HardlyNever

Word of warning for anyone swapping the wings out on the HMR vf-2ss.  The peg that the wings peg onto can come out of the metal housing that they rest in.  Luckily, nothing broke on my peg, and it just pegged back in, but I could definitely see those pegs as being a durability issue in the long-term.  I think the transformation video Bandai put out even has a caution for them.

8 hours ago, Roy Focker said:

Well my Regults arrived here last Friday but I wasn't home and wasn't able to pick them from the post office until today.  One of them has a problem.  It's knee joint is loose and doesn't want to standup.  If the stance isn't perfect the pod starts dragging down.

 

8 hours ago, Mommar said:

I have that same issue.

Yeah, one of my knees was loose right out of the box.  It isn't that bad (it can still stand in most poses), but it is disappointing to see that QC issue on a brand new toy.

I might have been slightly interested if this was a vf-0S with reaction armor bundle.  Just a premium finish vf-0S is a no-go for me. 

More than anything, I'm interested in seeing if Arcadia is going to continue making vf-1's, after Bandai's reveal of the "1/48ish" scale vf-1j.

I don't collect MISB, or ever intend to.  I've also wondered what the motivation is for people (particularly in this specific permutation of toy collecting)to do so, but ultimately, however someone enjoys the hobby is how they enjoy it; they don't have to justify it to anyone.  At the end of the day, we're all adults(mostly?) collecting toys, so trying to pretend why one version of collecting is better than another just seems silly.  We're all collecting plastic, and just have different ways of enjoying it.

All that said, if some of the MISB collectors ever want to send me their stuff, and I may or may not replace it with like a book or something inside the box and send it back, and you can keep pretending the actual toy is in there, then you'll help make the world an even happier place.  We can call it the schrodingers cat of Macross. 

40 minutes ago, Slave IV said:

Several reasons for me. I don't buy any one thing just to keep misb but I may buy several of one item because I've had things stolen before and in case of breakage. I also sometimes don't have to have every version of the same mold open so even though I plan to open everything at some point, I'm not in a hurry to open a VF-31J if I already have an open VF-31J Kai, 31F, and 31C. There is also the issue that I buy so much stuff that I don't have the time to open it all and some things get stacked away and forgotten until I go back through things. Another reason is having extra for my kids when they are ready is not a bad thing. Also, even though not everything is open, just to know I own them and they are still in pristine condition to enjoy anytime in the future is a satisfying feeling within itself. 

This sounds like one of those "good problems."  But at the same time, I'm glad this isn't me.

12 hours ago, borgified said:

My theory: Since that Max since was interested in Milla (in human form) and they started a relationship together, there is a possibility that Max has gotten interested in Zentradi/Meltrandi technology (through Milla), and that he wanted to experience to what is to be in Zentradi size. Milla had gotten a Q-Rau in the latter part of the movie for Max to use when macro-sized.

Sounds plausible?

 

I don't have a definitive answer or source, but I always thought Max was "enlarged" to zendradi/meltrandi size.  Since what happens is basically the reverse of what happens in the SDFM tv series, I figured they went all the way and made him big.  There isn't much screen time of him after the fight, so I don't know if there is a real way to tell just from the movie.  One of the people involved in production would have to say something about it, I guess (or maybe they already have).

Had a few hours with the missile regults and vf-2ss, so I guess I'll give my 2 cents here.  Love the missile regults, I was excited for them from the beginning, and they did not disappoint.  They seemed pretty easy to get right and bandai delivered.  It seems like they even tightened up the side thrusters on this release, which spun around too easily (imo) on the original release.  My only complaint is that one of my knees was kind of loose right out of the box (about as loose as the one I've had for months).  I was hoping they would solve that problem, but it looks like it will continue to be an issue for some of them.

