beatsing

2 minutes ago, Slave IV said:

I've grown to really like the 1A head. Probably because most my collection is of the 1S and 1J heads. Something about that big lens and unicorn laser is a nice change.

I really like the 1a head cuz it's realistic.  If it were in the real world, like the cameras attached to the bottom of spy planes or copters, you'd put the biggest sets of lenses, and the 1a has the biggest window and set of lenses, other than the elintseeker, which has the most realistic head imo.  The 1j and 1s head have such small lens.  

1 hour ago, sh9000 said:

Not on sale but the DX VF-1J Hikaru only came out to be $30 more than original price.

 

@sh9000 got a link?  still looking for a 1j.  Thanks in advance

2 hours ago, sqidd said:

I wonder if they have someone who peeks at this board.

If they did, they'd rerelease a bunch of stuff.  Why is Bandai taking so long to release the Tomahawk?  Did they decide to make a 1/48 DX like the yammie instead?

1 hour ago, sqidd said:

I thought you were looking for a reason why you would rotate/move the seats in real life. My brain went to G forces.

I see your point - blood rush to the head.  Would a moving/rotating cockpit be different from a rotating seat for G forces?  I don't know much about physics.  The dx vf31 and vf4 and mospeada Alpha add a lot more steps to put the cockpit in an upright position, but Kawamori's original design for the Vf1 had to rotate since it goes up the elevator for the VF1D scene with the battroid seat at the head.  I noted the MP Starscream has the rotating seat, so Kawamori still likes that design.  Just wondering if anyone knew why the complicated designs/more transformation steps in the more recent designs.  

1 hour ago, rocketblast said:

heh that's the thing I want to keep mine sealed when I get it, but I also want to look at it.  so I guess I have to open mine :O

I understand collectors buying 3 to display in each mode, but if it's sealed, then you're looking at a box.  Also the toy could be broken.  Are you planning on reselling it?  Or does the thought that it is minty sealed is what you want?  (not a joke, just curious)

49 minutes ago, Sanity is Optional said:

Dunno about yours, but for mine the inner trays are not taped together, as they were for previous DX toys. The only seal is on the outer box itself.

same.  I don't like the tape on the trays; they already snap together so the tape is redundant.  The seal on the outside box is good.

12 minutes ago, sqidd said:

Blood?

I dunno why blood?  My question is why do the more recent valk and mospeada designs have upright/rotating cockpits when Kawamori also designed the MP Starscream so that only the pilot seat rotates.  

aww shucks.  I really like that battroid seat.  

One feature that the newer design valks and even the Alpha Mospeada Riobot make the cockpit upright position, but the VF1 seats rotate vertically and elevator up to the head for the battroid seat scene.  The only Kawamori design I've seen do this is his Takara Masterpiece Starscream where the seat rotates vertically in robot mode and horizontal position in fighter mode.  Do you guys know why?

Catching up on this forum.  Didn't know about the Fokker.  Preorders for all Macross products should be like this.

Where's the tomahawk Bandai?

17 hours ago, Lolicon said:

I also often don't open stuff immediately when it arrives at my door. I have 2x sets of 31 armors that have yet to be opened, among other things. Still haven't opened my 19Fs or 17Ds yet. I bought the 19s in 2017. 

I do make a point to open and check the DX VF-1s immediately now after getting Bandai'ed on one of my 1J s. Same with Arcadia, after the 0 leg debacle. 

What is the defect with the 1J?

17 hours ago, Digitalfiend said:

Now that I think about it, I guess I'm the same but with board games and miniatures...my collection of Legion, 40K, Bolt Action, Flames of War, etc that I have left to paint is ridiculous; not to mention all the cool board games I bought to play with my wife and daughter, many of which haven't been opened.  Sort of went crazy the past couple of years when I rediscovered the hobby.  We only had Risk, Monopoly, and the occasional cool game like HeroQuest/Space Hulk and Car Wars when I was growing up, so the explosion of cool board games over the past little while has been hard to resist.

I hear it is a common thing for software developers to want to build something concrete...so that's my excuse.  Now I've got a LOT to build and paint and sometimes it feels overwhelming haha.

I'm trying not to go nuts with these Macross toys...you guys don't make it easy with all your pictures.

Did you see the new Bandai Warhammer kit?

