RosarioLuv

Lol, thanks. Would you like me to print a hardcopy version and autograph it for you? Hehe. Btw, looking at that chart again, I realized you can roughly apply that same graph to the design lifespan of just one toy, even. I think most modelers out there would even agree this fits with even building up a model: You get your raw materials, make good progress on it early-mid way through it's buildup, and then the closer you get to finishing it, the longer it takes to finish the final touches (like decals and little details.) I think the same goes for creating just one valkyrie toy for consumers. That's why the trend with Yamato products as we've seen goes like this: 1. first we hear about a possible future release of a toy 2. Then several months later we see prototype pics surface 3. Then more prototype pics seem to appear with increased frequency 4. Then we see a surge of painted protopics appear in magazines...the thing looks like it's practically finished 5. Then it there is a HUGE long gap between the almost-finished toy and the time when they actually release it (marking the completion of the design-to-production lifespan; this would be where the chart reaches its peak and levels off.) I read a buildup of a scratchbuilt millenium falcon that echos that theory: "I find there's always one "problem" when you build a model from scratch: When you first start it, it goes real fast. After a couple of days you already have something that looks like an unfinished Millennium Falcon. It's very rough, but since you've been working with big parts, you have an impressive model. Then, as you work along, the parts get smaller and smaller. You put more and more hours into the model but you don't really see as much progress. And weeks later, you still have an unfinished Millennium Falcon model. And months later: an unfinished Millennium Falcon model! " --Tim Ketzer (not me), professional modeler of www.ketzer.com The shape of this 2-dimensional graph can change here and there, as life, like these toys, are actually 3-dimensional, and can embark on new and different planes. In other words, within each 2-dimensional plane an entity can either reach (or near reach) its potential gradually, quickly, or not at all, but it can also change planes and still succeed on different paths. And now I find this simple post about a plastic toy called a "monster" is beginning to jump into a new plane itself along the lines of Stephen Hawkings and Plato, lol. Who woulda thought a plastic toy could inspire this much thought and ponderance of reality and philosophy on my part? LOL@Me. And now I've gone cross-eyed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (ChristopherB, I think with my return I have reclaimed from you my old title of being the most word-endowed (I am long winded) MW member. Thanks for keeping my seat warm whilst I was away. lol. Muahahahahahaha!)

Moved this post to the other thread/Poll about Yamato Toys in General HERE.

I seem to remember reading a translation somewhere of an interview with Kawamori (or one of the studio nue folks) that they wanted to do much more with the movie but had to leave a lot of stuff out. Along with that riff, that's suppossedly where the Saturn DYRL "missing" footage ideas came from, where the Prometheus is destroyed on earth from an orbital attack only seconds after Skull Squadron launches off of it, and then the squadron has to engage enemy units that have invaded the city on a ground attack. None of it happened in the actual movie, but the story add-ins from this game are considered canon. I'm pretty sure that any gaps a fan might wonder about are also gaps that the creators are aware of, but probably had to leave them out because that's showbiz. I dunno how many DVD comentaries I've watched where the director had to cut several scenes he was very much in love with, just because budget or time constraints simply couldn't fit it in the movie. That's why they later release special edition director's cuts, the movie the way the director would have done it in the first place if he didn't have constraints. They did the same thing with the Macross TV Series (left out a bunch of stuff they wanted to put in originially.) Wouldn't it be awesome if instead of coming up with a new prequel or sequel, Studio Nue produced a never-before-seen "director's cut" version of the Series and Movie that had all new footage that filled in the gaps? While I'm rubbing the genie lamp, I might as well add to that wish: wouldn't it be cool if Studio Nue redid the entire TV series animation with newer graphics while they were at it? (but kept the audio tracks the same, just redo the anime). That would be my ULTIMATE MACROSS DREAM come true (besides owning a 1/1 valkyrie), better than any toy I could think of. Sorry for OT. But on the subject of Max's Rau, which is only on screen for barely a few seconds here and there, (at least a little more than the elint), I wish someone would release the Orguss Valk too while they're at it.) I wonder if they'll release generic purple CF Q-Rau's?

