Big Irv

Hello, all!  It’s been a minute!  So judging from the released legal documentation, it appears that HG is relegating themselves into being BW’s international / US distributors.  I’m perfectly fine with that.  More cheddar to go around.  But first thing’s first.  It’s past time to build the hype for transforming fighter Jets duking it out against giant aliens.  

Now, let’s be honest, Western Audiences generally won’t give a damn about the whole “J-Pop as a weapon against world ending doom fleets”.  It only worked in the DYRL Macross Movie because the climax was animated (Brilliantly I might add) as a Surreal Waking Dream; sci-fi war violence juxtaposed over a slow melodic cadence (did I mention how brilliant it was?) a feat that has rarely been matched outside of Zack Snyder’s 300 (all the bombast was tempered via gorgeous visuals that seemed painted rather than filmed).  Every attempt to repeat that musical magic has merely induced groans worldwide.  Macross 7 and Delta will certainly tank, with failing to provide enough narrative meat and wine to drown out the platter of cheese they serve up, dubbed or not.  Macross Frontier will deliver on the hype with its mech action and musical highlighting along with some “high school hijinks” bringing in a young female audience; though the Unfinished Endings (there IS a difference between Open Endings and what Macross does) will grate on audience’s nerves after M Frontier with folks expecting either a direct or indirect sequel but getting Delta-ed instead.  Re-Releasing Manga Video’s Macross Plus will assuredly pack ‘em in with “The One Who Knocks” Bryan Cranston as Isamu Dyson...’nuff said.  

If played right, combining both the Macross Audience and giant robot Nostalgia  should expand the fan base worldwide enough to create demand for Macross DX re-releases along with Bigger Investors outside of just Japan to ensure any new Macross series can focus on Characters, Storyline and World Building rather than whatever singing teen idol fetish commercial Macross Delta was.  Cautiously optimistic but still fanboy giddy inside.   

On 3/12/2021 at 4:55 PM, jenius said:

Yes, but a KO company showing a pic of a 1/72 model to announce their plan to make a dx toy KO never inspired confidence.

3rd Party companies would be better invested in making Accessories and Upgrade kits.  Imagine if they manufactured Valkyrie heads and packs  for VF-1 valks  or changing out heads on your favorite valks (I’d gladly switch out the VF-25S head for the Ozma YF-29’s pirate skull) or upgrade / improvement kits like locking neck plates for VF-25 (wink wink, nudge, nudge)  or giving Tamashi Da Finger by manufacturing their so called “Web Exclusives” packs and armors.  I normally don’t advocate for KOs nor IP theft, but seeing what 3rd Parties have brought to Transformers fans, I wouldn’t protest 3rd parties for custom armors or even weapons.  I’d buy.  

 

Yeahp. So a Japanese anime written for Japanese audiences is doing phenomenally well in Japan.

Proof that Western (read: American) and Japanese audiences have vastly different tastes, expectations, and perhaps most importantly have wildly different requirements to suspend their disbelief. We're bitching about lack of real military tactics, strategy, and ham fisted storytelling that seems to drastically change tone midway through the series. Not to mention lack of Valkyrie action.

They're seemingly more concerned with character, style, music, and willing to either ignore the plot holes or or take them, and the plot items we're not shown, like the shifty NUNS guy vanishing, on faith.

Eastern and Western audiences apparently demand, and can tolerate, vastly different things. No surprise, but it is a surprise that we in the West complain about it so much. Kawamori is aware of us here, he likes and appreciates us, but he doesn't write or create specifically for us. One day perhaps, but Delta isn't it. Never will be.

Agreed. There's definitely a vast difference in taste. I'm giving away my age here, but Macross Delta's mystifying popularity is directly comparable to Ramna 1/2 series of animae. While hugely popular in Japan, it's easy to see why American audiences, aside from culture hipsters who claimed they got Japanese humor, just didn't like it at all. Even animae comics that followed the same story telling styles (Gold Digger, Ninja High School) tanked when readers felt there wasn't any real coherence to any of it. It really is a culture thing.

still up, cant harm in make an order if you want it!

https://secure.hlj.com/product/BAN992012/Act

I just received the order confirmation from HLJ (it should be Monday morning in Japan by now). Crossing my fingers and praying to the Macross Gods that this link is not some kinda joke.

