Jump to content

M'Kyuun

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    5064

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Everything posted by M'Kyuun

  1. M'Kyuun
    I've thought about it, but never seriously enough to try it. In any event, I have no idea how to post video. Here's another project I was working on; it's unfinished, but someday I may get back to it. Like the VF-4, it's fully transformable into all three modes.
  2. M'Kyuun
    Thanks! It took a few rebuilds, a bit of LEGO, and a lot of cussing, but I finally got it to work. Anyway, here are couple more shots showing some features. Notice the entire shoulder can move; I built it like this from the beginning, as I was working solely from Kawamori's lineart. After I got my Yamato VF-4, the immobility of it's shoulders really seemed an impractical hindrance, and I was glad I went with a moveable design. Much more dynamic. Incidentally, these are older pics; the chest vanes have since been rebuilt and the new ones can be seen on the above posted pics.
  3. M'Kyuun
    I like the more modern construction vehicle aesthetic they went for, but the bot modes show a lot of license, and my preference is more for G1 homage. I'm getting the complete ToyWorld Constructor set with all the various improvements due out in a couple months. I already have three of their Constructor figs, and while the vehicle modes are a bit more simplified than I'd like, overall they do the job. My set will likely remain in their individual bot modes, as i like how they look, and it'll mitigate the wear and tear they'd receive if I left them combined for extended periods- heavy figures. I've been on a bit of a 3rd party binge lately, and ordered all five of Fans Toy's Iron Dibots. Grinder will be on my doorstep tomorrow, Soar is on a slow boat from China (Ebayed him b/c I wanted the blue chested version) due sometime between the middle of April and May, and Stomp and Cesium( new more G1 accurate version of Slag) are preordered. I have Sever, and man is he sweet. After sitting on the fence for about a year, I finally ordered Ocular Max's Jaguar, as I love Ravage, and I figure I'd better get him while he's still available. After watching a few vids, I think I'll get the Toyhax labels for him to make him look more authentic in his cassette mode. These third parties are rolling out some amazing figures- wish I had the room and finances for many more of them. Too many expensive hobbies.
  4. M'Kyuun
    Thanks, greatly appreciate the compliment. To answer your question, it has perfect transformation, just like a Transformer. It locks together solidly in fighter, and I can swoosh the crap out of it, go inverted- lots of fun. It also has retractable gear; none of these shots show it, but it's there.
  5. M'Kyuun
    I generally don't post my own stuff, but I thought I'd share some pics of my VF-4. I originally built this in 2011, and have modified (improved) it over the years to the state seen here. I built it in the dark blue and grey colors primarily b/c that's what I had the most of, and b/c I generally like how they look together. I figure this is an urban defense model, so the colors make more sense. This model is particularly special to me, as it represents an achievement that I tried to accomplish for over twenty years: make a transformable jet with LEGO. I didn't want to do the VF-1 b/c there are quite a few of them on the net; the VF-4 is one of my favorite valks, and it lent itself nicely to realization with LEGO. Hope you guys like.
  6. M'Kyuun
    Surprised they didn't get tara Strong to do Harley, but Melissa sounds good in the role. Love the Animated series, and offshoots like this are always welcome.
  7. M'Kyuun
    Looking forward to your review. These look like some nice SD figs.
  8. M'Kyuun
    I contacted Captured Prey, and they also verified no plug. Watched Chosen Prime's vid. Doesn't look like a fun transformation, although those legs are brilliantly done. I know most prob won't transform theirs more than once, but I probably will, so the idea of scuffing and chipping while transforming him is disheartening.
  9. M'Kyuun
