Bandai 1/60 DX Chogokin Macross Plus YF-21

[Slave IV]

2 hours ago, Shawn said:

Are you finding that sea shipping is significantly cheaper than the air options?
For smaller items the sea option is like 10% cheaper than some of the other options in my recent experience. Once time it was literally the same price.
My stuff goes to SoCal so perhaps my rates are lower than others. Just wondering.

For some very small items, it’s actually more expensive to ship by sea but other than that, it’s always cheaper. Saving 10% or even $1 is pretty significant, especially if you have a lot of shipments. Unless your local delivery service is terrible, I see no reason to ever pay more than you have to for shipping. For my average shipments, I usually see more like 30-40% cheaper. 

[Shawn]

Yes that makes good financial sense thanks for the info

 

 

[PointBlankSniper]

3 hours ago, Shawn said:

Are you finding that sea shipping is significantly cheaper than the air options?
For smaller items the sea option is like 10% cheaper than some of the other options in my recent experience. Once time it was literally the same price.
My stuff goes to SoCal so perhaps my rates are lower than others. Just wondering.

For my specific order with YF-21 and a master grade kit, It was 3700 yen for surface VS 8100-9900 yen for all the other air and courier options. Literally less than half the price. In this case, YYK is covering half the shipping fees because of delays, so I'm paying less than a quarter compared to the other options had things gone normally. 😃

For shipping to my region, air small packet is usually the cheapest, starting around 1500 yen I think. Surface parcel is the second cheapest, starting around 3000 yen but starts at a much higher weight capacity and jumps in larger incriments. So at some point between the 3-4k yen range, small packet and parcel leap frog each other in best value, until parcel just wins out in large weight incriments of low price jumps. From what I recall, EMS and couriers usually start around the 5-7k yen range for shipments in that range where the other two are still leap frogging.

On top of that, post office is easier for me to reach to pick up if I miss the delivery and they don't want to drop it off. They handle packages with more care too. Then there's an enigmatic import tax system that is somehow in my favor half the time. Couriers on the other hand will just pretend to deliver and never show up, forcing me to show up at their facility in the middle of nowhere, to pay their inflated mandatory brokerage fees, even on items with values low enough to be exempt from import taxes, before I can pick up,

[nightmareB4macross]

On 7/10/2024 at 4:01 PM, nightmareB4macross said:

Got Bandaid.  

The arm vertical stabilizer is busted.

Packaging itself is undamaged and shipping was top notch.

I hope I can get a full replacement or an arm with said stabilizer.

So I have to put this out there. After countless communications to get the arm replaced with the vertical stabilizer. LP went above and beyond. Instead of just sending me the replacement arm, they issued me a brand new DX free of charge and shipping. Of course I had to buy another item to be able to bundle it so I felt it was the least I could do.

Of course I went through all the hurdles and almost lost hope, but after more than two months they finally pulled through. 

I would have been more than happy to just get the replacement arm, but I guess it’s easier to send another instead and keep a loyal customer happy. 

Kudos LP.

FYI - I repaired the broken arm with epoxy as best I could. So far it’s holding up well. And fortunately, both DX arrived with unbent head lasers.

Edited October 3 by nightmareB4macross

[26662]

1 hour ago, nightmareB4macross said:

So I have to put this out there. After countesses communications to get the arm replaced with the vertical stabilizer. LP went above and beyond. Instead of just sending me the replacement arm, they issued me a brand new DX free of charge and shipping. Of course I had to buy another item to be able to bundle it so I felt it was the least I could do.

Of course I went through all the hurdles and almost lost hope, but after more than two months they finally pulled through. 

I would have been more than happy to just get the replacement arm, but I guess it’s easier to send another instead and keep a loyal customer happy. 

Kudos LP.

FYI - I repaired the broken arm with epoxy as best I could. So far it’s holding up well. And fortunately, both DX arrived unbent head lasers.

Thanks for taking time to update.  I've used LP a handful of times these last ~18 months and have had nothing but excellent service from them. 

I might be alone on this: if I were a middleman like LP operating what is typically a low-margin business, there's not a snowball's chance in you-know-where that I'd replace a product this expensive for free - regardless of my relationship with a customer.  At best, I'd offer to mediate on the customer's behalf.  But even then, I'd take a neutral stance in "negotiations" with the manufacturer.

[nightmareB4macross]

2 hours ago, 26662 said:

Thanks for taking time to update.  I've used LP a handful of times these last ~18 months and have had nothing but excellent service from them. 

I might be alone on this: if I were a middleman like LP operating what is typically a low-margin business, there's not a snowball's chance in you-know-where that I'd replace a product this expensive for free - regardless of my relationship with a customer.  At best, I'd offer to mediate on the customer's behalf.  But even then, I'd take a neutral stance in "negotiations" with the manufacturer.