Isn't it technically one boy and two shemales? (RT "Quadrono" armour....just Botoro armour repainted in femme scheme) yuck. Cross-Dressing Zentradi

And now I've gone cross-eyed.

Actually, I got that link off the other thread. I just started this new one because the other thread wasn't actually about the magazine, but lotta people were trying to figure out how to find it. So I made this one for general info on how to get the mook, if not at least have a long-winded read to pass the time as "new" subjects at MW are scarce these days. Hopefully someone got a kick out of the fact that I was mistaken for someone who already ordered the mag not once, but twice! and the second person's name was "Max." Ya know, I never found out who the first person's name was, but I wonder if it happened to be "Milia." I would have said my name was Minmei if they had offered me a third magazine! But now I have to wait for it to come in like the rest of us.

It's amazing how much the posing makes a difference; the Green Pic makes me want to pass on it. The Proto Pic makes me want it bad, like a lonely sailor who's been stuck at sea for 48 months without shoreleave wants it bad. lol. TMI

I'm with rnurmin, what is in this mook? The Mag is full of awesome full colour shots of our favourite (and recent) Macross toys...the closest thing to a toy catalogue for serious Macross Toy collectors. Check it out: Figure Ou Macross PIcs

In addition to fighting mostly in gerwalk mode as an artillery support role, I also think the difference between the VB-6 and the original monster besides the transport factor (shuttle mode) is that BOT mode can be used for ASSAULTs and CLEANUP (demolition) operations (ala DEVASTATOR in the TF movie). Usually we see the old monsters used as ground-to-air defense mechs against incoming attacks, but I think the VB-6 is also suitable for offensive attacks and pre-emptive strikes. Can you imagine this huge thing barrelling down out of the sky, transforming to gerwalk to blow a path through any enemy ground defense lines, then transforming to battroid mode to start stepping on buildings and key military facilities (not to mention tiny zentradi, even macronized ones)? Heck, forget gerwalk mode, just drop straight down out of the sky in Battroid mode and stomp the heck out of the bad guys! I can almost hear Megatron in the background saying "Let the slaughter begin!!"

That IS ugly, but for some reason I find myself compelled to go look for it at Walmart today out of morbid curiousity. While it is ugly, if I know me, it's gonna end up in my collection in my tub-o-sorta-macross things including exosquad, robotech, bootlegs, and TF Decepticons/Bots that I pretend are valkyries (like Optimal Optimus, TM Jetstorm, Energon Megs, Wing Zero, etc..)

I was making fun of the pic fo sho, but something's not right. Between the Yamato proto pic and the mag pic, either a lot has changed on the latest sculpt, or they simply did not transform it correctly AT ALL. Cause the Yamato pic looks pretty darn good. I'm hoping that's all it is. I mean, look at the feet...something serioiusly wrong there with that big gap on the green monster from the mag, and the legs. Please tell me it was just transformed wrong. *UNGH* THAT's gotta be one of my NUMBER ONE pet peaves: Promo pics with horrible poses and incorrectly-transformed toys. Man, if I was the sculptor of a beautiful masterpiece, you'd be SURE I'd be there making sure the photographer does justice to my creation, if not heading the photoshoot myself! I bet there are a lot of sculptors out there crying from the bad pics photographers shot of their works.

C'mon, no one wants these in 1/48? Doesn't this pic make you want a complete airshow valk squadron? hehe.

double post for me, but we seem to have 2 threads bout the same thing, lol. I think though, in spite of how akward these particular pics make the moster look in bot mode, whether it looks like that for real or not, I'll pick one up just for the shear size of it, and the fact that it is quite a unique macross mech far different than any run of the mill valk. But from these pics, I have to agree with zeo-mare. Is it me, or does the Monster not look as cool in bot mode as I remember in previous pics? Like the hips should be closer together, and the legs somehow look as if they should be telescoped out (longer) but haven't been transformed correctly (I don't really know how it's s'posed to transform). These pics make bot mode look like a cheesy Transformer for some reason. These pics of the Monster make it look like a supersize version of the Autobot COSMOS......or is it just me? Makes me hungry for some tacos.........

