Dendrobius

Be really bloody careful with the HCM-Pro EVA elbows. That's nothing more than a copper wire inside, coated with rubber! Too much movement and you'll snap it straight off. Like mine.

Hmm, I did forget about the VF-5000, good point. That shrinks down the timeframe somewhat, but overall it doesn't make much of a difference in my point that VF development gets longer and longer. Also, I wouldn't count in the VF-17 since I'm looking at main line fighters, not special ops/attack ones, or else we'd need to look at the VA-3 and the VF-14 as well. Well, YF19 to VF19 took about six years, and that was only to initial limited production. So 2046 at the earliest + 6 years gives 2052 for possible initial limited production. So 7 years for mass production. Starts to fit, starts to fit. Pity, it either implies that the Supernova planes were all lemons in actual service, or insanely stupidly expensive which still makes them lemons since they were meant to be the next gen main line fighter and obviously budget is something they need to stick to too.

It's not so much the VF-25 itself that bothers me. On the official website, it's stated that performance wise the 25 can be seen as THE successor to the 19/22 series by improvements in transformation efficiency, etc. That's fine and dandy. A quick look at VF developments: VF-0 = Rollout 2005, initial deployment 2007, never mass produced. VF-1 = Rollout, initial deployment, mass production 2008 (benefitted a lot from the VF-0 program though) VF-4 = Rollout 2010, initial deployment 2012, replaced VF-11 2020 (roughly 10 years between VF-1 and VF-4) VF-11 = Rollout ?, initial deployment ?, replaced VF-4 2030 (roughly 10 years there again) VF-19 = Rollout 2039, initial deployment by 2046 on Mac7 (so roughly 16 years there) VF-171 = SOMEHOW rolls out, deploys, AND replaces the 11 and/or the 19 by 2054, all in the space of less than 13 years What really bugs me is where the 171 popped up from. As I've said, the timeframe doesn't make sense. The 19 was already accepted into service at the end of Mac7 as a direct replacement for the 11. OK, let's say something went really wrong. So we're now in 2046, both candidates from Supernova are found to be lemons. What does UNS have? They've still got VF-11s by the bucketloads, and a few mucho expensive VF-17s (mucho expensive I'm assuming from the fact that we see not a heck of a lot of them onboard Mac7). They need a stopgap main line fighter right now. So they somehow manage to develop a derivative of the expensive bugger, test, and deploy en mass...all within 13 years. If you argue that it's a war situation, well, why is it that the 25 which is obviously superior to the 171, is stated on the official website to be a successor performance wise to the 19/22 and NOT the 171, which implies that the 171 is inferior in performance to the 19/22? That might account for the hugely accelerated development cycle if it's war and the 171 needed to be cranked out NOW, but we're not exactly seeing a war footing in Frontier. If you argue that it's peacetime and thus they just needed something better/more versatile than the VF-11, what's with the hasty development cycle and deployment of something that isn't as good as the 19/22, instead of taking their time to iron out any wrinkles that did come up after deployment?

I'm still wondering where the VF-19s and VF-22s are. Apart from the "we need new shiny from Kawamori to make the toys sell better" angle, there's not much to go on. It doesn't make sense at all in universe. Frontier's set 2059. Project Supernova, 2040. Initial deployment into front line squadrons, 2046. The 19 was supposed to completely replace the 11, and the 22 was supposed to be the replacement for the 17. Somehow, in the space of less than 13 years, both crafts were retired completely or never completed deployment, and the 171 was developed from what was already an obsolete fighter, and put into mass production. That's WAY too short a timespan for all this to happen. Just look at the VF-11 for example, initially deployed in 2030, Supernova happened 10 years later, and after that, another 6 before unit replacement began. So that's 16 years between fighters. Theoretically 19s and 22s should be like 11s and 17s in Mac7, they should be at the same stage of the lifecycle, matured and almost ready for replacement, not nowhere to be seen. Also it's too short a timespan for the development of the 171. Shinsei and General Galaxy were both busy with Supernova, where did General Galaxy find the time or the reason to spare a design team to do up the 171...when their VF-22 was already accepted as a direct replacement for the VF-17 which was also produced by them?? (I'm a big fan of the AVFs, just sad not to see them appear at all in Frontier)

I believe the producers or director of 00 has already stated categorically that Saji will never pilot, he has other things to do. What'll be amusing is if Lockon Stratos' twin brother Lockoff Subterraneo subs in as pilot for Dynames. (Yes I'm a fan of bad puns)

At least Hathaway's taste in women improves greatly by the time he grows up in Hathaway's Flash, gotta give the guy some credit in that.

