Graham

Looks good, but just to stress before you all get too excited, it is the plastic model kit, NOT a toy. I wonder if the black and red stripes will be molded in, or will be typical Bandai foil stickers? Graham

Although looking at the pic again, if the VF-25F shown is 1/72 scale, there's no way the Vajra is the same scale. I'm guessing the Vajra is going to be from the 1/100 scale toy line and the VF-25F shown is obviously the 1/72 scale model kit. Note the price of the kit, 4,200 Yen. Graham

MWer, Californium just posted this link in the toy forum, but I think it should be here instead. http://happy.ap.teacup.com/runchickens/897.html Shows the upcoming Bandai 1/72 scale VF-25F Alto model kit and surprise a red Vajra! The VF-25F shown is obviously the model kit as Bandai previously announced that 1/72 scale would be the scale for the Frontier models. Note teh price of the model kit, 4,200 Yen. However, I reckon the Vajra is part of the 1/100 toy line, not a model kit, as it is far to small compared with the VF-25 to be 1/72 scale. Graham

Yah, red Vajra. But if it's 1/72 scale, that means they are the model kits, not the toys. Looks like the VF-25F kit is variable. Graham

Isamu in VF-11B taking out 6-7 of the renegade powered armour in the opening fight of Mac Plus ep 1. Best fight scene ever IMO. Graham

Bought my first Macross model kits in 1982 or 83, but only seriously been collecting since 1988. Graham

Heh, if 'Nanase's bouncing breasts' had been added as a poll option, I bet there's quite a few members that would have selected it as their choice. Graham

Guys, enough with the GiTS screen shots already! Start a GiTS thread in the othe anime forum if you really want to continue with this, please. Graham

Still at work, can't now. Graham

For the regult, I'd say yes, probably. For the VF-1, I'd say no. Graham

Without knowing more about the current political and economic situation in the Macross universe, it's really difficult to speculate why the Frontier fleet NUNS forces are using the VF-171 and not a version of the VF-19 or VF-22. It may well be that the VF-19 and VF-22 are still in service on some other planets/bases/fleets. I would imagine the VF-171 is cheaper to produce than either the VF-19 or VF-22. It's been stated that the VF-171 is also an easy Valk to fly. Possibly individual colony fleets have some latitude in choosing what VFs to arm their fleet military with and the VF-171 offered acceptable performance, at a more reasonable cost than the competition. It's been stated that the VF-171 entered service in 2058. I'm intensly curious to know what Valk they had prior to the VF-171. I can't see the aging VF-11 as still being in service, unless perhaps they had a Version of the VF-11MAXL. I also can't see the Frontier NUNS as having had the VF-19 and then downgrading to the VF-171. Graham

Just picked up 2 at lunchtime for HK$125 each (US$16) each. Very nice toy. The Revoltech joints are definitely well suited to the Regult and much more low profile than on the VF-1, where IMO they look terrible (hunched shoulder syndrome). Graham

From what I understand, George Sohn and the head of Yamato don't exactly see eye to eye, so any deal between the two companies is extemely unlikely. Same thing with Big West and Harmony Gold. Lots of animosity there. Graham

The manga actually has much more VF-171 porn than the anime, especially chapters 1 & 5. Quite a lot of Battroid mode. Graham

PROS: Great mecha and ship designs. I'm loving the VF-25, VF-171 and new Q-Raus. Fantastically choreographed fight scenes. Interesting, likeable, well-designed and well-rounded characters that you instantly care about. Thankfully, minimal teen angst and whining! Fantastic songs. Amazing instrumental background music from Yoko Kanno. Excellent CG, that is almost seemlessly integrated. Increadibly detailed backgrounds. An interesting enemy. Love the Vajra designs, especially the red lobsters - really menacing. Homages with interesting twists. Great story so far that keeps you on the edge of your seat and keeps you guessing. 100% Macross feel! The director really knows how to create a strong sense of tension during the fights. It's not Gundam. Good character animation, except parts of episode 6. CONS: Errrrrrrrrrrrrrrr..............gotta think hard to come up with some. It's only once a week. It's only 26 episodes. The toys are not out yet. Where's my art book? Hurry up already! Dodgy character art during parts of episode 6. In conclusion, I rate Frontier as the best anime TV series, I've seen in many years, possibly the best ever (although I'll reserve that judgement until the end of the series). IMO, it easily beats contempary mecha shows such as Gundam 00 and Code Geass in every possible category. Graham

It differs a lot from the 1/48: - Better articulation = more poseable. More tampo printing, including the UN Spacy kit on the nose and other markings. Better proportions in all three modes (IMO). No ugly seem running down middle of the face on the VF-1S. Nose cone doesn't hang past the kness like the 1/48. Missiles attach much more firmly to the wings. *Special gimmick..............to be revealed later*. Articulated hands proprtionally larger than on the 1/48. Hands hold gunpod much more securely. Tighter joints overall. improved foot thruster detail - no more split thruster detail like on 1/48. Special ********** on canopy Folding fins on legs, to more easly accomodate GBP. Locks together more solidly in all three modes, especially fighter mode. Nose cone and flaps fixed, so won't fall off like on the 1/48. It's not a scaled down 1/48, it's a complete redesign, improved in many ways and very playable and solid feeling. Not sure if it will fit the old 1/60 GBP. I threw mine away in disgust, so don't have a set to test. Not sure on what variation colors Yamato will release yet. Graham

Ranka looks OK IMO, but yeah I agree Alto and Sheryl are a bit off. Graham

Give Yamato all the extra time they want. I'm sure that we all want them to be as careful as possible and make sure the YF-21 is as perfect as humanly possible before release. Graham

Damn, I want that wallpaper. Perhaps one of our members in Japan can joint the Pizza hut site and get it. Graham

Well, Newtype magazine is officially supposed to be released on the 10th of every month, but scans usually get leaked on line a few days earlier. Graham

I think Roy did the gunpod catch in episode 1 of Zero just to look flashy, not beacuse it was necessary. It's probably easier and safer for the pilot to just grab the gunpod from the arm. Graham

The VF-22, had an almost all glass canopy, unlike the small top bubble and two small front glass panels on the YF-21's canopy. Graham

My son is 3 years and 11 months now and has liked Valks since he was about two and a half. I've already given him my Bandai reissue 1/55 VF-1J Hikaru and a Bandai 1/65 VF-19Kai, VF-19S and VF-17D (no loss as I have multiples anyway). The only damage the toys have sustatined so far is the Hikaru VF-1J has had both it's head laser broken off. He keeps on asking to play with the Yamatos, Doyushas and Hasegawas in my display cabinet, but knows better than to touch them without my permission. So far I have told him they are off limits until he is much older....LOL! We've been watching Frontier together, but only up to episode 4 so far. Not sure if I'll show him eps 5-6 as they have no action, so he'd probably get bored. I'll probably just skip straight to episode 7 with him, as it looks to be action packed. Might start him on the ADV Macross DVDs soon as they are dubbed, so will be easier for him to understand (knew there had to be a use for dubbing). Graham

Shizuoka Hobby Show is next week. Perhaps Bandai will have some updates on the Frontier toys and models to show. Graham

VF-25 MESSIAH Read the last several pages of this thread. Graham