Sumdumgai

Bandai has had a while to work on the VF-25 toy. Hell they even pushed the release date to work on it more. The subject of the 1/100 Yamato VF-0 vs the 1/100 Bandai VF-25 is a good point. Yamato realized they were going to release a POS that was a bad representation of the VF-0, so they scrapped it and made the 1/60 VF-0. I'm not defending the f$ck ups that Yamato have done in QC and broken shoulders. They have been and continue to deserve all the grilling they get from irate owners of busted valkyries. They screwed up big time on the 1/60 VF-1 v2 shoulders. But Yamato's problems aren't the issue here, Bandai and the VF-25 is the issue. I brought up Yamato as an example of what can be done by a smaller company with less resources in terms of looks. Bandai is a giant with a lot more resources and experience in toys. Bandai should be able to engineer something better than they've put out, experience in valkyries or not. They've made other transforming toys before and they've made buttloads of mecha. And with all the experience that Bandai has, they should be able to engineer and sculpt something better at a lower cost than it would take Yamato through all their baby-steps and growing pains. Bandai is not Yamato, they should be able to do as good or better in terms of looks, better in durability, and should kick the crap out of Yamato in terms of QC. A lot of Bandai fans thought that they would, and were so vocal about it before we got pics of what was being planned for release. Then they went really quiet or started comparing the unknown sturdiness of the new toy to Yamato's failures. And though Yamato isn't the only company to choose from anymore when it comes to valkyries, guess what? Bandai has the monopoly on Macross Frontier. If you want a VF-25 in toy or model form, they're the ONLY game in town. It is refreshing to see the 1/100 line coming out with other valkyries so we get an alternative to Yamato with other non-Frontier valkyries.

The CG models excuse doesn't cut it. Look at the Yamato VF-0 or SV-51, which were adapted from CG models. They are absolutely fantastic looking, very well sculpted, and very faithful to the original design and essence of their respectable variable fighters. Take out Yamato's problem with QC out of the equation, we're talking about design here. Prior to Macross Zero everything was hand animated without transformable cg models, so those designs get a lot more slack. And the reason I bring up Yamato is because of the bar that they have set, and they are a smaller company with less resources. The VF-0 is a damned solid design (I don't know about the SV-51 from personal experience as I do not own one) that looks pretty damned close to the cg model. The SV-51 is damned impressive. Bandai could definitely put out something better than what they're preparing to dump out, without having to compromise on structural integrity. They're just either lazy or don't give a crap as Macross is not a big name like Gundam or Saint Seiya. Now Bandai could do just as good as Yamato did, in terms of design, and the consensus is that Bandai would put out toys with better QC anyway. Bandai did not have to take the fatty approach, didn't have to cut corners with the shopping cart landing gear, the low hanging legs that don't connect to the body, the recycling of parts that gives Ozma's VF-25 no neck. Even with compromises, they could have done better. The VF-0 doesn't have the super thin bars that swing the legs down, the toy isn't 100% accurate because of this, but it's a minimal compromise that doesn't affect the look of that valkyrie in any of the modes. Bandai knows that there is a market for Macross valkyries, they have to know about Yamato, they put their VF-25 in the same scale. They could have easily designed something to rival Yamato, pull over disgruntled and non-disgruntled fans, and on top of that pull in the general fan at a decent price. There's a lot about the VF-25 toy that just reeks of laziness and takes out the essence of that design. It's fantastic and all that Bandai has its hardcore fans that cry out "leave bandai alone you trolls! It looks just fine! You're all too whiny and too demanding! Your'e standards are too high!". But so far none of the counter-arguments have been convincing. There've been "it looks fine to me" and a lot of "well it has to be designed this way, cut them some slack they're Bandai". And there's been some agreement that Bandai is cheaping out and not going in with their A-game. Otherwise I've only seen some apologetic excuses for Bandai. Some of you are just so desperate for a VF-25 toy that you would accept Bandai putting out an actual old-school style chunky-monkey of the VF-25 (and have that as the only perfect transformation toy of the VF-25) and say that people are too demanding and have their standards too high.

Yeah, I liked that you could buy individual trading figures off him too. He said the figures sell during conventions, because people are more likely to pick them up then, but outside of conventions it's just the popular figures that sell. Releasing figures by type would probably get people to buy. How many people didn't manage to get ahold of Max? Some people would love to get a Kakizaki figure. There's also Isamu to pose by the YF-19 (they should include a helmet even if he can't wear it). A Shin Kudo and Macross Zero Roy would be awesome too.

Not sure if Tamim will keep doing that, as he had been considering discontinuing selling opened trading figures. The popular ones get sold out really fast and he's stuck with a buttload of non-popular figures that don't sell. This was several months ago when I got my YF-19 from him, so I don't know if he's decided on that or not.

Nanase Milk, I think you're on to something...

It's just being released to cash in on Frontier, since it's close to a Q-rea and Bandai isn't producing that. Glad I got mine back in the day. A Q-rau v2 to up it to the destroid quality standards would rock!

Only problems: -1/72 VF-11B hip broke after several years of transformations (and warnings that the non-FP VF-11B is prone to hip breakage). Quick super-gluing and it's held together good as new ever since and been through countless transformations. -1/48 VF-1J Miria, BP8 hinge while putting fast packs back on. I should superglue the part back sometime, but I keep forgetting. -1/60 VF-0A shoulder disintegration. Glued back together, shoulders aren't tight anymore. Still pissed about this. All the other valkyries (1/60 VF-1 v1s, 1/48 VF-1s, YF-19, YF-21) have absolutely no problems and have been through a countless number of transformations and poses. The QC/engineering problems are most certainly issues. Despite those issues, "you can fix broke, but you can't fix ugly." addition: and the 1/60 Q-rau has been problem free once I finally got one to me safely.

