TheLoneWolf

Nah, Bandai made the HCM's and they're entirely different sculpts from the Takatoku's. I have an HCM and the only drawbacks are a lack of fastpacks (unless you want to kitbash one) and the backpack sits way too high in battroid mode. At best they're ok toys, but definitely not great, especially after Yamato entered the scene. IMO, the most I'd pay today would be $75 for a MIB. ***ducks stones***

I have an HD set, but I think I'd have to pass. DYRL is so old that it may end up looking worse on HD, it would have to be completely remastered to take full advantage of everything that HD has to offer. For now, I'll stick with the R2, I don't mind the minor artifacts and my xbox does a decent job with the interlacing. M+ Movie Edition would benefit more from the HD treatment, but it's still over 10 years old, so who knows. What I really want from this film is a DTS release. The geometric leap from VHS to DVD justified spending the extra money, and you didn't need a high end set to reap the benefits. But from all the reviews I've read about HD DVD, an HD set is a must, and even then the increase in picture clarity is only marginal. The only titles that really shined on HD were those recently produced. That knocks out all of the Macross, except Zero. Too bad I didn't like Zero.

Yes, they did. But we got a consolation prize: the 1/100 Koenig Monster

Oh you ain't seen nothing yet!

Sounds like the same kind of plastic that they used for the xbox's headset hinge. I don't have an answer, but I tried gorilla glue and it didn't help. :/ kanata, I'm sorry to hear about your father. You and your family have my condolences.

That's right, there were even prototype shots of it and it actually looked good! But that's probably because it wasn't transformable, and I don't believe that the arms & main cannons didn't move either. Back to the topic, it was toss up between the VF-4 and VF-2SS. I decided to go with the VF-2SS because the VF-4 looks like in involves way too much anime magic, and even with the help of CAD may not end up being an accurate toy. The VF-2SS looks much easier to pull off, with the exception of the leg placement during transformation, but I think Yamato could pull it off. Realistically though, if Yamato had to chose, they'd go with the VF-4. Just no love for the VF-2SS.

WOW!! Great comparison pics, Mr. March. Yamato's CAD drawings differ from the lineart in several places, I take that back, it differs in a lot places. But for most part, I don't mind because the YF-19 is such a ridiculously complex design that compromises are going to have to made to maintain transformation and infrastructure. My only nitpicks are the areas that Yamato could improve without sacrificing neither. IMO, fighter mode is already looking chunky due to the fuselage bulge and legs, so raising the shoulders an extra 2cm probably wouldn't be noticable. David, you and I are different sides of the same coin. You're concerned with fighter mode, and I'm all about battroid. Graham could probably answer these better than I, but I'm going to guess that the tailfins are small because they have to fold behind the calf in battroid mode. If they're too long, they'll jut too far past the legs in the frontal view. Sadly, this is anime magic in action. The best thing to do would be to design slip covers to elongate the tailfins in fighter mode. As for the canards, they're most likely small because they have to fit nicely into the torso in battroid mode. If they're too long, the torso won't be able to lock together. Again, more anime magic. IMO, you're absolutely right, the underneath bulge gives the illusion that it's short. From my experience with the 1/72 variable models and toys, that bulge becomes the battroid "crotch" (can't think of any better term). During transformation, the bulge moves downward and becomes the crotch. I can't tell from the CAD lineart if this is the method Yamato used, but it appears so. In retrospect, after seeing all the compromises Yamato made, I have to give them mad props for going ahead and making the toy anyways. It isn't going to be anywhere near as accurate as the VF-1 & VF-0 when it comes to the lineart, but at the end of the day I'll be glad to have a quality 1/60 YF-19 from Yamato.

Do you have a digital camera? I might be interested in buying the DVD drive of your xbox, but I'd need a picture of the tray ejected from the xbox to see if it's the one I want.

I agree that all the improvements you've mentioned are whole heartedly welcome, but I see the lowered sholders as a blemish. In battroid mode, the shoulds are raised, in my opinion resulting in a more beefy look. But in the CAD lineart, they appear droopy. This was done, naturally, to accentuate fighter mode at the cost of battroid mode. The droopy battroid shoulders bring back memories of the horrid Retpuu YF-19 and I was glad to see that no other company followed the tradition of droopy shoulders, up until now. Here's a pic of the shoulders from the anime. And here's the CAD lineart. The shoulders are already slightly protruding in fighter mode, I think Yamato could definitely raise them a little more so that they're level with the canopy. To me, it's a cosmetic fix that Yamato could easily do without compromising transformation or infrastructure.

