Salamander

First time I hear this. And I read a Saint Seiya forum where those figures are usually extensively discussed. Hong Kong or Japan versions? Or perhaps you just got a really bad factory-backdoor batch? Most of my Myth Cloths are first release Japanese versions and bizarely ( ) they don't have any quality control problems - of course, that the first figure body design is less articulated than the later versions is NOT a quality control thing... The only thing I know about is that in some climates the paint on the PVC hair will eat away the chrome on the armor after a few months

"Macross F 25"

I don't think that would work, because Bandai could very well tell them they won't make any Macross products anymore (and perhaps also other BW licenses) - read: BIG OUCH for BW due to loss of license money.

Sigh. As far as I can see, the website pictures show a test shot that only showcase where the diecast is going to be. As Vifam said in his translation, the text below mentions that it has mis-assemblies that it should not be judged upon. It seems to lack some of the internal transformation system parts, based on the sagging ankles and other bits that look like they could use some spring-loaded tab system to stay in place (likely, based on Bandai's other diecast collector's toys). Bandai is not like Yamato, in that their first 'real material' test show does not show the final product before painting, but just a step in the product prototyping. There will be more prototypes.

One more picture: Takatoku VF-1J with reissue Super parts attached: There's a gap between the lower arm and the arm armor near the hands, but the arm armor simply clips on. Not true fit problems. Now I don't have a vintage Bandai Valk handy, so I don't know whether it fits on those...

It just shows off what will be diecast. Also, I'm pretty sure that the test shot lacks certain parts required to make the joints stiff enough (check out the ankle joints and the feet - they sag. Bandai's good at making ball joints that don't sag) and perhaps springs required for the transformation. So the thing to keep in mind here is : 1st testshot

(Well, since some people apparently managed to get the Chunky reissue thread locked by going off-topic , I'll be posting this in its own topic... ) Since no one has yet posted a review here's one: Box: Some people have complained about the box being ugly, but I do quite like it. Of course, it's not a Takatoku or original 1980s Bandai box, but it looks quite fancy with all the black and makes me think of a SoC box. One thing I noticed is that it appears to be thinner and somewhat more compact than those of the last batch of reissues... Inside is a nice sturdy tray, better than of the reissues from a few years ago: The bag with the instructions and sticker sheet is taped to the cardboard tray and contains this: The stickersheet is entirely pre-cut and made from very thin material. There's three numbered stickers that aren't shown in the instructions but that are meant to go on the landing gear doors. The instruction sheet is a bit small and short. The other paper is what looks like a feedback form, with questions on Valks-people-would-like I presume. A look at the top tray with the Valk and the Super parts: Super parts are green. The Valk, the missiles, and the heatshield are protected with plastic sheet and plastic baggies. Super parts and accessories out of the box: (Some parts have been turned upside down to show the innards) The Valk itself in Fighter mode: The landing gear is spring-loaded and works well as usual. I think the springs have been tweaked a bit to be somewhat less strong. Tail with skulls and fine tampo-print on leg: Nose with tampo-printed pilot name: I think these new reissues have some more detail painted on than the last batch of reissues. Also note that Max's VF-1A is light gray and not white. Of course, the gunpod still can't be attached in this mode. Fighter with Super armor: The armor fits on quite tightly, except for the leg armor, which tends to fall off at times. One thing I don't like is that the Super-pack equipped fighter mode tends to sag in the middle because the legs don't support the wings/arms anymore like without the Super-pack. Gerwalk, normal: Check out the tampo-printed detail on the hands. Nice. Except that this mode still suffers from the usual chunky monkey problems: the poses that are possible are minimal without compromising stability and it looks weird with the legs like that. Gerwalk with Super parts: See above for comments. Now here we get to the best mode of the Chunky: the Battroid: Doesn't Max look handsome? Of course, articulation in this mode is excellent for such an old design. Jointed neck, shoulders, upper arms, elbows, hipes, knees, and ankles. The gunpod attaches to the arm with the gunclip, or fits snugly into the right hand. The heatshield is easily swappable with the canopy. With Super parts we get this: No stand was used for this picture. Nor for the next one, by the way. Chunky Monkey Action! I haven't been able to find any painting errors, nor anything that felt like it might break at any time. Plastic quality seems to be excellent, as well as the molding and fit. Gimmicks work as expected. Bandai managed to add more detail with nice tampo-prints. The sticker sheet was improved, and the packaging is quite nice. Some things could be done better, like the instructions 9.5/10

3rd thought: Kawamori himself. Now that would be a shock alright.

