Hi-Metal R

[mickyg]

Now that's exciting!

[Saburo]

Thanks for posting photos Renato!

That is cool, its awesome to get an peek into the design process.

Edited December 1, 2014 by Saburo

[spanner]

Here's Kawamori making further revisions to the CAD files just last week. There is no way these are anywhere near ready yet.

hmmm! this does look very interesting indeed!

[McFly!!]

Thanks for posting photos Renato!

That is cool, its awesome to get an peek into the design process.

Seconded! Thanks, Renato!

[TheFallen]

So is that tidying up some of the issues people were having with these, especially the nose one?

[jenius]

So is that tidying up some of the issues people were having with these, especially the nose one?

I suspect we will all need to wait and see... but if he's suggesting a removable nosecone there might be more than 'tidying up' going on.

[alchemo]

Kawamori and the design team of the 1/72 fully transformable kit...

http://bandai-hobby.net/site/character_macross_img/02_130125a.jpg

http://bandai-hobby.net/site/character_macross02.html

[SaitouSad]

The only thing I would hope they could change is to have integrated heat shields. That was probably the only thing that bugged me about the VF-1S Hi-Metal I own.
Otherwise, they're a nice scale to mess around with, without worrying about breakage.

[lechuck]

Great, so it's not just a straight re-release.

If anybody from Bandai is reading this, PLEASE ADD SIDE COVERS!!!

[Froy]

Any words about if this will have delivery bars for the legs like on the 1/72 kit?

[daBlah!]

Any words about if this will have delivery bars for the legs like on the 1/72 kit?

Great, so it's not just a straight re-release.

If anybody from Bandai is reading this, PLEASE ADD SIDE COVERS!!!

Something like this would cover both of those maybe... at the hi-metal scale would this be too fiddly to be worth while doing?

[close313]

The 1/72 transformable is fiddly enough.. nope

[Vifam7]

Any words about if this will have delivery bars for the legs like on the 1/72 kit?

Hopefully not. The Hi-Metal has one of the best and easiest transformations. No need to mess with it.

[jenius]

Most of these requests make much more sense for the inevitable 1/60 dx toy.

[McFly!!]

Most of these requests make much more sense for the inevitable 1/60 dx toy.

i do hope that it's inevitable!!! XD

[jvmacross]

[NeoverseOmega]

Definitely - I think the 1/100 already does so much right if they scaled that basic design up to 1/60 and added integrated heat shield, landing gear, transforming side covers (as shown above) and the mechanical detail for the inner transformation parts they had on the model kit, it would be enough of an upgrade to make people snap it up. I'm debating about the anime accurate leg transformation though - it looks cool, but for it to be more solid than that floppy model it needs to be metal. In theory getting rid of that swing bar in the back can allow them to bring the chest and back closer together getting rid of some of the gappiness behind the head and allowing the side-covers to fit, but if it makes keeping the legs clipped on in either mode less stable it might not be worth it.

As far as the 1/100 scale . . . .

I've always considered myself a perfect transformation kind of guy, but in this case I can live with a tweaked version of the current 1/100 for two major reasons. For one, I do think it already has some advantages over the Arcadia in design and proportions (particularly in battroid mode), and secondly,if they can keep the price point under 90 dollars, I can actually get a full collection.

As it stands, I can buy at best one valkyrie a year, and if anything goes wrong (furnace goes out, moving, etc.) that's not even an option - now that the Arcadia releases are largely over three hundred, as much as I love them I've been largely priced out of the market. I scrimped and saved for a VF-4 (which if you've seen me on that thread you know was my dream valk), I was forced to move and the money I saved ended up having to be put into the security deposit. Similarly the money saved for the Arcadia VF-19 went out with my furnace. Up to this point, my goal has simply been one of each - one vf-1, one VF-19, etc. At this price range I could buy the entire Vermillion squadron for less than that one VF-0D and possibly still give them an enemy mecha to pose with without feeling like I'm destroying my budget.

If anything, I would change the 1S head and skull placement, tweak the nosecone and cockpit (I suspect kamawori is thinking of making the nosecone removeable so that the GBP armor doesn't have the extended crotch 1/48th yamato had) and touch up the foot joint mechanism because it can be a tad floppy. While I'd love to see an integrated heatshield, if it takes it over 90 bucks I can live without it. Overall even if they left the design alone at a low enough price point, I'd snatch these up (heh, I can paint over that awful skull and steal a decal) - knowing that improvements are being made gives me cautious hope.

Edited December 1, 2014 by NeoverseOmega

[EXO]

I'm on the PT heatshield camp. It's not a deal breaker but I think that was the one minor gripe I had. If by some miracle they can do it, then that's a major accomplishment that is definitely a plus for the toy.

