Graham

The Angle Birds Valk don't get no respect, cus in Battroid mode it looks like it's wearing one of those Japanese sailor suit school girl uniforms..... Graham

Never, ever trust *anything* you hear in a comic shop Graham

Let's make a multi-ton mecha, armed to the teeth and leave the pilot completely unprotected....baka! They should have really hired Kawamori to design the Zion mecha. His Armored Core designs would have been quite suitable IMO. I'm of the firm opinion that non-Japanese just can't design decent looking mecha. Some of you have been suggesting that the Zion mecha was originally a construction mecha, hence the lack of pilot armor. Well, I completely disagree with that theory. Yes, it may have originally been a construction mecha, but so what. That doesn't mean that they couldn't have welded some armor over the cockpit. I guess the population of Zion never watched The A Team Graham

Sounds to me like Yamato is going to ride the Macross train to the end of the line. I don't see Macross being all that popular 2 years from now. It has seen a very nice resurgance, along with a number of other 80's properties, but I don't think that there is a strong enough core fan base to keep it going at this level forever. Many of the people who jumped on the Macross band wagon have gotten their fill and have moved on to other things. I'm grateful for everything that Yamato has produced. They have given me a great Macross collection that I will be able to admire in the Macross-lean years to come. I think Yamato will definitely stay with Macross for a at least another 2-3 more years. I mean it will take that long just to release all the upcoming Macross Zero toys and other SDF TV, DYRL & M+ goodies currently planned for production. And of course if Big West decides to release a new Macross TV series then the skies the limit and we could be looking at 5+ more years of toys Graham

Yep, I'll be doing a review when I get mine, hopefully later this week as soon as I get paid Actually, it is my favorite VF-1, so I'll be buying 3. Graham

Heh, it looks like Yamato copied the flame background idea for the VF-1S Hikaru toy box from the Hasegawa VF-1S Strike Battroid model box. Surprised nobody else commented on that! Graham

I'd buy one (or two) if they made it, but I'd prefer that they concentrate on doing a TV Max & Milia VF-1J first and perhaps a cannon fodder VF-1A as well. Graham

Oooh! That looks so nice. Thanks for the pics UN Spacy. Actually, I haven't unlocked the VF-4 yet. I haven't been able to play the game since last Sunday . I've been too busy this week with business dinners, birthday dinners and classes. Been getting home about midnight every night this week and just going straight to bed. Planning to have a marathon playing session this coming Sunday tho. Graham

You could fix those warped wings without too much effort. Just immerse them in some hot water (around 90C) for a few seconds. They should start to straighten out. You can finish straightening them by hand and then run some cold water over them. Yeah, I know, but why bother. All the figures in that photo have been in storage for the past couple of years anyway, I haven't even looked at them for ages. that photo is really old. Graham

Yup, it's a model kit based on designs from the new PS2 game, not a toy. The Japanese Hobby magazines showed some pics of the unpainted model recently. Looks really fugly IMO, but then I've never liked the Eva designs anyway, certainly not enough make me want to go out and buy a toy or model. Graham

You can see my Bandai Micro Macross Fz-109 battroid and fighter (the pink figures) in the right side of this photo. I'll try to take some close-up photos this weekend, if I remember. Graham

The TV cockpit has a centrally mounted joystick for fighter mode, located between the pilots's legs and a throttle on the left side of the cockpit. For Battroid & Gerwalk modes, there are also two separate controllers for operating the arms/hands, located just below the left and right bottom edge of the instrument panel. The DYRL cockpit uses two sidestick controllers only, located at the left and right side of the cockpit. the right controller functions as the joystick/right arm control. The left stick functions as the throttle/left arm control. Both sticks also have many buttons for contolling various functions such as weapons, radar etc. Graham

Actually, I've only got some really old pics of the 19FP and I believe it has been redesigned significantly since then, so even I don't know what it looks like at now. However, I do have the Q-Rau sculpt sitting on my desk at the moment and it is increadibly sweet. Don't even think about asking for pics, Yamato would kill me. And no, I'm not playing the Macross PS2 game at the moment . I'm still at the office, but only for another 40 minutes. Graham

Apart from the single micro missiles and some of the RMS-1 being a bit loose, I've had no problems. I love the 1/48 FPs, think they are fantastic. Graham

No, less. Graham

Can somebody please use their digital camera to take a photo of the VF-4 on screen in all three modes. I really want to see it. Graham

No, the cockpit has not been made shorter. That's the first I've heard about people complaining it was too long. Graham I think he ment the nose, as the Yamato is quite a deal more endowed than most other valks. LOL....Yamato 1/48, the John Holmes of Valkyries Graham

It's only the addition of the joystick and the seat headrest, which is more curved that are different. The rest is the same. Graham

Technically, the L1 & R1 buttons in Fighter mode are the Yaw control (I Think?). Graham

No, the cockpit has not been made shorter. That's the first I've heard about people complaining it was too long. Graham

It's all about the gadgets (guns & vehicles), all those classic one-liners and of course Hudson Graham

I completely agree. As I've said before, to play the game properly, especially in Battroid and Gerwalk modes, you really need three hands Graham

Yep, you can go up and down in gerwalk. You need to use both analog sticks to control gerwalk mode. IIRC, One stick rotates you, the other moves you up, down, left, right. As for the mission inside Macross, IIRC you have to find three bbattlepod which have been abandoned by Zentradi defectors. There shouuld be an on screen arrow which guides you. Graham

No and No. When I'm in fighter mode, I usually always keep the decelerate (triangle) button depressed. It makes it far easier to out turn the regults and fighter pods. The only time I accelerate is to evade missiles. Graham

Thank you. Graham