PLAMAX 1/72 VF-1 Valkyrie

[Big s]

1 hour ago, KOG Water Dragon said:

In Gundam? I haven't seen rounded hands for a while... I think Witch from Mercury, Hathaway's Flash, Unicorn, etc use mechanical blocky hands.

All the zeon inspired stuff is mostly rounded. In Hathaway, it’s on the messer types. On unicorn it’s on the all neo zeon sleeves mecha, there’s a few in ibo for example 

[KOG Water Dragon]

51 minutes ago, Big s said:

All the zeon inspired stuff is mostly rounded. In Hathaway, it’s on the messer types. On unicorn it’s on the all neo zeon sleeves mecha, there’s a few in ibo for example 

I'll take a look. I tend to focus on the good guy suits.

[Big s]

2 minutes ago, KOG Water Dragon said:

I'll take a look. I tend to focus on the good guy suits.

I’m the exact opposite. I usually don’t like the clown paint jobs and have always been a bad guy fan. Vader from og Starwars or Cobra from GI Joe or Skeletor from He Man or Zeon from Gundam. I’m a bit down the middle with Macross though.

[lochness]

Sorry if this has been asked many times before but I was curious how the fighter model compares to the Hasegawa 1/72 fighters? I was debating if I should pick one up but with them being more expensive than the Hasegawas of the same scale I was wondering if they are worth it.
 

Thanks for any insight. 

[Bolt]

49 minutes ago, lochness said:

Sorry if this has been asked many times before but I was curious how the fighter model compares to the Hasegawa 1/72 fighters? I was debating if I should pick one up but with them being more expensive than the Hasegawas of the same scale I was wondering if they are worth it.
 

Thanks for any insight. 

Short answer, yes it's worth it. IMO. It's certainly not a carbon copy of the Hasegawa. While I personally have a plethora of Hasegawa VF-1's , i think these looks really good. And it's important to support quality Deculture. Having said that, I prefer the Battroid. 

[lochness]

Thanks for your insight, Bolt. I’m still debating if I want another 1/72 or not but it does look good to me.
 

Battroid was an instant preorder for me. 😊

[Big s]

1 hour ago, lochness said:

Thanks for your insight, Bolt. I’m still debating if I want another 1/72 or not but it does look good to me.
 

Battroid was an instant preorder for me. 😊

I think that if you really like the plamax battroid, then their fighter would probably make a better match to go with it. If you’re trying for a multi mode display, you might consider waiting for a 1 j fighter

[kajnrig]

I was rather disappointed in the VF-1 fighter kit. The odd construction, the TERRIBLE stickers... The overall look of the kit is a bit of a wash compared to the Hasegawa, so it doesn't entice me on that front... So I was all too willing to sit out this battroid release, but I'll be damned, those promotional pics have worn at me and worn at me and so I finally preordered a pair from HLJ.

But am I reading that right, the release date is March 2024???

On 5/21/2023 at 1:35 PM, lochness said:

Sorry if this has been asked many times before but I was curious how the fighter model compares to the Hasegawa 1/72 fighters? I was debating if I should pick one up but with them being more expensive than the Hasegawas of the same scale I was wondering if they are worth it.
 

Thanks for any insight. 

The Plamax kits certainly come together more easily than the Hasegawa kits, so if you're tired of the gluing and sanding seam lines, they manage to do away with quite a lot of that... or well, they get rid of the sanding seam lines, anyway. You still have to glue parts together, a design decision that I noted being completely baffled by when I quick-built one a while ago. The lack of waterslide decals is probably among their most annoying features; it seems Max Factory are correcting for that in future variant releases. The stickers provided as an alternative are of terrible quality.

If I had to decide, I think I'd stick with the Hasegawa versions. They're a bit more of a pain to work with, but they've been floating out there for 20+ years, they're cheap, they look great, you can get them in tons of variations, and they all come with hefty waterslide decal sheets.

