Bandai DX VF-31

[Scyla]

I still have my preorder for the VF-31J but I lost the one for the MB Blue Frame. I guess I have to hope the Blue Frame is available after release because I also was not near a computer for the BBTS preorder.

[Lolicon]

Wow I never noticed how stacked Freyja really is!

December can't come soon enough.

[505thAirborne]

Ok, so I am not the only one to get a cancellation email from HLJ today, bummer as I only pre-ordered with them.

Oh well, I'll wait for Mirage or the CF 31, those are the two I really want!

[aurance]

I do not remember seeing this:

http://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/interview/1011851.html

Ohhh looks fantastic

[VX31]

HLJ server was lagging alot when i tried to pre-order at 0015 PDT on monday. I didnt successfully check out the cart until 0040ish because of server time out. i got all the way to the confirm order page and timed out. i hit refresh and i was able to click confirm, but never got the successful purchase page, however i did get the confirmation email....

this was the one and only order i attempted to get.

you would think with such a high demand item, HLJ should do a lottery system instead of a free-for-all cluster fuk. everyone that wants one, email this, then day of release randomly select, but still do their cross check of one order per address or something. kinda like how LEGO does it at ComiCon for the right to purchase their limited stock..

[jenius]

No to lottery, I want to know if I have one or if I need to get it elsewhere, it's not an exclusive.

[Loop]

Yeah, I don't think a lottery is the way to go. On the plus side, my VF-31J is still showing and I did not get the dreaded e-mail about that one. I did get a cancelation notice on the metal build blue frame though. I was luckily able to get it ordered elsewhere.

[Kanedas Bike]

Dam sorry man, that does suck for you east coast guys.

I have a couple of buddies whose orders are safe even though they used the same method, where they checked out after the order stop. So it seems to be the luck of the draw or whatever hlj's system is to kick us to the curb.

Ha, it's all good, just a price that needs to be paid - provided one is willing to take part in this pre-order madness.

Really hope that HLJ's method of cancelling or purging is not arbitrary.

-b.

Edited August 2, 2016 by Kanedas Bike

[00Geass]

I'm not too worried about missing this PO, hero valks surely get reissued at least once, right? R-right?

[Universe1010]

I'm sure some retailer will have them available after and just before release even if they cancel. I'm still not sure if I even want it thats why I went with HLJ because I didn't want to pay anything or penalty to cancel.

Ha, it's all good, just a price that needs to be paid - provided one is willing to take part in this pre-order madness.

Really hope that HLJ's method of cancelling or purging is not arbitrary.

-b.

[Sandman]

I'm not too worried about missing this PO, hero valks surely get reissued at least once, right? R-right?

Yeah but it might be a couple of years.

[Kanedas Bike]

I'm sure some retailer will have them available after and just before release even if they cancel. I'm still not sure if I even want it thats why I went with HLJ because I didn't want to pay anything or penalty to cancel.

Probably, at least that's been the case with the HMR and to a lesser extent some of the Frontier DX's and even the VF-19 Advance (that one saw at least 2 re-stocks at HLJ). I think I sound like a broken record saying this, so apologies to all, but it really is a coin-flip.

Every time I think I see a defined pattern something comes along and debunks it.

-b.

[DarkHawk]

I just want one without having to pay an arm, a leg, and three fingers. Does Bandai even see the numbers for non-japanese market sales?

[in2seconds]

I just want one without having to pay an arm, a leg, and three fingers. Does Bandai even see the numbers for non-japanese market sales?

Doesn't matter, Harmony Gold restricts the toy sales outside of Japan in the first place.

[Mr Bomber]

Doesn't matter, Harmony Gold restricts the toy sales outside of Japan in the first place.

talking about HG, they claim is just about the original macross stuff, or it involves everything macross related?

[in2seconds]

AFAIK all, they copyrighted Macross altogether. Heck they even tried to copyright it inside Japan

[jvmacross]

Does Bandai even see the numbers for non-japanese market sales?

Pretty sure Bandai plans their production quantities to match both local and international consumption. They may not want to know or care where in the world their Macross products are ending up, but they have to know that there is not that much demand for Macross in Japan alone that the quantities they are producing all stay in Japan.

