Bandai VF-31AX Kairos Plus - Hayate Type

[PointBlankSniper]

3 hours ago, Sokeijon said:

 

Well, I received my parcel in good packaging condition.

from my experience, i'd say that is a testament to the work of japan post, and then your local customs and national post. the other couriers on the other hand, often seem to treat packages with absolute spite. i generally feel safer doing months long surface shipping for cheaper, than go with those express courier guys lol

as for the packaging though, it does look like hobby-genki cheaped out on stuffing material. some people collect even mint condition p-bandai brown boxes, or plan to resell items in that condition themselves. so japanese sellers will even enlarge the box by a couple sizes just put in stuffing material to protect those brown boxes. they don't care that you are charged an arm and a leg for the massive size increase that serves no one but couriers' bank accoutns. you should know this from how amiami and mandarake packaging and surprise shipping cost works lol. hobby-genki seem to be foreigners operating in japan though, so i guess it's not in their operating culture to care about box damage but rather save money and effort for everyone from minimal package size

[Sokeijon]

2 hours ago, PointBlankSniper said:

from my experience, i'd say that is a testament to the work of japan post, and then your local customs and national post. the other couriers on the other hand, often seem to treat packages with absolute spite. i generally feel safer doing months long surface shipping for cheaper, than go with those express courier guys lol

as for the packaging though, it does look like hobby-genki cheaped out on stuffing material. some people collect even mint condition p-bandai brown boxes, or plan to resell items in that condition themselves. so japanese sellers will even enlarge the box by a couple sizes just put in stuffing material to protect those brown boxes. they don't care that you are charged an arm and a leg for the massive size increase that serves no one but couriers' bank accoutns. you should know this from how amiami and mandarake packaging and surprise shipping cost works lol. hobby-genki seem to be foreigners operating in japan though, so i guess it's not in their operating culture to care about box damage but rather save money and effort for everyone from minimal package size

Ya agree! The journey is long and has been pass-on to different parties. Some will just not care much, throwing the parcel around as long as all are up to the cargo. 

 

[treatment]

 

[Angesdad]

8 hours ago, treatment said:

 

One Hayate 31AX and now three different accessory packs for it..seriously I haven’t yet had a chance to open my armor set since November.😆

[68whiskey]

On 6/7/2023 at 12:17 AM, Sokeijon said:

 

Well, I received my parcel in good packaging condition. Probably I’m lucky? I can see that the packaging is a custom made according to the size of VF-31Ax ghost set. 

my dude , that is pure luck. Whenever I get a box like that its a guarentee'd pushed in corner due to their lack of bubble wrap or plastic corners. 

[Chronocidal]

1 hour ago, Angesdad said:

One Hayate 31AX and now three different accessory packs for it..seriously I haven’t yet had a chance to open my armor set since November.😆

The whole AX mess has been a pile of lemons though.  I kind of expect they're shoving the bare minimum out the door for all the things seen in the movie for the hero to get some return for the R&D on the designs, before they abandon the product line.

[jenius]

I'm holding out hope that the upcoming reissue will have some tweaks.

[68whiskey]

On 6/9/2023 at 12:49 AM, jenius said:

I'm holding out hope that the upcoming reissue will have some tweaks.

The only thing bandai every changes are the paint schemes. They dont give a surface to air fornication about quality because they know the fanboys will buy it regardless. 

[ValkAddict]

5 hours ago, 68whiskey said:

The only thing bandai every changes are the paint schemes. They dont give a surface to air fornication about quality because they know the fanboys will buy it regardless. 

^ Sad truth

[jenius]

Nah, it's not true. The DX VF-1 got a peg on the nosecone after the first release. Bandai makes tweaks... Just not enough of them. I will still hope for the best.

[Chronocidal]

5 hours ago, jenius said:

Nah, it's not true. The DX VF-1 got a peg on the nosecone after the first release. Bandai makes tweaks... Just not enough of them. I will still hope for the best.