For the vf-2ss, not a whole lot to say that hasn't already been said.  Transformation to fighter mode and back was surprisingly easy for a macross newbie like myself, probably in large part to how the thing only tabs together in a few spots, and just relies on a bunch of hinges to actually work.  Props to Bandai for even trying this thing, as the amount of anime magic involved in this design is really apparent when you get it in hand.  I think I like Gerwalk mode the best, overall.  My mini rant is about the stupid cannon on the SAP.  What an idiotic design.  I'm seriously considering a way to make the barrel removable.  You either have to have this giant thing sticking way out there, or have it down over the mech's face, in what is one of the dumbest poses I've ever seen in mecha anime.  I like the rest of the SAP, and the vf-2ss looks kind of naked without it, but I freakin' hate that cannon.

Late to the party, but my HMR stuff finally arrived from AE.  Loving the missile regults so far.

13 minutes ago, Gabe Q said:

I think I'm sold on the Regult set. Did I miss the boat? Can anyone point me in the right direction? I really want a set now.

NY has them: 

https://www.nippon-yasan.com/figures/21764-hi-metal-r-regult-missile-type-set-limited-edition.html

But you're paying a pretty steep premium compared to pre-order prices.  I'd also keep an eye on the For Sale forums here over the next few weeks, someone might let a set go.

5 hours ago, wmkjr said:

 

Anybody know what those markings mean on the regults? Is it a unit marking or ship? Translating it doesn't help.

 

4 hours ago, ScrambledValkyrie said:

I think we discussed the Regult markings back around PO time but I can't remember any conclusions. 

This.  I asked that same question when the pictures were first released.  We went through the Zentraedi "alphabet" and it didn't mean anything.  I think we just concluded that "it looked cool."  Bandai is also heavily influenced by this line art:

Which has those markings so... they put them on the toy.  Like others said earlier in the discussion, you rarely see that level of detail in the actual animation, so what they mean/where they come from is anyone's guess really. 

Looking at them again, I just noticed they have different markings on the leg around the "knee."  I wonder if that is intentional.  Too bad those didn't make it on to the toy.

55 minutes ago, spacemanoeuvres said:

Last night my dog bashed into one of my display shelves and sent Max flying down to the hardwood floor from about 5 feet off the ground.

Head, arm, super parts and a few other miscellaneous bits exploded off on impact but nothing broke!

Popped all of Max’s bits’n’pieces back on and he was as good as new  

Yeah the valks are pretty durable.  My Max fell off of the display stand from about 5 1/2 feet off the ground.  It landed on carpet, but stuff still came off.  Nothing was broken or bent, though, just missiles and super parts came off.

There is this pic from Jenius' website:

5 hours ago, Slave IV said:

Who's to say those won't be exclusives?

Eh, anything could happen, but I don't think they would make an entire mold a web exclusive.  It seems like they do that for variants, etc. for the HMR line at least.

I could see them doing a milia q-rau as a web exclusive, though.

Looks like anime export is finally shipping out missile regults.  They are also shipping my vf-2ss.

I agree with others that it's a shame Bandai made the missile set a web exclusive.  I'd maybe be tempted to buy another set or 2 after release if the prices didn't get crazy, but being a web exclusive they already are pretty high.  I'll save the army building for the Nous-ger or maybe the Q-rau.

Still nothing from AE about the missile regults.  They are holding my vf-2ss as well, as I wanted to ship these together.  Hopefully I'll get notice in the next day or two...

9 minutes ago, aw237 said:

Are the Missile Regults still available, and any recommendations on getting some? I missed the pre-orders (intentionally and now regretfully), and I haven't seen them in stock, last time I looked.

or otherwise, what's the best way to grab some enemy mecha (cost effective?)

I'm in Canada, if anyone has shipping experience

thanks

The online retailers are just now getting their deliveries, so they won't put anything up yet.  Once they fill their pre-orders, they will probably put some stock up, so I'd just wait a bit.

Also, keep your eye on the For Sale section here, as quite often a few members buy extra and sell them off at or near retail cost.

6 hours ago, sh9000 said:

 

I want a decent looking 6” Magneto and classic Storm but it’s too bad there aren’t any other options at the moment and the Marvel Select versions are too tall.

