Mommar

That's the thing. If they only make a few they'll say "eh, we only made a little money" and move on without realizing they'd sell a lot more if they met demand.

How many extra parts/improvements would there be? The extra side covers are about it. They already have the new crotch locking mechanism.

If I have a company that produces toy, I'd rather underestimate demand than overestimate and creating too many to sell. Also, that conspiracy theory about Bandai conspiring wit ebay scalper is ridiculous, since Bandai never really care about customers abroad.

There's a difference between underestimating and grossly underestimating to the point you piss off customers and they never want to do business with you again.

You know we've mentioned to people before that these Valks really don't keep/gain value... but looking at what some of the M&M and Elintseeker toys are going for on Ebay makes me think that if I really needed to make some money paying that $140 for each I did two years ago was a good idea.

I wonder if there's this same raging love for the 171 inside Japan as there is for a lot of us outside. Domestically is this lukewarm and it turns out it's just all of us in the international market who are clamoring? Will Bandai get reports about the amount of preorders and increase production?

Yeah, waking up in the morning and discovering you didn't stand a chance in hell (not even a lot of the people awake at the time made it) because Bandai grossly underestimated demand is what sucks. I only hope there weren't too many jumpers at ishop2go because the price was so steep.

This is REALLY fraked up. Are Bandai only producing six of these things? Anybody from China/Japan see some of these other Bandai Valks sitting around a few shops? I think some of us who have to be asleep will need to organize a group buy in order to get one of these if they can be found locally.

I also hate the fact this board automatically changed the word I used to "fraked" instead because that word sounds weak and doesn't nearily emphasize the type of boning some of us are getting.

I dunno Graham. If you blow up that first pic in Battroid it looks like there's a second hard point poking out from just behind the hip joint. I think there's at least two hard points on the wings.

gosh this thing looks beautiful. i can't preorder soon enough. and yes i'm checking back on this thread everyday in case someone posts a preorder from amiami or hlj. i really hope they release the armor packs soon afterwards as there isnn't enough grey on this thing for me (its almost always seen with the armor and weapons). also REALLY hope they release the CF blue/teal scheme as i think it looks better that way. the VF-171 is a beautiful design (i heavily prefer it to the vf-17 but to each his own!).

I can't wait to have my 17 and 171 side-by-side in the different modes. I think the contrast will show the strengths of both fighters.

Mommar: I was really just focusing in on the head unit. I think Yamato did a fantastic job straddling the line of real object vs anime magic, and I wish I could afford to get both the 171 and the 17S. But if you consider all the griping about the D head in the 17 thread (receding hairline, cupcake) and compare it to the stronger chin and angrier look that the 171 has, it seems to be the victor in this category.

So far, though, we only have some low-res photos to look at. Until we get some higher res pics or if Yamato tweaks the D, I refrain from declaring a clear winner.

Like anyone besides me actually cares who I declare the winner...

Yeah, in terms of head sculpt the 171 does look more accurate. The designs are different enough between the animations that one looking meaner than the other is more based on the design. I will say that Yamato's D head doesn't look as animation accurate as the 171 head though.

I was just gonna mention that, CF-18! Ok, it may be a little early to jump to conclusions - and I wanna give props to Yamato for leading the charge here - but as of right now:

I don't really see how this is fair considering while the basic design/transformation is the same one is a relatively slim fighter with all internal ordinance that transforms into a completely unrealistic chunky battroid, versus one that was always designed to be super slim in fighter mode and Battroid. You may like the design of the second better but how does that make Bandai's effort superior? The 17 and 171 are similar but not identical.

It’s... so... beautiful... D:

Seriously though, I’m starting to like the VF-171 design more than the VF-25/27/29.

Hurry up with those pre-orders, HLJ!

It's so much more clean, without all the silly extra bits and bobs hanging off of it everywhere.

Wing detail??

I thought it was only the head and colored stripes that were different.

The paint color.

Lastly, I like how the legs are incredibly thin. It keeps the a close look of the anime, but will also allow for a much slimmer fighter profile than the Yamato version (which, to be fair, probably should be thicker).

The 171 is slimmer all around in both fighter and Battroid. Yamato had to pull an impossible miracle and make a slim fighter but chunky Battroid. The fact Frontier has relatively accurate proportions because the 3D models don't really change much makes getting the toy right a lot easier then the hyper unrealistic dimensions in the hand drawn shows.

Hahaha, that's a good one. So pardon my ignorance but other than the head and detail colour, the VF-17S and VF-1D are not different?

That is correct. Head shape and wing detail are the only differences... unless it turns out Yamato has found some engineering thing they'd like to tweak/tinker with.

In this last episode they showed the zombie skulls are relatively weak. It didn't take much effort of Rick or Shane to jam a knife right through the top of their skulls. Being that I'm trained in hand to hand I think I'd prefer a short sword, a pair of bolos or some form or Escrima Sticks. That being said, firearms and crossbows are both useful as back up/crowd control as well.

That looks amazing with those boosters and in that color scheme.

That's really cool looking. Too bad Yamato won't make us a transforming version of one of these.

I thought it was inspired from Reno air race? with similar picture in the first chapter.

Yeah, it's an air race. Not NASCAR at all... and that's not necessarily "redneck" either.

After seeing the animation in the Pachinko machine I think I'd enjoy watching the show redone in that fashion.

she has been baking, just not macross related stuff..

I just noticed what your avatar is... that's kinda hot. I used to be a DJ, I need to find a woman to wear my pair of cans on hers.

also to be fair, i just like to say don't put your hope to high to the toy..even with the renewal version.. bandai still have an issue with the vf 25.. but then again i'm just saying i still respect the love that bandai give to this line.. and i won't expect a lot for the design, i'm happy enough if the toys delivered to me with a good quality control check

I can't vouch for their manufacturing processes, but as far as the design of this toy is concerned I believe Bandai used the same group Yamato did for their 17 so this thing should at least be engineered at a similar level to the 17.

I must just be weird. Except for the VF-1 Fast Packs I'm really not a fan of all of the extra clutter attached to these other valks. The Vf-11 and on I prefer to leave without all of the extra armor/packs/whatever.

hey we are talking bandai here.. i don't think they will really care about the small detail like landing gear.. just look at the koenig.. and the vf 25 v 1

To be fair, the new guy in charge of the group making the Macross Toys seems to care a lot more about how these things look.

To me it appears the armor opens as well.

Are there any updates on this mod?

Irish are Caucasian. If you said "Damn Whites!" you'd be recist. Saying "Damn Irish" is prejudice... but not racist.

Also, he didn't say "Damn Japanese" or "Damn Asians" he said the Japanese are to blame and then followed up saying Tatsunoko are to blame.

His post still says...

,

does it not?

How did he "correct himself" after being totally racist the first time 'round?

You quoted him responding about Tatsunoko not caring.

I said Tatsunoko doesn't give a damn how the properties are managed outside japan.

Also, Japanese is a nationality not a race. He'd have to be blaming Asians for not caring in order for it to be racist.