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Bandai 1/72 Scale Macross Frontier Plastic Models


Graham

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This is the official thread to discuss the upcoming 1/72 scale VF-25 plastic model kits from Bandai.

This post will be edited with new pictures as they become available, so that members can keep checking this post for the latest info.

Both waterslide decals and peel-and-apply stickers will be included. Molded primarily in white and black plastic. The vast majority of striping and markings will need to be applied using the included decals *or* stickers---both sheets have identical markings, choose which type you wish to apply. Snap-fit assembly like any Gundam or Zoid kit. No paint or glue needed.

If you want to see everything that's in the kit including the instructions, go here: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10075554

Landing gear is removable, but not retractable. Transformation is perfect (if you ignore the gear and hands).

First release is Alto's, then Ozma's.

Edited by David Hingtgen
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Any idea about release date? Will the model be launch in April when the airing for the show start?

Can't tell if the surface details is good, I hope Bandai will do something resonable is not close to Hasegawa. If they produce something like the Gundam kits, we will either have to add more panel lines (if you have the skill, not me) or wait for years untill Hasegawa have a go in the future.

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Sculpt looks correct, but It seems like a one-piece-sculpt, not like Captain does. And I don't see details... I hope that the kits comes with a lot of panel lines, like the 3D animation have.

1/72 scale is a good news to modellers, but I will always waiting a Hasegawa Versions.

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Sculpt looks correct, but It seems like a one-piece-sculpt, not like Captain does. And I don't see details... I hope that the kits comes with a lot of panel lines, like the 3D animation have.

1/72 scale is a good news to modellers, but I will always waiting a Hasegawa Versions.

Well, I don't think Bandai will give up a good way to earn money. therefore, it's impossible for Hasegawa to get the warrant to produce the new series. but from these pictures I think, just maybe bandai will use part of Hasegawa's technology on VF-25S ^_^

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The bandai is the alive image of Anime, Apparently he possesses the models 3d of the series (for rights)... To my also I would like that Hasegawa was buying these models but this do that changing some aspects to the Model kit and they would make it different to anime ... though to Cool8or Does not like It (he has never sympathized whith Bandai in macross model kits. :wacko: )

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The kits will likely be non-transformable, simple and no frills, true to Bandai's previously-demonstrated lack of commitment to any non-Gundam anime.

It's so obviously that Bandai plan to use MF series to beat Hasegawa, Yamato even Toynami <_< that is why they change to choose 1/72 for kits and 1/60 1/100 toys

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I still don't get why Bandai and not Hasegawa, they went with them for like four different series and did an awesome job, why change?

Edited by Grayson72
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Is interesting that the 1/72 scale doesn't come with the Fats Packs but the 1/60 does...

This is a good strategy, practically they are telling us that they will sell it either together with another color scheme in a second release like Hasegawa did or it will be a separate release by itself costing just as much as the original model.. Now If the kit doesn't sell we wont see the Fast Pack version of it..

So far i am liking what I see. Let's see how the final products comes out like and how expensive it will become...

Edited by 007-vf1
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I still don't get why Bandai and not Hasegawa, they went with them for like four different series and did an awesome job, why change?

In the la-la land of licensing, product "quality" and fanbase preference mean jack sh*t. He who makes the "better" product does not necessarily earn the licensor mo' money. It's all about making money, and making deals to make even mo' money. Bandai likely just made a more interesting offer. Been there, done that, pulled the long knives out of my back after the fact, etc.

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Well, I'm pretty happy. In fact I'm pretty excited. I can't wait to get my hands on these. I know Hasegawa > Bandai, but to be honest, if the detail is lacking, it's just an excuse to spend a bit more time on them making them up. Technology has changed between now and 'then', and I'm hoping that the end result will be sharp.

These sculpts look like they still have the steps in them from the CNC mill, so we are certainly not seeing final results yet. I can't wait to see them.

Edited by PetarB
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I still don't get why Bandai and not Hasegawa, they went with them for like four different series and did an awesome job, why change?

It's all about money my friend. You think Yamato and Hasegawa don't want to make toys and models for Frontier? Of course they do!

But Bandai is the major sponsor for Frontier, which means they paid several million bucks in sponsorship, which means they get the exclusive toy and model licensing rights for at least a couple of years.

Graham

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Well I'm filled with a bit of warmness, they are better than I thought they would be. Fingers crossed and the end product will be worthy.

Please bear in mind that what is being shown is basically just non-articulated statues printed out on a rapid prototyping machine from the anime CAD files. They where just quickly made so Bandai had something to show.

They are not at all representative of what Bandai's finished product will be.

Graham

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These sculpts look like they still have the steps in them from the CNC mill, so we are certainly not seeing final results yet. I can't wait to see them.

From the looks of it I'd say these prototypes were 'grown' a-la SLS or SLR rather than milled on a CNC Petar. But regardless I think the Cap'n's right - they look to be single mode to me (which IMO is a good thing). My main concern is how thick the styrene they use for the final product will be.That's my main problem with Bandai the thickness of the parts always kills the sense of scale and has a lot to do with the 'Toyness' factor of their model kits. Well that plus the lack of realistic detail and the re-god-damned-diculous depth of the few pannel lines that they do put in. We'll just have to wait and see I guess. I am liking the look of that sculpt so far mind you - That fighter mode is truly a thing of beauty! These may be the first non SDF/DYRL? Macross models I pick up.