    If it didn't have Scarlett, it most likely wouldn't have had the budget it had, and would have been a direct to video release. It's a virtually unknown property here in the States, and probably in the rest of the Western Hemisphere, so they needed a well-known actress to leverage what was otherwise an absolute losing gamble. As with most movies in this genre, the Asian market is where it will make its mark both financially and in popularity. I hope so, enough to justify a second. I felt it succeeded, just that it was very derivative. I thought Scarlett carried the picture well, and that she and Pilou (Batou) embodied their characters and their characters' relationship very well. I'd like to see the rest of Section 9 fleshed out more in a new movie with an original plot and mecha, and maybe a Tachikoma or two thrown in there. Azrael- yeah, that's lower than I'd expected for a big movie with Johansson headlining, but then again, if people don't know what "Ghost in the Shell" is, they're just not gonna pony up for theatre seats, but wait for Netflix or Redbox. Reality.
  10. M'Kyuun
    Takara did a good job of scaling his scope/fusion cannon to the bot mode. It's kinda jarring to see all the third parties having more red on the arms and legs than the official, not to mention their shininess compared to nearly-matte Megatron. Seeing the four of them together, I still think Apollyon comes closest to what I want in a MP Megs, leg kibble notwithstanding. XTransbots did a good job with proportionality, overall colors, and keeping the G1 transformation while delivering a pretty clean bot overall. I'm looking forward to MP-36, but I'm glad I also have Apollyon in my collection. Shame to hear about all the paint chipping, esp at the price point- unacceptable. Guess I'll never be putting his accessories on his gun mode. I hope his scope doesn't scratch his arm up over time. Perhaps they should have just molded him in color. I PO'd thru Captured Prey, and have yet to hear anything at all from them, so I don't know if they're installing plugs, or even if they're starting to ship orders. I'm hoping to hear something from them soon, as this thing's a bit of an investment.
  11. M'Kyuun
    Honestly, if those are domestic numbers, I'm not surprised. While it has its fans, most anime as a whole, just isn't that well known here in the States. There are a few exceptions, like Pokeman, Naruto, and DBZ, but outside of a handful of really popular animes aimed at kids, the more mature anime is obscure. We saw GiTS at an 1130 showing yesterday, and there were only about 20 people in the theatre to see it, so even with Scarlett attached, a big name doesn't always sell a movie. My wife and I were the first two people in the theatre, followed by another couple prob in their 40's or 50's who had no idea what the movie was about, and most likely, had never heard of Ghost in the Shell. I'm guessing they were bored, or they anticipated an empty theatre so they could get up to some sexual shenanigans (we had an older couple than this having sex a few rows down from us during another movie a year or two ago- crazy times we live in). Anyway, I imagine profits will be much higher in China and Japan. I hope it makes some kind of profit; it's a better movie than some others I've seen (like every Bayformer movie thus far.)
  12. M'Kyuun
    Saw it today, and I liked it, but I have mixed feelings. I like the homages to the '95 film, and there are quite a few, as Hikuro mentions, although a number are changed to suit the story. For those of us familiar with Oshii's film, sadly, there really aren't any original standout scenes; all the memorable shots were lifted from the animated film, and to me, this is the greatest weakness of the film, IMHO. Many of those shots will give you a deja-vu feeling, as they are very faithful to the Oshii film. The movie itself is a visual treat, esp those city-scapes, which feel very much like GiTS. The special effects were really well done. I personally didn't mind the Major's backstory; it made sense, and gave a plausible explanation for her character, while introducing her to folks with no prior GiTS knowledge. While philosophical topics are explored, it didn't have the exposition of Oshii's film to make that exploration as blatant. To some degree, I think that's a good thing, as I've always found some of the dialog, at least in the English dub, to be clunky and un-natural, esp her and Batou's conversation on the boat and some of the Major's questions to the brain hacked guy after she beats his ass in the water-sheened lot. Just my opinion. In the end, I think it's a good GiTS movie- all the necessary elements are there. But I also think it relied too much on the '95 film for content/scenes, and could have benefited from more originality. My hope is that it will do well enough for a sequel with a unique non-derivative story line, and where the other Section 9 characters besides the Major, Batou, and Aramaki will be fleshed out more.
  13. M'Kyuun