Highlighted for emphasis.  We've had three AX releases now, and they've all been a complete crapshoot for bonkers QA failures that shouldn't happen.  I still hope they'll turn it around, but I don't like the design enough to buy any more, and Bandai seems to have zero interest in finishing all of the other dangling product lines they left in Delta's wake.  The situation actually feels like a self-reinforcing spiral of failure, where the fans have stopped caring, so Bandai stops caring, quality takes a dive, driving the fans to care even less, and so on.

The nose fix for the VF-1 was insanely tiny, so I guess that's the threshold of what they're willing to change.  It wasn't even what I would call the worst flaw in the design, so that's probably a good indicator of how much effort Bandai is willing to expend to correct their own mistakes.   "Changing molds and tampo patterns?  That's too much work.  Just send them stickers to fix it."

[jenius]

Aren't the fixes needed for the AX just as tiny though? It just barely doesn't fit together... seems like it's a couple very minor tweaks away from being good. It's not like there's a design element that's off, just a fit problem.

[ValkAddict]

1 hour ago, jenius said:

Aren't the fixes needed for the AX just as tiny though? It just barely doesn't fit together... seems like it's a couple very minor tweaks away from being good.

^ Accurate. And this is what is so damned frustrating. I own 2x - VF-31AXs (first release Hayate and Bogue) and both don't "fit" in fighter mode. It frakken sucks. I also bought the super pack for Hayate and I've been unable to connect/peg the legs back to the main body with the fast packs on. No matter how hard I've tried to make it fit.

Sorry but Bandai QA/QC for the VF-31AX sucks a$$ IMHO. #disappointed

Edited June 12, 2023 by ValkAddict

[MKT]

The AX also has something else that I didn't think would happen. It just isn't very much fun to swoosh around in Fighter. Due to the design itself, there's aren't many surfaces you can wrap your fingers around in swooshable grip without risking being poked due to all the sharp edges.

[ValkAddict]

I am just so disappointed by the Bandai lack of QA/QC on the VF-31AX.

[PointBlankSniper]

6 hours ago, MKT said:

The AX also has something else that I didn't think would happen. It just isn't very much fun to swoosh around in Fighter. Due to the design itself, there's aren't many surfaces you can wrap your fingers around in swooshable grip without risking being poked due to all the sharp edges.

ngl, everytime I touch my AX, I am mildly worried I might somehow poke an eye, or slip and get an artery stabbed in my thigh... if not the family jewels...

probably doesnt help that the one I have is Mirage's, with that somewhat hatchet shaped head antenna. but it's one of the pretties mech heads ever, so i have to suck up those intrusive worries lol

[Chronocidal]

17 hours ago, jenius said:

Aren't the fixes needed for the AX just as tiny though? It just barely doesn't fit together... seems like it's a couple very minor tweaks away from being good. It's not like there's a design element that's off, just a fit problem.

The only thing consistent about the AX quality is how inconsistent it is across the board.  The leg tabs not fitting is one thing, but I've seen a few other larger tolerancing and assembly issues.  That sticky arm slider mechanism plagues every one I have, the front gear doors continue to get worse on every release (across both the 31 AND VF-25 lines), and the Mirage I got has the tail and wing hinge pinholes drilled cockeyed, making the whole thing a disheveled mess of off-kilter angles.  And that's leaving out the holdover issues from the original 31s, because that sloppy neck gap has only gotten worse.  It's like they bypassed the B team, and handed down all of the AX releases to the C and D teams.

Far as the swoosh factor goes though.. Yeah, the entire 31 line has not been conducive to picking them up.  They have so many folding bits and pieces poking out every which way that it's really difficult to find a grip that doesn't stab you, let alone one that doesn't knock something out of position.

