GobotFool

it was a guy in a suit, held up with wires and support beam out the back...it was not real, wasn't even made of metal...and the design, speaking for itself, has lots of problems - number one is that it could not lift the cargo containers without some form of counter balance to offset the additional wieght placed on the design...additionaly it doesn't have the physical mobility in the legs to carry such loads... The power loader is true movie magic. Some contruction companies were so convinced it was real that they called 20th Century Fox wondering where they could order one.

Okay, okay, I know plausible and mecha don't really belong in the same sentence together, but I was still curious, from all the mecha designs out there, which do my fellow MWers feel are the most plausible? It doesn't have to be limited to Japanese anime mecha. I’d probably go with the GITS battle armor tanks and Patlabor labors. The monster is not that far of when you consider it is just a mobile artillery unit, and having legs is better than having to be carted around using train tracks like some of those old cannons they used in WW1.

OMFG, those are the best LOTR spoofs ever!

It reminds me of a wing commander hellcat V

This is something I'd expect to see in a bad military comedy movie, not real life.

Cause: 1) It doesn't transform. You take it apart and reassemble on the man. 2) Some parts keep falling off due to parts not fitting nicely, namely the "gauntlets" and the shoulder pads. 3) Ironically because of those loose parts, your AMDriver's articulation is almost reduced to nil. He can just stand there looking cool. And generally after transform, he can't move much. pretty much nailed the problems on the head my friend. This line looks awesome but in the end loose joints poorly fitting parts, and kinda crummy plastic keep me from loving it.

I'd say HLJ, be warned though the MotoBisar has some sever design flaws. I should know, I own one

Optimus Prime 160,000 Megatron 499,000 Megatron wins!

The 1st two books I zoomed through, book 3 I got a little bored with, and really the last 2 were chores to read....

Hrmmmm taken out of context that could be so dirty.

Really? IMDB still shows Moore as doing the voice. Seems like a bad decison. I don't know, I kinda like the idea of Alan Rickmen as Marvin's voice.

Solscud, how'd you manage to get your paws on a windcharger so fast?

Yikes. I didn't know he made sounds. Mine should be in my hands by Monday afternoon. By Monday evening I should have him gutted and the sound box neatly removed and in the trash. I hates me some noisy transformers. I doubt you'd have to go that far. Just remove the batteries and you shouldn't have to worry about sound :-p

wow! where can you preorder that prime trailer?

strange, any idea what series it is from?

man, I'd love to get my hands on that larger scale galvion toy.

I agree, I have this sinking feeling that yamato is moving out of the high end market (in terms of quality and finish) and producing more low end stuff... and pricing what should be mid range stuff at high end prices. I wouldn't exactly call the votom a low end product, nor the monster. If anything I see a trend of Yamato slowing it's releases and trying to spend more time on each individual product to get it right. How long were they working on the votom since it was announced? almost 2 years right? Also let us not forget the rather large Megazone bike they seem to be making. If I had to theorize about yamto marketing strategy, I'd say they are releasing a large number of cheaper products between the larger higher end releases, and are slowing the speed with which they are releaseing their flagship toys. Personally I am happy yamato is widening the gap between the release dates of it's high end products, it gives my wallet a nice break.

For me though the perfect transformation is part of the appeal of the toy. Just to be able to point to a perfect transformation valk, or MP prime, or BT and say, "yep, that transforms into a robot. Part swapping you ask? Surely you jest, this is too fine a piece of toy engineering to require part swapping!" For me the engineering that makes the transformations possible is part of the art that goes behind any transforming toy. I can live with very minor part swapping, say landing gear, or hands, but I really prefer it to be kept to a minimum. I want a transforming toy, not a lego set.

But he's not Jetfire - just a toy they made in the image of Jetfire years ago, that Hasbro took and repainted in the colours of a toy never released in Japan for obvious reasons. Additionally R-Blade/Hooligan is a basic, about 9cm tall, and only costs a few bucks. An excellent basic - unfair to compare him to Macross Valks. As for Jetfire - well, he was bigger and more expensive than most of the other first year G1s so he's bound to be 'better'. Packaged Shockblast Mazdaspeed RX-8 just popped up. He indeed has a spoiler. Hasbro hasn't even annouced him yet so nobody knows when he'll be released outside of China. also with the whole Bandai > Takara thing, let us not forget that Bandai did not design the 1/55, that was Takatoku. Personally I consider Takara to be the king of mass produced transforming toys. Bandai does a good job, but non of their transforming toys can hold a candle to the BT line and MP prime.

how can we stay up to date on the status of this 1/100 Yf-19?

Was it canceled? Was it released and I missed it? I don't see it up for preorder on HLJ anymore.

I've heard that this YF-19 will be sold as a "completed resin model". I assume this means it will be finished like the kits SHE currently sells. Even better for those artistically challenged. Carl not to get us off topic again but where can one order one of these babies when they do go up for sale? Cause I really want one!

man, I feel sorry for those bikes, trying so hard to pretend they are robots.

If there is any anime ending I really hated it was GITS ending. The final moments in Batou's safe house felt like such a whimper after the whole tank battle. I have no problem with things not ending on action (usually I prefere it that way), but that particular ending, I can't place my finger on it, felt very very empty.

*spoiler* Hardcore fans of the book are going to be pissed about how they kill saurumon in the EE of ROTK