Fraggin' Bandai and this CURSED Macross hobby! First, all the sites state that it's coming on the 20th. Then, outta the blue it all changes to the 19th, completely killing the entire purpose of taking Friday off! Fraggin' unbelievable!! I'm sitting here soaking up the futility! Ah...well. Hopefully, Bandai issues a re-release due to the big sales on this Valk.

The previous thread folded to the Hall of Super Topics.

http://www.macrosswo...showtopic=35195

Here's a recap of what's coming in the next few months.

April 2012: Super Parts for VF-25F and VF-25S

May 2012: YF-29 reissue

June 2012: Armored Parts for for VF-25F and VF-25S, plus VF-171EX

No word on when the rest of Skull Squadron is coming.

Screw the rest, I want an Ozma reissue.

-Kyp

I have every confidence that Bandai realizes that they have Underproduced these particular releases especially with the online retailers selling out eyeblinklingly fast along with the the brick and mortar stores. For your information, toy companies don't make their money from us consumers buying them, they make their money from Retailers purchasing them via bulk contracts. I'll even go as far as to say that BBTS, among others having had demand far outstrip their supply and awaiting restock from Bandai (couple this with the Online Exclusives selling out horrendously fast, especially for such a "niche" market) has made things very clear; Bandai has a great opportunity with Macross Frontier. It could be the one line outside of Gundam that makes them "Beaucoup Bones".

Remember, the rest of the Skull Squadron Valks will require a greater amount of assembly line retooling than what was required between the Alto and Ozma Valks and as such may be giving Bandai pause; "Should we spend the money retooling the assembly line, or do we gamble on saving a few yen on the chance to make more fast money with a re-issue?" I think the latter will appeal far more to toy execs. It's just better business. Bandai and Big West both seem to grasp what HG hasn't; there's far more money to be made exploiting a market than there is attempting to control it.

My money's on expecting an Ozma re-issue soon (maybe with improved joint pins even).

I actually like the tint on my 1/60 V2. I'll definitely give Yamato props for attention to detail.

PM request sent.

i received my max and milia VF-22S yestoday

That is pure sex, man.

Graham, thank you for answering our plight. I have pm'ed you (although I may have sent my PM a little late). I have checked my brother's 1/60 VF-1S Hikaru version, and there appear to be stressing on the right shoulder due to knurled pins. If you are able to get more shoulder hinges from your alternate source later on, let us know. I would surely order more.

What gets me about the 1/60 Ver. 2s is how Yamato continued to use pins that were knurled at the ends when it's standard operating procedure to use hinge pins that are knurled in the middle to prevent from having the pin simply fall out while maintaining the toy's articulation. How could Yamato get something SOOO Basic that EVERY other toy company (even Toynami) gets right, SO WRONG.

true but should I buy 1/60 with or with out the super-parts?

You should buy with the Super Parts. Unlike the 1/48 Super Parts, the 1/60 V. 2's Super/ Strike parts hold very well to Valkyries and don't fall off or apart when converting your figure.

I honestly think it's much easier to make a Macross toy (thanks to definitive line-art) than it is turning real-world vehicles into robots that even vaguely resemble the TF movie designs, thanks to their sheer complexity. TF CGI magic takes greater liberties than Macross anime magic!

TF defence force...

ROTF Leader Optimus Prime manages to achieve an almost exact truck mode and a fantastic representation of his robot mode through great engineering ability. And it's playable, and you don't have to be careful with it, and it costs than around 30% of the price of a Yamato Macross item. Certainly the grade of plastic is different, and more toy like than a Yamato, and the tolerance of connections, by design, is not quite as exacting. But it's undeniable that this toy had just as much dedication and skill behind it, as any Yamato toy. ALL things considered, the just out Buster Prime version is easily my toy of the year.

Personally i think if given the opportunity (and price point), TakaraTomy's TF designers would do just as good a job with Macross toys as Yamato (or Bandai), if not better. They have surely had the most experience when it comes to engineering of transforming toys.

At the end of the day, Yamato and TakaraTomy's designers all start out with differing goals, limitations, budgets and markets - and if you can understand that, you could see that generally, they're both successful. Yamato does what Yamato does, and I like them for what they do. If they just did it like Transformers, it'd take away from the uniqueness (of both!), and frankly - i have Transformers for when i want toys like Transformers!

BEST post on this thread by far.

I feel the exact same way. What I want from my Yamato Valks is completely different from what I want from my TFs. Period. Both my ROTF Optimus Prime (who's engineering is astounding) and my VF-1 2.0 (Skull Leader ALL da way! ) both fill different niches wonderfully and to have them both made one way or the other simply won't do.

