!! - Nexx custom VF-2SS is available for PO! Available this July! Comes with bits!!!

https://www.hlj.com/product/evt57221

Speaking of which, hlj is pricing the Nexx quite lower than what they're charging for the Faerie:

Faerie is 30,800y

Nexx is 27,720y

http://www.hlj.com/scripts/hljlist?SeriesID=934&DisplayMode=images&Dis=2&Sort=std&qid=TPY87FXUA6&set=1&Maker2=EVT

I went ahead and po the Nexx since I could always cancel before release-time from HLJ...

edit:

here's ami's po-page for those interested:

http://www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?gcode=FIGURE-017372

25,400y

watch out for their shipping-fees!

and they'll rudely scold you if you try to cancel...

Edited March 1, 2016 by treatment

[Dangard Ace]

24980 @NY

https://www.nippon-yasan.com/figures/15984-super-dimensional-fortress-macross-ii-lovers-again-vf-2ss-valkyrie-ii-with-sap-nexx-gilbert.html

Still going to wait until reviews first.

[Sandman]

Wow expensive shipping with NY. Wonder how much HLJ will charge?

[Graham]

I'll wait for the reviews before maybe picking up one of these.

As the saying goes......."once bitten, twice shy".

Graham

[no3Ljm]

PO'ed NEXX as well even though I'm not a big fan of the 'blue' stripe. How I wish they also included the regular Medium Rail Gun that came with Silvie's aside from Nexx's Heavy Rail Gun. So two guns.

[Graham]

Here is a "venting my disappointment"...video I did last week when I received this lovely Vf-2SS."... For anyone still undecided, might help you make your mind up. ( at least for collector who like the VFs in Fighter mode...). No transformation.

As I had filmed it I though I might as well post it.

Whatever....here it is:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=foG-nNQUtUk&feature=em-upload_owner

Good video review.

[Golden Arms]

Very good review Kinzoku. The toy utterly failed in the only mode I had any marginal interest in, so it was any easy pass for me. I can't imagine how worse the next two releases will be with the added weight of the fast packs heaped on top of it.

[no3Ljm]

Here is a "venting my disappointment"...video I did last week when I received this lovely Vf-2SS."... For anyone still undecided, might help you make your mind up. ( at least for collector who like the VFs in Fighter mode...). No transformation.

As I had filmed it I though I might as well post it.

Whatever....here it is:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=foG-nNQUtUk&feature=em-upload_owner

Only thing that was done to the Vf when it was filmed was the panel lines.... Have since started putting decals etc (not using the crappy stickers included with it...they are huge!!! Made for a 1/55! Not 1/60....). It's already starting to look a bit better.

With a bit of luck though, looks like the price will go down drastically...I'll then pick up 1 or 2 just for 'painting fun'.

Just finished watching it. Thank you sir for doing this review. Really appreciate it. Even with all those negative things I hear and read about this release, it still didn't stop me from preordering Nexx.

[UN Spacy]

So...how're the bits/funnels/squires supposed to surround the VF-2SS?

They also better be providing FIVE instead of the picture two.

[no3Ljm]

So...how're the bits/funnels/squires supposed to surround the VF-2SS?

They also better be providing FIVE instead of the picture two.

Sad to say it only comes with 2 Squires based on the infos I found online.

[Agent-GHQ]

So after reading this thread from the get go, I finally rented Mscross 2 on Amazon over the weekend and watched it to see what all the hype is about. I thought it was ok, better than Zero IMHO, but hey, to each their own. It wasn't great, but the plot was descent. Didnt like it enough to want this line of Valks, but I'm happy for those who are getting these and filling a hole in their collections!

If done right, the story line could have been just as great as its predecessor. But the one thing I truly love about MII is the VF-2SS Valkyrie. It looks stunning and bad-ass! At the time, the only toy like was the Bandai 1/100 transformable kit. And now even with ET 1/60 Nexx I'm still hesitant to pick one up

[Major Focker]

Wow expensive shipping with NY. Wonder how much HLJ will charge?

Sylvie @ HLJ is 2500JPY SAL shipping.