    Bandai Sv-262 DX valk

    M'Kyuun replied to seti88's topic in Toys

    I wasn't a fan of it, either. I pretty much detest gold coloring, unless it's used sparsely, and this thing is plastered with it. But, in hand it's not as gaudy, at least to me, and the pattern and break-up of the gold against the dark blue looks sharp. It's grown on me, and I find it rather striking. Still, it would have looked even better if they'd gone with a Su-27 blue and dark grey camo scheme.
  14. M'Kyuun
    I fail to see the difference between selling a set on Ebay and selling it piecemeal on sites like Bricklink and Brickowl. Either way, the seller purchased the set; what does it matter the manner in which it is resold so long as the parts are properly identified with the brand? I was under the impression that most folks buying LEGO by the part are generally too purist to even consider muddying the LEGO waters with some Mega Bloks, even if the parts in question are highly useful and not produced by LEGO, thus the lack of interest. Personally, I'd consider using those plates with studs on top and bottom, and a few others as well.
  15. M'Kyuun
  16. M'Kyuun
    https://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/takara-tomy-seminal-designer-hideaki-yoke-retires/37663/ Best wishes and utmost respect to a talented gentleman who greatly impacted my life, and the lives of millions, with his work and art. Happy retirement, Yoke-san!
  17. M'Kyuun
    Well, depending on how LEGO purist you guys are, Mega-Bloks sets these days offer some nice alternative parts, as they tend to craft special parts specific to some sets, including some contoured parts. Moreover, they make plates with studs on both sides (so, so useful- extremely high on my LEGO want list), as well as a lot of other specialized bricks with different stud alignments, shapes, slopes, etc that LEGO hasn't made. I haven't brought myself to use MB parts in a LEGO MOC yet, but I've been tempted. For anyone on the fence whether to buy a Mega-Bloks set, I'd highly recommend their Call of Duty Harrier set or the CoD AH-64 Apache set. I have both, and I love them. The overall quality is good, much improved since Mattel bought Mega-Brands. Parts-wise, the Harrier set is a treasure trove of specialized parts with studs going in different directions. It makes me wish there was a Bricklink for Mega-Bloks, or that Bricklink would start selling MB parts.
  18. M'Kyuun
    Chronocidal- that's a lovely start on the VF-19, immediately recognizable. As for your comment concerning LDD's limitations when dealing with a lot of moving parts/transformation systems, I'm so very, very aware. I really wish they'd redesign the hinge and hinge alignment tools. The first is frustrating, the latter nigh useless in my experience. Mazinger- Glad to hear you supported Voltron, although it's probably moot at this point, as it's currently being reviewed by the Ideas Team. I doubt additional votes have impact at this stage, but you never know. As for the creator of the Ideas Voltron, he is a Philippine national named Leandro Tayag, currently residing in Malaysia.
  19. M'Kyuun
    I hope nobody misuses their Megs in the commission of a crime, as it would definitely draw unwanted attention and gun laws would only become more stringent concerning replicas and toys. I suppose the one positive aspect of all those panels is that he doesn't look like a real gun up close, but from distance, it would be much harder to tell. This reminds me , when I was in high school, the drama club were using G1 Megatron as a prop gun in a play. I was giving someone a ride, but somehow Megs ended up in my greedy hands and I got to transform him quickly. That was my first and last experience handling G1 Megs. I'm totally down with an easily removable plug if it satisfies Customs, as well as the necessity of retailers opening the package to install them. It sucks, but it is what it is. I want my G1 inspired Megatron figures, and I consider a removable plug to be the best option and still remain mostly within the law.
  20. M'Kyuun
    QFT. The joint you describe here, and a sister joint to mate with 47455, are high on my want list. They would be easy for LEGO to make, and enormously useful. Anyway, I wish you every success with your VF-19. I've seen pics of your earlier attempts to build a VF-1, and that was an impressive model. Despite LEGO's inherent limitations, I hope you're able to move forward with your project. Best wishes!
  21. M'Kyuun
    Mazinger, Big F, here's the link to LEGO's customer service https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/?domainredir=service.lego.com Hopefully you can get some resolution for your accounts. As for Ideas, I did support the Voltron project and vehemently hope it gets realized as a set. Moreover, I hope it opens the door to more anime licenses (they've already done Speed Racer, short lived as it was). Whether or not you liked the movie (I did-guilty pleasure), the sets were rather well done overall. I'd say they were a seed for the current Speed Champions line. It also hearkens back to the Exo-Force sets, which sought to capture the anime look and feel, although many of those mecha sets felt very anemic. With all the new parts, I'd love to see them do E-F 2 at some point. Based on reports from Toy Fair, the Ninjago Movie sets slated to release later this year feature a number of cool mecha and sci-fi ships. Looking forward to them.
  22. M'Kyuun