VF-0D for me love it in fighter mode. I would get both blue and gray.

Yeah. Now That is sexy! :wub:

I would to see some non-cannon valk weaponry ala the 1/72, 1/60, 1/48 picture thread.

The design is hardly awesome.

BTW. Isn't it Kawamori who ultimately has final say on what's released?

No. It's not. Once you understand how companies make money off of licensing, Yamato, Bandai, Big West and any other "gathering of the suits", you'll realize that waiting for Kawamori to sign off on EVERY Macross product there is is a lot like stating "Stan Lee has final say on what Marvel products are released." The suits would like Kawamori's blessing, and even summarized collaboration in design, but in the end, the almighty dollar (or yen, in this case) decides who makes what.

Also, do yourself a favor, and read this entire thread from beginning to end. Agent-GHQ has, IMHO made a rather strong case for the VF 2SS with all the really cool photos, especially when put up against the VF-4. Others have made strong cases for the VF 17 and 19. The hate displayed against the VF-2SS just sounds way too much like typical Unreasonable Fanboy ranting (for those who are TF fans, I'm sure you can relate to all the Geewunner ranting EVERYTIME Hasbro takes TFs outside the over 20 years old design element).

Who cares if the VF-2SS was designed by a different dude. That guy sure knows how to design a bad-ass mecha that is quite unique that stands out!

QFT. As stated earlier, if the design is awesome, make it a toy, REGARDLESS of the designer. It's all about having an open mind. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

Let's have a look at the mighty VF-4 Lighting III

VF-0D looks pretty similar to the 0S ad 0A. I love Zero, I would much perfer to see the 'reactive armor' for the 0S.

Bandai had done VF-17 and VF-19 (Basara) toys before, hardly perfect, but they are there... also some modelkits too.

VF-2SS is an odd ball. It looks good, but not a Kawamori design. It also have a fairly well Bandai model kit in the market.

VF-4 is the only one being left out for all these years

Guys, it is a longshot... VF-4 ia a Legend.

Just vote for your heart.

I certainly did... THE VF2SS!!!

It has a sleek design in both jet and 'bot mode! Don't get me wrong, the VF-4 is a beauty but only in jet mode. In 'bot mode, the design is truly lackluster and suffers from SERIOUS anime magic (probably a big reason why to date no one has attempted even a decent perfect transformation toy or model of the thing. And when it comes to design, I could care LESS who designs it, as long as the design kicks ass. After all, its called MACROSS, not the KAWAMORI SHOW! (And yes, I DO love Kawamori's designs. I just happen to be open minded enough to see and accept work from another creative source as well)

second batch of hauls awaiting to be displayed...

Daaammmn! Now that's a lot of valk sweetness there!

Yeah baby!!! Side Covers!! The proportions on the 1/60 V.2 GBP look great. Don't get me wrong the 1/48 GBPs were very detailed, but they gave the sleek and sexy valks the proportions of the Stay Puff Marshmallow Man. These new GBPs will give the V2s some serious muscle. A definite buy!

Please Please PLEASE, make a VF-19 repaint. Blue and yellow on a YF-19 would the HOTNESS!

And yes, with the YF-19 repaints and even the VF-22S (awesome toast with butter on Both sides) we may FINALLY get some M-7 Valks. I would give blood for money to get my hands on a VF-19 Excaliber with the blue and gold paintjob!

Metal Siren was awesome.

This. The Metal Siren kicked Unbelievable Ass!! Sure Macross II was disappointing, but the Metal Siren was designed to KILL. The MS had 2 Gunpods that could target enemies Idependently, thanks to the servo mounted wings ( While the MS fired it's gunpod forward, the other gunpod shot at targets behind the mech). The MS also had missles up the wazoo, a forearm spear/ murder-arm, it even single-handedly destoyed a Zentran/ Marduk cruiser!! It's battroid mode was sleek and agile, it's jet mode looked it was designed to have NOTHING get in its way. What in God's name was there not to like? Especially since so many other valks I see posted on this thread AFTER the VF-1 have that Amalgamated/ Frankenstein look, as someone took a VF-1 and just stuck random parts from other Valks and then decided "All these "new" valks will have Hot Dog Bun 1A heads." C'mon, no original heads could've been designed instead?

The Metal Siren would be a Definite buy for me!!