[Big s]

1 hour ago, kajnrig said:

I was rather disappointed in the VF-1 fighter kit. The odd construction, the TERRIBLE stickers... The overall look of the kit is a bit of a wash compared to the Hasegawa, so it doesn't entice me on that front... So I was all too willing to sit out this battroid release, but I'll be damned, those promotional pics have worn at me and worn at me and so I finally preordered a pair from HLJ.

But am I reading that right, the release date is March 2024???

The Plamax kits certainly come together more easily than the Hasegawa kits, so if you're tired of the gluing and sanding seam lines, they manage to do away with quite a lot of that... or well, they get rid of the sanding seam lines, anyway. You still have to glue parts together, a design decision that I noted being completely baffled by when I quick-built one a while ago. The lack of waterslide decals is probably among their most annoying features; it seems Max Factory are correcting for that in future variant releases. The stickers provided as an alternative are of terrible quality.

If I had to decide, I think I'd stick with the Hasegawa versions. They're a bit more of a pain to work with, but they've been floating out there for 20+ years, they're cheap, they look great, you can get them in tons of variations, and they all come with hefty waterslide decal sheets.

I do really feel bad for anyone that bought the previous release that didn’t include the waterslide decals. That was the major thing that had me holding back on the plamax version. 
mad far as work on the hasegawa, there’s a lot . Seams, light panels that sometimes aren’t all the way there are the big issues, but if there’s a design I like, I don’t mind putting in a little work.

 I think the big thing on choosing one company over another for me is consistency. The hasegawa has a very realistic look that is consistent with all modes of their vf-1. While the plamax is more anime inspired and simplified in its design. I’m getting the rerelease of the vf-1 and the battroid and seeing how I like the line from there, but so far the battroid pictures look amazing as far as having that look straight out of the intro. The hasegawa Battroid always kinda felt like it was almost there, but the joints and construction are the draw back for me. The hasegawa battroid just kinda felt like the best of what was available at the time it came out and hasegawa was very new at mecha kits at the time. Even with the updates it seems a bit outdated as far as articulation goes, but if treated more as a static kit it is impressive.

 I’m more interested in the plamax personally, but they still haven’t announced a gerwalk mode kit and made the odd choice of doing movie fighter modes but a tv battroid. The decision making with plamax is a bit off, but going by the care they’ve been giving to their Dougram line of kits it gives me confidence that most of if not all on screen VF -1 variants and modes will happen. But I kinda doubt you’ll ever see as many variants as hasegawa has done.

Currently as far as 1/72 kits, I’m probably gonna opt for displaying the Plamax VF-1’s, the Hasegawa zentraedi kits and wave destroids. Oddly I think the destroids look odd with the hasegawa Valkyrie kits due to the rivets, but the regults have more of an anime feel that fells more at home with the wave and plamax stuff.

[Bolt]

11 hours ago, kajnrig said:

But am I reading that right, the release date is March 2024???

I know , right ? I'm hoping to have built many more Hasegawa's by then 

[Big s]

Preorder is up for Max/ Kakizaki VF-1. Basically the same as before with A and S head parts and includes both stickers and water slide decals for Max’s A and S as well as Kakizaki’s A type. 
Really glad they’re including water slides in their releases now.

[KOG Water Dragon]

Pretty cool. I hope they're planning on TV versions and supers down the road.

[Big s]

34 minutes ago, KOG Water Dragon said:

Pretty cool. I hope they're planning on TV versions and supers down the road.

