jvmacross

Actually, the small folding arm tabs that would have made a huge difference in holding the VF-2SS together in fighter mode are hidden during that mode and mostly hidden in battroid/gerwalk mode. It would be like purchasing the hinges that break on the V2 VF-1 via shapeways....they too are mostly hidden and their "finish" is not as important as the "job" they are meant to perform...which is to hold the toy together....I would definitely welcome someone redesigning those arm tabs so they are a bit thicker so it holds in place better when inserted into the leg slots...

I wouldn't get stuck on how it looks in any of the posted pics...it looks much better in person....especially battroid mode.... But as some have pointed out....it is kit-like...it is not something that will be able to be handled very often....definitely not in fighter mode....it fits very well in Battroid and Gerwalk (although gerwalk looks the worst IMO)...everything locks tightly and you can shake it and it will stay locked.... If a great percentage of the value you get out of Macross toys is the ability to transform them over and over again....then the VF-2SS is probably not for you...if you are more of a "set it and forget it" type of Macross collector...where you transform it a few times then put it on display in your favorite mode for a long while.....then you should be able to enjoy the VF-2SS even in it's worst fitting mode..which is the fighter mode... To anyone on the fence on this Silvie release.....I would suggest to wait for the SAP Faerie or Nexx.....I am hoping that the armor bits will aid in the fitment in fighter mode....the arm armor tabs and leg armor slots will need to fit much tighter in order to be able to hold them together

Basically another collector that agrees with my first impressions....completely solid in battroid and gerwalk.....not so much in fighter mode.... Plus whether or not it is canon...I like his idea of storing the gunpod when in battroid mode (at least I think it is his idea, I do not remember it from the anime nor did I follow the manual when transforming it )....with the gunpod attached, the long white plank is less of an eyesore! This pic also has a clean shot of the back of the chest plate and the infamous chest tabs....ET could have come up with at least three different ways to have concealed them in battroid mode! Additionally, the pic also has a clear shot of the arm tabs that "flip" out during fighter mode....these are the only tabs that are used to keep the arms and legs attached when in fighter mode....and as this collector also points out....they are the weakest connection points of the entire toy......I am pretty sure designing the small bit in shapeways with a thicker connecting tab would resolve the issue it has currently with it easily slipping out of the slot where it connects to the leg...

Looks like one of the Arcadia websclusives that were sold with the gunpod as a bonus....

Yeah...just paying around with it....the whole backpack area is fine...other than that big white "plank" hanging from it....the thrusters slide up and down and hold any position you leave them in...overall, it is not the kind of toy you will probably get away with transforming too many times before things start getting loose... Other than a swappable piece for that "plank"....not sure what else could have been done with it...if it is too short...it just leaves the battroid "head" exposed when in fighter mode....maybe if it was made so it could fold to half the length once in battroid mode???

After closer inspection of the line art...you are correct regarding the positioning of the intakes during gerwalk mode.....it's like the intake/legs are still in that "disconnected" looking configuration that they are in during fighter mode....it is very unique to this valk and without that "look", the gerwalk mode ends up being the weakest mode representation for ET's VF-2SS....it looks too much like a VF-1's gerwalk mode...

I believe they would have....at least in the area where the arms are supposed to lock in with the legs in fighter mode...funny as the use of magnets are one of ET's gimmicks used in their other lines...missed opportunity I suppose

Do you have the Robotech Movie soundtrack? If so, does it contain music from Megazone 23? Anyone know the answer to this?

OK...so I went ahead and transformed it to Gerwalk and Battroid. Both of these mode feel leaps and bounds more solid than the fighter mode......swooshability-proof in both Battroid and Gerwalk modes... However, I have a major issue with Gerwalk mode....it is not how it should be according to the line art.... In the line art....the intakes "jut out" and basically remain unchanged in their position relative to the fighter mode configuration... So basically....I think it should look closer in position to this on the toy.... Unfortunately, in this position....there is no way to bring out the arms......additionally...it is basically held on by a small tab towards the rear of the intake where it fits onto the bottom of the chest piece... When you transform it the way ET designed it...IMO....it loses the proper "look"....with the intakes now fully under the chest area and looking more like a VF-1's Gerwalk mode.... When transformed as ET designed it...it is extremely solid...upon transforming the VF-2SS to gerwalk and Battroid, I have to say ET clearly has a grasp on the use of moveable tabs and panels...they probably needed a few more months in design time to have figured out how to properly hide the transformation mechanism...but who knows.... As a result, if I wanted it to look better in Gerwalk...I would need to leave it "mistransformed".... Finally...Battroid....again very solid, everything locks up nicely...the only thing that could have been improved was the hip area.....it is a bit too narrow.....this part also can be left "unlocked" and you gain some additional range in poseability...but at the expense of leaving it "floppy"..... Battroid looks good and feels tight when properly transformed with everything locked in place....I have to say...it looks much better in person..it has a very nice presence...on some of the pics on the web...the legs seemed too short....perhaps the legs were not pulled out correctly? Anyways, looking at it in person...the proportions look good.....and it displays very well in battroid mode... After transforming the VF-2SS to Battroid...it is really odd why ET left the tabs on the chest plates....they clearly had the ability to have designed them so they could either flip back, spin 180 degrees, or simply slide down....perhaps someone can devise a solution for them....

yeah...she displays very nicely....probably in battroid mode getting "repaired" in a hangar will probably look nice too....hide all the "imperfections" is the key!