That's where it all breaks down in multiplayer. Soon as Psycho has enough power to initiate the SP it's all over, you're dead. I don't even think it's possible to dodge the hands. You can get out of range of them (you have to get bloody far away), but you can't dodge them. I'm assuming you know how to use the twaddle stick to change targetting from MS to vehicles, right?

The white Qubeley is only medium/high on the absolute power scale. The red Qubeley can beat it since its hand cannons fire multiple blasts per "shot", effectively doubling/tripling the white Q's firepower. Psycho MkII is the most powerful 1v1: its melee attack one hit kills almost all MSes even with upgrades, AND said attack has insane range, AND it has the longest lasting SP attack of all units. My friend and I tried it, Psycho MkII vs everything else (Nu/Sazabi/S/ZZ/Zeta Plus A/C all unlocked, fully upgraded), we swapped piloting the Psycho MkII, and neither of us could beat the other guy in a Psycho MkII. Quinn Manthas died, any MS sized opponents died a horrible death, only thing that gave it a run for its money was S with ALICE on running like a rabbit on steroids to avoid the melee attack. Qubeley would melt against Psycho. Its Newtype Spam SP doesn't last as long as Psycho's one, so you get just blasted when you finish your SP in the Q.

(Backseat modding) this probably should go into the PSP thread, no? The best way is pretty much to wait for GP03 to get hung up on the perimeter of the level, then unload a SP into it. Gerbera's IIRC is a All Shoot one, so you need to get up close and personal or else it'll mostly miss. I finished Delaz initially using Cima's Gelgoog with that tactic, then came back later with a MS that had a melee SP to get my S Ranking. Also, going back later with a Psycho Mk II and instakilling the GP03 using the Psycho MkII's IMBA default melee attack is just hilarious.

To my understanding, the Tariba vs Union/US incident: Tariba initially had a shakey head of government and widespread anti-US (not necessarily Union, but more US) sentiments. Tariban head of government got smart, decided to use CB by declaring independence from US. The calculation was that CB would intervene, and no matter how they intervened Tariba would benefit. As it stood, CB whacked Tariba, who promptly went back into the Union, and the Union then defended Tariba from CB. Net effect, Tariba government head has much firmer grip on power (Look, if we're not with the Union, CB'll get us), Tariba populace likes the Union much more for defending them against CB, US benefits from Tariba not leaving, and CB is left looking like the Bad Guys to the "common people" like Saji for randomly attacking a spunky country going for independence.

That's not a GFF release, it's the standard "Gundam Ace" monthly magazine's MS spotlight for the new UC series Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn. It's also NOT based on the ZII, but rather the Methuss. Notice the transformation scheme, shoulders and groin are pretty much lifted straight from the Methuss. (Not deliberately trying to rain on anybody's parade here )

That has been confirmed as the Delaz Fleet. Sort of a way of saying, "without igLoo, Stardust Memories would not have happened".

When the God in question is a total nutcase and a lolicon, of course he needs a starship to get to his target and a golden Mortar Headd to convince her that he's got the bling. Also, nobody else but a crazy God is stupid enough to put a sawn-off Buster Cannon on a bloody MH anyway. (Buster Cannon = scaled down Macross Cannon, you can use it to carve up continents, really!)

No pictures, but AV-0X Zero is confirmed for release after Ingram Unit 2. Sweet, the one MG Bandai should have made but didn't, is coming out as Revoltech. Ingram Unit 1 vs Zero!! (courtesy Toysdaily)