Edit: After Graham's last post - Well let's all prey that they use the Anime CAD files for the entire process and go with single mode builds - 'cus those look just fabulous!

Edited by Chas
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Please bear in mind that what is being shown is basically just non-articulated statues printed out on a rapid prototyping machine from the anime CAD files. They where just quickly made so Bandai had something to show.

They are not at all representative of what Bandai's finished product will be.

Graham

With CAD there is almost no difference between Bandai and Hasegawa 's shape. but the big difference will be the details

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I like Hasegawa style too, but sometimes they may be overworked? There ARE so many details on the Hasegawa kits, but there ARE also nice touching designs in Bandai's products recent years. Let's just wait and see.

Edited by newca
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I wouldn't rule out a quality sculpt for Bandai. A lot of their kits have awesome detail in them (most anime stuff doesn't have a lot of panel lines or details to start with). They've also got some heavy guns to bear in the molding department. The 1/20 Votoms kit I purchased has awesome detail and a few multi - slide molded sprues. Painting will be a piece of cake with the way the parts are made. They make it easier on the modeler instead of putting seems in the middle of everything. I also haven't had a styrene quality issues with them before. Other well known brands I have (not Hase). - MT

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Please bear in mind that what is being shown is basically just non-articulated statues printed out on a rapid prototyping machine from the anime CAD files. They where just quickly made so Bandai had something to show.

They are not at all representative of what Bandai's finished product will be.

Graham

Shame they couldnt fing me the cad files, my brother has a RPM at his work place, he'd make me one or two.

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I love 1/72 scale! I can't wait for these suckers... if they're anything like the Bandai EX line for the Yukikaze, then I'd be satisfied (I only wished they were larger, with landing gears more in scale, they were too chunky for the size). However, they aren't cheap - in fact they were quite pricey for little 1/100 models and they were limited release too. Also with the first SuperSlyph, they made a version 1.5 which corrected some mistakes of the first kit and added much needed decals too - so it punished the early adopters too (me included - oh well...)

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one good thing about BanDai, they are cheap...

Huh? I never thought of them as being particularly cheap... 4000 yen for a Scopedog with nothing but a rifle? 5000 yen for MG Zeta v2? 7000 yen for the MG Hi-Nu?

I would like to see the final product, though - I have my doubts about Bandai but now that they're making Macross kits I'd like to see how they turn out.

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I'm smelling a MG or PG VF-25 down the road. One that's fully transformable with internal detail to boot.

Im smelling...Crap.

Another unassembled action figure. More heavy handed panel lines. And little value for money spent.

Also Mechtech bandai plastic is some of the worsti have dealt with. Their pressure points from their "friction fit" are so tight the plastic will split and crack in a short time. The feet of my Raiden and Shinden had to be disassembled, reenforced and cleaned up because of that. The only reason i spent any money for those was because they are the only game in town for those models. Bandai is the microsoft of the anime model world. They arent the best but sometimes they are the only ones out there.

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Let's all keep an open mind. Every model kit maker has made some beauties and some disasters. Yes, I'm sure even much revered Hasegawa has made some mistakes. In fact one could say the quality of a kit depends from kit to kit (for example Bandai's MG Gundam line is widely acclaimed but not all of them are winners).

And, how good a kit may also depend on one's personal taste. A minor issue for one maybe a dealbreaker for another.

In short it's really too early to judge the quality of a kit that has yet to be released!

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I agree. My previous experience in Bandai has been very disappointing. And then a few days ago I put together their Swordfish 2 and was pleasantly surprised at what a great kit it was. So let's not be too hasty to judge... we can only hope the 1/72 scale chosen is an indication they have no wish to annoy the Hasegawa series model builders... which should have other implications for quality.

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If they want to compete with Hasegawa and see the same long term sales, they'll have to produce a kit of the same quality.

Having exclusive rights to a design only sells so many kits. They discovered that with their poor Mac 7 kits.

You still see a 10:1 ratio of Hasegawa kits over the Mac 7 Bandai kits. If they resculpted the Mac 7 line in 1/72 with similar quality as Hasegawa, then they'd be real competition for the "old man" of Macross kits...

Particularly because a lot of fans would love quality 1/72 scale kits of many of the Mac 7 fighters, particularly the VF-17... A kit like that alone would generate many residual sales, since there are so many customs that can be created from it.

Edited by Zinjo
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Particularly because a lot of fans would love quality 1/72 scale kits of many of the Mac 7 fighters, particularly the VF-17... A kit like that alone would generate many residual sales, since there are so many customs that can be created from it.

Dream on...

Well, the Mac 7 kits are 13 years old, and Bandai not really just sat on it's ass since then. Judging from the latest EX kits, I think the quality differences to Hase will be noticeable only to the enthusiasts, and I can do without an abundance of rivet holes on my kits.

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Dream on...

Well, the Mac 7 kits are 13 years old, and Bandai not really just sat on it's ass since then. Judging from the latest EX kits, I think the quality differences to Hase will be noticeable only to the enthusiasts, and I can do without an abundance of rivet holes on my kits.

Yeah, rivet holes are so unrealistic on aircraft, not like the magical assembly of Gundams... :rolleyes:

As for the Mac 7 kits, the VF-17 is only one Bandai truly dropped the ball on.

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