Nexx @ NY is 3000JPY SAL.

for the extra size and weight of the SAP and squires, i find the 500JPY difference acceptable.

ironically, Sylvie @HLJ is 1800JPY via EMS. however, i avoid EMS like the plague because (again) ironically, it is slower and more hassle.

[ArchieNov]

So after reading this thread from the get go, I finally rented Mscross 2 on Amazon over the weekend and watched it to see what all the hype is about. I thought it was ok, better than Zero IMHO, but hey, to each their own. It wasn't great, but the plot was descent. Didnt like it enough to want this line of Valks, but I'm happy for those who are getting these and filling a hole in their collections!

One of the worst experiences I ever had in over 35 years of watching anime was hearing the English dub of one of the final songs in the last episode. It was the one where Sylvie started singing. That still gives me nightmares...

[tomac66]

Sylvie @ HLJ is 2500JPY SAL shipping.

Nexx @ NY is 3000JPY SAL.

for the extra size and weight of the SAP and squires, i find the 500JPY difference acceptable.

ironically, Sylvie @HLJ is 1800JPY via EMS. however, i avoid EMS like the plague because (again) ironically, it is slower and more hassle.

Nexx SAL is 5000JPY in NY, where did you see the 3000?

[Kinzoku VF]

I have the English Ver. I think it was from 'Manga Mania' in the U.K. Had it on VHS, then later, they released all their old VHS stuff onto DVD, and I picked it up again. ( but Macross Zero was much better imo, personally I really enjoyed it....)

Most of their releases were always dubbed (the heresy! I hate dubs...). It was the early 90's, they started releasing loads of stuff.....One that I remember well was Urotsukidoji ( with that little pants-less flying demon familiar.) ......THE OVA that introduced the use of tentacles in the most imaginative ways. Anime has never the same since. Was 15/16 year at the time, had never seen an anime like this one! Nowadays, the barriers of decency have long been shattered...Boku no *cough* Pico *cough* ...My eyes....it burns it burns... The horror...Cannot unsee .... __/|o

Anyway....Rambling aside.....

Out for preorder you say....? Next summer? Maybe this time they will bother revisiting a few (LOTS) of badly thought out features before it gets let out into the wild.

Not preordering anything though... Like someone else said "not getting bitten twice"

The current one put me off completely, especially when the price is already getting lower a week after release....

Thanks, I'm giving it a miss.

Also, have not forgotten about the future DX VF-1 Chogokin from Bandai! Already putting money aside....That will be a 1st minute preorder for sure.....eyes closed.

Although.....would consider another VF-2SS if/when it gets cheap enough. ;-)

Wanted to dismantle and paint mine from the get go, but the screws and plastic, made me rethink the whole thing.

[Major Focker]

Nexx SAL is 5000JPY in NY, where did you see the 3000?

i'm in asia. SAL International parcel and Economic Registered are 3000, Airmail Registered 3450, EMS 4000

[auberondreaming]

Out for preorder you say....? Next summer? Maybe this time they will bother revisiting a few (LOTS) of badly thought out features before it gets let out into the wild.

Nah, it's coming in July of this year. No way they re-engineer this thing and produce it in 5 months. It is being made now for shipping in that time frame. I'm off to cancel my other preorder, I had one for the SAP just in case, but the more video I see, the more convinced I am to say no thanks. 10000 yen seems too expensive for this level of execution even.

[CoreyD]

I actually want the SAP version more than anything, but I had a non-cancellable order with Anime Export for the Sylvie version. Would have lost my regult order if I bailed, so now I'm stuck waiting for the stand-alone pack...assuming that actually happens at some point.

[arbit]

So after reading this thread from the get go, I finally rented Mscross 2 on Amazon over the weekend and watched it to see what all the hype is about. I thought it was ok, better than Zero IMHO, but hey, to each their own. It wasn't great, but the plot was descent. Didnt like it enough to want this line of Valks, but I'm happy for those who are getting these and filling a hole in their collections!

Did you watch it dubbed or subbed?

[derex3592]

Did you watch it dubbed or subbed?

Well the "movie version" was what I rented on Amazon, which was just all the episodes put together (as each one still had title screens before it). All the normal dialog was in English, but the Mardok alien language was subbed and the music was all sang in Japanese with subtitles. Their wasn't any other audio or subtitle options for it on my Roku through Amazon Prime video, which I was fine with as I watched it all in one sitting, and reading that much subs would have tired me out!