Which obviously will mean the next series will be called "Macross Returns"

I had a horrible, horrible, horrible thought (that is, if you're an Alto-hater... ): What if the triangle motif of the opening (and the series) expands beyond a love triangle? We have Ranka and Sheryl, both singers. I suspect you could call them "actors", too. We have Alto, who was a Kabuki actor. But beyond use as a vague plot device to explain the chasm between Alto and his father this was never really expanded upon, yet keeps coming back. Could it be that Alto (with Sheryl's earring) gets the last act? Literally? It would give him the honors and fully redeem him with his father, and might be considered a culture shock... Although I would not be surprised either if there was a second season coming up, considering how well they have been able to hide the plot from fans...

AFAIK, there's 1 way to circumvent the '1st ordered, 1st served'-thing, and that is to tell them to ship all available items (through the online system) as soon as something new comes in stock for the 1st time.

Okay, just watched the non-subbed version on Youtube and there's something that bugs me about Alto's last flight. First of all, as noted already, he stays a bit long behind that wrecked cruiser - with the speed he went behind it he should have shown up at the other side before the switch to the Brera/Klan-fight. But there's something that bugs me about after he got hit badly by Brera: he flies towards the Varja home-planet, then makes a really weird sharp turn before going poof in front of Giant-Ranka. Now just before the weird turn, am I crazy or does something fly off/eject from his plane? Just to explain the 'weird turn'-thing a bit better: It looks like his VF-171EX stalls, except how the heck do you stall in space? Even if it was the planet's gravity that influenced his Valk, it should have fallen towards the planet, not away from it. Also, no visuals of him dying except for his fighter exploding. In Gundam this usually means 'not dead'.

They probably got more pre-orders than the number of kits they got from the distributor...

Out of curiosity, the VF-171EX has flares, right? So perhaps the explosions were just Alto dropping flares and jettisoning/detonating his weapons? Which would be fitting for an actor faking his death... (I haven't watched the ep yet, so I don't know whether any wreckage is shown...)

Alto's (paper) plane design is one that soars pretty far without flying fast. I've got a book somewhere that lists it as a soarer, IIRC. Sheryl's plane is a simpler one that usually flies pretty fast, but when folded out of the right type of paper it may happily recover from a stall and land softly. Crumpled paper will of course impede its flight abilities a bit, but if the paper's light enough it should still fly decently. Personally I prefer Sheryl's design, because it flies well even when thrown too hard. Soarers tend to plummet to the ground when thrown hard, and don't work too well if there's a lot of wind. Obviously I've folded and thrown way too many paper airplanes out of windows when I was younger...

It has been said that the Toynami versions will be produced by Bandai, since the deal is that Toynami is going to be the US distributor for some of Bandai's collectors' toys.

So, after watching ep 22 again with subs, all I can say is - Luca = Tool. Couldn't he have been blown up by friendly fire? - Alto is rather clueless. - Note to subbers: Virus ≠ Bacteria.

171-kun = Micronized Klan & 171-kun EX = Macronized Klan? I think Michel's VF-25 is going to be jealous. Alto better watch out...

Awwwwww...: Alto x Ranka: Alto: Klan x Michel: Alto as a girl? (Not that there is much difference... )

The Bandai VF-19 had floppy arms? Mine must be defective!

SD VF-25S Armored version: And...um...Ranka riding a giant carrot:

Because some fans are real nutters?!? Seriously, as someone who has been on the receiving end of crazy fan action, I can tell you that some people will do really f*cked up things just to show they don't like you.

Now because this might be a really big spoiler if I'm right, spoiler tags (also, it's just me rambling, so it might seem a bit disorganised): Please note that I've not watched Macross Zero.

Er, it's 1ASuperMax, which is entirely new. Besides, it's logical that they bring out the hot sellers first.