It's kind of hilarious, but the best option I found?  Just yank out the canards.  They pop off without much trouble if you lift them vertically, and taking them off gives you space for a nice solid grip to pick them up and handle them.  Removing the canards and head is always the first step I take when I go about fixing anything on the AX, since it just gets them out of the way.  (No lie, I actually kind of prefer the look without them, especially the Kairos )

Edited June 12, 2023 by Chronocidal

[Angesdad]

[Lolicon]

You guys have heard me say it before: the fit & finish on Bandai valks has always been inferior to Yamato/Arcadia, and that was before the decline in QC with the 31AX releases.

Bandai absolutely has the resources to give us valks that are of superior quality to Arcadia and probably at a lower price point, but why bother? When it comes to Macross, Bandai makes toys like George Lucas makes movies: it just needs to be "good enough."

[treatment]

I don't have a 31AX and not planning on getting one, either, but here's the latest tweet about the re-issue being "properly renovated" than the first edition's ...

(couple of additional pics in the author's tweet-page):

https://twitter.com/muko037/status/1672520077365886976?cxt=HHwWgIDSscSJ_rUuAAAA

 

add/edit:

additional tweets and pic from simsim5479:

https://twitter.com/simsim5479/status/1672420882332131332

 

https://twitter.com/simsim5479/status/1672529485911171078

 

 

 

Edited June 24, 2023 by treatment

[Chronocidal]

Yeah, the consistency of all of the AX release is just off the rails.  I don't think Bandai is even making it in the same production lines as their older VF-31s.

[DewPoint]

I've always wondered this...  If the 31AX is just the damaged VF-31s repaired with the 31A parts, then why not just do that foe the toy as well?  Easy right?  Why make the parts bigger/thicker and cause yourself all these issues?

For whatever reason I like swept back wings, not swept forward ones.  So I only have VF-1s and VF-25s.  No 19s, 29s or 31s.

[Chronocidal]

1 minute ago, DewPoint said:

I've always wondered this...  If the 31AX is just the damaged VF-31s repaired with the 31A parts, then why not just do that foe the toy as well?  Easy right?  Why make the parts bigger/thicker and cause yourself all these issues?

Because Bandai needed an excuse to re-use half of the 31 molds (which they somehow made worse) while still making a "new" hero toy to sell for their movie.  

I do wish they made it easier to get more of the original 31 gun/drone pods, since they look a lot better on the AX than the thermometer.

[rematron]

I don’t like how thick the wing bases got. I don’t think the slight differences in battroid were worth it. The original 31’s were thickish but it was a lot easier to suspend my disbelief that they could obtain lift.  The basic design of the new 31Ax just doesn’t appeal to me. In light of the quality issues, it’s been an easy pass for me. 

[sjoebarry]

I’m getting the feeling from all y’all’s comments that there’s no reason for me to invest in getting a VF-31AX right now hua?  I’ve been debating it but keep coming back here to better inform myself and it seems I should hold off for now. 

[Chronocidal]

If you actually want one just to have one, in a collecting sense, now's probably the best time.

On the one hand, the design has been kind of a clunker, so I would imagine there may be a few bargains to be had on the secondary market.

On the other.. Bandai is re-releasing the main character already, and there's nothing special about it compared with the original.  That makes me think they're trying to get one last gasp out of the most popular one before they shut down the product line, and abandon the unmade Delta designs.  Now might be the last chance to get one at retail before the supply dries up, and Bandai's terrible QC mess winds up boosting the collectability.   

[DewPoint]

This is most likely true. Most Macross toys tend to go up in price over time.

[MKT]

Bandai really needs to re-release the 31A Kairos. Either a straight re-issue or Arad's 31A. We'll buy multiples!

 

12 hours ago, rematron said:

I don’t like how thick the wing bases got. I don’t think the slight differences in battroid were worth it. The original 31’s were thickish but it was a lot easier to suspend my disbelief that they could obtain lift. 

Agree with this sentiment. I like how with the older 31, the hands integrate well and very flush with the wing, but here in the AX they are just awkwardly covered over. 