17 hours ago, Slave IV said:

Haha, I have at least four large boxes full of model kits I haven't built yet. All of them are Star Wars figures.

me too back log

16 hours ago, PsYcHoDyNaMiX said:

Hahaha, then you're like Star Wars with how I am with Gundam and other mecha, LOL. I love star wars but I had to stop at 1/6th, regular figurine collectibles years ago. I was just lucky I spared myself from star wars model kits. XD

me too

5 hours ago, tekering said:

Actually, exchanges are often difficult even in Japan... and refunds are almost unheard of, unless it's an American company (like Toys 'R' Us).

You've gotta fight tooth-and-nail to get that kind of service from a retailer.

also no replacement since dx is out of stock for 1s and 1j

Some of this info might be old news to you guys with 1j:

I cracked open my dx Max.  It's so cool.  I really like the lens/eye, it's detail is sweet, all the little cameras - it looks like this is a spy plane for taking aerial shots of enemy territory when the head is hanging low in fighter mode.   The blue is even sweeter in hand than in the photos.  No double shoulders.   Cone is not loose, though I think peeps said it was on 1j.  The swing bar joint is not loose - the previous one I handled in store was loose.  I wasn't sure about this color scheme, since it's almost all plain white from above, but all the tampo markings remind me of Takara Masterpiece seekers - no step markings everywhere.  But the head doesn't have the arrow that my 1/60 v2 Hikaru 1a has that points forward (another member posted a pic of a custom with the yellow arrows on the sides of the 1a head that point towards the lens).  Intakes are nicely painted a metallic steel color.  Wings aligned level to each other in battroid and fighter.  A stance in gerwalk is the most of any macross toy so far.  Transformation is like the Yammie except for the shoulders which are the improvement from HMR- easy to transform, not like some Transformers with too many steps.  So much heft makes the yammies seem like model kits.  

Some things I noted: the legs are longer/taller than my 1j yammie, the cockpit is shorter and the cape/wings longer to the tip of the cockpit in battroid mode.  The proportions look more like the 1/60 ver 2.  But the legs are beefy like the 1/48 yammie.  Elbows are not ratcheted but the Yammie is.  The antennae is too long, it barely fits the opening in transformation sequence, though I like the "neck" more than the yammie.    6 hands that are DYRL? 2 hands that are TV for a TV release?  I don't mind the DYRL hands, just weird for the color scheme.  Where's the seat that pops up from the head?  Even the HMR has it now.  The joystick is so big it looks like it's for a 747 compared to Max.  The DYRL pilots are probably gonna be huge if Bandai does it like the HMR.  Finally middle fingers on Macross!

Really nice addition to my collection.  I think I'd collect more if orders are like this Max (and not like preorder madness).  A low viz Bandai and a M&M 1j.  Though I think the 1j and 1s aftermarket prices are ridiculous, if they rerelease, I'd order.  

I didn't order the fast packs or missiles yet.  Now that I have a Max, when and where should I order them from (without rip off prices)?

6 hours ago, sh9000 said:

Transformed the VF-1A TV Max to Battroid mode for the first time.  Very smooth and quick transformation.  As a fan of the HMR VF-1, to me the DX is like an oversized HMR with all of the details and features not possible for the HMR because of its size.  I love both the DX and HMR VF-1.  I just wish this had more TV hands.

Yes, those shoulders sliding is the same as the HMR improvement over the Yammie design.  The rest of the transformation is largely the same as the v2 yammies for both the DX and the HMR.  Except the swing bar separator.  and the improvement on the hips rotation, and the sideways thighs swivel.  

2 hours ago, vt102 said:

Maybe I'm not displaying it right? Cause with the super parts on, it doesn't seem to lock into place?  So once I had it set up in fighter mode on the stand. I haven't touched it in years. Still debating on selling my 48's....

Yeah with the super parts some of tabs don't lock like in naked mode.  But the v2 (I think, Macross gurus jump in here) added the tabs that the yammie 1/48 didn't have, which made the v2 feel really solid and not a floppy mess like many 1/48 yammie.  I'd suggest watching @jenius videos for transformation steps to get the parts in the position so they don't flop.  I think that's the reason my 1/48 and v2 are still pretty solid.  Do you mean the regular stand or the yammie DYRL stand?  I have both and I only use the DYRL stand for temporary display because it has balance problems.  