They’re definitely in the works. I think a page or so back, there’s pictures that Max Factory has put out with plans for different attachments to make the battroid kit in any type or configuration from the show and film, with the exception of armor and a couple movie variants like the vt and ve types. I’d imagine they have similar plans for the fighter kit even though so far it’s been the same kit. There’s only so many times the same thing will make them money 

[KOG Water Dragon]

1 hour ago, Big s said:

They’re definitely in the works. I think a page or so back, there’s pictures that Max Factory has put out with plans for different attachments to make the battroid kit in any type or configuration from the show and film, with the exception of armor and a couple movie variants like the vt and ve types. I’d imagine they have similar plans for the fighter kit even though so far it’s been the same kit. There’s only so many times the same thing will make them money 

TV VF-1J, TV VF-1D, and Max/Miria VF-1J would be a great start. Then a TV VF-1A if we're lucky.

[Big s]

1 hour ago, KOG Water Dragon said:

TV VF-1J, TV VF-1D, and Max/Miria VF-1J would be a great start. Then a TV VF-1A if we're lucky.

As far as the battroid, the plans show the two different 1A heads, so I have a feeling that as long as these sell they will probably get to those other types down the line. They did do some surprising variations with Dougram kits, so that gives me more hope than if Bandai were handling these

[SteveTheFish]

I wish I had been following this forum all along. In July I made the mistake of buying this kit. I just assumed it had waterslide decals. Now it'll soon be re-released in September with waterslide decals. Son of a motherless goat. This week I discovered that there is no molded detail for the wingtip nav lights. They just expect you to put stupid stickers where they are supposed to be. The Hasegawa kit comes with clear parts for the wingtips, to the best of my memory. I'm not at all happy about the stickers. I have other Plamax stuff and they come with waterslides, so I didn't even think that this would be any different.

[Big s]

19 minutes ago, SteveTheFish said:

I wish I had been following this forum all along. In July I made the mistake of buying this kit. I just assumed it had waterslide decals. Now it'll soon be re-released in September with waterslide decals. Son of a motherless goat. This week I discovered that there is no molded detail for the wingtip nav lights. They just expect you to put stupid stickers where they are supposed to be. The Hasegawa kit comes with clear parts for the wingtips, to the best of my memory. I'm not at all happy about the stickers. I have other Plamax stuff and they come with waterslides, so I didn't even think that this would be any different.

Sorry to hear about that mistake. It really was a horrible decision that they made to go with stickers. I wish they would at least sell them separately for those that bought the wrong version.

At least they eventually figured out that most people don’t like stickers and started including waterslides. Bandai should learn from them. Stickers can be an option, but water slide decals should be a standard with all model kits.

I didn’t know that they did not mold the nav lights. Maybe you could use the stickers as a scribing guide for them. There are brushable chrome paints as well as markers these day that may make it look pretty cool even if a clear part would be ideal

Edited August 31, 2023 by Big s

[pengbuzz]

32 minutes ago, Big s said:

Sorry to hear about that mistake. It really was a horrible decision that they made to go with stickers. I wish they would at least sell them separately for those that bought the wrong version.

At least they eventually figured out that most people don’t like stickers and started including waterslides. Bandai should learn from them. Stickers can be an option, but water slide decals should be a standard with all model kits.

I didn’t know that they did not mold the nav lights. Maybe you could use the stickers as a scribing guide for them. There are brushable chrome paints as well as markers these day that may make it look pretty cool even if a clear part would be ideal

Alternately: carve out the lights, glue in some clear styrene and file the light to match the wing contour and shape.

[SteveTheFish]

4 minutes ago, pengbuzz said:

Alternately: carve out the lights, glue in some clear styrene and file the light to match the wing contour and shape.

Yes, that is my plan. Either that or use some clear UV resin. 

[Shawn]

Did I miss the news on this one?

https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/b1106420597

 

 

 

why yes...yes you did shawn...doh

 

[Big s]

13 minutes ago, Shawn said:

Did I miss the news on this one?

https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/b1106420597

 

 

 

why yes...yes you did shawn...doh

 

It’ll be ok. This was just the first of the plamax vf-1 kits to correct the mistake of leaving out water slide decals. It’s also not gonna be white, so if plan on changing the color, you need to paint it

[SteveTheFish]

Yeah, the yellow sign says it has both decals and stickers, and that it comes molded in metallic silver. I guess that's what they mean by "factory edition"?

