Bandai 1/60 DX Chogokin Macross Plus YF-21

[Scream Man]

Well I just got my 21 in and... I love it. I think from a purely toy point of view its probably the best 21 that's been made. Compared to the Yamato and Arcadia ones its infinitely easier and more fun to transform, and does everything I'd want a YF-21 to do. 
I mean yeah, the nose could be longer, and there's other small quibbles I have but generally speaking I love it. I, admittedly, got lucky with the antenna as mine is totally fine, so that probably helps me like it more. 
But overall yes I love it. 

[M'Kyuun]

20 hours ago, Scream Man said:

Well I just got my 21 in and... I love it. I think from a purely toy point of view its probably the best 21 that's been made. Compared to the Yamato and Arcadia ones its infinitely easier and more fun to transform, and does everything I'd want a YF-21 to do. 
I mean yeah, the nose could be longer, and there's other small quibbles I have but generally speaking I love it. I, admittedly, got lucky with the antenna as mine is totally fine, so that probably helps me like it more. 
But overall yes I love it. 

I have my own quibbles with it, but overall, I like it too. I'm a battroid guy and one of my greatest beefs with the old Yamato was the disproportionately skinny legs, wobbly hip joints, and tiny feet that made it both awkward looking and unstable. The DX fixes those issues; it stands and poses well and looks pretty darned good doing it. Anyway, I'm glad for the positivity. 

[ALEXD]

Add me to the cracked canopy list!

[26662]

2 hours ago, ALEXD said:

Add me to the cracked canopy list!

That doesn’t look like a crack on this side of the internet.  I might be seeing things, but it looks like the inner margins of the “crack” are rounded (like a molding error).  The same margins look to be coated in paint, which if true, would suggest the defect occurred pre assembly.  But I’m woozy from Benadryl (I use it as a sleep aid) and may be reading too much into the image.

[Radioguy]

1 hour ago, 26662 said:

But I’m woozy from Benadryl (I use it as a sleep aid) and may be reading too much into the image.

That's a good response for a lot of situations. 😄

[PointBlankSniper]

I actually suspect the paint solvent they used might be making the clear plastic soft or brittle and then caused to crumble during another process, but if a piece survives, the solvent evaporates and it goes back to it's intended strength. It could even be that strange film of release agent or w/e it is some of us notices are on the blue parts. Maybe that's the stuff that causes the antenna to bend too.

All the images of cracked units so far show no sign of impact or crushing, and nobody has impacted boxes and blisters. The canopy piece is actually really tough as far as I can tell.

Other than utter malice from factory workers, I have a hard time believing those things would break like that from the mold, and reach final assemble like that.

[Sokeijon]

15 hours ago, ALEXD said:

Add me to the cracked canopy list!

Exact same spot like my copy!

[David Hingtgen]

It's weird how consistent it is.  Gotta be where a sprue-gate for the clear-parts mold is or something.  

[Duymon]

There's gotta be some weakness or tolerance issue because it looks like everyone, including me, has the cracked canopy on the right front-side tab

[davidwhangchoi]

That's some bullsh!t  quality assurance by Bandai, looks like they just pump out toys and don't care any as much about errors as much as wanting your money post COVID.

hope there's a replacement solution from bluefin for these cracked canopy's

[ALEXD]

I guess we will see, I did the replacement form on the website provided on this thread for the bent fins

[Apok451]

On 1/12/2025 at 6:32 PM, ALEXD said:

Add me to the cracked canopy list!

Thankfully I didn't get a cracked canopy.  However, I did get sold one as "new" from the Tamashii Nations store on Amazon.  What I got was an open box that someone stole the antenna out of and returned the box without touching anything else.  Should get a replacement antenna from Bandai in a few weeks.

Edited January 17 by Apok451

[Radioguy]

24 minutes ago, Apok451 said:

Thankfully I didn't get a cracked canopy.  However, I did get sold one as "new" from the Tamashii Nations store on Amazon.  What I got was an open box that someone stole the antenna out of and returned the box without touching anything else.  Should get a replacement antenna from Bandai in a few weeks.

Yikes. Does happen with Amazon though. Always check those seals.

Hey, at least it has the US warranty sticker. If you had bought from Japan...well, you don't want those troubles.

[PointBlankSniper]

That is undoubtedly one of the Amazon stories of all time lol

[505thAirborne]

 

[kazuo]

I ended up bailing on this as soon as I got it. All of the various issues and some of the weird design choices really put me off. Unfortunate because I'd been hoping Bandai could hit a home run with this so I could put it on the shelf next to my YF-19.

Here's hoping they can fix at least some of this stuff with a renewal version?

[26662]

9 hours ago, kazuo said:

I ended up bailing on this as soon as I got it. All of the various issues and some of the weird design choices really put me off. Unfortunate because I'd been hoping Bandai could hit a home run with this so I could put it on the shelf next to my YF-19.

