Hi-Metal R Fire Bomber (VF-19 Fire Valkyrie, VF-11 MAXL, VF-17T)

[sh9000]

From Figure King # 314.

[MKT]

https://hobby.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/interview/1577662.html

Interview with Mr. Tsutomu Terashima, from Bandai Spirits Collectors Division (apparently also involved in the DX Chogokins) - please use browser translation. I find it interesting because there never was any interview with anyone within Bandai before for our Macross toys, at least not in recent memory.

Couple of notes:

1. It will be matte, instead of glossy like the old HM.

2. New sound booster is likely to be made, but not actually confirmed yet.
 

[scand]

Can someone give me a quick TLDR synopsis of the The new release vs the old Hi-metal release... So far, i've just gotten it's matte not gloss.

[scand]

3 minutes ago, scand said:

Can someone give me a quick TLDR synopsis of the The new release vs the old Hi-metal release... So far, i've just gotten it's matte not gloss.

N/M Saw Noel's post from a couple of pages back... looks like a new sculpt.

[sh9000]

Just in case if the pieces are compatible.

[Chronocidal]

1 hour ago, scand said:

N/M Saw Noel's post from a couple of pages back... looks like a new sculpt.

Not exactly new... it's a shrunken Yamato VF-19.   But yes, very different from the original HM Fire Valk.

[scand]

50 minutes ago, Chronocidal said:

Not exactly new... it's a shrunken Yamato VF-19.   But yes, very different from the original HM Fire Valk.

Yeah the original looks much sleeker in Battroid mode.

[jvmacross]

8 hours ago, MKT said:

I find it interesting because there never was any interview with anyone within Bandai before for our Macross toys......

Yeah...it's been a while...wonder what happened with Julian Oreska...seems he is still with Bandai, but he may have moved onto other things within the company...

 

 

[MKT]

9 hours ago, jvmacross said:

Yeah...it's been a while...wonder what happened with Julian Oreska...seems he is still with Bandai, but he may have moved onto other things within the company...

 

 

First time seeing it, thanks for posting this.
It is a long interview, gonna split into several watches.. 

[Shizuka the Cat]

Hmmm.... I wonder how much difference there is between the Hi-Metal R Fire Bomber VF-19 and the original Hi-Metal Non-R version of the same valkyrie.

I don't own the Hi-Metal Non-R version, so I have no idea how good it was.

Considering the differences between Hi-Metal R and non-R VF-1 Valkyries are relatively minor, I wonder if that is also the case for the VF-19.

[Slave IV]

25 minutes ago, Shizuka the Cat said:

Hmmm.... I wonder how much difference there is between the Hi-Metal R Fire Bomber VF-19 and the original Hi-Metal Non-R version of the same valkyrie.

I don't own the Hi-Metal Non-R version, so I have no idea how good it was.

Considering the differences between Hi-Metal R and non-R VF-1 Valkyries are relatively minor, I wonder if that is also the case for the VF-19.

There are a bunch of comparisons in this thread including an interview with Bandai a few posts above that explain the differences. This is a completely new mold as apposed to minor updates like the VF-1. 

[Chronocidal]

I picked up both of the old HM VF-19 releases years back, and they're distinctly "okay" in most respects.  They work well, and transform easily enough, but they're pretty long in the torso, and pretty gappy in fighter mode.

I think the biggest issue many had with them was the complete lack of any landing gear (they eventually made a base with gear that you could rest the valk on), and I don't believe they were able to mount the gunpod at all (whether the later VF-19S fixed this, I don't recall at the moment).

[m0n5t3r]

The cheap preorder price for the 19 Kai is very tempting... but what I want are Mac+ and MacF HMRs. C'mon Bandai!

[Mommar]

On 4/7/2024 at 2:36 PM, Shizuka the Cat said:

Hmmm.... I wonder how much difference there is between the Hi-Metal R Fire Bomber VF-19 and the original Hi-Metal Non-R version of the same valkyrie.

I don't own the Hi-Metal Non-R version, so I have no idea how good it was.

Considering the differences between Hi-Metal R and non-R VF-1 Valkyries are relatively minor, I wonder if that is also the case for the VF-19.

The differences are significant.

[Convectuoso]

4 hours ago, m0n5t3r said:

The cheap preorder price for the 19 Kai is very tempting... but what I want are Mac+ and MacF HMRs. C'mon Bandai!

If they make a VF-19, I don't see any reasons for Bandai to not make a YF-19 in HMR

[MKT]

The differences between the HM and HMR reminds me of the Yammie vs Arcadia YF-19.
Individually they look similar but look very different side by side. And all doubts on differences immediately dispelled the moment one picks them up in hand.

[Slave IV]

3 hours ago, MKT said:

The differences between the HM and HMR reminds me of the Yammie vs Arcadia YF-19.
Individually they look similar but look very different side by side. And all doubts on differences immediately dispelled the moment one picks them up in hand.

You’ve had the HM and HMR VF-19 in hand already?