[Chronocidal]

I feel like Plamax is bound and determined to sell model kits that do everything model kit builders do not want.  

[pengbuzz]

22 hours ago, Chronocidal said:

I feel like Plamax is bound and determined to sell model kits that do everything model kit builders do not want.  

They must do a detailed study of the most unpopular features of the VF-1 model kits from the past, and then incorporate all the worst ideas.

[Bolt]

I'm hoping the VF-1J Battroid is going to exceed my expectations. And yes it comes with water slides 

[Big s]

7 minutes ago, Bolt said:

I'm hoping the VF-1J Battroid is going to exceed my expectations. And yes it comes with water slides 

It definitely looks great. I’m very curious though on articulation. It looks like it will pose better than the hasegawa, but until it’s in hand or better pictures come out I’m only guessing.

[Bolt]

2 minutes ago, Big s said:

It definitely looks great. I’m very curious though on articulation. It looks like it will pose better than the hasegawa, but until it’s in hand or better pictures come out I’m only guessing.

Yes, the description brags about poly caps, so I'm hoping for some good articulation. It will be interesting to compare to the new battroid version Hasegawa is now doing. I still (somehow) expect the PLAMAX to be better, even  though I'm a Hase fan boi too 

[Big s]

19 minutes ago, Bolt said:

Yes, the description brags about poly caps, so I'm hoping for some good articulation. It will be interesting to compare to the new battroid version Hasegawa is now doing. I still (somehow) expect the PLAMAX to be better, even  though I'm a Hase fan boi too 

Judging by the pictures the waist area like the hips can move outward pretty well and it has a hip swivel. I think I’m really curious to see how well the knees bend and to hear how well the joints hold up. The hasegawa has had a couple minor improvements, but it doesn’t look like anything to compete with the leg stance on some of the 1J pictures shown. 

[TMBounty_Hunter]

Looks like the 1/72 VF-1 is getting a TV cockpit and pilot and I'm still not done building my 1/20 one. Maybe they'll announce it the minute I start making progress on it again.

https://twitter.com/MXF_official/status/1707560795817861421

 

 

 

 

 

And a few more Battroid pics

Edited September 29, 2023 by TMBounty_Hunter

[Big s]

11 minutes ago, TMBounty_Hunter said:

Looks like the 1/72 VF-1 is getting a TV cockpit and pilot and I'm still not done building my 1/20 one. Maybe they'll announce it the minute I start making progress on it again.

https://twitter.com/MXF_official/status/1707560795817861421

 

 

 

 

 

And a few more Battroid pics

I thought they would have done it sooner to go with the battroid kit. It’s still odd they have movie fighters, but the battroid is a tv 1J

[Big s]

There’s pictures for the rest of the vermillion bros in fighter mode floating around as well. I’ve still only seen the one battroid though 

[KOG Water Dragon]

So many new Macross kits from so many companies. Hasegawa, Bandai, Wave, Max Factory.

Regults, power armors, VF-171 variants, YF-29s, YF-21, new VF-1s.

What a great time to be a Macross plastic model fan.

[Big s]

1 hour ago, KOG Water Dragon said:

So many new Macross kits from so many companies. Hasegawa, Bandai, Wave, Max Factory.

Regults, power armors, VF-171 variants, YF-29s, YF-21, new VF-1s.

What a great time to be a Macross plastic model fan.

It’s a pretty wild time for plastic kits in general. Lots of Macross, Orgus, Votoms, Megazone 23, Patlabor and many others recently. My backlog has a backlog. I can’t remember a time when there were so many offerings 

[Big s]

got this pic from Taghobby 

[KOG Water Dragon]

8 minutes ago, Big s said:

got this pic from Taghobby 

Separate releases? Or all the Vermilion Squadron markings in one box?