Same here. I might just pick up one of these partsformers anyway, especially if they get good reviews.

So the Robot Spirit one will be competition to Revoltech and GN-U. Hmmm...

With Brutal bone crunching efficiency, hopefully.

It's probably like panettonne (however you spell it). And that's some damned good sweet-canned bread.

Oh I wouldn't agree to that 100% (I'd agree 50%). Remember all the vocal Bandai fans that were saying that if Bandai did Macross toys they would kick the crap out of Yamato in terms of sculpt, engineering,durability, and QC? I think those hardcore Bandai fans are in denial that Bandai didn't go in with their A-game, and came in with a B/C-game. Add to that the hardcore anti-Yamato sentiments, of people willing to embrace any other company with a more positive track record on QC. There are those people who prefer chunky, toys with bad proportions for any number of reasons (they just like it, can't distinguish, don't like how the VF-25 is supposed to look). And there are those people who don't have a basis for comparison, like Sqidd. There is that group that is willing to settle for an unnecessary compromise on the looks because it's more like a chunky-monkey (but don't call it a chunky-monkey or you'll get a number of people angry). And the 50% of agreement is that we do hold Yamato to a higher standard, because they've pushed the development of valkyrie toys while the best that Bandai has put out are the VF-17 and VF-19 Macross 7 toys, which didn't really develop valkyrie toys past the chunky-monkey. Now Bandai is coming into the game after seeing what Yamato has done, but they kind of half-assed their way in making the VF-25.

I'm not about being anti-Bandai. I'm bitching because Bandai isn't putting out their A-game on the 1/60 VF-25. Bandai makes some good stuff, but they didn't go 100%, not even 80% on this toy. Hell, as David Hingtgen pointed out, they're going half assed on the parts for the VF-25 toys, explaining the lack of neck on the VF-25S. Both sides keep throwing in Bandai to praise or trash. One side throws in how much nicer appearances the Yamato valkyries have, while the other side counters with QC and engineering problems. People are already praising its durability when it's not even out yet. It doesn't capture the essence of the VF-25. additon: yes, it's that bad. It's freaking pulling its head into its chest. That VF-25S is trying hard to be a turtle.

It's the bridge screen behind Spock, CoryHolmes. The lights are either reflections of the bridge lights or maybe some kind of indicators. The Theatrical Trailer will be showing with Quantum of Solace, so I'm extra excited about going to see that movie. I can't wait to see the trailer.

This movie must have one death by headbutt, or it's not Ninja Scroll.

So that means if both shoulders of my VF-0A are busted and I want replacements I can only get one shoulder?

Overall still looking better than the 1/60 as this 1/100 has more VF-25 essence in it, despite the smaller size and less detail. A shame it's the partsformer route. Too bad Bandai went in with 70% effort.

Still is chunky, mis-proportioned, and has crappy landing gear. Seriously it's a three wheeled shopping cart with that kind of landing gear. It's still slump shouldered, with Urkel-ankles. Gerwalk mode still looks like everything behind the shoulders is sagging. The gunpod still has painted bits instead of colored transparent plastic for the sensors (CHEAP). Legs still sitting too low in fighter with the bigass gap in the back. The knees don't integrate well in fighter mode. Hell nothing is really holding together all that well. Could the canopy be any more purple? And the VF-25S still has no neck. This thing looks like it should be priced at half the price they're asking. Bandai could have made it look fantastic while still be durable, but they gave us this instead. It could have been so much better, but hey if people are willing to settle for their C/B-game and worship it as if it were an A-game item, then okay. Other than the test shot being colored, I don't see any improvements. It still looks as craptastic as it did before, except now it's colored craptastic!

Wicked-awesome!

Actually for a figure like that the price isn't bad at all. HLJ has her at 4500yen. Megahouse figures go in the 4000-7000yen price range. Alter figures go in the 5000-9000yen range. And Good Smile Company has figures in the 4000-6000yen price range.

I don't know how much of the game is supposed to be dubbed. I just remember catching that in an article I read recently, but I can't remember where. There have been some decent game dubs. Metal Gear Solid series comes to mind. But yeah, not really keen on hearing "HAH-DOO-KAIN!" "ALL-YOU-CAN!"...

Yeah, it's out of proportion. Michel's right arm looks more like it's a T-rex arm. He can probably barely scratch his hip. It also probably doesn't help that Alto is blushing...

If you mean because the 1/60s look like chunkers and you like your valkyries to look like chunkers: then yes the 1/60s look chunkier than the 1/100s. Otherwise what about the 1/60s looks superior to the 1/100s? The 1/100s are crap in looks compared to the model, and could look a lot better. But I'm not seeing what's more ass like about the 1/100 over the 1/60 in terms of looks.

Not sure how much, but these are from Bandai. Bandai has the monopoly on Macross Frontier.

interesting poses. Ozma 's got some major hip sway going on there. "Watch out, you've got more to fear from my giganto-crotch of doom than you do from my knife!" Still looks like a steaming pile of crap, and despite the fixed pose hands the gunpod is being held tilted forward. The gerwalk looks like everything behind the shoulders is slumping and going to fall, either that or that the front end is going to droop and collapse. Fighter mode still has those bigass gaps where the legs should be fitting.