It’s a good thing they are not only a responsible supplier, but understanding and loyal as well.

Not saying they should do this all the time, but I really appreciate their response and support.

Sometimes a supplier has to take the loss to demonstrate their true support of a customer. As mediator in supply chains I understand the reasons why they did this and how.

The details to which transpired to this result are many and there is no reason to get into it with granularity but just know every step was taken on both sides to meet a reasonable accord as between parties involved.

Thanks again LP.

[26662]

6 hours ago, nightmareB4macross said:

It’s a good thing they are not only a responsible supplier, but understanding and loyal as well.

Not saying they should do this all the time, but I really appreciate their response and support.

Sometimes a supplier has to take the loss to demonstrate their true support of a customer. As mediator in supply chains I understand the reasons why they did this and how.

The details to which transpired to this result are many and there is no reason to get into it with granularity but just know every step was taken on both sides to meet a reasonable accord as between parties involved.

Thanks again LP.

Reasonable…to a point.  Businesses can’t operate at a loss for very long, and they can’t “bet the farm” on Average Joes wanting to be made whole through no fault of their own.  [No offense intended if you aren’t an Average Joe.]  If this situation with LP were to repeat for you, Imma bet the outcome will be different simply because the math has to math.  I agree with you, however, LP’s been remarkably generous here. 

[rematron]

It took a while for me to deal with LP.  I ordered 2 units.  I got one.  I contacted them a few times and they finally sent me my 2nd unit which I have received.  So, it worked out in the end but I'm a little hesitant to use them in the future.  

[Chronocidal]

Yeah, my experience with them has been that they aren't necessarily fast, but they will at least get around to your order eventually.  

[M'Kyuun]

After waiting a few weeks for other items in my pile of loot to arrive for consolidated shipping, my YF-21 showed up today, and what a beauty. I even like the fighter mode, though I know other members have their reservations in that regard. As a battroid fan, I'm willing to suffer the few indignities visited upon the fighter mode in order to have this: 

What an improvement over the old Yammie! Proportionate legs, tight joints throughout the legs, and throughout the entire battroid on the whole. 👍 Note that my head laser is straight; I was purty anxious about that, but as I slid it out of the box and saw that, much of my anxiety about the fig melted away. I also checked my canopies to see if they had cracks, but nope: everything was intact and in good working order. Like others' copies, the wingtip bits on mine pop off fairly easily, but fortunately they just peg, a little too loosely, back into place. I probably won't handle it a great deal, but if I do get the urge, I may have to wrap a little tape around those pegs to increase the friction a tad without resorting to any permanent modifications. The only negatives I have thus far are the inexcusably too-short main landing gear (there's room for at least a few more mms of gear or they could have made an extending mechanism that allowed for proper ground clearance with or without FAST packs and guns installed); the ugly elbow joints, even if they do offer excellent range of motion; the crappy poseable hands that can barely hold the gunpod (C'mon Bandai, you do much better on your Gundam kits, but you can't do better on a $300+ high-end toy?); the backpack design, with its huge gap and need for a partsforming bracket that could and should have been engineered into the toy itself- it's an extreme low point, again, for a high-end toy that should never have been remotely in consideration let alone employed. Oh yeah, and the need to remove and reposition the pilot and seat in order to affect the proper positions between battroid and fighter modes. Why they couldn't engineer a rotating seat is anyone's guess, as that's a minor issue compared to what they came up with for the foot stowage. Go figure. Gripes aside, though, I love the overall look of it: the blue hue they used looks great, paint apps are sharp, I love all the tampo ( the lack thereof on most of Yamato's and Arcadia's valks still vexes me), the ability to hold a pose unassisted despite that backpack and its distance from the battroid's back (no favors for the thing's center of gravity), all the included accessories to achieve just about any look you desire from the YF-21 (even if there's some heavy partsforming involved, especially for delimiter); and, though it may be controversial, even heretical to some, the truncated belly panels. I never cared for the largely shellformery aspect of the YF-21 and I've long disliked those long panels hanging off the legs. I think the short ones look better and allow the legs to be manipulated without getting in the way. Honestly, like all his other valks, I wish the legs had been visibly incorporated as part of the jet instead of being hidden inside those panels. IMHO, it's one of the weakest aspects of the design beyond Kawamori's liberal use of artistic license to shrink and enlarge proportions between modes to favor each mode without regard to practical realization. It's the bane of toy and model makers, but I'm happy with the balance Bandai struck with this figure. I'm probably in the lower percentile of fans who display their valks exclusively in battroid, but Bandai made this thing for me and my ilk who grew dissatisfied with the gangly skinny legs and instability of the Yamato. I'm glad they decided to release it despite its few shortcomings. I can now fill the void in my Detolf: 

