Are there decent 3rd party Macross inspiered toys out there?

[dec0y13]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure this is a silly question.

I was inspired by Master Made Makuros. It's a high in figure and it's a SDF-1-like toy I can afford! Sure, it comes with a what is not a VF-1J with 4 head cannons and everything has a funny name, but it's well made, pretty well packaged and I don't have to decide to pay rent or not to get it.

I think the current Bandai/Chogokin stuff is crazy overpriced and I'm surprised that a few 3rd party companies haven't already offered a similar "Mukuros" line of there own. You can get nice 3rd party Transformers for 1/3 the price of the current DX and Arcadia lines. Bandai sells Power Rangers and Big Hero 6 stuff stateside for competitive prices at Walmart. Is it just that Macross isn't popular enough?

So, does anyone know of other companies making decent toys, or maybe news of things that are coming to the market?

[wmkjr]

 Dunno about any other companies making decent toys. Here is an interesting discussion a few years back.

[kajnrig]

Also, isn't it forum policy to not discuss/advertise/endorse unofficial products?

[dec0y13]

thanks for the link. I'm reading all through it.

also, If this is against forum policy, what forum is best for unofficial Macross product information?

[Sandman]

3 minutes ago, kajnrig said:

Also, isn't it forum policy to not discuss/advertise/endorse unofficial products?

Well there's a Transformers Third Party thread that has gone on for years, so i think it's ok.

[no3Ljm]

But. Was there any third party attempt of a Macross toy besides the SD Makurosu?

 

[kajnrig]

I figured Shawn and co. were fine with third-party threads for other IPs because they're strictly not Macross. I could be wrong.

But that aside, I think the sheer complexity of Macross designs means a lack of toy attempts. Fixed-mode kits, sure, but I definitely haven't seen any transforming kit attempts, much less full-on toys with their higher QC demands.

[Slave IV]

The 3P Transformers actually cost a lot more than official because they operate with smaller manufaturing runs but still have to do similar R&D for their products. Arcadia is probably very similar to what we could expect from any possible new 3P companies who want to compete in the high quality Macross market.

But I think that is probably part of the issue...the market size (relatively small) and quality demand (relatively high)...those two things equal higher prices.

[dizman]

Like Slave IV said it's likely due to a lack of interest. I'd love to see 1/60 Glaugs and Regults made by any 3P but sad to say it just isn't worth the costs. Even Mastermade moved on to creating transformer toys and left Macross in the dust (the Makuros is great though so glad we got something).

[dec0y13]

It's 2017 now and Master Made is Making better Transformers than takara. They are also doing it at a fair price. (considering the quality and limited runs)

Master Made's 1st toy (that I know of) the the Makuros and it wasn't that bad, but with what they can do now, I see reason why they couldn't crank out a wonderful non-SD Fighter if they wanted to. I dearly hope they come back to Macross and produce a few more figures.

AND, they aren't the only ones. 3p companies are really stepping up the game. I truly hope they come in and fill the gaps in the market.

*That being said, I would also buy unofficial stuff that had extra antennas and the like with no logos.

I think everyone's right though. Just not a big enough interest.

MY WISH LIST: (cause I can dream, right)

(things that aren't crazy complex)

Upgrade kits for Matchbox SDF-1 (one kit with upgraded arms. Dalius with opening front door. better conning tower with transparent windows. Replace the landing gear with wave cannon gear etc) (Maybe a second kit with movie theme mods)

Macross battle Frontier and SDF Elysion. (These 2 guys are pretty similar and each would make a nice SDF toy)(since I'm dreaming, I'd like them in 3000 to 2500 scale)

SDF-4 Global

Battle Fortress Glaxay (I need a purple Batttle fortress)

(Things I'd love to see that ARE complex)

Macross 2

A GOOD VF-2SS and variants like the unseen VF-XS (the current one by Evolution toys is terrible, and slap in the face expensive)

VF-2JA

Frontier

YF-24 Evo

Delta

TRANSFORMING VF-EX (I'll bet they had a few upgrades from the original VF-1 frame)

Edited January 13, 2017 by dec0y13

[Jefuemon]

9 hours ago, no3Ljm said:

But. Was there any third party attempt of a Macross toy besides the SD Makurosu?

 

Kitz Concepts before they became Kitz Concepts. Seen those fugly Robotech branded SD VF-1's? They came out about a year before Roboblecch gave them a license to make them, and practically everyone who bought it hated it.

[no3Ljm]

8 minutes ago, Jefuemon said:

Kitz Concepts before they became Kitz Concepts. Seen those fugly Robotech branded SD VF-1's? They came out about a year before Roboblecch gave them a license to make them, and practically everyone who bought it hated it.

Oh yeah. I forgot that company. Thanks Jufuemon.

 

[David Hingtgen]

The policy specifically mentions recasts, and direct knock-offs of existing items.   It was primarily put in place due to some places copying MW member's own sculpting and recasting it for sale.   

It also goes along with our "don't ask for/distribute copies of official shows/movies", as again it is directly copying someone else's work/production.  