4 hours ago, vt102 said:

Um... to each his own. I love my 1/60 V2's. But maybe i'm just jealous that I didn't get any of these Bandai releases. Cause my Yamato 1/48 is a sloppy mess. I hate it. I just love their size. 

And I am not paying the inflated prices for these. So I guess I'm SOL.

My v2 are still in good shape, and my 1/48 is not floppy, although I don't play with it as much as others do with theirs.  The DX has got most of the tabs that lock in from the v2, but the size is the 1/48.  And some metal parts, but a crappy swing joint that separates.

As another mentioned, AJ had some good prices.  The 1S isn't likely to have prices like the 1a.

14 minutes ago, Saburo said:

drool

On 10/1/2019 at 7:29 AM, MKT said:

Agreed.. Nice one @Slave IV!

Also happen to think the VF-1 has the best looking gerwalk mode of all valks.

+1

18 hours ago, sqidd said:

Meanwhile, mine is still in Amazon shipping limbo.

 

still waiting

18 hours ago, jenius said:

Mine updated from showing the 4th as the expected date received to the 14th.

still

15 hours ago, vlenhoff said:

I personally think they both look gorgeous. To me the legs look better on the 1/60, while the knees and intake area take the price for the Bandai 1/48. You can't beat the amount of tampo on the 1/48, but with a little patience you can get close with stickers on the 1/60. I prefer the feet on thw 1/60 as well. BTW is that just a seam on the Bandai, or is it the foot design. Good panel lining & weathering on the 1/60 @Lolicon!

I like both and still keep both the 1/48 and 1/60 yammies.  The legs on the 1/60 are slimmer, and Bandai went with the Yammie 1/48 leg chunky proportions.  I like the 1/48 size and the DX gerwalk mode which is the most aggressive A stance to date.  The 1/60 was very aggressive compared to the 1/48 yammie A stance, but the ankles on the Dx are better for posing.  I noticed the seam on the metal feet of the DX too, and they are annoying.  Others on the board mentioned that they think the seam line is from the metal mold process.  I like the smooth feet on the yammies.  

14 hours ago, sh9000 said:

Picked up my first one.  Can’t wait to put it in some poses.

Can't wait, mine's in the mail

1 hour ago, Tenbatsu said:

New to the DX line, any suggestions on how to open the front landing gear of the 1A? Had a really hard time.

You can buy a part separator for model kits (it looks like a plastic spatula, or just use your nails.

2 minutes ago, seti88 said:

My simplest opinion i held from day one is that bandai just has a capacity issue.

They have so many lines with complex toys to maintain at a high standard. 

anyway who knows, am not in bandai.

 

That is probably a factor.  But look at all the crap Gundam and other crap toys that shelf warm for months and years.  

6 minutes ago, vlenhoff said:

I think Bandai saw how expensive these collectibles can get, and they are making them in shorter supply to charge higher prices. Demand is high while supply is short, so they can charge higher prices, and maximize profit. That's my theory.

Well intentioned companies like Yamato, went under, but they meant well.

A company can incrementally increase production to reduce the risk of overproduction and still sell at the same price.  Or Bandai can do what other companies do and take preorders for months, take a deposit (to reduce cancellations) and then produce according to numbers.

22 hours ago, Saburo said:

dx Max's hips are painted correctly, Yammie hips have that blue square that sticks into the thighs. nice pic.  That is a huge display case to fit all four.

11 hours ago, ErikElvis said:

What are you guys using for scale maintenance crews?  I tried multiple searches on eBay and came up with nothing.  I’m sure I’m searching wrong. 

The crew from the Yamato 1/48 destroids are the best.

4 hours ago, sqidd said:

Here is my conspiracy theory for the day.

Bandai's business practices don't make a ton of sense. They short produce just about everything and arguable give more margin to stores/scalpers than they get themselves. They could easily open ordering. Leave it open until orders taper down (a week or two) then close ordering, make the run, and then ship them. They would arguably make more unit sales, they could charge more, etc. And, they could still retain exclusivity. This is where the conspiracy comes in. The shot callers at Bandai could be getting kick backs from scalpers/retailers. Greed is a great explanation for most things. Next is stupidity.

Ticketmaster was doing this.  A few Bandai employees might be in on it with scalpers giving them a kick back.  