And b/c I'm not a big GERWALK fan, this pic represents the first and last time I'll likely ever put it into this mode, but I will say, it pulls it off well. I even managed to get the poseable hand to hold the gunpod. I wish they'd put a slight bend joint in the butt of the rifle so it didn't hit the arm when being held by the poseable hands. Would've made a slight difference for the better, though those fingers really beggar a second joint to allow them to curl around the grip. All I think of when I see it like this is the scene where Guld's errant thought to push down on Isamu's VF-11 actualizes causing Isamu to crash. A VF-11 to reenact that scene would've made a nice accessory. 😜

 

Edited September 26 by M'Kyuun

[twich]

12 hours ago, M'Kyuun said:

After waiting a few weeks for other items in my pile of loot to arrive for consolidated shipping, my YF-21 showed up today, and what a beauty. I even like the fighter mode, though I know other members have their reservations in that regard. As a battroid fan, I'm willing to suffer the few indignities visited upon the fighter mode in order to have this: 

What an improvement over the old Yammie! Proportionate legs, tight joints throughout the legs, and throughout the entire battroid on the whole. 👍 Note that my head laser is straight; I was purty anxious about that, but as I slid it out of the box and saw that, much of my anxiety about the fig melted away. I also checked my canopies to see if they had cracks, but nope: everything was intact and in good working order. Like others' copies, the wingtip bits on mine pop off fairly easily, but fortunately they just peg, a little too loosely, back into place. I probably won't handle it a great deal, but if I do get the urge, I may have to wrap a little tape around those pegs to increase the friction a tad without resorting to any permanent modifications. The only negatives I have thus far are the inexcusably too-short main landing gear (there's room for at least a few more mms of gear or they could have made an extending mechanism that allowed for proper ground clearance with or without FAST packs and guns installed); the ugly elbow joints, even if they do offer excellent range of motion; the crappy poseable hands that can barely hold the gunpod (C'mon Bandai, you do much better on your Gundam kits, but you can't do better on a $300+ high-end toy?); the backpack design, with its huge gap and need for a partsforming bracket that could and should have been engineered into the toy itself- it's an extreme low point, again, for a high-end toy that should never have been remotely in consideration let alone employed. Oh yeah, and the need to remove and reposition the pilot and seat in order to affect the proper positions between battroid and fighter modes. Why they couldn't engineer a rotating seat is anyone's guess, as that's a minor issue compared to what they came up with for the foot stowage. Go figure. Gripes aside, though, I love the overall look of it: the blue hue they used looks great, paint apps are sharp, I love all the tampo ( the lack thereof on most of Yamato's and Arcadia's valks still vexes me), the ability to hold a pose unassisted despite that backpack and its distance from the battroid's back (no favors for the thing's center of gravity), all the included accessories to achieve just about any look you desire from the YF-21 (even if there's some heavy partsforming involved, especially for delimiter); and, though it may be controversial, even heretical to some, the truncated belly panels. I never cared for the largely shellformery aspect of the YF-21 and I've long disliked those long panels hanging off the legs. I think the short ones look better and allow the legs to be manipulated without getting in the way. Honestly, like all his other valks, I wish the legs had been visibly incorporated as part of the jet instead of being hidden inside those panels. IMHO, it's one of the weakest aspects of the design beyond Kawamori's liberal use of artistic license to shrink and enlarge proportions between modes to favor each mode without regard to practical realization. It's the bane of toy and model makers, but I'm happy with the balance Bandai struck with this figure. I'm probably in the lower percentile of fans who display their valks exclusively in battroid, but Bandai made this thing for me and my ilk who grew dissatisfied with the gangly skinny legs and instability of the Yamato. I'm glad they decided to release it despite its few shortcomings. I can now fill the void in my Detolf: 

And b/c I'm not a big GERWALK fan, this pic represents the first and last time I'll likely ever put it into this mode, but I will say, it pulls it off well. I even managed to get the poseable hand to hold the gunpod. I wish they'd put a slight bend joint in the butt of the rifle so it didn't hit the arm when being held by the poseable hands. Would've made a slight difference for the better, though those fingers really beggar a second joint to allow them to curl around the grip. All I think of when I see it like this is the scene where Guld's errant thought to push down on Isamu's VF-11 actualizes causing Isamu to crash. A VF-11 to reenact that scene would've made a nice accessory. 😜

 

I agree! I cannot wait for the teased VF-19 Kai Fire Valkyrie and a VF-11B or C would be absolutely awesome! The only VF-11 I have ever owned was the First Yamato 1/72 VF-11B. It has long since crumbled and it is being held together by crazy glue in fighter mode. My 16 year old has it now and enjoys it.

