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  2. pengbuzz
    NICE!! BTW: you can see the pre-shading on the craft, it's just a bit more subdued but I think that really works here! Looking really good here man!
  3. Duke Togo
    Did anyone read Kennedy's interview with Deadline? It certainly sounds like she's leaving because Disney was stifling her (and Lucasfilm). There's a lot of great stuff in that interview.
  4. KOG Water Dragon
    OK so the HG VF-31S is out.... And my HLJ pre-orders for the regular kit, deluxe kit, and decal sheet have all gone straight to back order. What a surprise.
  5. Seto Kaiba
    How can I put this gently? That's her doing her job. One of a producer's main responsibilities is ensuring that the production is as profitable as possible for the investors and whatever network, studio, theater company, etc. is putting the production together. Hell, there's an entire classic comedy movie built around the premise of producers abusing their financial authority for personal gain: Mel Brooks's The Producers. That's more an indictment of him than a defense of him, TBH. Like Gene Roddenberry, George Lucas is an auteur weirdo who isn't a very good writer and functions best when he has a small army of people filtering and polishing his ideas for him. As Harrison Ford once said to Lucas about his writing "You can type this sh*t but you sure as hell can't say it." Filoni is a promoted fanboy, and like many promoted fanboys working on franchise fiction he's blinded by his profound affection for the source material. He has a very narrow view of what Star Wars is and what kind of stories Star Wars can tell, and that's reflected in his body of work. He's an imitator not an innovator. His creative "comfort zone" is what Star Wars was when he was a regular fan. It's a sucker bet that his attachment to The Clone Wars has a lot to do with it being where he worked with his idol, George Lucas. That's why so much of his work feels like Expanded Universe franchise slop. He's not interested in broadening Star Wars's horizons and exploring what new and different kinds of stories the setting could accommodate. He wants the comfort of the familiar. So what he writes are elaborate and unnecessary backstories for minor/secondary characters and factions (e.g. the Tales anthology) and various forms of The Continuing Adventures stories built around established characters and their descendants that are positively infested with fanservice, continuity nods, and tie-ins. Everything has to revolve around the Jedi and/or tie back into the Skywalker Saga too, as though they were the center of the universe and literally the only thing happening in the galaxy. Not being crap is kind of what sets Andor apart in the first place. It stands out by not being franchise slop. Filoni builds Star Wars stories around tie-ins and references to other stories, pre-established characters, homages, and other forms of continuity porn. The character writing in his stories is never better than mediocre because the story treats the characters more like props than people. Their interactions are shallow and superficial most of the time because they're just filling time between action scenes. Andor is character-first writing. That's why it's so much better than the others. It takes pains to ensure the audience gets to know the characters as people and get invested in the struggles they face. Not just the protagonists, the antagonists too. References to other Star Wars characters and titles are little more than set dressing because all attention is on the interactions between the characters. You could take it out of the Star Wars universe and it would be just as compelling because its connection to the rest of Star Wars is not a main focus of its story. This is a perfect example of the above. The Mandalorian's third season was where continuity nods and whole-plot references to other Star Wars media fully overtook Din's story as the driving force of the plot. The whole thing is an attempt to tie up a plot thread from The Clone Wars that Rebels had already picked up and run with. Ahsoka was an unasked-for continuation of Rebels after that story had reached what was Very Definitely The End (Rebels itself being an almost-direct continuation of The Clone Wars) that only really exists to get two fan favorite characters back into play: Thrawn and Ezra. Its story is extremely heavily dependent on Clone Wars tie-ins to the Mortis Gods arc and the Witches, both of which were kinda dumb even in their original context. The Acolyte is a promoted fan creator's love letter to Expanded Universe media and has a plot structured almost entirely around callbacks to Prequel Trilogy and Clone Wars events. Its writing suffered terribly because its characters and entire first season story were largely irrelevant to the story's actual goal of introducing the mentioned-but-never-seen Darth Plagueis and providing a backstory for the terminally underdeveloped Knights of Ren. Its showrunner was so sure everyone was as invested in her fanservice as she was that it lost the audience almost right away and got cancelled before it did any more than hint at its goal. That's a problem with franchise fiction. Once a franchise is popular enough, finding a creator who understands the assignment but can balance affection for the source material with the need to tell a compelling story that is accessible to everyone is REALLY FREAKING HARD. Star Wars, as a cultural icon, is stuck with a lot of writers who adore Star Wars and thus are mostly writing Star Wars fan fiction and finding a capable writer who isn't a fan and will put in the effort to tell a compelling story is a big ask.