In short, whatever is being produced is more than what is required to satisfy Japanese consumers. Otherwise, these toys would be much more difficult to get if everyone had to compete with just the amount available to only meet Japanese demand.

[Old Man]

no cancellation email for me from HLJ and mine went through 53 mins after non stop retries since opening.

Same here. I had one in my cart 5 minutes after the preorder opened, but I wasn't able to complete the checkout until 4:53 JST, after constant trying.

[kajnrig]

Jesus, you guys weren't kidding about the PO madness. I disappear for a day and the thread jumps forward something like 10 pages. Hope everybody got what they wanted...

[Aye Aye]

HLJ cancellation blues!!! (Pun intended b/c Hayate didn't make it or the Blue Frame - I know not funny). Feel somewhat bad that HLJ is getting the greatest backlash, but it is their fault for causing the false hope to begin with, so understandable.

HLJ really needs to get their online ordering dialed in. I mean it's 2016 and that site is still operating like it did back in 56k days. No to lottery, but beef up their throughput over there b/c their hampster died trying to keep that wheel moving. Still shocked at the lack of inventory at other sites in general too on both releases.

Do folks suddenly want Hayate's VF-31J more now b/c the release was such a debacle (aka FOMO), or are you seeing through the general hype of a new valk and waiting for the VF-31F (or insert fave Delta valk here)? I am trying to tell my brain it's the latter rather than the former right now...

[chyll2]

Do folks suddenly want Hayate's VF-31J more now b/c the release was such a debacle (aka FOMO), or are you seeing through the general hype of a new valk and waiting for the VF-31F (or insert fave Delta valk here)? I am trying to tell my brain it's the latter rather than the former right now...

I belong to latter, I am waiting for VF-31F and VF-31A but it has been a long time now since I got a new (mold in general and I never owned the 30) macross toy so I really want to play something with. Though watching the show, the design kind of grew with me and it has a nice Head unit compared to 31F

[no3Ljm]

as douchey as the listing might be, the guy might not be a douche bag but intentionally aiming the listing at douche bags as only a douche bag would be douche enough to actually buy it!

I hope that even made any sense! too much douchebaggery going on...

Hahaha! Just so you know, Spanner, I did tried saying that 5 times and faster. I'm thinking if I should add that to your famous quotes.

same here , I will never make a pre order at hlj anymore, because of their bad site issues, I relaxed and got only one there, now I have zilsh. HLJ SUCKS

I understand the frustration but just so you know HLJ is one of the best when it comes to customer service. Almost everyone here can vouch on that. And glitch or no glitch, I'll stick with them for most of my expensive orders.

Just checked mine and its still there! pew! I think i got mine within the first 2-3 minutes of the window, but we will see if its still there by next week.

just saw this online on one of the FB Macross pages.

This is Mark Kutsugi at HobbyLink Japan. Thank you for your order for

Bandai's BANN06298 DX Chogokin VF-31J Siegfried (Hayate Immelmann).

The stock status of that item was regretfully Order Stop at the time

you placed your order. A bug in our system allowed it to stay in your

shopping cart when it was no longer available for order. The bug is

being corrected now.

As the limit of orders for the amount of stock we expect to receive

was already reached, this item will be cancelled from your order

within 48 hours. You have not been charged for this item.

BANN06298 DX Chogokin VF-31J Siegfried (Hayate Immelmann) is expected

to be released on or about 12/31. If supplies are sufficient, we will

accept more orders for it at that time. In the meantime, if more stock

becomes available, more orders may be accepted. We do not currently

have a system to alert you if that happens, but you're welcome to

monitor its page in our online catalog:

That's nice of them. Atleast they recognize the errors on their system and they worked on it.

For most of the people here who got the cancellation emails, don't lose hope. It's just days since the PO night. Just wait and one or two will pop out somewhere. If you want it badly, there's Nippon-Yasan. After the release date, usually they have stocks. Though you just have to pay it more. That's how it is in collecting Macross. It's too niche. And some megalomaniac company still holing on to something that they didn't even created is what stopping the Western World to have their Macross addiction. But yeah, it's not the end of the world. There's still some online store that will still have stocks in the future. This is just one of the 5 Valks that they're going to release. So one way or another, you will still get yours. And I have a feeling that PO'ing Chuck's Valk is just a breeze compared to Hayate's. Peace!