Twich

[M'Kyuun]

12 hours ago, twich said:

I agree! I cannot wait for the teased VF-19 Kai Fire Valkyrie and a VF-11B or C would be absolutely awesome! The only VF-11 I have ever owned was the First Yamato 1/72 VF-11B. It has long since crumbled and it is being held together by crazy glue in fighter mode. My 16 year old has it now and enjoys it.

Twich

I'm guessing you missed out on the Yammie 1/60 VF-11B, a pretty solid toy and a definite upgrade from their breakage-prone 1/72 toy. Speaking of which, my girlfriend at the time, who's since upgraded to spousal unit for the last 21 years, was present when I first received my 1/72 VF-11 and proceeded to have its right leg, IIRC, snap off in my hand while simply attempting to rotate the leg. This was probably within minutes of removing it from its plastic shell. I was able to disassemble it and affect a lasting repair using a screw and some glue, but that was definitely one of those heart-sinking moments. Another was the day the right arm of my Yamato V2 YF-19 (the one with all the moaning over its gullet) just fell off with no provocation save for gravity. Fortunately, I haven't had any issues like that with any of my other Yammie, Arcadia, or Bandai valks, but I'm always leery to handle them, especially the older Yamato stuff. My wife still mentions the leg coming off my VF-11 from time to time.

I wasn't aware of an upcoming VF-19 Kai; I still have my Yamato 1/60 VF-19S posed prominently on my desk next to Yamato's V3 YF-19, and they look fantastic. Two of Yamato's best toys, IMHO. Not a big fan of the Kai, personally; I didn't care for Basara as a protagonist, or the concept of "song energy", or the use of musical instruments as controls, or the face on the Kai, or the red color, -- well, the list of what I don't like about it is much longer than that of what I do. I love the VF-19's design; however, I prefer it devoid of all the musical nonsense and in better color schemes. I have Bandai's VF-19 advance, and I think it's a really well-done fig. It certainly manifests more ingenuity and care than their YF-21, but I digress. Anyway, if Bandai applies all the nifty solutions they employed with the YF-19/VF-19 Advance to a VF-19 Kai and variants, I'm thinking, cautiously, that they'll probably be pretty good toys.

Edited September 27 by M'Kyuun

[twich]

52 minutes ago, M'Kyuun said:

I'm guessing you missed out on the Yammie 1/60 VF-11B, a pretty solid toy and a definite upgrade from their breakage-prone 1/72 toy. Speaking of which, my girlfriend at the time, who's since upgraded to spousal unit for the last 21 years, was present when I first received my 1/72 VF-11 and proceeded to have its right leg, IIRC, snap off in my hand while simply attempting to rotate the leg. This was probably within minutes of removing it from its plastic shell. I was able to disassemble it and affect a lasting repair using a screw and some glue, but that was definitely one of those heart-sinking moments. Another was the day the right arm of my Yamato V2 YF-19 (the one with all the moaning over its gullet) just fell off with no provocation save for gravity. Fortunately, I haven't had any issues like that with any of my other Yammie, Arcadia, or Bandai valks, but I'm always leery to handle them, especially the older Yamato stuff. My wife still mentions the leg coming off my VF-11 from time to time.

I wasn't aware of an upcoming VF-19 Kai; I still have my Yamato 1/60 VF-19S posed prominently on my desk next to Yamato's V3 YF-19, and they look fantastic. Two of Yamato's best toys, IMHO. Not a big fan of the Kai, personally; I didn't care for Basara as a protagonist, or the concept of "song energy", or the use of musical instruments as controls, or the face on the Kai, or the red color, -- well, the list of what I don't like about it is much longer than that of what I do. I love the VF-19's design; however, I prefer it devoid of all the musical nonsense and in better color schemes. I have Bandai's VF-19 advance, and I think it's a really well-done fig. It certainly manifests more ingenuity and care than their YF-21, but I digress. Anyway, if Bandai applies all the nifty solutions they employed with the YF-19/VF-19 Advance to a VF-19 Kai and variants, I'm thinking, cautiously, that they'll probably be pretty good toys.

Bandai teased the DX Chogokin VF-19 Kai Fire Valkyrie a little while ago for The Macross 7 anniversary (don’t remember which one), so I’m waiting to see!

Twich

[Chronocidal]

13 minutes ago, twich said:

Bandai teased the DX Chogokin VF-19 Kai Fire Valkyrie a little while ago for The Macross 7 anniversary (don’t remember which one), so I’m waiting to see!

Twich

I'm just hoping they can pull off something that offers the same sort of alternate take as the difference between the Arcadia YF-19 and their own version.  I love both, but I wouldn't mind a slimmer take on the Fire Valkyrie for an even better fighter mode.  I know the thicker legs are iconic, but the slimmer ones really don't bother me, and they fix some of the bigger issues with the Arcadia design.  (Also, please just fix the LEX angle )

[PointBlankSniper]

That Fire Valkyrie display is totally typical bandai vaporware lol. There's no sign that it's actually a project in motion.