Is it me, or does the Monster not look as cool in bot mode as I remember in previous pics? Like the hips should be closer together, and the legs somehow look as if they should be telescoped out (longer) but haven't been transformed correctly (I don't really know how it's s'posed to transform). These pics make bot mode look like a cheesy Transformer for some reason. These pics of the Monster make it look like a supersize version of the Autobot COSMOS......or is it just me? Makes me hungry for some tacos.........

Doh! Man, I REALLY need to get caught up on these boards! I suck at finding stuff on the search function. Sorry! yet ANOTHER thread you mods can delete. Sheeesh, I had no idea what an undertaking it would be to catch myself up to speed after 2 years. That post was only 10 days old. Sorry mods, somehow I missed it.

I'd settle for that....makes me miss my beloved Gakken Die Cast Alpha Fighter that only transformed between Battroid and Gerwalk modes. I would LOVE to own another, even if it doesn't transform to fighter. Read About its Demise HERE. if you've never heard the story. So sad!

Can someone show or tell me where on BP8 does it break or begin to show stress signs? Why is BP8 breaking, anyway? 1. Is it because it looks like it's suppossed to hinge upward (ala IHP transformable Hasegawa kit) but it really doesn't, and people are forcing it to go up and then end up breaking it? 2. Or is it because to add the support latch on the back hatch over the tailfin pack means slightly bending BP8 upward a bit for tension? I did notice that BP8 doesn't really seem to be able to sit flush in battroid mode when you click the support latch over the tailfin pack because it seems to need a degree of flex in order for it to latch that way. Perhaps this is why that part is made of plastic versus metal, because it is suppossed to flex; only they should have made it out of a less brittle plastic it seems. Seems to be a a few parts on the 1/48 that need to be flexible, including the hinged shoulder mounts (that have to flex when transforming from fighter to gerwalk/battroid mode), and even the plastic landing gear doors (which seem to need to flex to snap shut or open....if they were rigid metal I don't think they'd be able to close.), and of course, also the back head hatch which has to flex when snapped into its recessed position for fastpack mode.

What are the valks in the Super Famicom game Scrambled Valkyrie called? I've always thought the valks in that game look very Stampede valkish, but also seem to be preludes to a VF-0 design; I don't even know if Shoji designed these valks or not: Heavy instrumentation mounted on VF-1Sish head Pronounced leading edge and giant flaps on the wings "Jagged" canopy line (versus straight and plain) Mound things on chest (look like giant FLIRS) Tricked out Gunpod Also, I've seen the VF head on the scrambled valks on other various pics of what were suppossed to be normal VF-1S (looks like a VF-1S head with a glowing yellow forhead sensor, very big lense) (not to be confused with kawamori 1S head that looks almost exactly like the M2 VF-2ss head) Anyway, I've searched the compendium and am unable to figure out what the name of the Scrambled Valk is exactly (probably since that game didn't go through Studio Nue), since there are no pics. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

I don't think the VB-6 has any landing gear. None is shown in the line-art and in the VF-X2 opening movie, the VB-6 transforms from Shuttle to Gerwalk mode as it lands. Graham Waow, if that's the case, how does it take off from land? I would guess shuttle mode is used for long-range transport only, not as a mode it would transform from or to on a repeated basis during combat like you would a valk. As far as take off, I imagine it would be launched vertically, like the space shuttle, or off a launching base. I'm also willing to bet it may also have VTOL capabilities in shuttle mode through use of underbelly thrusters and/or it's own on board anti-gravity system ala SDF-1/Zentradi technology. Are there any official stats/specs on this yet? (sorry, havn't checked the compendium yet) Even if it might not take off from a runway like a regular plane would, I would think it has gigantic wheels somewhere in there for taxiing. Just all my guess though.

Actually, I was quite disappointed with the colour on the DYRL super/strike armour packs. The pics show a bluish colour, but the toy is actually greenish. I don't see any blue on it at all. If it weren't for the fact that I want to keep this as much a toy as possible (as oppossed to a custom), I would have repainted them dark blue. Though from what I remember from 2 years ago, most MWers don't seem to agree that the packs are blue at all. I'm sittin here looking straight at my DYRL source book which shows the DYRL packs as dark blue, just like I remembered in the anime. NE way, I think the super/strike DYRL armour is the only one you can buy seperately. The TV armour comes with the J's as a package.

