Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1

[jenius]

2 minutes ago, lavinrac said:

Anyone know why these even move? Is it for armor? I have not needed to move these fins on previous VF-1 toys.

 

For the GBP just like the Yamato GBP in all likelihood.

[nightmareB4macross]

10 minutes ago, lavinrac said:

Anyone know why these even move? Is it for armor? I have not needed to move these fins on previous VF-1 toys.

 

It’s also for atmospheric entry from outer space.

[nightmareB4macross]

1 hour ago, spanner said:

(1) I certainly bloody hope not! 

(2) Superglue! 

2) And with this you just went V1.2 Yamato.

[Sildani]

Uh... what? It went from Narita to Anchorage... and back to Narita? In two hours?

[Lolicon]

50 minutes ago, jenius said:

Mine is in Anchorage... Why???? FedEx, you so crazy. EMS usually goes straight to SF.

Nothing crazy about it. It's more efficient for Fedex to fly to the hub in Anchorage then to the continental US due to its prime location on the globe. 

[Lolicon]

Mine left Tokyo on December 30 and arrived in Cincinnati on December 29. Now that's fast! 

[Mac]

I'm getting a little worried that my open order from HLJ is going to get cancelled.... I sent them an email regarding my order and no response. Keeping my fingers crossed!

[jenius]

43 minutes ago, Sildani said:

Uh... what? It went from Narita to Anchorage... and back to Narita? In two hours?

Looks like ours are flying together, at 9pm I got an update that it left Anchorage... So that Japan update is just a hiccup.

[F360]

1 hour ago, jenius said:

Mine is in Anchorage... Why???? FedEx, you so crazy. EMS usually goes straight to SF.

Fedex doesn't use a direct flight to SF.  It's goes from Japan to Anchorage first then it routes to OAK if you are in the Bay area.  

[tekering]

3 hours ago, spanner said:

Nice!! so.. your impressions?

My intake covers aren't very secure, which is frustrating in gerwalk mode...

Otherwise, it's a dream.  

[spanner]

42 minutes ago, tekering said:

My intake covers aren't very secure, which is frustrating in gerwalk mode...

Otherwise, it's a dream.  

That's a shame about the intake covers but still glad to hear you are happy with it! Maybe there is a way to make them a little more secure somehow? 

So jelly that some of you guys have already received them! CDJ still hasn't shipped mine.. ffs

Absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on it! I'm already starting to wish I had managed to secure three of them but I'm sure that won't be too difficult to achieve after the release has settled down and they start appearing on the resale market. Fingers crossed of course.

[LunchMeat]

1 hour ago, tekering said:

My intake covers aren't very secure, which is frustrating in gerwalk mode...

Otherwise, it's a dream.  

I hope you won't mind a few quick questions. Also interested in feedback from anyone who gets theirs.

1. How do the leg flaps and wing ailerons feel? Loose? Easy to pop out?

2. What is the physical mechanism on the shoulder joints? Ball-in-socket or universal?

3. How do the hip joints feel? Think they'll hold up over time?

4. How is the insertion point where the swing bar latches into the nosecone?

5. Overall solidness and playability? Compared with Yamato 1/60 v2, Yamato 1/48, or a typical mass-market Transformer?

[seti88]

and also the supers/leg armor/pilot figs prototype

Edited December 30, 2018 by seti88

[Lolicon]

4 hours ago, tekering said:

My intake covers aren't very secure, which is frustrating in gerwalk mode...

Otherwise, it's a dream.  

Great picture! But oh no don't expose an all white valk to the sun! 

[chyll2]

Who is the lucky person who got this

 

https://order.mandarake.co.jp/order/DetailPage/item?itemCode=1103235795&lang=en

[Lolicon]

One just sold on Mandarake for... only 11k?! WTF?!!!

No box but who cares for that price!

https://order.mandarake.co.jp/order/detailPage/item?itemCode=1103235795&ref=list&keyword=マクロス

[borgified]

Thanks to both chyll2 and Lolicon post: 11k yen for the DX VF-1j with the stand sans box (and now sold out)??

What the heck!!  That's one hell of a deal..