I'm not big on the valkyrie itself, especially the mouth. But together with the sound booster, it makes for a cool piece. Not sure I can stomach the price of that though, or the way bandai may or may not make the accessory at all....

I definitely welcome it getting us closer to a Blazer Valkyrie though. That one is extra different from the YF-19 and has a cool head, so I can justify wanting another 19 by that. 😁

[wm cheng]

Woohoo!!! So happy to have received my YF-21 from Amazon.com (even here in Canada I got it today on Oct 1st) - too bad it was only available much later on Amazon.ca but I had US gift certificates to cash in so I'm a very happy camper.  I didn't think I would live to see the day I got a Macross toy from Amazon delivered - its my first - but it was excruciating watching everyone here get theirs for months ahead of time 😛 

No bent antenna laser too, so I won the lottery there, but its really loose, it doesn't stay up, it sits down/folded back - maybe that's why it didn't get bent.  Has anyone else found their copy to have a really loose floppy antenna laser?  I guess I could build up the nub to get a little more friction, I couldn't figure a way of clamping the holding nubs closer together.  The canopy is intact too, so overall I'm very happy with it.  Haven't transformed it yet though.

[Paco Grande]

4 hours ago, wm cheng said:

Woohoo!!! So happy to have received my YF-21 from Amazon.com (even here in Canada I got it today on Oct 1st) - too bad it was only available much later on Amazon.ca but I had US gift certificates to cash in so I'm a very happy camper.  I didn't think I would live to see the day I got a Macross toy from Amazon delivered - its my first - but it was excruciating watching everyone here get theirs for months ahead of time 😛 

No bent antenna laser too, so I won the lottery there, but its really loose, it doesn't stay up, it sits down/folded back - maybe that's why it didn't get bent.  Has anyone else found their copy to have a really loose floppy antenna laser?  I guess I could build up the nub to get a little more friction, I couldn't figure a way of clamping the holding nubs closer together.  The canopy is intact too, so overall I'm very happy with it.  Haven't transformed it yet though.

And you don't mind the price? Do you feel that it's worth it? I have not purchased it yet because I'm hoping that it eventually goes on discount like the YF-19 did on Amazon.ca. I cannot get over how much more the YF-21 costs than the 19. Over $500 CAD is just mental. But I really want it to complete the set with my YF-19.

Do you happen to need a VF-171EX Revival Version? I'm thinking about selling it but nobody wants to pay the $430 CAD I paid for it. These things cost too much.

[wm cheng]

9 minutes ago, Paco Grande said:

And you don't mind the price? Do you feel that it's worth it? I have not purchased it yet because I'm hoping that it eventually goes on discount like the YF-19 did on Amazon.ca. I cannot get over how much more the YF-21 costs than the 19. Over $500 CAD is just mental. But I really want it to complete the set with my YF-19.

Do you happen to need a VF-171EX Revival Version? I'm thinking about selling it but nobody wants to pay the $430 CAD I paid for it. These things cost too much.

Yeah, price is pretty crazy nowadays, but if it makes you feel any better, its actually cheaper here at Amazon.ca with free shipping and no customs $479cdn.  I'm still surprised its in stock and available to ship; https://www.amazon.ca/TAMASHII-NATIONS-Macross-Spirits-Chogokin/dp/B0CRK23S71/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=5xoby&content-id=amzn1.sym.0fb3a8d4-ede0-492d-a6c1-c6fb537531e1%3Aamzn1.symc.abfa8731-fff2-4177-9d31-bf48857c2263&pf_rd_p=0fb3a8d4-ede0-492d-a6c1-c6fb537531e1&pf_rd_r=DRBM5YJ0YMJFC6BD0RB5&pd_rd_wg=5kqKa&pd_rd_r=9a9b2645-4591-4bf5-9aae-20f01a6ff69e&ref_=pd_hp_d_btf_ci_mcx_mr_ca_id_hp_d

 

Is it worth it is another question - I am like you, I have to have it to complete my YF-19 as a pair.  I never got the Yamato version so I can't compare but generally I like these Bandais more than the old Yamato/Arcadia offerings.  I haven't transformed mine yet, but its pretty secure and very helfty in the hand.  Yes the nose could be a bit longer, but in real life it doesn't bother me as much as all the earlier photos did.  Yes there are some inaccuracies but overall it does scream YF-21 to me (as an overview especially if you are looking at it from the top or 3/4) and I don't mind all the tampo printing, I prefer too much over too little and makes the bare plastic of older offerings look naked.  The looks fall apart when you look from below or side on, but I rarely see it from that and will be displayed looking down on it.  The antenna issues and broken canopies does scare me, but luckily I didn't get either. 