[Chronocidal]

5 hours ago, Convectuoso said:

If they make a VF-19, I don't see any reasons for Bandai to not make a YF-19 in HMR

What I'd really love to see is them exploring the larger variety of VF-19 variants in this cheaper line.  Maybe pull some of the racing designs in, or more paint options we saw in games, or the Master File.. maybe a Nothung?  Please?  

Edited April 9 by Chronocidal

[Mommar]

2 hours ago, Slave IV said:

You’ve had the HM and HMR VF-19 in hand already?

Does he need to?  Old versus new side-by-side.  They're clearly different.

[Chronocidal]

Boy I wish Bandai would give its folks a lesson in how to pose mecha so they don't look like they're bored out of their minds.

[Master Dex]

1 hour ago, Chronocidal said:

Boy I wish Bandai would give its folks a lesson in how to pose mecha so they don't look like they're bored out of their minds.

"Yo like... Listen to my song... or whatever..."

[Slave IV]

1 hour ago, Mommar said:

Does he need to?

Kind of, if he’s going to say:

7 hours ago, MKT said:

And all doubts on differences immediately dispelled the moment one picks them up in hand.

We all already know they are clearly different from pictures. 

[Froy]

1 hour ago, Chronocidal said:

Boy I wish Bandai would give its folks a lesson in how to pose mecha so they don't look like they're bored out of their minds.

Reminded me of this

[MKT]

5 hours ago, Slave IV said:

Kind of, if he’s going to say:

We all already know they are clearly different from pictures. 

Haha ok I re-read my post, it sounds like I was really stating the obvious on the VF-19, but I was having the Yammie v Arcadia YF-19 in mind when I wrote that.
It's just I met some casual collectors who thought they are the same molds & only insist on the DX YF-19, and I can see their confusion even if Arcadia's have already been out a long time. I brought out my Arcadia YF-19 once and the look on one's face was priceless when they realise how the new mold was superior in every way to the Yammie. 

 

Edited April 10 by MKT

[Slave IV]

54 minutes ago, MKT said:

Haha ok I re-read my post, it sounds like I was really stating the obvious on the VF-19, but I was having the Yammie v Arcadia YF-19 in mind when I wrote that.
It's just I met some casual collectors who thought they are the same molds & only insist on the DX YF-19, and I can see their confusion even if Arcadia's have already been out a long time. I brought out my Arcadia YF-19 once and the look on one's face was priceless when they realise how the new mold was superior in every way. 

Haha, yeah I still consider Arcadia the best in the game. It says a lot that their designs from decade(s) ago not only hold up but are superior in ways to new stuff coming out from other companies. 

[m0n5t3r]

16 hours ago, Convectuoso said:

If they make a VF-19, I don't see any reasons for Bandai to not make a YF-19 in HMR

I just wish they'd hurry up. It's gonna be more than 1.5 years to get the three Mac0 valks when the 0A is released in May. If Bandai decides to make HMR Mac+ valks, it might take until 2030 or longer to complete. Just copy the Yamato/Arcadia or the HGs and get the ball rolling already. They already did it with this 19 Kai.

Edited April 10 by m0n5t3r

[sh9000]

Yep.  Bored out of their minds.

Edited April 11 by sh9000

[grogall]

On 4/10/2024 at 2:06 AM, Chronocidal said:

Boy I wish Bandai would give its folks a lesson in how to pose mecha so they don't look like they're bored out of their minds.

Just get the Magazine.... They where free!

 

[MKT]

HMR VF-19 Kai release date to be August 10.
 

[Convectuoso]

Is this real?

Edited August 8 by Convectuoso

[Big s]

2 minutes ago, Convectuoso said:

Is this real?

Don’t know, since I haven’t seen anything else about the basic buy yet, but I guess that could be coming this weekend, so we’ll find out soon enough 

[twich]

18 minutes ago, Big s said:

Don’t know, since I haven’t seen anything else about the basic buy yet, but I guess that could be coming this weekend, so we’ll find out soon enough 

Well, that looks pretty cool and is quite the stand display for a Hi Metal R toy! Looking forward to what is ahead!

Twich

[MKT]

Sound booster certainly is confirmed. Not surprisingly it’s a P-Bandai item.

https://tamashiiweb.com/item/15100/?wovn=en#!

Release: Feb 2025
PO Date: 09 Aug 2025
Price: Yen 6,600 (inc. 10% domestic tax)

[pengbuzz]

6 minutes ago, MKT said:

Sound booster certainly is confirmed. Not surprisingly it’s a P-Bandai item.

https://tamashiiweb.com/item/15100/?wovn=en#!

Release: Feb 2025
PO Date: 09 Aug 2025
Price: Yen 6,600 (inc. 10% domestic tax)

SOUNDA BOOSTA!!!!

[sh9000]

2 hours ago, Convectuoso said:

Is this real?

Yep but it looks like the HM Sound Booster and special stand now released together through the HMR line.  The stand will have gold for the text and new adapters will be included to connect the Sound Booster for HMR Battroid and Fighter modes.