[Aye Aye]

Though watching the show, the design kind of grew with me and it has a nice Head unit compared to 31F

Yeah I feel the same about this one...initially not very excited about the colorway of the VF-31J, but over the course of the series I began to appreciate its uniqueness compared to its predecessors.

What I really want to see is some additional kitting out of the VF-31 from the series. The supers were underwhelming, but reserving judgment until Bandai eventually releases them. Would love to see something of the armored variety out of Delta, so hoping that we get something from the series to whet the appetite for a DX release.

[no3Ljm]

Yeah I feel the same about this one...initially not very excited about the colorway of the VF-31J, but over the course of the series I began to appreciate its uniqueness compared to its predecessors.

What I really want to see is some additional kitting out of the VF-31 from the series. The supers were underwhelming, but reserving judgment until Bandai eventually releases them. Would love to see something of the armored variety out of Delta, so hoping that we get something from the series to whet the appetite for a DX release.

I'm all for an Armored Siegfried. As long that it's not back heavy as the 25's, I'm good.

[Alberich]

There's still some online store that will still have stocks in the future. This is just one of the 5 Valks that they're going to release. So one way or another, you will still get yours. And I have a feeling that PO'ing Chuck's Valk is just a breeze compared to Hayate's. Peace!

I think the same, somehow I feel that Chuck's VF-31E is going to be easier to get compared to Hayate or Messer... But somehow I have the felling that the VF-31A is going to be a real pain to get even compared to Hayate XD

[spanner]

Hahaha! Just so you know, Spanner, I did tried saying that 5 times and faster. I'm thinking if I should add that to your famous quotes.

hehe! im truly flattered of course! but I cant say I have ever considered any of the crap I write being of any "quote-able" quality! but by all means be my guest! Problem is your sig will end up being HUGE and taking up half the screen for each of your posts!

[chyll2]

I think the same, somehow I feel that Chuck's VF-31E is going to be easier to get compared to Hayate or Messer... But somehow I have the felling that the VF-31A is going to be a real pain to get even compared to Hayate XD

Cannon Fodder or unknown machine are not popular. So I would assume, VF-31A would be easy to get after release. PO is always madness since there are scalpers.

edit: Brownies VF-1 are easy to get before, 25A reception was good initially but later on, priced remained lower or equal to SRP. same with YF-25 and the unrelate-able YF-29uBeercival.

Edited August 3, 2016 by chyll2

[Graham]

Kinda surprised and a bit worrying that Nippon-Yasan hasn't started the round two offers yet at slightly inflated prices.

[spanner]

Kinda suprised that Nippon-Yasan hasn't started the round two offers yet at slightly inflated prices.

was just thinking exactly the same only earlier today! very surprised..

[SuperHobo]

I do not remember seeing this:

http://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/interview/1011851.html

Interesting interview! It really sounds like they loaded up the VF-31 with ratchet joints because they know the ball joints get loose. The designer is putting an emphasis and play-ability and durability. God damn finally!!!!

[Scyla]

Interesting interview! It really sounds like they loaded up the VF-31 with ratchet joints because they know the ball joints get loose. The designer is putting an emphasis and play-ability and durability. God damn finally!!!!

If this is true and Delta remains popular I can't see that the preorder situation relaxes anytime soon. Man I hope this turns out to be crap so I can have an easier time preordering them.

At least they look the part compared with the VF-2SS from ET.

[venth85]

Delta 02 the color scheme really looks good in Battroid, definitely will feel preorder madness for DX ver again

Edited August 3, 2016 by venth85

[seti88]

Yea those pics are oiishi aren't they?

Anyway we do know already the 262 will b out after hayate.

edit: removed kit release references...

Edited August 3, 2016 by seti88

[Scyla]

The cool and muted colors on the VF-25F look stunning. Not a fan of the head turret but it helps that there is a chin under the visor and it not a full Gogo Dodo head.

[seti88]

The cool and muted colors on the VF-25F look stunning. Not a fan of the head turret but it helps that there is a chin under the visor and it not a full Gogo Dodo head.

As long at the head lasers aren't spaced too far apart in the DX, else i think the head will look more triangular than i prefer.

Hmm didnt notice this before but is there a gold engine frame in the legs? You can see it peeking through forming the ankles...

Edited August 3, 2016 by seti88