HardlyNever

34 minutes ago, Zx31 said:

You lost me...

Your image is not showing up (you might see it on your side, but we can't see it).

Quick update for anyone else that screwed their bridge in: 

I couldn't get the bridge screw cover off, but I went ahead and decided try to pack the SDF-1 with the bridge on.  I pre-emtively gouged out a little place in the Styrofoam lid for the brdige, but that is completely unnecessary.  There is plenty of space between the lid and the bridge, probably a quarter-inch or more.  I won't actually be moving it for several weeks, but I'm pretty confident it will be entirely safe.

I also have all the runner parts on, and they do not interfere with packing up the toy in any noticeable way, either.

I would love a page where we vote for the next premium finish, but that isn't really what I'm getting from that message.  Could canceled stuff mean old yamato products that they haven't released yet (mainly vf-1s)?

The vf-31S will be my first vf-31.  I definitely consult a video (or 2) before I try transforming anything, but I'll only turn to the manual if I feel really stuck and/or I'm really pushing the limit on a part.  I also transform/handle my first (and sometimes only) version of a particular model a fair number of times more than it seems some people here do.  I need to feel 90-100% confident I understand entirely how it works.  Also, anything I open is for my enjoyment first and foremost, so I don't mind a little bit of "wear" on my valks, especially if it is the first of that mold that i have.  I still handle them with care, but I don't feel bad about handling them.

The thing that stops me from handling my collection more is how anal I can be about poses.  These are display toys more than anything else to me, so when I feel like handling a particular piece, I remember how long its going to take for me to get it back into a pose that I feel comfortable with.  I often decide it just isn't worth handling in the first place. 

43 minutes ago, mamboeidos said:

got the 262 and the super part for under 20k yen before shipping. Hope its a gd deal

Seems good if the condition is new/close to new.  I've been hunting a decent deal on the Lil'Drakens, with no luck so far.  Looks like Mandarake has had the best prices for them, but I've balked on several chances there.

Still on the fence about this one.  There is a disturbing lack of pictures available for something that is on pre-order now, but I guess it is just a repaint of the existing vf-2ss, except for the one leg armor and the new gun.

I'll probably skip it and if it ends up on discount, I might grab one.  I enjoyed the Sylvie release, but not enough to want a whole squad.

Great shots.  I know next to nothing about Gundam outside of the original series, but every once in a while I see a few that make me want to dip my toe into that universe, as well. 

5 hours ago, wmkjr said:

i think it was supposed to be a bit of sarcasm.

5 hours ago, tekering said:

HardlyNever hardly ever gets the jokes.  

Oh, ok.  Sorry.

Ha. Ha. 

11 minutes ago, davidwhangchoi said:

i got my yesterday and the stupid thing is the main guns don't come apart. some premium feature there.

This mold is what... almost 8 years old at this point?  I think there is plenty information out there about what the mold can and can't do.  

Were you expecting tweaks to the mold on the premium finish?

It's probably too late to be of use, but just as a heads up to anyone else that might be getting this:

My bridge (on the PF version) was in a plastic tray like the picture above, however either the tray was never secured or it came loose during shipping, and it had fallen down in with the rest of the main body.  So it is possible (probably unlikely) that your bridge is floating around somewhere in your box and/or Styrofoam tray.

Does anyone know the name of the song that you can hear here?  I'm rewatching SDFM, and it appears all over the place, but I've gone through this entire OST and I can't find it in there.  I'm guessing that isn't a complete OST?  Or I'm missing it, somehow.

Anyhow, can anyone name that tune?

10 hours ago, apptt4 said:

does anyone remember the feeling of their first Macross 1/60? just this week got my first Detolf cabinet and a 1/60 Milia premium finish... it's actually better than I expected and the most aesthetically pleasing thing I've ever bought.

 

I definitely do, but then again it wasn't too long ago. 

I will say, I've bounced between 1/60 and HMR stuff, and while I definitely enjoy a lot of the HMR releases, there is nothing quite like getting a new 1/60 valk.  Especially from Arcadia/Yamato.

9 minutes ago, sh9000 said:

NY just sent an email saying that the VF-31S release date is now 7/21.

The tamashii website has had the 31S release as 7/21 for a while now.  Does that mean NY is expecting to receive it on that date?

6 minutes ago, jvmacross said:

It's obvious based on the "facts on the ground" during the original HM release why it failed.  There just wasn't a market for it...especially when there was a superior product available at a lower price.  Simple decision for Bandai to make at the time was to kill it.  Now that Yamato is gone and there is no real competition at the price point HMR sells for, they are back. 

HMR was doing great before any other franchises were introduced into it......it is successful now because it doesn't have to compete with superior offerings at lower prices....sorry if that is too hard for you to grasp....

I just hope there aren't too many non-Macross releases that jeapordize the Macross portion of the line....or at worse, they just revert back to just releasing Macross mechs.

Oh, ok.  The "facts on the ground."  How could I possibly miss those.  The obvious facts that everyone can see.  Right there.  On the ground.

So, yes, absolutely no evidence beyond conjecture.  Just like I said.  Got it.

At this point, unless you have something resembling actual evidence, I don't see the point in continuing this "discussion."  You'll just continue to restate conjecture and act like it is fact.  Followed by a bunch of periods...  

The "facts on the ground" support non-Macross products being in the HMR line now, because look, there they are.  And the HMR line continues.  I bet they are even on the ground, sometimes.

On a side note, is there anyway we can hide/disable the silly upvote/downvote thing?  This isn't reddit, and it doesn't seem to affect anything.  If you have a beef with something, respond or take it to PMs.  The upvote/downvote thing just seems petty and silly.

3 minutes ago, kajnrig said:

The forum telling me this was a hot thread made me assume some hot new release must've been announced. I'm guessing based on a quick perusal of the last few posts, that's decidedly not the case?