 It's one thing to not overproduce like Yamato did, but if you see that a product that sells out, and climbs in price in the secondary market, that you are underproducing.  Since they don't produce more, knock offs have taken up the slack for Masterpiece Transformers, until Takara Hasbro produced more.  There is a knock off thread about some company producing dx 31 now.  It's bad business in the long run.

And it pisses off the fans.  The Evangelion release was so badly scalped that the artist got Bandai to re release it so the fans could buy it.

Just now, seti88 said:

DX missile set for sale again next year, summer.

They need to make another announcement like this, "VF-1S for sale again next year, spring" to go with the fast packs.

2 minutes ago, Slave IV said:

True. There are probably some that fit but I haven't tried. I figured someone else would have by now and we would all know about it but I guess not.

I'd buy sets for all my valks so they can all give middle fingers

12 hours ago, Slave IV said:

What about the hands? Would be nice if we could use the fixed Bandai hands on Yamato or even the Arcadia VF-0s

3rd parties have been making Optimus Prime hand with individual fingers for years.  Those guys should make hands for the dx and the Yammies.  A valk giving the middle finger will be the next meme.

6 hours ago, mapendieck said:

Has anyone used JPfigures.com to buy a DX VF?

https://myfigurecollection.net/blog/40714

1 hour ago, Slave IV said:

Ok, coming from a very bad experience with another retailer, I have learned a lesson and have the solution. ALWAYS use a credit card to pay through PayPal. By doing this, you are protected by your credit card company and not just PayPal’s 180 day limit. Problem solved. When buying from Japan or any foreign country, it is always best to have a credit card with no foreign transaction fee linked to your PayPal account. When it’s time to pay MAKE SURE you choose that card AND that you are paying the foreign currency amount. That way, your credit card company will handle the conversion and you will get the current rate with no fees. If you let PayPal convert, you get their ~3-4% conversion fee (that they say they don’t charge foreign transaction fee but it’s built into their unfavorable conversion rate, same as if you let the retailer convert for you and pay in US Dollars). 

good suggestion

1 hour ago, DYRL VF-1S said:

@Slave IV for the win!  I actually only knew 90% of that, but failed to understand the Paypal conversion dilemma until now.  For anyone else that missed this or is new, here is a walkthrough on how to change that (albeit old - info is still good just interface is different in screenshots):  https://www.pointhacks.com.au/how-to-change-credit-card-billing-currency-in-paypal/

*Good to note that this only applies to Visa/Mastercard.  It appears that Discover is automatic.

good suggestion

19 minutes ago, sqidd said:

Spread across a bunch of stuff.

There are four VF-1S DX's and four sets of Strike parts in there.

wow 

1 hour ago, sqidd said:

I just went through the PP policies. We have 180 days (6mo) to file a claim. What do you do about that? Contact NY and tell them what is going on? Maybe they have a solution? File the claim? No way I'm taking the chance that they will default on $6000 in orders.

So if the delay takes over 6 months for a preorder, and it isn't delivered in the 6 months, you've passed the 180 days.  I did call Paypal.  They said that's the policy.  But I don't have $6000 in orders.  Just one.  That's enough.

Thomas Cook just went down in flames. 6k is nothing.  

So you're expected to "trust" the company who doesn't deliver on time, but so far past even Paypal's policy.  Other than waiting, what would be your alternative?  And if they don't deliver, what option do you have?  That is not good business practice.   

I take the point that they eventually filled the orders, even 9 months in, but that's not what you agreed.  During the time that peeps are waiting, peeps are concerned.  Saying that they eventually delivered is looking at things in retrospect, 20/20.  There may be delays, sure, but that is beyond the point of return.  Delivery with no set date doesn't inspire much trust.

4 hours ago, Slave IV said:

A different set of M&M

Nic pic.  The old Yammie still looks good next to the dx (except those small hands).

1 hour ago, sqidd said:

Well, I wasn't going to get one. But......$215 shipped. Done and done!

Can't walk away from that.  The 1S isn't likely to have that price.

28 minutes ago, eXis10z said:

If referring to NY, they pretty much delivered every order regardless how late it was. I would rather go with TWE then deal with preorder madness.

Point taken.  But waiting 6 to 9 months, you risk your credit card or paypal won't get you a refund if they default.  

Love to see you customize the dx @sh9000.  You always have nice customs.  Any plans for this line?

Just now, eXis10z said:

Isn't it better for it to be TWE? No preorder madness.

No, they screwed up the VF-31A dx.