Legend of the 1/55.....historic events....

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

Hey all.

I have read through the numerous commentaries on the 1/55 and HCM on toyboxdx and valk factory written by matt alt. BUt many questions I feel are still left unanswered. The 1/55 was the sole toyline we wanted reissued for many long years. During the great valkyrie drought after the 80s, even a joon would suffice to some of us during the beginning of this century. Here we had a lot of fans canabalize jetfires and mod them into macross color schemes. The 1.55 serie was reissued with bad timing, had they been reissued a year earlier they might have sold a lot better, but when they were released the 1/60 line was already taking its step to the macross threshhold and seducingfans with its looks.

nonetheless, the 1/55 remains a legend. But how did it alll start out? For example. We know takatoku got the license either 1981 or 1982. But did they compete at all against another company? operhaps bandai was a competitor for license and when lost, had a grudge. Perhaps this is why they bought the molds when takatoku folded and made the DYRl toys. it was known that they were rivals.

Did any of you ever wonder what would have happened if takatoku had not folded? Like what if they were planning a line similar to HCM but it never took off?

Perhaps a new mold 1.55 with mountable missles and gun pod. The possibilities are endless. The VF-1 1/55 is one of the best transforming toys ever made. It is a shame that we never saw what takatoku could have done to it in order to improve it. I am not sure if I am right but I am under the impression that the DYRL molds were done but the company folded before they could be released.

Also. Whatever happened to the genius who designed the toy? where did he go? perhaps he now works for yamato? (unlikely but it would be cool)

if bandai EVER makes an HCM 2 or Soul of mecha VF-1 It would be wonderful if they tracked hte original toy designer down and had him work on it.

Don't you all ever wonder? I wonder. What if he saw jung and kidkorrupt and everyone else like rosario's work..what would he say? If he had a chance to twerk the 1/55, what would he do? If he was working for bandai against yamato, what would he envision to take down the 1/48?

Nonetheless the toy has lasted 20 years and even the vintage ones can still stand up in good quality. A legend who wont break under good circumstances, and still looks good at the same time. What a great toy the 1/55 is. I mean toyline.

[Mechamaniac]

If he had a chance to tweak the 1/55, he would make it into a 1/48. It leaves the chunky monkeys in the dust.

[robokochan]

Well Said! Bring on the 1:55's!

[Jawjaw]

That would be a good read.

[salsaking]

Yes, the 1/48 blows the 1/55 to dust in just about every department, but the 1/55 is still the undisputed king of sturdiness. The thing was probably primarily designed to be a toy and not a display item, and it shows.

Sure, I got Yammies on display and I transform them once in a while and they look beautiful. But nothing beats the quick and painless transformation of an old chunkey monkey...

[jasonkimberson]

1/55's are built tough and built to last~!!!

[Wabbit]

No 1/55, no 1/48!

[Opus]

I thought I remembered reading that Kawamori himself designed the 1/55 out of paper to prove that it could be made in order to get the finacial backing for the animation, or something like that.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

YES we need history folks! Graham, Egan, anyone?

I too remember hearing about the paper variable but I don't recall if that was for the actual 1/55 toy.

the proto pics are in the magazine scans of macrossworld. The prototype of the VF-1J seemed to have an opening canopy. BUt the toy itself looked kind of crappy compared to the evenmtual takatoku VF1J. I dont think the takatoku designer would make a /48, he is an experienced designer from the old school where as nishikawa is most likely relatively young in comparison. either way I am sure the takatoku genius design wqould be different.

I wonder if anyone has the prototype blueprints or at least plans or ideas of where the 1/55 line was headed before the rather out of nowhere bankruptcy. On back of the takatoku boxes, there were pictures of enemy suits, batle pods, and a hikaru 1J with zfast packs. I am thinking that perhaps the Vf-1J was set to have the fast packs in a giftset until the series was cut short and hikaru recieved skull 1 in the show after focker died. perhaps had the line gone longer, we may have had battle suits!

the prototype VF-1S on back of the fast pack box...or on front..perhaps that was the next evolutionary step for the chunky monkey?(i know it wouldnt vbe exactly like that but hey it may have loooked real close).

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

uhm oh yea guys. please dont turn this into a 1/60/48 vs 1/55 battle thread. ZThis thread is simply for the "hidden" history of the 1/55 series.

[JValk]

selling on ebay - the original paper chunky monkey. can you imagine? i wonder if "priceless" would be the Auto-bid...

[fifbeat]

Good post.

[ChristopherB]

Kawamori uses Legos. I've heard several stories about him and his Lego valkyries, used to test transformation, and I think I've even seen a picture.

His first "valkyrie" was able to transform, I'm not sure if it was a "perfect transformation" or not.