I'm guessing that the full box and stand will go for mid-25k yen (?) if Manda does get some in stock..

[tekering]

3 hours ago, LunchMeat said:

How do the leg flaps and wing ailerons feel? Loose? Easy to pop out?

Same as the ol' Yamato...  They stay in place as long as you don't touch 'em.  

3 hours ago, LunchMeat said:

What is the physical mechanism on the shoulder joints? Ball-in-socket or universal?

Technically, it's neither:

3 hours ago, LunchMeat said:

How do the hip joints feel? Think they'll hold up over time?

Not if it gets played with a lot.  Like the DX YF-19, the hip joints are very stiff, but not ratcheted... and like the YF-19, there are exposed screws that allow you to adjust the tightness, should it be required:

3 hours ago, LunchMeat said:

How is the insertion point where the swing bar latches into the nosecone?

Perfect.  Smooth, easy, and secure. 

3 hours ago, LunchMeat said:

Overall solidness and playability? Compared with Yamato 1/60 v2, Yamato 1/48, or a typical mass-market Transformer?

Better than a Transformer, better than the ol' Yamato 1:48, maybe even better than the 1:60.  Certainly on par with the last DX release, the YF-19.

Oh, and speaking of which, the DX YF-19's missile mounts are compatible.  

Yamato's missile mounts use the same system, but are incompatible sizes:

...so Yamato missiles won't work.

And don't even bother trying to get Yamato's GPB to work.  That's a fool's errand.

Ditto for the FAST packs.  

 

[borgified]

3 minutes ago, tekering said:

Same as the ol' Yamato...  They stay in place as long as you don't touch 'em.  

Technically, it's neither:

Not if it gets played with a lot.  Like the DX YF-19, the hip joints are very stiff, but not ratcheted... and like the YF-19, there are exposed screws that allow you to adjust the tightness, should it be required:

Perfect.  Smooth, easy, and secure. 

Better than a Transformer, better than the ol' Yamato 1:48, maybe even better than the 1:60.  Certainly on par with the last DX release, the YF-19.

Oh, and speaking of which, the DX YF-19's missile mounts are compatible.  

Yamato's missile mounts use the same system, but are incompatible sizes:

...so Yamato missiles won't work.

And don't even bother trying to get Yamato's GPB to work.  That's a fool's errand.

Ditto for the FAST packs.  

 

@nightmareB4macross and @rdrunner - I hope that you two guys get this update.

[rdrunner]

1 hour ago, tekering said:

Same as the ol' Yamato...  They stay in place as long as you don't touch 'em.  

Technically, it's neither:

Not if it gets played with a lot.  Like the DX YF-19, the hip joints are very stiff, but not ratcheted... and like the YF-19, there are exposed screws that allow you to adjust the tightness, should it be required:

Perfect.  Smooth, easy, and secure. 

Better than a Transformer, better than the ol' Yamato 1:48, maybe even better than the 1:60.  Certainly on par with the last DX release, the YF-19.

Oh, and speaking of which, the DX YF-19's missile mounts are compatible.  

Yamato's missile mounts use the same system, but are incompatible sizes:

...so Yamato missiles won't work.

And don't even bother trying to get Yamato's GPB to work.  That's a fool's errand.

Ditto for the FAST packs.  

 

Thanks very much @tekering for trying out the crazy things that I was gonna do! 

But it’s great news that the YF-19 missile mounts fit! So does that mean also that the VF-171 and VF-31A’s missile sets would fit too? Thanks!

[rdrunner]

1 hour ago, borgified said:

@nightmareB4macross and @rdrunner - I hope that you two guys get this update.

It also looks as though the size of the VF-1’s missile hard points are slightly bigger (looser fit) for the Yamato missiles - I wonder if we could somehow make the Yamato missile points thicker (nail polish or cement) to make them somewhat compatible? After all we have spares lying around and the goodness of fit doesn’t really matter for missiles. And if it “breaks” it is just the spare missile sets anyway...?

[Sildani]

Well, now mine’s in Memphis. Guess it was a hiccup. 

