Hasegawa VF-31

[Chronocidal]

At the end of the day, the fault really lies in the animators for deciding that all their main character valks deserve paint schemes that make a Thunderbirds scheme look simple by comparison.   I really appreciated the simpler markings on the VF-25s, and I honestly can't even imagine doing the full paint scheme on any of the 31s, except for the A model, since it's just an overall gray with a generic realistic camo pattern.

As ugly as I think the panel lined stickers are for the Bandai kits, I might wind up using some of them anyway, just to get one of the kits to look completed.

Agreed on Bandai's kit technology though.  Other companies are starting to catch up, but their molding is a quantum leap above even most other Japanese manufacturers.  The only other place I've seen such tight tolerancing and complex molding capability is in Lego bricks.  And honestly, Bandai's kits tend to feel like building a Lego set, especially the non-mecha ones, like their Star Wars kits.  They're exquisitely detailed little puzzles that lock together into insanely accurate film miniatures.

[Duymon]

The decals don't look so bad. I prefer smaller decals because I'm lazy and don't like buying multiple pots of Microsol

[seti88]

Pics released!

[Petrov27]

yeah.... thats the right stuff alright....

 

Not keen on their stands though - is it easy to adopt these kits to use other brand-stands?

[KOG Water Dragon]

Geez.... that looks great. Now where's my VF-25A, Hasegawa?

Also kinda sad Bandai doesn't do a VF-25A so I can have one posed in battroid mode to match...

But yes I will get one of these VF-31As for sure.

[kajnrig]

1 hour ago, Petrov27 said:

yeah.... thats the right stuff alright....

 

Not keen on their stands though - is it easy to adopt these kits to use other brand-stands?

You'll have to drill a hole if you want to use the peg connector on most stands. Bandai's action bases have multiple connector types, but none that would easily work with airplane models.

A metal/acrylic rod pegged into the underside of the kit wouldn't be too hard.

1 hour ago, KOG Water Dragon said:

Geez.... that looks great. Now where's my VF-25A, Hasegawa?

Also kinda sad Bandai doesn't do a VF-25A so I can have one posed in battroid mode to match...

But yes I will get one of these VF-31As for sure.

Didn't they? (Bandai, I mean.)

edit: nope i'm thinking of the yf variant

Edited July 7, 2017 by kajnrig

[KOG Water Dragon]

Now that you mention it.... it's odd that Hasegawa didn't do a YF-25. Because they really like doing variants. Look at the number of VF-1s and VF-0s they did (a bunch of the VF-0s weren't even in Macross Zero).

And further, I wish Bandai would do a VF-31A. Again, for the battroid mode possibilities.

Now that Bandai is on to Deculture decal versions, I wonder if they have any plans left for more super variants or anything else, or if they are just 'done' with basic VF-31 kits...

[VF-1A Grunt]

On 6/29/2017 at 10:39 AM, Chronocidal said:

Agreed on Bandai's kit technology though.  Other companies are starting to catch up, but their molding is a quantum leap above even most other Japanese manufacturers.  The only other place I've seen such tight tolerancing and complex molding capability is in Lego bricks.  And honestly, Bandai's kits tend to feel like building a Lego set, especially the non-mecha ones, like their Star Wars kits.

I may be a bit behind the times - I've mostly been buying 10+ year old Hasegawa Macross model kits over the past few years - but I was really impressed with the Bandai Tie Striker model I just received. This is my first experience with an injection molded kit that has multiple colors injected into the sprues. All their Star Wars kits are beautiful (although serious Star Wars fans seem to have some complaints about the size / scale), but they are the first recent production Bandai kits I've seen. My Bandai Macross kits are all at least thirty years old (and were probably designed longer ago than that). Most of them look pretty dated compared to Hasegawa's models.

[KOG Water Dragon]

Multiple colors on the same sprue aren't really a new thing... I have 20+ year old Gundam kits using the same technique (also Bandai).

I have a feeling it's more complex/expensive than it's worth in the eyes of most model making companies.

I just picked up a Bandai X-wing (classic), T-70 X-wing (Force Awakens), Tie Advanced X1, and Tie Fighter (vanilla) myself. I saw that the (solar?) panels for the vanilla Tie were moulded in 2 colors (grey and black) on the same parts. I..... actually don't like this. It means I have to go ahead and mask the different areas on the panels when I paint. It would be a lot easier from a painter's perspective to have the dark parts of the panels and the grey framework provided as separate parts. Then I could paint each individually and assemble later - no masking required.

And the sad thing is... the 2 parts more or less ARE moulded separately... except that Bandai decided to be 'helpful' by pre-joining these parts in the box, rather than letting me paint and assemble them later. Definitely more 'assembler friendly' than 'painter friendly'. They are still nice looking kits though. Great detail, and I expect them to build well. And I'm glad Bandai included waterslide decals for these kits.