Anyone know how best I can tighten up the looseness of the head antenna laser, I guess I can apply future or crazy glue to the nubs in hopes of closing the gap.  Odd I haven't heard anyone else with this problem, it just flops back now and can't stand up.

[Chronocidal]

3 minutes ago, wm cheng said:

Anyone know how best I can tighten up the looseness of the head antenna laser, I guess I can apply future or crazy glue to the nubs in hopes of closing the gap.  Odd I haven't heard anyone else with this problem, it just flops back now and can't stand up.

I definitely have the sloppy laser issue on both of my copies (one bent that I heated to try and fix, the other straight).  

Honestly, my quick and dirty fix for things that small usually comes down to slipping a layer or two of scotch tape into the rotation mechanism.  I would just apply a small strip to the underside of the laser so it wraps around to fall into both sides of the crevice where the nubs snap into it, and repeat with more layers until it stays how I want it.

The other option I experimented with was to just cut a new antenna from yellow styrene, and sand it to a different shape so that it snapped in firmly, but met the upper fuselage with a flat surface instead of a rounded one, so it just doesn't rotate at all.

Note, I've never really examined the long term effects that scotch tape glue might have on plastic, but I've only ever done this in places that really aren't visible without disassembly.  I used the same method to tighten up the individual head lasers on my DX VF-1Ss, and it was plenty to get them firm enough to move each side mount by a single laser.

[Paco Grande]

27 minutes ago, wm cheng said:

Yeah, price is pretty crazy nowadays, but if it makes you feel any better, its actually cheaper here at Amazon.ca with free shipping and no customs $479cdn.  I'm still surprised its in stock and available to ship; https://www.amazon.ca/TAMASHII-NATIONS-Macross-Spirits-Chogokin/dp/B0CRK23S71/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=5xoby&content-id=amzn1.sym.0fb3a8d4-ede0-492d-a6c1-c6fb537531e1%3Aamzn1.symc.abfa8731-fff2-4177-9d31-bf48857c2263&pf_rd_p=0fb3a8d4-ede0-492d-a6c1-c6fb537531e1&pf_rd_r=DRBM5YJ0YMJFC6BD0RB5&pd_rd_wg=5kqKa&pd_rd_r=9a9b2645-4591-4bf5-9aae-20f01a6ff69e&ref_=pd_hp_d_btf_ci_mcx_mr_ca_id_hp_d

 

Is it worth it is another question - I am like you, I have to have it to complete my YF-19 as a pair.  I never got the Yamato version so I can't compare but generally I like these Bandais more than the old Yamato/Arcadia offerings.  I haven't transformed mine yet, but its pretty secure and very helfty in the hand.  Yes the nose could be a bit longer, but in real life it doesn't bother me as much as all the earlier photos did.  Yes there are some inaccuracies but overall it does scream YF-21 to me (as an overview especially if you are looking at it from the top or 3/4) and I don't mind all the tampo printing, I prefer too much over too little and makes the bare plastic of older offerings look naked.  The looks fall apart when you look from below or side on, but I rarely see it from that and will be displayed looking down on it.  The antenna issues and broken canopies does scare me, but luckily I didn't get either. 

Anyone know how best I can tighten up the looseness of the head antenna laser, I guess I can apply future or crazy glue to the nubs in hopes of closing the gap.  Odd I haven't heard anyone else with this problem, it just flops back now and can't stand up.

Oh I am familiar with the price. I check it every day. For a while it was dropping $1 per day but it stopped dropping at $479. I originally had a preorder on Amazon.com like you because it wasn't up on the .ca site yet but I cancelled it and decided to gamble on a sale. But even at $479 I have 13% sales tax so it is $541 total. I paid around $500 CAD for the DX VF-1J with armor set so I'm finding this price really hard to swallow. But thank you for the feedback!

I'm also thinking about eventually buying one on Mandarake instead because it will most likely be cheaper even with shipping. But of course no return policy like Amazon.

[Graham]

Hoping we get some news from Bandai soon about a DX VF-22S from Macross 7.

Personally hoping for the blue Max Jenius type, but I'd also be happy with Gamlin's black version or Milia's red one.

[Hayama Kaito]

7 hours ago, Graham said:

Hoping we get some news from Bandai soon about a DX VF-22S from Macross 7.

Personally hoping for the blue Max Jenius type, but I'd also be happy with Gamlin's black version or Milia's red one.

not sure it would be like a renewal like how they did on VF-25 or just a direct repaint and replace a few parts

since the current fighter mode design is bit "controversy"

[Chronocidal]

For how much they cared about the actual YF-21 design in the first place, I don't even expect them to change anything about the base valk design at all, except maybe leaving out the fast packs entirely.

