HardlyNever
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Everything posted by HardlyNever
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Official page still just says September. NY has Sept 30, but that is probably just a place holder (they have Nov 30 for the 1S).
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A little late to this news (about the HG press release/propaganda session). My cynical understanding is that the real money for the Macross license for HG was actually in suing people and getting damages from those lawsuits (like their suits against Battletech). Now that that revenue has seemingly dried up, I don't know how much HG is going to fight to retain their rights to Macross as we approach the 2021 deadline. Sure, they'll slap their brand on some products that other companies are already making, but I don't know that it is really that profitable for them anymore, and it won't be very profitable for them in the future. Most of their projects in the past decade or so were just to keep the Macross rights available to them, so they could sue people when the opportunity arose. Still, it might be interesting to see a recorded version of this session (I'm not wasting my Friday on them). We might be able to read between the lines of the propaganda. Or it could be opaque BS. And as a fan of Exosquad, please, keep HG far away...
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Uniform seems pretty good to me, and I've rewatched a couple times in the past few years. Maybe the yellow is a bit too bright. I think faces from that era of animation are hard to capture in plastic. But that doesn't mean they couldn't have done a bit better...
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I don't know anything about it, but it looks like a KO/bootleg of some kind. It says "Warrior" on it (instead of phalanx, I guess), but is sporting the UN Spacy kite for some reason. As cool as it is, these forums would have a collective meltdown if that were released as an official product, as it is pretty far off from what a phalanx is actually supposed to look like.
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Cool set-up. Man, if my eyes don't deceive me, that is one expensive display in there.
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At this point, if you're still in the market for a Max 1A (like me), I'd recommend waiting until release day. It could be that there are several available at all the main online retailers at or slightly above MSRP. Then you won't even have to deal with scalpers. That's my plan, at least. The good news long-term for this line is that it might not be as profitable as the scalpers thought (they could even be eating each others' margins), and they might move on to something more profitable. We can always hope.
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Sorry, didn't see that. That's pretty absurd. Like others, I've changed the address after payment, so that answer is bogus. Are you in "good standing" with them? Like, didn't miss payments, don't cancel preorders, constantly change addresses, stuff like that? I'm not trying to justify their actions, I'm just trying to figure out why you are getting the short end of the stick.
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I had the exact same issue a couple months ago. Submitted a ticket for an address change. Waited weeks and nothing. Followed up on their chat, they said basically "ok," then still nothing. They changed it where I could see it a few days before they shipped. I guess they either change it only on the back end, or just make a note and don't update it until they are about to ship.
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I wouldn't sweat it so much. Any of those things could happen, only one of them probably will (your order will be canceled). If you ended up at the current check-out screen (not the sandbox one), your payment info should be secure (or as secure as it always was). I doubt they will terminate your account for what is really their mistake. Realistically, you'll get a pretty generic email apologizing that they have to cancel your order. Maybe a message to not use the sandbox page until it is live (but I don't even know if they'll know how you got to a cart with stock in it). If you're lucky, you'll have secured one at MSRP But I really, really, would not count on that.
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The more I look at the source, the more I think it is a "genuine" sandbox page, not a scam page. If AE launches a new site in the next few months, we'll know for sure. I wouldn't count on getting your product, either way though. It probably doesn't have accurate stock counts. Why it is accessible is beyond me. Or it could be a scam/spoof page, in which case I hope you have good payment protection. Just watch whatever payment type you used.
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Uhh... proceed with extreme caution. This is the real Anime Export page. I'm not sure what that page is. The sandbox in the URL seems to imply they are maybe working on a new website, and somehow that content is live (but not really genuine). It could be a fly-by-night operation, though.
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I think all the variances in tampo, paint, armament detail, etc. might be somewhat intentional. At this point, there are so many interpretations of the VF-1, it is incredibly hard (if not impossible) to say what is "correct." So instead, when they make a new line, they try new things, different angles, lengths, etc. It is partially about differentiating themselves from other existing products, maybe partially trying to find what looks best. It is hit and miss; and sometimes they miss. For me, the length of the pylons for the missile pods is a non-issue. The various anime inconsistencies only reinforce the fact that these aren't real, and open to interpretation. The later VFs, where more CAD is involved, might be a different category, where you could say more objectively what is and isn't correct. I know there is what would be mechanically possible, or what more closely resembles real aircraft, and then there is stuff that has no basis in either. But as someone who only collects sci-fi anime mecha, because it is sci-fi anime mecha, these inconsistencies don't bother me. A part of me doesn't even want this to copy real-life aircraft too closely, because that isn't what I'm into (but that is just my personal taste). Even if you were trying to make some kind of multi-purpose air/ground mech in real life, it is highly unlikely it would actually end up looking like any VF we have. So... Bandai will Bandai, for sure. But transforming-anime-robots will also be transforming-anime-robots. But I do appreciate some of the custom work that goes on here. To me, it just extends the realm of the hobby.
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Official Tamashii page for the strike parts is up: https://tamashii.jp/item/12988/?#pagetop Basically no new information. Guess we'll just have to wait and see. I think it is a reasonable assumption that there is at least engine detail in the FAST PACK. Probably missile boom detail. Maybe leg engine detail. And the emblems are swap out plastic parts. But why wouldn't they make that clear? Why leave it up to speculation?
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That's an expensive intake cover.