And to think I have three degrees of separation from Jenius! *warm fuzzies*

[nightmareB4macross]

2 hours ago, borgified said:

@nightmareB4macross and @rdrunner - I hope that you two guys get this update.

Tekering, thanks for trying it out. It’s a good thing it doesn’t fit or else that would have killed any future for the GBP.

Edited December 30, 2018 by nightmareB4macross

[seti88]

1/60 weapons on a 1/48...and vice versa for the ultimate reaction missiles on a 1/60!!

[rdrunner]

11 minutes ago, seti88 said:

1/60 weapons on a 1/48...and vice versa for the ultimate reaction missiles on a 1/60!!

I have found that sizes of missile attachments are not always consistent between the same scales. Take the VF-171EX reaction missile (1/60) compared to the size of the VF-31S (1/60) reaction missiles for example... the latter seem tiny in comparison. 

Edited December 30, 2018 by rdrunner

[lechuck]

Wotafu has his review up with some good comparisons. Yaaayyyy... clap, clap, clap....

 

[davidwhangchoi]

7 hours ago, LunchMeat said:

I hope you won't mind a few quick questions. Also interested in feedback from anyone who gets theirs.

1. How do the leg flaps and wing ailerons feel? Loose? Easy to pop out?

 

3 hours ago, tekering said:

Same as the ol' Yamato...  They stay in place as long as you don't touch 'em.  

 

thanks tekering for the information.

 as i suspected all along. going to be floppy mess with the wing flaps. 

sucks to hear about the loose intake covers as well. now i don't even want to take them off 

[davidwhangchoi]

10 minutes ago, lechuck said:

Wotafu has his review up with some good comparisons. Yaaayyyy... clap, clap, clap....

 

ah nice comparison to the chunky monkey, i was looking for a comparison with it! 

[canklebreaker]

You guys thinks these are available at any brick and mortar shops in Japan?

[lechuck]

My random thoughts and observations from all the posted videos and pictures:

• The arm-sliders really make transformation more streamlined
• Very nicely proportioned Battroid
• With articulated manipulators I am wondering why Bandai even bothered with fixed posed hands. Would anybody really have missed them?
• Box footprint could have been smaller, Bandai goes to the trouble of folding the vertical tail-fins, but they keep wings spread wide?
• I kind of like the gunmetal finish on the landing gear instead the usual (boring) white
• Somehow the backpack boosters have caught my eye and really look great, sort of reminds me of big exhaust tips on your latest hot-hatch/sports car
• From the accessories I can already say that the hands, gunstrap and antenna will never be touched

[sh9000]

Nice pics @tekering.  Can you do the classic pose from the TV opening?

[davidwhangchoi]

17 minutes ago, lechuck said:

My random thoughts and observations from all the posted videos and pictures:

• The arm-sliders really make transformation more streamlined
• Very nicely proportioned Battroid
• With articulated manipulators I am wondering why Bandai even bothered with fixed posed hands. Would anybody really have missed them?
• Box footprint could have been smaller, Bandai goes to the trouble of folding the vertical tail-fins, but they keep wings spread wide?
• I kind of like the gunmetal finish on the landing gear instead the usual (boring) white
• Somehow the backpack boosters have caught my eye and really look great, sort of reminds me of big exhaust tips on your latest hot-hatch/sports car
• From the accessories I can already say that the hands, gunstrap and antenna will never be touched

Wotafa's review is the best one out there by a milejust finished watching it now.

Regarding the leg fins that broke off for one user that was posted by  nightmareB4macross:

 looks like a big mistake for the bandai dx, the leg fins do not extend out in order to fold over for the GBP armor. Inversely the down side to this, the leg fins don't retract down as the 1/60 and can't sit flush on the leg. The fins float free being held only by the friction of the small joints on the fins.   

[seti88]

 

[tekering]

42 minutes ago, lechuck said:

With articulated manipulators I am wondering why Bandai even bothered with fixed posed hands. Would anybody really have missed them?

While I agree the fixed-pose movie-style hands hardly seem necessary, I greatly appreciate the cartoon-style TV hands.  

[spacemanoeuvres]

Wow. You know what they say about battroids with big hands