 

There is the revoltech one.  But that is a tad bigger than 6 inch, and quite pricey.

I'm more excited for the Regults than I probably should be.  Looks like we'll never run out of spare chin lasers, either.

Definitely haven't quit collecting, but I do have a sort of "end game" in mind.  I'm mainly collecting only SDF Macross stuff, and once I have what I want of that, the only thing I might keep collecting Macross anything is if the HMR line makes valks outside of SDFM.  

That is one of the reasons I bought the vf-2ss.  I want to see how well HMR can do a non-vf1 valk, and would like to see them make more.

55 minutes ago, TheLoneWolf said:

I remember during the 1/55's heyday that fans would proclaim that, excluding the swing bar and head sculpt, it was the perfect representation of the VF-1. Now we're seeing the same thing with the v2 1/60's. It's funny how psychology works. Anyways, I thought that the 1/35 VF-1J prototype was an excellent compromise between the line art's beefy proportions and modern day aesthetics. This new whatever scale VF-1 just looks too blocky; hopefully it's just a case of bad angles.

I dunno.  I don't think everyone is saying the yamato v2 1/60 is the perfect vf-1, we're really just comparing it to what we've seen of this (which is admittedly very little).  I know I personally want my gerwalk antenna back .

The criticism seems to be that this isn't enough of an improvement over the v2 to warrant a new full line.  Time will tell, though.

I'm less of a stickler for anime accuracy and more concerned with what looks good to my eye.  I'm not really loving what we've seen so far, but I'm also not willing to judge this thing off of one pose on a pre-production model. 

I do hope Bandai can do something to make this really stand out; whether that is extra gimmicks, unique transformation, high amounts of articulation, something to make me feel more excited.  Slightly improving on the yamcadia 1/60 in a slightly bigger scale won't be enough for me to bite, but maybe I'm not the market for this release.  I know there are die-hards that have had the v2 1/60 for almost 10 years now, so anything new for the vf-1 is exciting (and so they will probably buy it), even if it isn't exactly what we're looking for.

10 minutes ago, Slave IV said:

Man, the Yamato is tough to beat! There are a few minor improvements on the Bandai but it also looks squatter up top, looks pretty badass but not as heroic proportioned as the Yammie. 

Yeah, between those two in the pic, I'd have to take the yamcadia.  Ofc one is a perfect picture of a release quality model, with probably a little photoshop, and the other is a less-than-perfect picture of a pre-production model.

Hopefully Bandai can clean it up before release.

3 hours ago, ScrambledValkyrie said:

I was thinking there were more squadron logos in DYRL, but I just skimmed the movie, and only found the two below. One is a skull, but both seem to use green. I don't think we ever see kite logos on FAST packs in DYRL, for some reason. 

 

 

That should (theoretically) be DYRL Kakizaki.  I'm not sure when that shot takes place, so he may actually be dead by then.  Ofc, animation errors aren't uncommon in sdf macross.

http://www.macross2.net/m3/macrossdyrl/variant-vf-1a-fastpack-kakizaki.htm

The PS2 game SDF Macross has other squadron logos as well.  While not technically cannon, the game is very faithful to the source material in most respects.  The two logos you see the most are another skull logo (but it is like a bull skull) and a sort of 3 crescent wave patter in yellow/orange.

Edit: Couldn't find a shot of the squadron logos online from the game, so I just pulled these.  Not the greatest, but maybe they'll give sh9000 inspiration.  There are a few more from the game, but these are the ones you see the most.  I could maybe get a better shot if you really want:

Fighter: VF-4G Lightning III

Gerwalk: VF-1 with super parts (favorite of any model/mode)

Battroid: Hard to say, but I like the yf-19 battroid a lot

43 minutes ago, ZorClone said:

more like a $150-$180 toy.

There is no way this is going to come in at that cost when people are buying arcadias at $200+.  Especially at 1/48ish scale.

That said, if the japanese reaction has been similar to our reaction (sort of a "meh"), maybe they will revisit the design (again).