 

Edited June 26, 2023 by MKT

[ValkAddict]

The VF-31AX QC was shiite. Otherwise it would've been a great toy.

[MKT]

11 minutes ago, ValkAddict said:

The VF-31AX QC was shiite. Otherwise it would've been a great toy.

To be fair, it is just some tolerance issues.
There have been no catastrophic material failure or breakages, like Arcadia's latest re-issued YF-19, which just muddies the water now on how to identify it from the packaging alone. Yes there is that 40th Anniversary logo, but it is not foolproof if one is wanting to avoid it as that logo is just a sticker that can be removed. Stores like Mandarake are not creating a separate listing for it, and lumps this re-issue with the older ones.

[Chronocidal]

1 hour ago, MKT said:

To be fair, it is just some tolerance issues.
There have been no catastrophic material failure or breakages, like Arcadia's latest re-issued YF-19, which just muddies the water now on how to identify it from the packaging alone. Yes there is that 40th Anniversary logo, but it is not foolproof if one is wanting to avoid it as that logo is just a sticker that can be removed. Stores like Mandarake are not creating a separate listing for it, and lumps this re-issue with the older ones.

I don't believe the issues have been seen on any YF-19 release except for the Premium Finish version, which I'm personally leaning toward blaming on tolerancing issues with the weathering coating the parts got.

The part that doesn't make any sense with the AX releases is that they know the tolerances for those molds.  The parts that don't fit seem entirely randomly distributed through the production run, which makes me think Bandai have been outsourcing the production to alternate factories, possibly with alternate molds that aren't made to the same tolerances.

Or.. I actually wonder whether the 31AX is literally a kitbash.  What if it was cobbled together from extra parts and molds left from the original 31 production runs?  The ones that were almost up to spec?  That would explain a lot.

[Sanity is Optional]

Molds degrade over time, this could be an issue with sub-par molds, or it could be an issue with molds aging and tolerances getting worse.

[68whiskey]

5 hours ago, MKT said:

Bandai really needs to re-release the 31A Kairos. Either a straight re-issue or Arad's 31A. We'll buy multiples!

 

Its this mentality that got us to where we are today. If bandai knows that people will buy whatever turd they put out , they will keep doing it. Until they take a hit at the bank account , they would fix anything. 

[MKT]

8 hours ago, Chronocidal said:

I don't believe the issues have been seen on any YF-19 release except for the Premium Finish version, which I'm personally leaning toward blaming on tolerancing issues with the weathering coating the parts got.

Wasn’t there quite some complains from the get go when the reissue was released? Arcadia even responded in a sort of indirect manner acknowledging the issues by tweeting out a pic showing a bunch of broken YF-19s on their workbench.

 

5 hours ago, 68whiskey said:

Its this mentality that got us to where we are today. If bandai knows that people will buy whatever turd they put out , they will keep doing it. Until they take a hit at the bank account , they would fix anything. 

Understand this sentiment, but the 31A Kairos is already a proven mold & release, and I speculate even more desirable in light of the AX shenanigans.

[mog_kupo]

11 hours ago, Chronocidal said:

I don't believe the issues have been seen on any YF-19 release except for the Premium Finish version, which I'm personally leaning toward blaming on tolerancing issues with the weathering coating the parts got.

The part that doesn't make any sense with the AX releases is that they know the tolerances for those molds.  The parts that don't fit seem entirely randomly distributed through the production run, which makes me think Bandai have been outsourcing the production to alternate factories, possibly with alternate molds that aren't made to the same tolerances.

Or.. I actually wonder whether the 31AX is literally a kitbash.  What if it was cobbled together from extra parts and molds left from the original 31 production runs?  The ones that were almost up to spec?  That would explain a lot.

My YF-19’s ankle broke as soon as I was gettin ready to transform it for the first time and it was not the premium finish 

So yeah, it happens to everyone