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I don't think it's so ludicrous. I think you might be missing the point of what I was saying. It's about brand management and marketing. The purpose of something like a supercar or limited edition product is not to satisfy the larger consumer base. It is about it existing at all, and people knowing it exists. I know it is frustrating for us, the actual Macross fans that genuinely want the product, to struggle to get it. But again, it isn't about "us." Or about this exact product in particular. It is about "the brand." Again, another car comparison. If you live in the US you're probably familiar with the Lexus "December to Remember" commercials that play around Christmas. They imply that people buy Lexus vehicles for their spouse/family members as a Christmas present. But this isn't true; it very rarely happens. It's about promoting the brand, and suggesting that people that can afford to buy someone a car for Christmas, would buy a Lexus for Christmas. It implies that if people who are that wealthy choose to buy a Lexus (over something else), maybe it is a "really amazing" brand that the "average Joe" consumer should also be interested in. I wish I had a link for the article that explains this, maybe I'll find it and link it later. I get the frustration of having to deal with this in real time, and possibly be on the receiving end of what is essentially an elaborate marketing campaign for Bandai. And I'm not trying to justify Bandai's actions, or say that it is some brilliant move by Bandai. But Bandai is definitely a multi-million dollar, international brand, so they are definitely familiar with these kind of marketing techniques. And with regards to the tampo on this particular line, if there is one thing I will always be 100%, drop dead certain of, it is that these forums will never be happy with the tampo a particular product has. It will always be too much, too little, too big, too small, not anime accurate, not real life accurate, etc., etc. I'm not saying you in particular, but I don't think I've seen a single release, at least in the 1/60 and larger scale, where someone wasn't complaining about the tampo and/or paint. That's just the nature of the hobby, and the internet. Edit: This isn't the exact article I was talking about, but it covers some of what I was saying. Also, I'm not trying to say this theory is 100%, beyond a shadow of a doubt correct. We're all throwing darts in the dark, here. I'm simply trying to make sense of the "madness." We're all pretty (understandably) salty after another insane pre-order madness, and as we lick our wounds there are constantly questions about why it is like this, and how it got to be this way. I'm simply offering one more possible explanation for the method behind the madness. I doubt we'll ever really know the truth.
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My current theory on this line is that it is sort of like the Ford GT40 or similar car in the car world. That is to say, the idea behind this line is not to make a lot of profit off of the line itself. It is about brand management and reputation. I believe Ford was in the black on the newer Ford GTs, but that isn't the point of the car. It is to elevate the brand in the mind of consumers, and show what their engineers can really do. Not everyone is supposed to afford a GT, or even have a chance to get a GT. The same with this line. I think it bothered Bandai that the "best VF-1 ever" was not made by them, when they have lines like SoC and DX Chogokin. They wanted to reclaim the title of "best ever" for such an iconic mech. So why didn't they go even bigger and badder (and more expensive)? I think at the end of the day, they still had to have something that the bean-counters would approve of and make its money back. The money in Macross designs is always milking molds, and that was just too lucrative to pass up, even for a "not really for profit" line. Plus with all their nickel-and-diming, the price on a "complete' valk is pretty high, all told.
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It seems like either is a gamble at this point. I can only give you my personal experience/opinion, so take it with the appropriate grain of salt. Proxy services are fine, but if there is in fact a shortage, they could simply cancel your order and give you a refund. Then you're left to your own devices to find another order. NY on the other hand will try to source your order from other places/vendors/the ether. Where exactly they get other stock isn't know, probably other vendors. However they will not communicate this to you, you won't know how long you have to wait, and they will not be very responsive in the mean time. It could take them months after release for them to fill your order. They will also probably not give you a refund, even if you ask. At best you will get store credit, if you push them for it. But if you're extremely patient, you'll probably get your order, eventually, at the original price you paid. If I really wanted these parts, and I could only choose one source, I'd personally go with NY. Just don't expect to get them in a timely manner, if there is in fact a shortage.
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The strike parts could very well be the next VF-31A Kairos. Where people have orders pretty early on in the order window (day 2, day 3) and still don't see their product until months after release. But I still think something else happened with the 31A, beyond just high demand. We'll see how it plays out.
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Ordered a few at NY. I kind of want to order from at least 1 more vendor, just to diversify my source. This line is getting absolutely ridiculous. Glad to hear they will probably do another run of SS parts. Why not do another run of valks, while they're at it?!
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FWIW I've change my address with NY after payment. You just have to submit a ticket, and they can do it (you can't do it yourself). They'll drag their feet, and you might even have to follow up with them (in their CS chat), but they did it for me, eventually. This is assuming they haven't shipped it yet, ofc.
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Ok, so I'm definitely ordering a set or two, but how in the holy **** is there not an official product page up for these yet? Am I blind or something, or is it not there? We still don't know: 1) Are the different skull insignias just stickers or actual swap-able plastic parts? I'm assuming the later, but we don't know for sure. An official product page should answer that. 2) Do these have any kind of internal detail? This scale and price should basically guarantee that it is there, but I haven't seen it yet. Again, an official product page should answer that. I may order more/less depending on what the details are. Bandai, please, get it together for this line. I'm assuming the engine covers come off, and then you can swap the insignias with the cover off, and there would also be engine detail inside. That is the most obvious, basic, and smartest way to do it. But it's Bandai, You never really know what they are going to do.
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So... they good and all, but are there removable engine covers? Missile covers? I'm not a huge fan of the gimmick but at this scale and price, they kind of need to have every gimmick you can reasonably imagine. Even the HMR boosters have removable engine covers. Has anyone seen any photo evidence of that?
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My hot take on this line: This will only be 1J, 1S, and 1A variants (no vt-1, ve-1, or 1D). Most desired release is gotta be a Roy 1S. Next release will probably be a "lower popularity" release. Maybe a DYRL 1A of some flavor. Mass production type, even? I hope, and daresay even believe, TV Kakizaki will be made, and will be a TWE.
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My missiles finally shipped from NY. Ordered back in December, if that info is useful.
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4 total HMR releases in 2019, according to the site. 2 of which were Macross. There is generally around a 6 month gap between announcement and release, so it's not looking great for more HMR in 2019. They could maybe squeeze in one more.