Here's hoping they can fix at least some of this stuff with a renewal version?

We like what we like.  That said, do you mind detailing the YF-21's shortcomings?  Not inviting a flame war or looking to change your mind.  Just genuinely interested in your perspective since I don't find much fault in the figure.

[Paco Grande]

3 hours ago, 26662 said:

We like what we like.  That said, do you mind detailing the YF-21's shortcomings?  Not inviting a flame war or looking to change your mind.  Just genuinely interested in your perspective since I don't find much fault in the figure.

You must be joking. This thread is full of complaints and check out reviews on YT for more. This figure is pretty infamous for it's issues. I finally caved and bought one on a black Friday sale but I still haven't handled mine except to check that the head laser is straight (it is, but apparently that's rare). I'm afraid to handle it because I'm pretty sure I will regret my decision to buy it. But I really wanted the companion piece for my DX YF-19 so I bought it. 

[26662]

2 hours ago, Paco Grande said:

You must be joking. This thread is full of complaints and check out reviews on YT for more. This figure is pretty infamous for it's issues. I finally caved and bought one on a black Friday sale but I still haven't handled mine except to check that the head laser is straight (it is, but apparently that's rare). I'm afraid to handle it because I'm pretty sure I will regret my decision to buy it. But I really wanted the companion piece for my DX YF-19 so I bought it. 

Not joking.  I asked HIM why HE doesn’t like the figure.  

[leeboo1211]

Yeah folks like to pile on. I have two, and personally like the figure. Sure it's got its issues, but it's finally got a good battroid mode. I absolutely hate the Yamato version and the comically skinny legs, plasticity finish etc...Maybe I'm just used to MB and GFFMC type finishes? Glossy plastic just feels too toy-like for me. But each to their own.

[jenius]

The Yamato is not glossy, it might even be more matte than the DX. 

[kazuo]

12 hours ago, 26662 said:

We like what we like.  That said, do you mind detailing the YF-21's shortcomings?  Not inviting a flame war or looking to change your mind.  Just genuinely interested in your perspective since I don't find much fault in the figure.

You can like it - doesn't mean I have to. I was merely sharing my opinion and experience in a thread discussing the toy. Or is that not allowed around here?

I politely decline to enact the labor of reiterating the various shortcomings and production/QC issues with this $200 toy. If you've been following the thread, you're well aware of what's been going on, so you're either being disingenuous or you're trying to get me with a "gotcha". I'll pass in either case.

I wasn't laying bait, I wanted this thing to be good, but for this amount of money, no thanks. There's a reason there are stacks of these, NISB, sitting untouched at Amiami in Akihabara.

[26662]

4 hours ago, kazuo said:

You can like it - doesn't mean I have to. I was merely sharing my opinion and experience in a thread discussing the toy. Or is that not allowed around here?

I politely decline to enact the labor of reiterating the various shortcomings and production/QC issues with this $200 toy. If you've been following the thread, you're well aware of what's been going on, so you're either being disingenuous or you're trying to get me with a "gotcha". I'll pass in either case.

I wasn't laying bait, I wanted this thing to be good, but for this amount of money, no thanks. There's a reason there are stacks of these, NISB, sitting untouched at Amiami in Akihabara.

“so you're either being disingenuous or you're trying to get me with a "gotcha".”

??  Option 3: Not joking, and genuinely curious.  I don’t know you, and you don’t know me.  What’s with the heat?

[26662]

10 hours ago, leeboo1211 said:

Yeah folks like to pile on. I have two, and personally like the figure. Sure it's got its issues, but it's finally got a good battroid mode. I absolutely hate the Yamato version and the comically skinny legs, plasticity finish etc...Maybe I'm just used to MB and GFFMC type finishes? Glossy plastic just feels too toy-like for me. But each to their own.

I’ve never owned the Yamato 21 (Y21) so I’ve had to admire it from afar.  The Y21 doesn’t look all that terrible to me, but it certainly skipped leg day.  I think I shied away from it simply because I wasn’t all that impressed with any of the 1/60 (or is it 1/72?) Yammies I’d bought in the early 2000s (and quickly eBayed/BBTSed away).  I recall feeling underwhelmed by Yammie’s small stature, weight/heft, fiddly design, and weird/strange plastic when compared to the 1/55s.  I’ve never given Yamato another chance, not even after folks heaped praise on their 1/48 line.  I guess I’m a victim of, “once bitten twice shy” as far as Yamato goes.  Still, I’m impressionable and like to hear alternative points of view.  Thanks for sharing.