He was having a hard time figuring out where the arms would go when in plane mode, and then he realized that the space that the F14 has in the middle, would be perfect.

His initial transforming valkyrie was either cardboard or Lego, I can't recall for sure.

Kawamori was integral in the 1/55 design, and the VF-1J head did not have a chin, because some of his initial VF-1J designs did not have a chin. So if you call the VF-1J a "chinless wonder" you are actually mocking Kawamori.

The 1/55 is the original mass produced transformable valkyrie and holds a special sentimental place in my heart.

[UN Spacy]

Kawamori uses Legos. I've heard several stories about him and his Lego valkyries, used to test transformation, and I think I've even seen a picture.

I remember Noel posted a couple of photo's from Wondercon 2003 (I think it was WC 2003).

He was lucky enough to even get a picture with the Hory Froating Head. But, I remember seeing one or two photos of Kawamori holding a SV-51 made out of LEGO's.

Now....if I could only find Noel's (Blackaces) home page.

[Valkfan]

He guys, what's up? I think that we are able to see what the 1/55 additions were going to be by looking at some of the ads that Takatoku had placed in magazines and other advertisments. I know that the new versions shown were custom but they wouldn't have been advertised if Takatoku hadn't already decided on producing the new additions. I forget where I copied these pictures from, so I apologize for not being able to name the source. However that may be, I sure would like larger higher resolution versions of them to admire.

[Valkfan]

Here's another one that I think was a cool teaser that unfortunately never came to be.

[imode]

Lookie, it's a Max TV 1A and an Angel Birds!

[Valkfan]

I think that these ads make it a sure bet that Takatoku was going to make the Max VF-1A and the VF-1D next. If you notice in the second photo, both versions are there but have a primary color of gray. I'm not sure if that color works for the VF-1D, but the VF-1A Max would look Bad A**!!!

Rick

[Skull Leader]

There is an image in one of the TIAS books I have of the Takatoku VF-1J prototype.... and it is DAMN FUGLY..... I was glad they made the changes they did.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

ya know guys im sure SOME company would have tried taking on takatoku bfore teh license. Te question is, who was it? If it was bandai I really wonder if there initial prototype resembled the HCM.

The head sculpts in the above ads are certainly different. The VF-1S molds for the head looks really good to me. Bette than both the mold eventually used and way btter than the one used on the 1990 reissue.

I wonder if legos were around back then in 82. If so it would be nice to see kawamoris original lego assisted design.

I would LOVE to see bandai go ahaead and finish what takatoku had planned, make VF-1D, Vf-A max and angel birds. Geez takatoku had it all planned out then!

and yes its true. the hory froating one himself has a place in his heart for the chunky monkey as well., IN an interview a few years ago, the all time fav toy of his was the original takatoku VF1J.

I want to know what else was planned;..like even more concrete info. I also want to know if enemy pods WERE planned or if they were just decoration on the back of the boxes., Also....where did thje designer of the toy go off to? Perhaps with yamato now? That would be a sweet touch. You know somewhere in the rising sun i bet there is a locked vault gathering dust with documents about what the line was supposed to evolve into.

maybe someone will win it off of ebay japan.

A legacy that lives on...

[Opus]

I wonder if legos were around back then in 82. If so it would be nice to see kawamoris original lego assisted design.

Legos were definately around in 82. I can remember being all excited by Star Wars and tring to build stuff out of Legos all the way back in 78.

[Jawjaw]

Legos have been around since the mid or early 60's but they were much simpler back then.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

good to know it was lego. as long as its not a valk made out of duplo LOL>

I wonder if matt alt will drop by and give us commentary on what he knows. I wonder if graham has extensive knowledge of takatoku like he does of yamato.

Ever wish there was a book documenting the rise and fall of takatoku and the legacy they started with the 1/55? that makes for good reading.

[jwinges]

I remember back in about 1980 I made a 3 ft long X-wing out of legos. Sold it to a friend so I could get a new bike. The lego technology was definitely there for a perfect transformation valk.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

hmmmmm. A thought just occured to me. The original valk ddesign was based on kawamoris parody breast fighter concept. could takatoku have in fact made a proto of that as well? It surprises me how the bandai/takatokus 1/55 background stories(opreoroduction plans, competitors. rivals, design decisions what could have been etc) is not documented much.

I also wonder if mounted missles were ever on the minds of the designers.

[Black Valkyrie]

I really wish that Bandai reissued the last 3 remaining VF-1`s or at least improve the VF-1`s design and transfomation or make HG, MG & PG kits of it.

[Zentrandude]

they might have done alittle better if they put out the 1/100 but redesign so that it has everything the 1/55 had that the smaller ones didn't before.