I have not transformed it into battroid or gerwalk. However, the tabs do not hold the legs/arms in place....same for the tail wing tabs.....with that said..."swooshability" is poor to none in fighter mode.....you can do it...but you will need to hold it together with your hand.... Since these specific tabs do not play much of a role when transformed in battroid....I would think that battroid might provide a better "play" option for the VF-2SS....and to a lesser extent, gerwalk mode..... I'll tinker with it later and post some more pics.... Oh...and comparing the durability of the VF-2SS to a Chunky Monkey would be like comparing a mudhut to a concrete bunker....but to be fair, nothing compares to the durability of a chunky monkey...not Yamato, Arcadia, or the recent Bandai stuff....IMO toys built like the original 1/55 can never exist again...

And some pics of the VF-2SS on display.....

Ok...so I received it this morning....first impressions..... The box graphics are really nice...classy and clean on all sides....box is also not too big...but as soon as it took it out of the shipping box I could feel how "light" it was.....diecast? About as much as an HMR.....if not less.... The pilot is painted well-enough... The cockpit has some nice detailing.... About the plastic....well....too all you old-schoolers...think Joons....'nuff said.... About the fit.....really poor.....think Yamato VB-6 at best.....I can only speak of the fit in terms of fighter mode as I have not transformed it into gerwalk or battroid... Other things that will eventually become problematic.....the small caps that fit onto the screws on the tail wings are made of pvc...I'm pretty sure they will yellow....the landing gear almost seems to be made of a different type of plastic as well and may yellow too in time.... Finally......habemos pinkish white plasticus!!! Yes, under certain light...it is very obvious....I don't think my phone's cam captured it...but your naked eye will... My favorite mode for all VFs is fighter mode...I also only display my VFs in dioramas.....so I can "live" with the issues on ET's -2SS since it will live on my displays in fighter mode forever.....it can do the job I need it to do well enough....basically looking cool on a flight deck or hangar display... I agree, with some lining and perhaps appying some of the included decals...this can be made to look much better... In conclusion, I have no regrets on purchasing ET's VF-2SS.....it displays well in fighter mode....and more importantly, we finally have a 1/60 VF-2SS.....like the source material itself, Macross II, you either love it or leave it, but it's still Macross! Some pics... The caps were tricky to install....don't lose them...they only packed one for each tail wing.... This is the "straightest" I could get it....mind you...it is being held in this position by the pressure of my hand....the locking tabs are very weak and loose fitting.... the tabs that are used to "lock" the arms to the legs are practically useless...the legs slip out easily..perhaps adding something to the tab to make it tighter would help...or even replacing it with an improvised shapeways part.... Also note the (dis) coloring of the landing "gear".... The tail wing tabs are even more useless than the arm tabs...I could not get them to lock"...in fact they do not seem to be able to lock at all.... Again....discoloration in the landing "gear".... more landing "gear" discoloration.... These just will not "lock" in place..... Cockpit cover was difficult to open...had to use the tip of an exacto blade....but once opened you are rewarded with some detailing.....

The question now is whether or not you want Evolution Toys to develop and release the VF-2J, VA-1SS, etc. If so, you'll need to support the current release of their VF-2SS....if not, hope someone else gives it a shot.

In total agreement with this sentiment.....I stopped "supporting" Arcadia via double-dipping after their initial VF-1 releases of the -1S Roy and Hikaru.....give me something you've never done before and I'll buy from you again Arcadia....VF-5000, TV SDF-1, VF-9, VF-14, VA-3.....ok, PWS-0X counts...but it's kinda like cheating.....so I'm having to get yet another VF-0S since the old one will not fit into it....basterds!

I am hoping enough initial buyers are able to forgive the faults of this VF-2SS to follow through with purchases for the rest of the already announced line-up. If we can get past the VF-2SS "hump"....I think ET may have an easier time with the development of the VF-2J Icarus....assuming they do the Icarus next. The transformation of the Icarus is not as "exotic" as that of the VF-2SS...it is more inline with that of the original VF-1....so even if they were to go full-on 80's swingbar technology...it still would look much better than the transformation mechanism they opted for the VF-2SS... I definitely want a VF-2J so I'm still all in on the rest of the VF-2SS line, warts and all....looking forward to the SAP versions next!

OK....let's not exaggerate....well, maybe just a little...

Then the added complaint would have been that they chipped upon the first transformation...

Photoshop? But really....someone should post a pic with the "diecast" photoshop'd out....to see what it could have looked like Seems there should be a way to recess those parts and then be able to cover them up with panels...like Yamato did with the VF-4 legs....

Nice work there... I think it points out the biggest issue with the sculpt...the legs....they seem too short...or perhaps the torso section is too big.... It would have looked better in both battroid and fighter mode if the upper leg section would have been longer and a bit bulkier.... As your animated pic shows....seems top view for fighter mode is going to be the best for display purposes.....so a good stand will go a long way for the VF-2SS...or sitting on a flight deck diorama display

LOL....well, Toynami delivered what some considered decent packaging...but the toy was nowhere near line art accurate and was more of a "copy" of an old school design..... Seems the same may apply to this ET VF-2SS.... Who knows if we'll ever see any other company take a shot at this in 1/60.....for now it's the only game in town.... It's definitely an unexpected quirky addition to anyone's VF stable...it may end up just a curiosity, like the Yamato VB-6 (until Bandai released their version...so history may repeat itself?)

I think that is an older post....