There was the Nexx vf-2ss announcement (if you didn't catch it).  Otherwise, it was just jvmacross trolling other members because it is a day that ends in Y. 

1 hour ago, jvmacross said:

Do as you wish, but deciding to remain ignorant on a subject doesn't make it go away.

I've read several theories about why the original HM line failed.  Competing with cheaper yamato vf-1s.  Some poor quality releases (like the vf-19s) hurting the line.  Generally being the wrong line at the wrong time.  Sure, these could all have been contributing factors.

But they are just that, theories.  Do you have some actual evidence to add it it?  If so, I'd love to see it.  All I've seen is conjecture on forums by people that have no more information than the next person.  Do you know someone at Bandai that actually knows something about the decision making process?  Where you part of the decision making process to cancel the original HM line?  I seriously doubt it.

What is ignorant is to assume it is a single-issue situation.  And that the factors that people theorized back then where the only possible reasons that could exist.

And so here we have a reborn HMR line, with figures outside the macross franchise, that has been more successful than the previous one.  Could the outside interest be a contributing factor to its success?  I would certainly say so, otherwise why would Bandai continue to make non-macross HMR figures?

Do you have any evidence to suggest otherwise?  Or just more ad hominem insults?

Edit: This was brought up in the vf-31 thread, I believe, but we know Macross is a tiny portion of Bandai's sales.  It makes sense that they would try to diversify the line if Macross isn't that big to Bandai.

Here is some more recent info.  As we can see, Macross doesn't even make the top 10 (again).

46 minutes ago, jvmacross said:

LOL...it shouldn't be that hard to go into some older posts to learn about the competative environment during the original HM releases.....

Seriouly, you can't expect to be spoon-fed all the time newb.....

I disagree with you so I must have to go research other peoples' random opinions on why something failed.  How about I don't, instead.

You're a class act man.  This community is so much better with your thoughtful, well-written posts.

10 minutes ago, jvmacross said:

Yes.....it would today....I won't go into why the previous line failed as most already know.....had nothing to do with it just featuring Macross items though....

If you say so, boss.  As a great man once said:

34 minutes ago, jvmacross said:

Sorry, you didn't convince me....

At any rate, I do agree with the sentiment that we need something that isn't a vf-1.  I love the enemy mecha, and I wouldn't hate the remaining destroids.  But I guess we'll have to wait.

9 minutes ago, jvmacross said:

Sorry, you didn't convince me....to me they are garbage taking up valuable Macross release slots....

HMR should have stayed as a Macross-only line...

Would it be economically viable like that?  Maybe, maybe not.  Remember, this is Hi-metal "reboot" (or whatever you want the R to stand for).  There was a previous line that failed.

There are probably a ton of reasons why the first line failed, but having HMR incorporate more than Macross probably makes it more economically viable.  Sure, it means we get what we want slower, but at least we'll actually get it...

3 minutes ago, derex3592 said:

I really don't get the hold up with the last 2 Destroids...the Zen bad guys stuff I get I guess because of historical figures showing baddies don't sell well, but come on Bandai...a FEW more non VF-1 SDF Macross releases WILL sell, getting annoyed slightly with the trickle of releases.

I almost feel like they are holding them hostage to some degree.  They know we want them.  We know they have them.  But in order to get them, we need to continue to "support" the line through other releases.

I also think they want to hold on to them to get interest in the future of the line high (but I don't think that is necessary).

I don't want to speak too soon, but it seems like the announcement of another Lil' draken set is driving the price on the current one down.  I'll be following it over the next couple weeks.

Maybe it was the drakens themselves, not the sword, shield and missile pods, that was driving the price up?  It could be, given that the sv-262 itself has been a shelf-warmer.

I'm definitely down for a VF-0 ghost booster bundle, particularly the VF-0S.  I'm pretty sure that will be announced sometime this year (at least the VF-0A bundle).

I actually don't think a PF GBP is likely in any version (bundle or stand alone), but that is just a hunch.

If Arcadia is going to continue with v2 VF-1s, then I'd actually expect a VF-1A from them at some point.  Maybe a CF or TV Max.  But probably a DYRL Hikaru VF-1A, if I'm being realistic.  

I missed (or really passed on) the first vf-31f.  I'll be passing on this one as well, I'm only interested in the vf-31S, and that is largely due to the potential armor.

At this point everyone should know (unless you are brand new) that macross toy production is all about milking molds to the point of saturation, and getting the same suckers whales, enthusiasts to buy essentially the same thing over and over again.  That is just the nature of this particular beast.

If you don't like that the companies do it, don't support them by buying their merch.  Or just pass on the releases that you feel are overly abusive/money-grubbing, and I wager you'll be a lot less upset about them in the long run.  You'll live, I promise.  Just something I learned from the video game hobby; I don't really get pissed off at all the crappy things video game publishers do if I just don't engage with those particular products.

As always, let your wallet do the talking.

It runs the whole weekend, so let's not call anything too early.  But I'm not getting my hopes up.

9 minutes ago, Boobytrap said:

Well this rumor leaves me in a bit of a quandary. I passed on the VF-0S the first time as I already had the Yamato and was fine with it. When the premium was announced I was going to pass on that as well but eventually gave in and pre-ordered it. Now with the booster bundle I would probably prefer that over the premium and I wouldn't be surprised if it was actually cheaper.

If this rumor ends up being true I hope they officially announce it before payment is due on the premium so that I can cancel it. Knowing my luck Arcadia will probably wait to announce it to avoid people doing exactly that.

Yeah, that is part of the reason I'm inclined to believe the rumor.  It fits entirely with Arcadia's MO.

I do wish we had more than "I know a guy," but sometimes you can't be specific on sources.