[Valkfan]

I to would love it if Bandai would produce more 1/55's. However, I think that they should leave at least one of the DYRL 1/55's out of their plans so that collectors have something that's special and rare. I really think that they should only release new variants as opposed to 3 more reissues. I believe that there are only 8 other variations that need to be made to make a truly complete collection. Here they are listed below.

SDF Macross Television Valkyries

1) Max VF-1A

2) Kakizaki VF-1A

3) Alaska Base TV VF-1A (green paint scheme like Max and Kakizaki)

4) VF-1D

5) Angel Bird VF-1A

DYRL Valkyries

6) Max VF-1A

7) Max VF-1S

8)Kakizaki VF-1A

Please let me know if I've left anyone out. And please don't include the "VF-1R"

Edited April 6, 2004 by Valkfan

[Valkfan]

I just thought about this one. What about a new kit that contained these parts:

1) updated Hikaru VF-1J nose section with removable canopy cover

2) parts to correct the incorrect gray Max/Millia elbows

3) tail wing replacement parts with the correct color scheme for the Cannon Fodder

4) new and improved head replacement sculpts

5) smaller more attractive swing bars

6) replacement landing gear wheels and shoulder hinges that are plastic plated to cover the diecast metal

Yeah, I know it's never gonna happen, but imagine if it did.

Rick

[kanata67]

thats the right idea...

Lord knows I would happily buy the "hot pink" bandia re-issue ve-1 elintseeker and let the collectors enjoy their easy to spot originals.

come to think of it... isn't that what gi-joe has been doing for a while? I was looking for landing gear for the sr-71 night raven I bought off ebay and saw they had released a silver version at some point. I believe I saw a desert camo rattler the last time I was at TRU.

Seems the best way to not upset collectors who have originals while meeting the clamor of fans who want one at "not collectible" prices

I bet I'm not the only one with something to say about

"If I ran bandai...."

Back to the topic on hand... I'd like to know more about how matsushiro fit in between bandai and takatoku. I'd also like to know a bit more about joon's [the company itself and how they did their molds, etc] as well as the taiwan and french bootlegs.

All I really know about matsushiro, and keep in mind I'm probably way wrong, is that they aquired "some" molds from takatoku and released the british space fighter. From there they worked a deal to supply hasbro with jetfires and promptly went out of business, selling the molds and the hasbro jetfire deal to bandai.

Why didn't bandai just buy the molds at the get-go?

Why hasn't bandai done a gundam [yes I know about the hcm but it's a collectible] version of the macross stuff? Could you imagine a perfect grade sdf-1 or destroid monster? I've seen some of the gundam stuff out now and can't help think that a robot that actually transforms into a plane is cooler than a robot that goes from being a robot to being a robot lying on it's stomach with a jet pack

Edited April 6, 2004 by kanata67

[Solscud007]

1/55's are built tough and built to last~!!!

"like a rock"

[izzyfcuk]

Now....if I could only find Noel's (Blackaces) home page.

Noel's homepage is

www.blackaces.com.sg

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

Hmm. I wonder if any japanese books or magazines documented the rise and fall of takatoku. theres GOTTA be something.

I hope one day, some publisher in japan becomes ambitious and decides to make a hardcover fcoffee table book on the 1/55. How it started, who takatoku fought for the license, all the protos of 1/55 stuff never made, what it would evolve into, the competitors prototypes, the final nail in the coffin for takatoku, how the original 1./55 designer feels about yamatos 1.48 and rival bandai using takatoku molds for the reissues, his viewe on HCM and MPC, what he and his team are doing now in the toy industry, what plans the 1/55 was set to undergo before takatokus surprising demise, and such. Itd be nice to see what happened or what was supposed to hapen. Also what would he wanted to have done to mkae the 1.55 better and if there were any blueprints to change around or make a new valk toy altogether.

It puzzles me why bandai hasnt done anything either/ but chances are they are just lazy and incerdibly slow. once we go trough another macross drougt for a couple years, i bet yamato will come up with some new macross line to seduce us into while we crave more bandai, then out of nowhere i bet bandai willsuddenly reissue the DYRL strike 1/55. Then they willl become dustgatheres once more to bad timing.

takatoku RULES

[Opus]

I seem to remember that Bandai let thier Macross liscense expire so I wouldn't hold my breath on anymore reissues.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

you sure?

man dude they suck. But licensees are per scale so.....possiblities are open to HCM remakes if they get off their ass and make new molds.*(molds rumored to be destroyed in boating accident)

I also wonder if the takatoku officials were pissed bandai got their molds. After all what could they do their business was f***D.

Anyone here have any magazine scans of original protoys or what could have beens that are not on macrossworld, toyboxdx or cooljapanesetoys? if so please scan here!