  6. Today
  7. grogall
    What's up with the non-painted joints on the ATM-09-ST Scopedog releasing in February when the Melquiyan version goes back to the old way? If the wanted that unit to be different then the RSC release they should have just given it a different unit #. I thought the new joints where an update to make it better but then they go back to the way they where previously coated!? Sort of don't get it??? šŸ¤”
  8. derex3592
    Great little prop effect @electric indigo! Over here the BUFF is getting some decals today! Those lines on the rear were slightly stress inducing but I decided to take the discretion is the better part of valor, easy-er route and slice them up before applying... But they look EXACTLY like they are supposed to look so YAY me? Academy thinks you're going to do them in 2 parts... Yeh.... Right... LOL šŸ˜‚
  9. Papa Rat
    Since Iā€™m getting a better grip on using my phone camera I took a few glamor shots of a previous build Iā€™d like to share. This is the 1/144 IMS LED. Iā€™m a sucker for these fancy paints yet they allude me when trying to take a photo.
  10. Big s
    I donā€™t necessarily think we need more like Andor, just less crap. Mando had a decent first two seasons, but that third was trash. Ashoka was crap and the Acolyte was also garbage. They just need better writers overall. I personally donā€™t care whoā€™s in charge or whatever, but something big needs to change with the writing and how these shows are put together. The acting and effects are fine, but just like everything Disney, the writing is where things are failing. And they donā€™t even have to be the worlds greatest writers, just not the garbage writers they currently employ
  11. Papa Rat
    Yeah thatā€™s a great idea!
  12. Big s
    Itā€™s definitely a great effects pice. Youā€™re gonna have to try it on a helicopter kit someday
  13. grogall
    "Armament optional parts for HI-METAL R scope dog" that is can be ordered at the same time as HI-METAL R scope dog (MELQUIYAN FORCES) unit. This set comes with plenty of optional parts to strengthen the separately sold "METAL R Scope Dog". SWAT-38, 9 Tube Shoulder Missile Gunpod, GAT-49min, 50mm Pentatrooper (are new shape so far), SAT-03 Solid Shooter Bazooka and ATC-BR1-S Round Mover, and their lineups are abundant. " A special pedestal with a large title logo of "Armored Trooper V.O.T.O.M.S." is also included.
  14. Papa Rat
    That came out great! Such a neat idea with the prop. I remember you posted some tests you were doing with those. It really came out great and does convey a sense of movement/energy. The photo composition is also wonderful at that angle ā™„ļø so vibrant too.