If they were actually making some sort of effort, they should redo the cockpit to give the pilot some actual controls (and the seat is removable, so it's not like that would be hard), but I'm keeping my expectations at absolute zero.

I'm not sure how well received it's been overall, so I'm kind of just expecting Bandai to quietly let the mold die, and maybe take another stab at the design in another ten years or something.

[PointBlankSniper]

Realistically, they just need to change the canopy, heat shield, face, and the two belly plates to call it the 22S. That's only all of 5 pieces.

Recently, I've noticed there are depictions that differentiate the internal gunpod from the external ones, like in the Macross 30 game. They just slap the external pods as additions under the belly plate bulge that houses the internal ones, so I guess spawning those guns out of nowhere for battroid is not even an issue anymore. Ground clearance shenanigans even without fast pack would be fun to see though. 🤡

If they feel really adventurous, they could throw in the belly missile bay gimmick. Or cut some slots in the wing roots to peg the super parts, and proceed to never release them lol.

I've been thinking, those loose wing flaps could also probably be replaced with ones that have pylon mounts that reach forward under the wing, to carry external missiles like in the master file. Not actually counting on bandai to do that, but maybe someone will cook up a mod like that.

As for recpetion of this mold, I think some people canceled their orders after hearing about all the quality issues, so there's a few retail units still in stock.

[wm cheng]

My biggest grip are the anemic landing gears!  All Bandai seems to have the landing gears as an woefully undersized afterthought (maybe some of the blame should also fall on SK since they are awful in the newer designs - what's up with the back of kneecap landing gears WTF?!?!?!) - with the possible exception of the VF-1s.  I can't ever display any of my Bandai Macross models (other than VF-1) on their gears and have to resort to Battroid, Gerwalk or flight mode with gears retracted.

[Chronocidal]

I think their YF-19 isn't too bad, I don't mind setting that one out on the gear.  It's not great, but I can appreciate the fact that the extra collapsing joint in the nose gear let them give it a waist joint, even if the gear bay looks hilariously undersized.

The baffling thing about the YF-21's gear though?  Bandai just completely misunderstood the entire reason you would rotate the gear at all.  Instead of laying the tires flat to fit into the wing, they rotated them a full 180, made them tiny, and stored them vertically anyhow.  Just.. insert Jackie Chan image here.

The funnier thing to me.. if they hadn't undersized them so badly, they could have actually had room for the gunpods.  The belly isn't so big they couldn't have gotten the clearance for the guns, if they had just stretched the gear a bit further, and pushed out the wing joints a bit further.  Or maybe if they had recessed the guns further into the panels?

It just feels like such a weird beast.. in a vacuum where the Yamato never existed, I think a lot of the issues with the design lessen.  The longer I look at it without looking at the comparisons, the better it seems.  It's chunky, but not un-aerodynamically so.  It's thick, but still looks like it could probably fly (mostly by pure thrust from those massive engines).

I actually feel like an update to the VF-22 standard would be a pretty big improvement, since it would ditch the belly packs and guns entirely, giving us "gunpods" built into the belly, and those should have plenty of clearance.  

Edited October 9 by Chronocidal

[Bolt]

Considering how many VF-25's we got (granted it's a popular design), i wouldn't be surprised if Bandai did a renewal YF-21 AND a VF-22. At the same time, i wouldn't be surprised if this is all we ever get. 

[Chronocidal]

I don't think they're going to redo the YF-21 that quickly.  The VF-25 was an exception, because it was their design, headlining their own series.  The YF-21 is a lesser entry from thirty years ago, and took them an exceedingly long time to develop.

Bandai has a very nasty habit of taking the absolutely wrong lessons from all of the mistakes they make.  Why is no one buying the Hayate VF-31?  Could it be that the market is saturated with his from multiple releases, and they should sell the other ones that are showing more demand on auction sites?  Naaaahhh.. they just don't want any more 31s at all.

Should they redesign the YF-21?  No, that would go against Bandai's absolute certainty that they know better than Kawamori how the design was intended to work.  To correct it would be admitting fault.  Nah, that can't be the case.. clearly there's just no demand for the YF-21 at all.  It has nothing to do with people being disappointed in Bandai's design choices.

[MKT]

Ditto on the 21's landing gears. It barely seems to support the weight of the toy. I don't have it readily accessible now, but I also remember the rear landing gear bay doors are quite thick plastic, so it's a bit of dissonance to handle beefy bay doors but with a weedy gear popping out of them. It may be a small detail, but it does add up to the other weird feeling stuff overall on this toy.  

[PointBlankSniper]

I hope someone figures out a way to change in some bigger custom landing gears that fix the ground clearance, if they can even be removed.