Edited March 1, 2016 by derex3592

[ArchieNov]

You're lucky you didn't watch it back in the early 90s and had to endure Sylvie's English singing voice. Or was it Ishtar or a duet with Ishtar? I can't really remember it much anymore.

What I do remember is the shock of hearing a super deep girl voice suddenly singing in English in the middle of a Japanese song. It took me by surprise and I wanted to rip out my ears back then. The dubbers didn't make an effort at all to blend the singing voices well together. To this day, that's still the main reason I have avoided rewatching Macross II.

[treatment]

So after reading this thread from the get go, I finally rented Mscross 2 on Amazon over the weekend and watched it to see what all the hype is about. I thought it was ok, better than Zero IMHO, but hey, to each their own. It wasn't great, but the plot was descent. Didnt like it enough to want this line of Valks, but I'm happy for those who are getting these and filling a hole in their collections!

I still have the old Manga-Ent dvd.

MII was not a great Macross anime.

Weirdly enough, after several other Macross anime over the years, MII anime is actually a better story watch than 7 and Frontier for me. No annoying loli or bizarro flower girl or Basara, no stupid 'shipping wars or hodgepodge fold tech, etc, etc. Mash was even a kewl character, despite being heavily stereotyped for the era.

It only really falls apart at the final part of the final episode as the boss was not really fleshed out properly. Could be the producers were told to end it prematurely since the story itself could've gone on for more episodes. Macross Zero was a better Macross anime than MII no doubt, but Zero also fell apart in the final bizarro part of the final episode.

We all panned the english-version, but it was actually not that bad given the time and era in the US when it was made.No Tenchi or Ranma or Macross Plus, yet). MII english actually got better as the series went on.

The english-songs were just terribad and they should be expunged, but that was again due to the time and era in the US where everything has to be in english.

We won't get the excellent Macross Plus in a number of years after MII, and we won't get any Macross in the west after Plus.

Isthar is love, and still is... :wub:

As such, the Metal Siren is ok, but still a fugly gundam in a Macross show. They really should've just gone ahead and put the V-fin on it to make it look better...

Edited March 1, 2016 by treatment

[arbit]

Well the "movie version" was what I rented on Amazon, which was just all the episodes put together (as each one still had title screens before it). All the normal dialog was in English, but the Mardok alien language was subbed and the music was all sang in Japanese with subtitles. Their wasn't any other audio or subtitle options for it on my Roku through Amazon Prime video, which I was fine with as I watched it all in one sitting, and reading that much subs would have tired me out!

Cool. But for Mac II, it is so much better subbed. Give it another go some day.

[GabrielV]

Well the "movie version" was what I rented on Amazon, which was just all the episodes put together (as each one still had title screens before it). All the normal dialog was in English, but the Mardok alien language was subbed and the music was all sang in Japanese with subtitles. Their wasn't any other audio or subtitle options for it on my Roku through Amazon Prime video, which I was fine with as I watched it all in one sitting, and reading that much subs would have tired me out!

Which is the same as the original US Renditions 3 volume VHS dub release. I think the only other difference is the combined episodes are shown at higher speed, but it's a miniscule increase. It's just something to nudge the runtime a hair lower.

The only song which is in English is Ishtar's final song. Even then, it's only half English dubbed. It starts off in Japanese and then transitions to English quite jarringly.

All the other songs were in Japanese, even in the VHS dub. The liner notes for the OAV says that all the songs were given translated lyrics, and these are what show in the subtitles, but ultimately it was decided not to integrate re-recorded versions into the show.

[ArchieNov]

The only song which is in English is Ishtar's final song. Even then, it's only half English dubbed. It starts off in Japanese and then transitions to English quite jarringly.

Ah so it was indeed Ishtar that was singing and not Sylvie. I guess I mixed it up because I kinda remember Hibiki and Sylvie together in the bridge while that song was playing.

[Lolicon]

I feel this toy is a metaphor for the show that birthed it: lots of potential flushed away by cheapness and/or incompetence.

The only thing I like about Macross II is the theme song. Kaneko Mika was (and still is) a cutie!

Oh, and it's mercifully short.