Doh! Sorry Graham. I looked for the mag in the mag section of MW, but didn't see it, so I thought this was news. I been outta the loop for 2 years until just the past couple weeks. Missed that one. Feel free to just bump the other thread and DELETE this one, save space.

I went looking for this must-have magazine today, and guess what? I FOUND TWO! BUT, there's a catch: After driving all the way to Olympia and then up to Seattle, I finally came upon Kinokuniya book store and showed the clerk there my crudely drawn Kana for "Figure Ou" #77 magazine, asking her if she had it... She looked on the rack....none, she looked it up in a catalogue, and couldn't even find it listed, then she scoured the computer data banks.....15 minutes passed and I waited eagerly....to no avail...... THEN, a coworker looks at her, and looks at me, and realizes we both look perplexed and eager (respectively) and decides to see if she can help. **enter japanese dialogue that I don't understand here except for the words "Figaya Ou" and "wakata!"** THEN, suddenly, the other coworker jumps up with a big smile (almost scared me she was so excited) because she seems to know exactly what I'm talking about now, does a little "happy dance" as she totters over to a shelf in the back and whips out a brand-spankin new copy of, yep, you guessed it, FIGURE OU #77 and waves Shoji's Beautiful MacZero valks staring me right in the face asking me, "is THIS what you're looking for?!" I say YES YES, that's the one!!!! She says, "ah yes, yes, you must be the one who ordered it! Yes?" ]*****PAUSE HERE FOR MINI-ME with angel wings and halo and mini-me with horns and a pitchfork:[/b] Naughty Me: "Just nod your head, pay for the darn mag, and then make like a tree and get outta there! Muahahaha!" Nice Me: "I'm sure there's a big fan out there, who might even be another MWer, who actually ordered this and has his heart set on it. Leave it be and find another way to get one." Naughty Me: "But you're here, and the other guy isn't...plus the reserve tag says it's been holding since the beginning of June! That guy ain't never coming for it, and it isn't paid for yet, so go buy it!" Nice Me: "But then again, maybe he's like me, and lives in a different city, so he just hasn't had the time to come and buy it, or maybe he didn't get the messege that it's waiting for him. Plus, if you find out how to get it, you can kill two birds with one stone by ordering one for yourself and then pass the info along to everyone else who wants one." Regular Me: "ok ok, I gotta let it go. So sad!" ****and back to scene....ACTION:****** "tsk, naw, I wasn't the one who ordered it." So she says at least she knows what I'm talking about now, and she can order it for me. Takes down my name and number (yeah baby, hehe, how YOU doin?) and says it should be in in a couple o weeks. BUT, before I finish writing down my name and number, coworker girl comes running out of the back room with ANOTHER copy of Figure Ou #77, exclaiming, "You must be MAX, right?!" LOL!!! Man, Naughty Rolo and Nice Rolo started going at it again for a split second as I lifted my pen up off the paper in the middle of writing down my name. ****In my head: "Uh, yeah, yep, that's me, I'm MAX!"**** What I said for real: "*sigh* no, that's not me either...so I guess I have to order mine......you don't have any extra ones, do you?" "Nope," says the purdy bookstore clerk. "Darn," says I. BUT, I did get some info on how to get one if you really want one, and I might be able to help somma you out if you don't have access to Kinokuniya. Savy? (yes, I LOVE the Pirates of the Carabbean Movie, just wish I could spell it). HOW TO (possibly) ORDER THIS MAG: 1. If you want to order this book from a japanese book store like Kinokuniya, you have to specify this as a "MOOK". The reason the clerks had a hard time looking it up is because it is considered neither a "magazine," nor a "book," but a "MOOK" (because it is a magazine that is like a book....don't ask, lol...). 2. Of course, the title is Figure Ou, May 2004 #77 (may help to write the Kana down for it, or print a pic of the cover) 3. The ISBN Number will help find it for sure (it has an ISBN because it is a "book/mook"). The ISBN Number is: ISBN # 4-8465-2480-9 4. You can order this in person or over the phone from most Kinokuniya stores. For a one-time mag (as oppossed to subscriptions), the Kinokuniya I went to won't ship (you have to pick it up and pay for it in person), but they do mail you a postcard letting you know when it comes in for you to pick it up. All they need is your name, mailing addie, and phone number. 5. Kinokuniya price for this mag is US$14.60 plus tax due at the time it arrives when you pick it up. Clerk said anywhere from 2-5 weeks for it to arrive. (I told her she should order a few more just in case.) She gave me a little order receipt that had a simple tracking number on it, and all I have to do is wait. That's it! Tada! The chances of finding this backissue elsewhere seems scarce, if you ask me, so this is the best I could come up with. I found out the above info after asking her, "I know several people looking for this magazine, so what info do they need in order for you to know what magazine they're talking about, and can they order over the phone?" She gave me the info and nodded her head along with enthusiastic "yes, yes, yes" (seems like forever that I've heard those words, hehe) So there ya go, my long-winded post about the Figure Ou Magazines I went all the way to Seattle for and didn't pick up. Wow, before I thought I was a just a married-with-children(child) 20-something-year-old nerd who still liked toys; now I'm just an aging stag whose version of "excitement is playing with toys and talking to a bookstore clerk because I don't get out much since the other half dropped outta the picture! lol/crying@me. ANYWAY, if you don't have a local Kinokuniya store near you, and you are SERIOUS about getting this mag, chime in here and let's tally up a list so we can call Kinokuniya and see if they can order that many at once. If the number isn't too high, I'd offer to front some mulah and get paid back when everyone receives their mags, but anything too complicated beyond that I would defer to another member or at least someone who'll escrow for me, since most folk here probably think of me as the DEMON FROM H-E-double-hocky-stick, lol. At least you got the info. So go find one now! Happy Hunting! P.S. Sorry for the overload on posts and words today....making up for lost time. Nerd.