Sort of. Two events happened there. The first one is written in Banboo Leaf Rhapsody from The Book 3 as you pointed out, and the latter one is in Book 4. Three years ago, Haruhi asked one question to the man who identified himself "John Smith", and she was satisfied with his answer. This is one of the most important events in this series. Just after John left, another "John Smith" appeared and shouted one incomprehensible line. This line was deeply linked to the origin of SOS-dan. I won't spoil it for you, but what you've read in Book 2 about the movie leads onto what I'm talking about. IIRC, in Book 2 they finished filming pretty much the day before the cultural festival, Kyon and Haruhi both stay back to do the editing, but both fell asleep fairly early on. When they wake up, somehow magically the movie's edited itself. That incident is covered in the later books (Book 7 IIRC), and there's a massive story behind it. Book 4 + Book 7 together would make eight to ten episodes easy, given Book 1 was a 5 episode arc. Toss in a few good stories from the other books that weren't put in, and you're done for another 13 episode season. In any case, these are small side issues, the point I was getting at is, there is definitely more than enough source material to do a Season 2 if they wanted to. If the animation and artwork are anything like Season 1, it'll kick sixteen kinds of ass, and that is always a good thing.

...you haven't read any of the later books, have you? Two parter condensing of the making of the movie?! I don't have the novels handy to refer to, but IIRC it was a pretty darn massive storyline, with Future Mikuru getting seriously involved as well. I'd pay to see that animated . I don't think the storyline's fully settled yet either, because Kyon actually left a few time paradoxes behind when fixing up the movie and has still to settle them yet! I'm talking about Books 6, 7 and 8, not Book 2. Not to mention the reason why Haruhi remarks to Kyon that she thinks she's seen him before, the very first time they met, etc etc etc...there is a lot of material left to animate. OVA, no, I only heard that on the animesuki forums, hence I was saying, "due out soon supposedly".

You do realise there are 8 novels out at the moment, 9th one is either out or coming, and the anime's only covered up to book 5 (Day of Sagittarius) with some skipping along the way? Plenty more material for another series. Heck, the current ongoing storyline in the novel which has to do with the movie they shot for the festival, that there's already half of a 13 episode series easy. Make that the main story for the second series, kind of like how Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi I~V was for the first series, and cherry pick good chapters from the rest of the books for other episodes, and you're good to go. Can't wait for the movie/OVA due out soon supposedly to follow on straight from the TV series. Yay.

Be happy it comes for America. Australia does not get Megaman ZX. At all. Period. No release. I'm going to have to order it overseas. This game, Castlevania Dawn of Sorrow, and the upcoming Portrait of Ruin were the main reasons I got the DS over the PSP, and bloody Nintendo Australia decides not to release ZX at all in Australia. Talk about annoying!! At least Lego Star Wars is coming, that'll tide me over until I get ZX. I really like the Zero series, very challenging but good fun, and I really like the artwork. Too bad Ciel's portrait seemed to have fallen off the top of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down in Zero 4.

If The Second Barrage includes Fujiyama Gangster's Paradise in its entirety, that will kick so, much, ass it won't be funny. (I've been reading the manga for Black Lagoon, and it's really, really good)

Interestingly enough, the WXIII storyline actually was in the manga series for Patlabor, and it was one of the middle story arcs, and stuck in my mind as a great demonstration of the entire cast of Patlabor. Very strong story. WXIII the Movie for me was a good "different angle" take on the story, I liked it a lot.

That was almost highway robbery by the referee on Australia...but eh, that's life.

That F91 seems a bit off in proportion. I can't quite put my finger on it...but the shoulders seem to be a size or two too big. F91's supposed to be fairly svelt, the MG rendition seems to make it look like a skinny guy wearing chunky shoulderpads?

IE7 Beta2 and WinXP

Oh the humanity! PLEASE!! Won't somebody think of the children! In all honesty though, Fukuda as director means this is going to suck like a kid with a lollipop. Enough, stop beating the dead horse, SEED is as dead as Star Trek right now. 397588[/snapback] Running by the 1st 10 episodes of GSD, where they had time and weren't making last minute changes to the script....I have no problem with Fukada as director. 397615[/snapback] Everything up to the Junius 7 drop was fine. It looked like it had promise, I was watching Destiny every week. Then, when it became the "Zala + Friends Road Tour of the Earth", I lost interest, but still watched it. However, I think the show jumped the shark after Freedom/Kira got reintroduced and God Mode got turned on for him. I quit watching after I saw Kira slice up Saviour...the story just wasn't going to get any better. I'm sorry, but 7~8 episodes out of a 52 episode series being good means Fukuda sucks as a director. No way on earth could he have had "no time" for the Zala + Friends roadshow period...