[jenius]

I absolutely adore the Yamato YF-21 in fighter mode (ignoring the stupid landing gear that don't lock in place). It looks a little plain compared to the DX toy with its paint applications but otherwise, it's great. I don't love the DX toy in battroid mode as much as I love the Yamato in fighter mode. I do LIKE the DX in battroid mode, it's defintely a big improvement on the Yamato, especially when it comes to handling, but it's still not an amazing battroid mode. It has the giant shelf that makes the back look like an afterthought and the backpack is too wide (just like the Yamato) . Also, battroid mode requires a brace, which is cheating. I wish Arcadia would refresh the Yamato YF-21 with all new joints and optional legs for GERWALK/BATTROID utilizing the detachment that delimiter allows. I can't believe Arcadia gave us an updated SV-51 over the YF-21! 

The Yamato 1/72 Macross Plus toys are fun because they were the first transforming toys but yes, it's like comparing your middle school work to your college thesis at this point.  Still, if heft is a major criteria for you, Arcadia products usually won't scratch your itch, they decided long ago that metal generally introduced more problems (paint, weight negatively impacting joints) than they fixed. Bandai has done a really good job identifying where metal can help without introducing big problems, like the feet on most their toys. 

[Chronocidal]

It did take a while for Bandai to come around to understanding how bad it is to make significant transforming chunks of a valk in metal and then expect the paint to not flake horribly.  I think the VF-31 series was the first time they didn't make the hips entirely out of metal, and I know I have at least one very sad-looking Ozma renewal that is only good for display with the armor at this point, because the paint on the hips got horribly pitted somehow.

[leeboo1211]

I think basically boils down to Yammie for almost perfect proportions but not finish in fighter mode, Bandai for a good but not great Battroid due to the backpack, but much better posability. Also depends if you want a toy to handle or a display piece.

That being said, I'm a big fan of the Yammie 1/48 VF-1 Stealth and it's colors way more than any other color variant...so I'd at least give that a look. Probably something about the color that hides the cheaper plastics finish? But it looks awesome in fighter.

 

[davidwhangchoi]

this yf-21 looks closer to the bandai dx

[PointBlankSniper]

I've always wanted to see someone add those shoulder fast pack missile mechanisms to the 19 to a toy. Probably never gonna happen though lol

Edited yesterday at 05:29 AM by PointBlankSniper

[aurance]

On 1/23/2025 at 8:14 AM, kazuo said:

You can like it - doesn't mean I have to. I was merely sharing my opinion and experience in a thread discussing the toy. Or is that not allowed around here?

I politely decline to enact the labor of reiterating the various shortcomings and production/QC issues with this $200 toy. If you've been following the thread, you're well aware of what's been going on, so you're either being disingenuous or you're trying to get me with a "gotcha". I'll pass in either case.

I wasn't laying bait, I wanted this thing to be good, but for this amount of money, no thanks. There's a reason there are stacks of these, NISB, sitting untouched at Amiami in Akihabara.

You and me both. I detest this thing and feel very disappointed. Reasons? All in the thread already, which have been pretty consistent. It’s not some great mystery.

Edited yesterday at 12:19 AM by aurance

[reeoyuy]

Personally, I was disappointed when the reviews came out too and cancelled my plan to buy it. But then a local store offered anyone who buy the DX from them a service to check the content of the box before delivery and should the head laser bent, they will pack in the replacement. With the gambling aspect gone, I decided to pull the trigger.

With the thing in my hand, I can see what people are complaining about. In fact I have few more complaints that were not  (or rarely) mentioned here. Things they could've done better. But you know what? I did NOT regret my purchase. I handled the toys, using knowledge from the internet to avoid tragedy (like handling the canopy to avoid cracking), transform it straight up using youtube guide ignoring the manual, so yeah hands on experience is pretty smooth sailing.

I'm more of Battroid guy so I'm really happy with the legs done well. The backpack doesn't really bother me that much. But one thing that I love the most is color and finish. The blue is just amazing. I don't know if it's accurate to source material, probably not, but I don't care. It's just right to my eyes, although sadly my phone camera can't capture it perfectly. As display piece the Battroid is glorious, I can't help smiling when admiring the thing. No problem handling it to change the pose for photos either (so far). And it does look great as companion piece to YF-19.

In the end, it's complicated. I can't recommend it straight away, because as I mentioned before, all the flaws mentioned here or elsewhere are valid. No argument there. And I wouldn't gamble with QC for that price if I couldn't find a way to avoid it. BUT overall experience has been positive for me, both from visual and handling side of thing. So I don't know, I can't force people to like it and ignore the flaws, but at the same time I'd have to disagree that the toy has no value whatsoever.

 

[PointBlankSniper]

Quote

 I handled the toys, using knowledge from the internet to avoid tragedy (like handling the canopy to avoid cracking)

I really don't think breaking the canopy in the way it comes out of box can be replicated by the end user. The first time I swapped it, I pulled it in the wrong direction, directly upward and it came out anyway, but nothing broke or permanently warped. It went back together and functioned just fine. The material is super tough so you don't need to baby it. I'm fairly convinced w/e they did to break it in the box did not happen while it was in its fully cured and solid state.