  15. grogall
    Hobby Japan Web has released more detailed images of the ATM-09-ST (MELQUIYAN FORCES) unit. Not a lot of things we didn't see, but some nice closeups of the mech..... We deliver plenty of gimmicks that you are interested in from the "HI-METAL R Scope Dog MELQUIYAN FORCES) Equipment" that you are receiving orders to newly shaped accessories! In addition, we also introduce the weapons option parts that can be ordered at the same time! [ Armoured Trooper V.O.T.O.M.S.] It has been decided to release the "Scope Dog (MELQUIYAN FORCES)" and "Armament Option Parts for Scope Dogs" that were exhibited at TAMASHII NATION 2025. This time, we will verify what kind of specifications each one has. "HI-METAL R Scope Dog (MELQUIYAN FORCES)" is currently being made available to ordered as a Tamashii Store sales item. " He appeared from the first episode of "Armored Trooper V.O.T.O.M.S." and is an AT that fought with the unit that Chiriko transferred. In the product, the coloring of the HI-METAL R scope dog has been changed to purple in the MELQUIYAN colour. A newly shaped large weapon GAT-35 Long Gun and a ATP-BP1-ST Parachute Pack are included as accessories. The AT pilot's action figure is also included and can be put in the internal cockpit. The body is colored based on purple. Each part has a different mark from the previously released Scope Dog, and the crest of the MELQUIYAN army can be seen on the left waist part. The GAT-35 Long Gun, which became a newly shaped weapon, is quite large as an AT weapon, and it has been a weapon that has been rarely commercialized so far. Clear parts are used for the muzzle and lens, and the scope part is movable according to the head camera. The barrel can also be held with one arm. Another new optional part is the parachute pack. It is an impressive equipment that was used when descending to the city of Udo. The fabric and belt parts are shaped with an emphasis on texture. In addition, 3 spare magazines are included at the bottom. The parachute pack has a movable hinge in the center, and you can take a landing pose even when worn on your back. When the upper hatch is deployed, the parachute contained in the bag is exposed. This also contains details such as wrinkles and strings. Publisher/BANDAI SPIRITS Collector's Division, through (Hobby Japan Web) I really like the colour combination that Bandai has chosen for this unit! Hope it looks just a as good in hand!
  16. Phalanix-2 started following Phalanix
  17. grogall
    After watching the first two episodes....
  18. Roy Focker
    They're blinded by childhood nostalgia for the Clone Wars. See I never watched the entire series. I just saw a couple episodes each season. Usually the best and worst episodes. His fans only give him credit for the good ones. Average them out and he's just mediocre. If you include his live action it is just more mediocre.
  19. M'Kyuun
    That would be cool on its face, and perhaps usher in new designs to boot. I would also hope that in some way it'd annoy Harmony Gold.
  20. Hikuro
    It wasn't for everyone, but when it comes to people saying Dave Filoni is a genius or makes fantastic shows, I generally tend to remind them the awful mess that was Star Wars: Resistance, his third animated series considered by many to being one of the worst out there with cringe characters and poor storyline.
  21. electric indigo
    The debate is on:
  22. Duke Togo
    I'm sorry, but that's just not accurate. And Filoni being a student of Lucas is a mark against him, not for him. He has every bad tendency and instinct that Lucas had. And there was so much chatter about Filoni disagreeing with the direction Andor was taking Star Wars that Gilroy had to defend him to stop the gossip.
  23. TangledThorns
    My main issue with KK with her strong producer resume is that she put profit waaaay ahead of art. Filoni is a student of George Lucas and sees the art and source of Star Wars first and brought new amazing ideas. That being said, Star Wars needs moar ANDOR themed media and I hope that isn't lost.
  24. electric indigo
    The propeller is working šŸ˜„
  25. Duke Togo
    Have to agree here: Filoni is part of the problem.
  26. shazam
    I do miss not having the Misa 1/6 scale figures. I was at the '97 Hobby & Radio Control Fair at Tokyo Big Site where ARII were exhibiting the yet to be released Macross figure line that featured most of the fully painted 1/6 scale figures along with the 1/100 scale VF's. I was allowed to pick up the Roy Fokker figure to view. Both the Roy and Milia figures were a stand out among the other figures. At that stage I had video showing all of the displays. I lent out my normal camera to my friends to take photos of the things they liked at the fair. By the time we got out of the hobby fair, I realized that none of my friends bothered to take any photos of the ARII displays. I was too busy going around taking video myself of everything to stop and grab my normal camera. The photo below is the only surviving image of anything Macross (Bandai) from the '97 Hobby & Radio Control Fair.
  27. sh9000
    Robocop 2.
  28. sh9000
    Marvel Legends Retro Mysterio.
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