    Bandai Sv-262 DX valk

    M'Kyuun replied to seti88's topic in Toys

    You're doing it right- it's just shitty engineering. Let me add a caveat; make sure the little hook at the bottom of the backplate is extended and engaged into the lip behind the cockpit (where the right hand stows in fighter mode). If that is engaged, then the little flap at the top of the backplate should lock. It's still a weak locking mechanism, and I wish they'd found a better, more solid, solution.
  23. M'Kyuun

    Bandai Sv-262 DX valk

    M'Kyuun replied to seti88's topic in Toys

    It's not a difficult transformation once you get a basic idea of what ends up where in each mode. However, it is frustrating due to really close clearances between moving parts, plus the double hinge to which the wing roots are attached needs to be maneuvered within a limited space. The instructions are so-so for certain areas. It'd be a really nice courtesy if Bandai printed them in both kanji and English so that non-Japanese speakers/readers had that extra guidance. However, as with most things, repetition breeds familiarity and comfort, so I advise taking it down off the shelf and carefully transform the thing. You'll never get complete fulfillment from it unless you handle it and transform it periodically, esp since all three modes look great. I simply can't fathom buying a transformable toy and never transforming it- it's like buying a high performance car and garaging it for life. Sinful! I guess if you're someone uncomfortable handling these things, as they can be fragile and finicky, the fear of breaking something may be an excellent dissuader. They're not cheap. The instructions can confuse more than help, in some cases. But, despite this rationale, I still have to try. I've broken some things along the way, but I don't let let that prevent me from enjoying the unique experience that these toys offer (all transforming toys, for that matter). The puzzle element is what's attractive to me and keeps me shelling my hard-earned for them. Anyway, I just want to encourage folks to at least try transforming their valks, otherwise you're missing out on a large part of the experience.
  24. M'Kyuun

    Bandai Sv-262 DX valk

    M'Kyuun replied to seti88's topic in Toys

    The hinges for the feet are disappointing; despite all that room for the feet to be able to flex forward for some really dynamic poses, they stop at 90 degrees from their nozzle position in fighter. Moreover, those ankle flaps barely move to make clearance, and then there's the odd articulated hands that barely hold the gun- these are just a couple of minor issues that keep a good toy from being a great one. IMHO. It also makes me wonder if there was a rush to get this thing into production, and refinements like these were passed over to meet deadlines. I transformed mine several times through, and it doesn't feel as refined as, say, the VF-19 Advance. It's not as much fun to transform, either. (Those accursed double hinges for the wing roots are a killjoy for me). Of course, YMMV. Once transformed, however, it looks amazing. Just handle with care in battroid, as that shield will untab and the gun fall out of his hand if you sneeze from across the room.
  25. M'Kyuun
    I wonder if Hasbro's going to release a version with Frank Welker doing the lines, at an even more extravagant price point? If so, probably TRU exclusive, as usual. It would have been nice of Takara to release this guy with two sound cards; one for English and one for Japanese. I think I'd rather have that than most of his accessories.
×
×
  • Create New...