Seeing the sidecovers on the 1/72 is pretty cool but that's something that I can live without if they left it out. I'm just for anything that makes transformation fun and complete when just fiddling. Having to go back for the heatshield on the display or worrying I might lose it is more cumbersome than the empty hole on the side in battroid.

[Frogze]

Guys here's a pic of my broken hi-metal gerwalk joint. My max has a similar break but on the inside of the hip. I suspect this failure might be a common one

Edited December 1, 2014 by Frogze

[Zinjo]

That spartan has decided to go out clubbing tonight!

Always hated that damn club!!!

Give it a GU-11 and let it kick some serious a**!

[jvmacross]

Never bring a club to a gunpod fight...

[Mommar]

Guys here's a pic of my broken hi-metal gerwalk joint. My max has a similar break but on the inside of the hip. I suspect this failure might be a common one

That sucks man. Dunno how widespread it is. Both my Hikaru and Max 1J's are fine but I don't ever transform them from Battroid and only rarely pose them so maybe there hasn't been enough wear.

[TheFallen]

I have seen a few people mention integrated heat shield and integrated landing gear. I doubt both would be able to be done (although it would cool if it was) so is there one you would prefer over the other?

At a guess, I'd say the integrated heat shield would be the most desirable for the majority of people.

[close313]

I'd like to have the heat shield integrated over anything else.

Is there a way to view the original video where the shots are from? It only looks like Kawamori was just adjusting and fine tuning the proportions such as the nose cone tip and other small components and not really delving into the mechanism of the design. So i wouldn't put too much faith into the heat shield change, but it wouldn't hurt to hope for it.

[Frogze]

That sucks man. Dunno how widespread it is. Both my Hikaru and Max 1J's are fine but I don't ever transform them from Battroid and only rarely pose them so maybe there hasn't been enough wear.

It does right? Lucky for you yours is fine

I've also checked my Roy which was only transformed 5 or 6 times and found he has a very very thin crack on the inside of the hip hinge too... so it's broken on all of mine, great! I don't think I've used excessive force while transforming so watch out when handling this joint, guys. The break is actually extremely thin and hardly visible. So far it doesn't hinder the transformation of poseability but still a bummer and it seems like a hard thing to fix with glue.

I really hope Bandai will address this problem on the future reissues

[RyuRoots]

I have 7 in total (DYRL Skull Squadron with super/strike packs is 4, Hikaru and Max TV-1J's, and a spare VF-1S to display without the packs) and they've all been transformed a fair bit, never had any issues. Can't say I've heard of any issues like this before now, but sorry you've had trouble with them, Frogze.

[TheFallen]

My Hi-Metal VF-19S arrived and I am rather impressed. It isn't perfect but if they new Hi-Metals are of this standard (or even better) then I think this will be a great line.

[spanner]

Something like this would cover both of those maybe... at the hi-metal scale would this be too fiddly to be worth while doing?

This is on the 1/72 transformable model kit eh!? I never noticed this before! those fold out side covers are a very nifty idea! Shame the 1/60's don't have this system.. I've never used those optional fill pieces they come with..

[Chronocidal]

I'm pretty sure that isn't the standard way those panels work. In the earlier pictures, they push back and lock against the back plate instead. I think someone modded them to get them to fold sideways like that.

Cool idea, but that kit is already far too intricate for its size.

[Frogze]

I have 7 in total (DYRL Skull Squadron with super/strike packs is 4, Hikaru and Max TV-1J's, and a spare VF-1S to display without the packs) and they've all been transformed a fair bit, never had any issues. Can't say I've heard of any issues like this before now, but sorry you've had trouble with them, Frogze.

Thanks for checking yours RyuRoots!

I do hope it's only happened on my samples and not a general widespread flaw. I guess it is just bound to happen though, given the plastic and the nature of the hinge Bandai used on this joint (metal "spring" type hinge which applies pressure externally).

I guess it's a good excuse to get the HMR vf-1 releases as backup in case my current set finally crumbles

Edited December 5, 2014 by Frogze

[TheLoneWolf]

I'm sorry to hear about your Hi-Metals, that really sucks.

I just checked my Roy, Hikaru, and Max Hi-Metals and thankfully they don't have any cracks. And for what it's worth, I do fiddle with the Roy and Hikaru VF's a bit from time to time.

[Black Valkyrie]

No updates ?

[Gakken85]

Very cool to see this line coming back to life. It seems like bandai isn't happy that Arcadia is in business though and they are trying to eat their lunch.

I'd be in for a spartan, as that's probably the only way I'll be able to get one that isn't a model.

[Kanedas Bike]

This Hi Metal thread is awesome to read.

There is no way that I'd dump my Yamato or Arcadia collection of VF-1's for this line. If anything all Arcadia would have to do is cut the SRP slightly and release some in-demand Valkyries and a significant number of people would stop paying attention to these.

-b.

[jenius]

Lolz... Arcadia reducing MSRP...