Just waiting for them to do a B-wing and Tie Bomber now, to round out the classic original trilogy ship collection. Oh and a Lambda Shuttle would be cool, in 1//144 like the Falcon and Slave 1.

Last thought: I'd like to see Bandai branch out and do prequel era ships after the OT lineup is complete. A Jedi Starfighter and N-1 from Naboo at least. ARC-170, Eta-2, and V-wing would also be nice.

[TMBounty_Hunter]

EDIT:

Full boxart shown here: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DEs76NvUIAEC7lU.jpg:orig

Edited July 14, 2017 by TMBounty_Hunter

[KOG Water Dragon]

I might have to get more than one VF-31A. I have a feeling it would take more colorful schemes quite nicely.

[seti88]

Dat boxart! 

[kajnrig]

Gonna have to make sure I get the next Valkyries book...

[seti88]

[no3Ljm]

On 7/21/2017 at 5:50 AM, seti88 said:

If the Draken kit will come with Makina/Nozomi, I'll buy 10.

 

[seti88]

[ivorysniper]

Official box art now posted on Hasegawa's website !.

Edited August 10, 2017 by ivorysniper

[derex3592]

gorgeous... 

[seti88]

 makes u wish bandai released maintenance personnel, ladders and deck dio like in the boxart!

Edited August 11, 2017 by seti88

[no3Ljm]

1 hour ago, seti88 said:

 makes u wish bandai released maintenance personnel, ladders and deck dio like in the boxart!

Makina should be included too.  

 

[seti88]

ahhh makina mechanic model kit/figurart/anything pls.....no brainer bandai/megahouse/whoever!!

melting...

 

Edited August 11, 2017 by seti88

[ivorysniper]

8 hours ago, no3Ljm said:

Makina should be included too.  

 

 

7 hours ago, seti88 said:

ahhh makina mechanic model kit/figurart/anything pls.....no brainer bandai/megahouse/whoever!!

 

5

 

Did I just noticed this detail on the boxart ?. That pink hair and uniform looks familiar... 

[kajnrig]

I'm so glad I'm getting two of these. Maybe I should even go for 3...

Also there's literally no merchandise of Mirage either. A Figuarts, that's about it. No Figure-rise bust, no minimum factory kit... It's all the Freyja and Mikumo show. Boo! BOOOOOOO!!!

[no3Ljm]

21 minutes ago, kajnrig said:

I'm so glad I'm getting two of these. Maybe I should even go for 3...

Atleast you're going to have 2-3 Makina's back in the boxart.  

 

[kajnrig]

1 hour ago, no3Ljm said:

Atleast you're going to have 2-3 Makina's back in the boxart.  

 

Yeah, and I've made a promise to myself to get the next Valkyries artbook, too, so preemptive +1? (But seriously, it does irritate me that we're not getting any merch of any of the Delta characters. Not even Walkure, the ones you would expect to be merchandised to hell and back again.)

[Salamander]

On 12/07/2017 at 10:28 PM, KOG Water Dragon said:

Multiple colors on the same sprue aren't really a new thing... I have 20+ year old Gundam kits using the same technique (also Bandai).

I have a feeling it's more complex/expensive than it's worth in the eyes of most model making companies.

Possibly other companies simply can't because Bandai has patented the technique.

[kajnrig]

Have they? I always thought it was just one of their marketing gimmicks.

[KOG Water Dragon]

On ‎8‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 11:43 AM, Salamander said:

Possibly other companies simply can't because Bandai has patented the technique.

 

It's simply not necessary for model kit companies who expect that most of their customers will paint their kits. For painters, these fancy moulding techniques just drive up the price on models. I appreciate a nice parts breakdown that lets me paint difference colors separately and avoid a lot of complex masking, but when it comes to moulding multiple colors into a single part, I just don't need it. And so I'm glad more companies aren't doing it.

[no3Ljm]

1/72 VF-31C Siegfried (Mirage Farina Jenius Unit). December 2017. Y3800.

 

[kajnrig]

Any idea if this is a regular or LE release?

[TMBounty_Hunter]

It is indeed Limited Edition:

http://www.hasegawa-model.co.jp/product/65840/

[KOG Water Dragon]

It's a safe bet they'll keep going and do a VF-31F and VF-31S. But I gotta wonder... will they do the VF-31E that Bandai seems to be skipping? I sure hope so.

And other than that, will they do a full line of super versions like they did with the VF-25 supers?

[TMBounty_Hunter]

The VF-31A is out, scans of the manual are up on hobbysearch: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/image/10472150

I'm glad I bought this because it comes with the same exact pilot tree as the VF-31J, so I finally get the Hayate figure for my VF-1EX. Also bonus Freyja figure.

[kajnrig]

Just got my payment request for my two from HLJ. Hopefully they'll have extra stock so I can get a third kit as well.

[no3Ljm]

No Makina?