I've been thinking of trying to add some layers of tape on the tires, just to see if that's enough for ground clearance while still fitting in the door. At times like these, I wish my had my unit in hand, not on a slow boat, so I don't have to imagine things and talk out of my bum lol.

[wm cheng]

It's not just this release, it started with the VF-25, VF-31 and now the YF-21 - Bandai just doesn't understand aircraft landing gears (and a little blame needs to go to SK too)

[WhatBoutMyStar]

2 hours ago, wm cheng said:

It's not just this release, it started with the VF-25, VF-31 and now the YF-21 - Bandai just doesn't understand aircraft landing gears (and a little blame needs to go to SK too)

The awkward rear landing gears on the 31 are accurate to the how they were designed though. On a different note, the color of the DX 31C is so off from what it should've been.

Edited October 10 by WhatBoutMyStar

[no3Ljm]

2 hours ago, WhatBoutMyStar said:

The awkward rear landing gears on the 31 are accurate to the how they were designed though. On a different note, the color of the DX 31C is so off from what it should've been.

I'm not going to worry too much of Bandai's color inaccuracy until they starts painting all their DX landing gears white. 

[M'Kyuun]

On 10/9/2024 at 7:17 AM, Chronocidal said:

If they were actually making some sort of effort, they should redo the cockpit to give the pilot some actual controls (and the seat is removable, so it's not like that would be hard), but I'm keeping my expectations at absolute zero.

It boggles the mind that with their zeal for tampo, Bandai didn't tampo that control console.

 

On 10/9/2024 at 10:55 AM, wm cheng said:

My biggest grip are the anemic landing gears!  All Bandai seems to have the landing gears as an woefully undersized afterthought (maybe some of the blame should also fall on SK since they are awful in the newer designs - what's up with the back of kneecap landing gears WTF?!?!?!) - with the possible exception of the VF-1s.  I can't ever display any of my Bandai Macross models (other than VF-1) on their gears and have to resort to Battroid, Gerwalk or flight mode with gears retracted.

On an aircraft, landing gear are kinda important and should figure into the totality of the design (Unless you're Hasbro/Takara, then pretty much everything that defines good aircraft design goes out the window). Yamato and Arcadia understand that and have done a pretty decent job with their various valks over the years. TBH, I haven't had too many issues with my Bandai valks, but the YF-21 is a unique beast within the managerie, mostly due to its shellformery design as opposed to Kawamori's general use of the legs to form the entire powerplant from intake to exhaust, making up a fair portion of the jet's fuselage. It's one of the things I love about Kawamori's designs as opposed to just about every other company's takes on jetformers. Special mention to Touch Toys who've taken a different approach to creating a streamlined and realistic jet mode while still managing to forge a good bot mode out of it. I digress. Taking into account the requisite ground clearance with packs and guns affixed and designing gear that literally fall short of their purpose is just pure negligence on Bandai's part. Too, I concur with the critique of their misunderstanding of how those gear are intended to be stored. Yamato got it, but as @Chronocidal pointed out, Bandai just doesn't care. They do it their way regardless of whether it's right, proper, or acceptable which is a shame b/c they definitely have the talent and resources to make an exquisite toy. The DX YF-21 is a mixed bag of good and bad; I love it for it's better proportioned  battroid mode, my preferred mode for display. I don't think the fighter is too bad considering the concessions to battroid, but stuff like the too-short gear, lack of printed controls, partsforming  seat (was it really that hard to put a pivot on that thing? Yamato already showed it could be done), need for two different gun molds that still don't fix the ground clearance issue, huge gap between battroid's back and the backpack, and the necessity for a partsforming bracket to keep it in place lest the whole thing droop all constitute poor design decisions that Bandai should have fixed before this thing ever went to production. It looks nice and makes for a nice placeholder, but it really does make one wonder what an updated Arcadia YF-21 would bring to the table in terms of improvements. They've already got a pretty good foundation to build on that still in many ways rises superior to the DX.

Edited October 13 by M'Kyuun

[Lolicon]

So I originally bought two YF-21s from Japan. One arrived intact, the other with a broken head laser.

Since Bandai considers it a "quality variance" and refuses to provide any support to replace this one piece (it would be pretty easy to just mail some replacement head lasers out), I went and bought one off Amazon US.

The first unit I got from Amazon had a broken head laser too. I immediately exchanged it for a replacement. The replacement unit had an intact laser. So I am sending the broken unit I originally got from Japan in its place and getting a full refund.

This is the kind of crap I have to resort to for a simple fix on a pretty expensive toy because Bandai ultimately is a shitty & anti-consumer company.

2 out of 4 units arrived broken. A 50% failure rate is absolutely unacceptable in any product line. (Yes I know this is a tiny sample size but this is a widespread issue and I would not be surprised if the real failure rate is actually pretty close to 50%.)

Edited October 14 by Lolicon
grammar