OMFG!!!!! I never thought I'd see this day, I thought Mac+ was dead in Japan, but yes Yamato does love us!! Liquid Stone what?! Hey Graham, I know you're not permitted to say much, but since I didn't see any YF-19 gerwalk pics: did Yamato figure how to do a proper A stance in gerwalk (ala Kawamori's lineart)? Also, please inform Yamato that'd we'd all be grateful if they could toss in a fold booster for us. Oh wow, just noticed the mini guns in the torso, NICE!!!!

so is that really 1/55 scale? I remember Jung had some shots of the MPC beside the 1/48 IMAI Legioss and both were the same size. Someone then went on to say that IMAI had the scale wrong and that Toynami had it right. Yeah I know, but sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

Here's a bigger pic. Looks like Hikaru & Minmay are actually molded into the moniter. The background looks photoshopped, hope the actual product looks better.

Make it a 1S

Damn, Minmay gets an entires series dedicated just to her. The only fig that interests me is the Minmay with the beret, but like Ishtar from series 1, this fig looks like it'll be near impossible to stand up. I hope this set will be Minmay's last hurrah, so that in CMS 4 we won't lose another figure to her. Hey, a guy can dream.

The Banprestos aren't 1/144, I used to have a 1/144 VF and it was smaller than a Banpresto. I'd say the Banpresto is somewhere around 1/120. Regarding the 1/100 SDCC exclusive: have any of Toynami's SDCC exclusive toys ever become rare & valuable?

I would kill for some 1/60 Macross Plus Valkyries!!! At 1/60 scale, Yamato could make a YF-19 that'd blow the LS version outta the water! Graham, do you think there's still enough interest in Japan for Yamato to take another stab at Mac+?

damn Roy, you sure do love to lay the hate on women. would it make you happier if we post some pics of Orlando Bloom and Brad Pitt?

I don't mind banners as long as they're not 1)overly obtrusive 2)unrelated to the content material, and 3) a scam. Needless to say, I'm ok with this one. Am I the only one find it interesting that Shawn has reneged on an age old MW policy? I hope this is more a friendly business gesture rather than a financial necessity.

Yeah, but they might be able to market a "Snow Valkyrie" and get away with it. You just won't be able to get the extra heads and whatnot

I remember a long time ago Graham asked Yamato about selling 1/60 VF-1's unassembled and unpainted, but Yamato said they couldn't because it's looking less like a toy and more like a model, in which they would need to pay for a model license from BW. An unpainted 1/48 may not be in compliance with their existing toy license.

R1 or R2 version? IIRC, someone on AOD ran a test on the R2 Mac Plus DVD's and they were somewhere around 80% to 90% progressive. I have no idea where the R1 DVD's stand, but I'm not optimistic as they look noticably worse than the R2.

I suppose it's easier to market a $600 computer vs a $600 game system.

True, but the PS3 won't have the coveted HDMI output. Videophiles with an HDMI set looking for the full experience will still need to shell out $1000 for the standalone BR player.

an oldie, but a goodie

Kawamori has gone on the record stating that Plus originally wasn't supposed to be part of the Macross universe. He approached Big West about doing an OAV involving rival mecha pilots, Big West thought it was a great idea but also thought it would sell better if it had the Macross name attached to it. I have to agree with Zinjo that most people tend to think Kawamori was more involved with the original SDF Macross than we give him credit for. From all that I've read, Kawamori's greatest involvement was with the "Outside Story" (episodes 28 - 36) where he began to direct, write, and script. The first 27 episodes of Macross was a Studio Nue collaboration. Several of our most beloved plot points (enemy ace falls in love a human pilot, girl ends the war by singing, said girl works in a Chinese restaurant and falls for the clueless hero, etc) were already set in stone by Studio Nue before Kawamori even had a chance to finish the VF-1. With the VF-1 being such an iconic design, it's easy for us to pin the role of series creator to the VF-1's creator. However, no one doubts Kawamori's involvement in DYRL. DYRL was THE Kawamori project of the 80's. But, with DYRL being a remake of the TV series, how original can it truly be? Yes, the mecha designs were improved, animation is still amazing by today's standards, there's mouth-watering action scenes, and a timeless score. But how about the story? I'd say 80% is borrowed from Studio Nue's plot with 20% of new material from Kawamori (the Protoculture city, Zentrans vs Meltrans). Storyline-wise, I can't say DYRL is original. So let's see how Kawamori's batting average with Macross goes: - SDF Macross (eps 1 - 27, Kamamori mostly relegated to mecha designs) - Japan and USA love it. - SDF Macross (eps 28 - 36, greater involvement with Kawamori) - Lukewarm response in Japan and USA. - Macross DYRL - Japan and USA love it. Mostly a remake of eps 1 - 27. - Macross Plus - Lukewarm response in Japan, USA loves it. Wasn't originally envisioned as a Macross series. - Macross 7 - Japan loves it, USA hates it. - Macross 7 Dynamite - Japan loves it, USA hates it. - Macross Zero - Lukewarm response in Japan and USA (using DVD sales figures as a basis for Japan). As far as Kawamori's original series go (Plus, 7, Zero), he's probably doing .500. Not bad, not terrible either. If Studio Nue wants to keep Kawamori around for future Macross projects, I can't blame them. But I wouldn't mind someone fresh taking over either.