There's gotta be a way to make a perfect transformable VF-0 TOY...just gotta. If anyone has seen the latest issue of Degenki Hobby, there are GLORIOUS pics there of fan-made conversions of the 1/72 Hasegawa kits for the VF-0 and SV-51 in bot mode...I was't sure because I was pressed for time, but I THINK they were transformable.... There are like 6-8 full colour pages of Macross Zero kitbashing goodness there, including a buildup of a VF-0D! I didn't have the cash to buy the mag today, but I don't have a scanner anyway to scan it for ya.....(hint hint, GRAHAM!). Post those pics! At least we can drool and pretend those bot modes are 1/72 toys!

Can someone do a "fake" pose mock-up of the claw grabbing a Super VF by the fast packs? Just hold the stand upside down over a sitting valk and take a pic? I just wanna see what it looks like. That's the pose we're all craving for anyway, I know it.

O, Greg, I'm so sorry. Our local otaku leader here (owner of Anime Cafe) in WA just lost his wife too, only 30 yrs old, from an unforseen brain anurism, while he was deployed in Iraq as a reserve. Hadn't seen her in 6 months, and was called back just so he could do the funeral. Never saw it coming. His gusto is gone now too, so he's letting go of his business of 15 years and re-enlisting full time cause he has nothing left for him here. I know what you mean about if it weren't for your child you'd be gone a long time ago. (I dare not ever tell her, but I too would have been gone a long time ago had my daughter not depended on me). I'm there with you on that. But in time you will find more reason to live again. I know what it's like to lose a loved one; it's almost as if your entire world as you've known it has disappeared, and in a way, a part of you on the inside dies with her, and it takes time to find a way to deal with the shock and eventually rebuild around that empty spot inside. You never can quite fill it back up the same, but you will be able to start again in a different way, a different life. I've been away from MW for 2 years for similar reasons, and I can understand how you too will have to disconnect from your usual interests and past times. Just remember to count on the people that are there for you when you come back, not just here, but in real life too. You'll need your friends and family now more than ever, and you will discover who your true friends and loved ones are, maybe even discover some you never knew you had. You'll be alright. I'm so sorry for your loss, Greg. You've always been one of my favourite artists and MW friends, and I'm sure you can take comfort that many here do see you as a standup guy and wish you the best. My prayers are with you and your family. Please take care of yourself. Sincerely, -Rosario