 

Third-party items, while very rare at this point for the Macross franchise, do not run afoul of this AFAIK.  The "Makuros" is not a copy of an existing product.  

(Heck, there's "official" Toynami stuff out there that's practically a true KO of some of Bandai's work---they're closer to being against the spirit of the policy than Makuros is)

[Chet]

Maybe those more recent Jetfire toys can be considered 3P Macross toys!

[kajnrig]

9 hours ago, Jefuemon said:

Kitz Concepts before they became Kitz Concepts. Seen those fugly Robotech branded SD VF-1's? They came out about a year before Roboblecch gave them a license to make them, and practically everyone who bought it hated it.

Come, now. Let's be subtle here. People might get the idea that you don't like a certain western media company and its western animated IP.

20 minutes ago, David Hingtgen said:

The policy specifically mentions recasts, and direct knock-offs of existing items.   It was primarily put in place due to some places copying MW member's own sculpting and recasting it for sale.   

It also goes along with our "don't ask for/distribute copies of official shows/movies", as again it is directly copying someone else's work/production.  

 

Third-party items, while very rare at this point for the Macross franchise, do not run afoul of this AFAIK.  The "Makuros" is not a copy of an existing product.  

(Heck, there's "official" Toynami stuff out there that's practically a true KO of some of Bandai's work---they're closer to being against the spirit of the policy than Makuros is)

Thanks for the clarification.

[no3Ljm]

On 1/13/2017 at 0:58 PM, dec0y13 said:

*snip*

So, does anyone know of other companies making decent toys, or maybe news of things that are coming to the market?

I forgot that there's this upcoming Kids Logic One-Sixth scale products that might interest you. Valkyrie Speaker and Rick Hunter and Max Sterling figures.

 

[dustinouch]

This showed up on my IG feed.  It's a 1/12 scale from Sentinel Toys Riobot line:

https://twitter.com/amiamihobbynews/status/833230978260705281/photo/1

It looks like the designer is T-Rex same studio that did the licensed comic version of the Re:Edit Hulkbuster

http://sentinel-toys.com/catalog/info.php?target=products_detail&products_id=223

[neoexcaliber]

1 hour ago, dustinouch said:

This showed up on my IG feed.  It's a 1/12 scale from Sentinel Toys Riobot line:

https://twitter.com/amiamihobbynews/status/833230978260705281/photo/1

It looks like the designer is T-Rex same studio that did the licensed comic version of the Re:Edit Hulkbuster

http://sentinel-toys.com/catalog/info.php?target=products_detail&products_id=223

That is not a third-party product so it shouldn't be in here.

[no3Ljm]

2 hours ago, dustinouch said:

This showed up on my IG feed.  It's a 1/12 scale from Sentinel Toys Riobot line:

https://twitter.com/amiamihobbynews/status/833230978260705281/photo/1

It looks like the designer is T-Rex same studio that did the licensed comic version of the Re:Edit Hulkbuster

http://sentinel-toys.com/catalog/info.php?target=products_detail&products_id=223

It's not a 3rd Party. And that's already been posted in its proper thread. Feel free to post it there.

 

[dec0y13]

Well, I think it looks sweet. Kinda what I meant when I started the post, but I can see that it is Mospeada branded

Edited February 21, 2017 by dec0y13

[no3Ljm]

15 minutes ago, dec0y13 said:

Well, I think it looks sweet. Kinda what I meant when I started the post, but I can see that it is Mospeada branded

Well, not really. Because the term 3rd Party in the toy collection world somehow means 'unauthorized' releases by the original creators/production. When in fact those Sentinel announced Mospeada bikes are authorized by Tatsunoko Production.

And just like you mentioned on your first post a 3rd Party Transformers are somehow 1/3 cheaper. That's because they're not paying royalties.

And Macross is popular somehow not to the same level as Gundams.

[kajnrig]

52 minutes ago, no3Ljm said:

And Macross is popular somehow not to the same level as Gundams.

Actually, I wonder about this. Is it perhaps starting to swing the other way, albeit slowly?

I want to say that Macross probably has a broader pop culture appeal, or at least has footholds in more areas, than Gundam, which is still primarily targeted at sci-fi anime fans specifically. I don't hear about Gundam being a launch vehicle for successful pop music careers, for instance. It seems to persist on name alone.

I could be laughably wrong, though.

[no3Ljm]

29 minutes ago, kajnrig said:

Actually, I wonder about this. Is it perhaps starting to swing the other way, albeit slowly?

I want to say that Macross probably has a broader pop culture appeal, or at least has footholds in more areas, than Gundam, which is still primarily targeted at sci-fi anime fans specifically. I don't hear about Gundam being a launch vehicle for successful pop music careers, for instance. It seems to persist on name alone.

I could be laughably wrong, though.

That's because Gundam wasn't made with 'song' or 'music' as part of the formula. It just so happened that Macross has that as part of the success that's why it's still carries it up to now. It's the same reason why Gundam shows always use a teenage boy who doesn't want to fight at first and becomes an expert afterwards and eventually end the war.

It's just a formula. And the reason why I said 'somehow' popular is because even westerners recognize it as part of Robotech.