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Skull Leader

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Posts posted by Skull Leader

    GUNDAM? Is that good?

    in Anime or Science Fiction

    Posted

    Yes, Gundam is a VERY vast universe.... Azrael has it right, I start with Gundam: SEED. It's little more than a rehash of the story from the original series (of course there ARE differences, but it's basically the same), and the animation is CRANK (fo shizzle)... sometimes I could forget there is a story and watch the animation alone. The soundtrack also rocks.

    There are some consistents that make it into most Gundam series:

    -Main pilot starts out as a feeble-minded fool, but trains into an ultimate badass (Amuro, Shin, Kou, and the list continues)

    -Main badguy(s) almost ALWAYS own(s) every fight he gets into (Char, Norris, Gato, Zechs, The Frost Brothers, and so on)

    -"The Horrors of War" get major screentime... these are almost always shot to make you detest war.

    -Spaceborn pilots are better mobile suit pilots (either as newtypes, or just plain superior.. again, not a given, but typical)

    If you're getting into Gundam, I can't help but think you should try a non-UC story first (because if you watch UC first, you're probably not going to like the story deviants.. kind of like watching a movie after reading the book), it's not a guarantee (there are those that work otherwise), but you may get more out of it that way. Diehard Gundam fans tend to consider the UC story their "major" while they "minor" in given non-UC stories.

    My favorites?

    UC Timeline (Gundam Major)

    -Moblie Suit Gundam: 08th MS Team (good up until the last with Characters that fit the scene WELL... and it has the EZ8, the gundam that wasn't)

    -Mobile Suit Gundam: 0083 (It's like Top-Gun with mobile suits... and the Dendrobium Mobile Armor rocks... music isn't half bad either)

    Non UC Timelines (Gundam Minor)

    -AfterWar New Mobile Suit: Gundam X (The XX Gundam is my all-time favorite gundam.... even if it IS a Nu-Gundam knockoff, the dual satallite cannons bring the pain! A dark but wonderful story of self-discovery... but then, most gundam series are...)

    -Gundam: SEED (best animation so far.... intense, if slightly revisited, story with deep characters, excellent soundtrack!)

    -Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz (too much time spent with inner monologue and pointless discussion, which is typical of Wing, but the mobile suits rock... I love Heavyarms Custom!)

    So, as you can see... EVERYONE sees something different that they like. Gundam really can be a personalized interest with so many different choices.

    Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children

    in Anime or Science Fiction

    Posted

    Opinions you ask?

    I think:

    It's proof positive that Square will sink to ANY low to get more money (but then, they are a business, I suppose I shouldn't blame them)

    I feel they could've spent that money better developing a better FF game (they haven't done good since VI...although Tactics was pleasant enough)

    Purely my opinion though.

    Robotech Macross Saga Remaster

    in Anime or Science Fiction

    Posted · Edited by Skull Leader

    For Robotechies:

    *Nelson laugh from the simpsons* Ha ha! You're gonna buy more Robotech!"

    This is rich.... did anyone else besides me see this coming a mile away? Especially after such blanket statements that assure the fans that it absolutely will NOT be done... right? LOL, next thing they'll do is limit it to 10,000 sets and then produce 30,000...

    I'll say this for Harmony Gold... I think they're predictable if anything, but that's just me :)

    Something many didn't know about the VF-1...

    in Movies and TV Series

    Posted · Edited by Skull Leader

    There was discussion earlier about nuclear weapons on MS vs. VFs.

    I would point out that GP02 "Unit 2" had a rather primative delivery system, almost a "point and shoot" setup. I'm not even sure if the warhead was "smart" or not. Given the delivery system, I'd say there isn't any way that GB02 could lower the boom on a VF.... they're simply too fast.

    The VFs prove (many times, in fact) that the RMS-01 Nuclear missile is both agile and powerful. They were designed to eliminate multi-mile long spaceships.. but they were also effective in eliminating large groups of enemy units. In terms of ordinance and delivery means, I'd say the VF has GB02 completely outclassed.

    Anavel Gato would have to have the best day of his life and be completely in his "A" game to land a shot like that (and not be within the blast radius)... sorry, I just don't see it happening.

    Counter strike

    in Anime or Science Fiction

    Posted · Edited by Skull Leader

    Tonks, your statement is a real winner... I hope you live somewhere where EVERYONE thinks that attitude is cool. If not, it sucks to be you.

    I played CS for all of 6 months before I got sick and tired of noob little kids in frag fests. All they were interested in was the quick kill and getting the match over with... NO FUN WHATSOEVER. I upgrated to UT which was MEANT for fragfests (and the cheats are near non-exsistant by comparison) needless to say, I was much happier. Campers were also better recieved there (I'm proud to be master of the sniper rifle, and anyone who complains because I "camp" sucks because they didn't think of it first and can't get to me. STOP SUCKING, BECOME BETTER, THEN WE'LL TALK)

    Nowadays I only play online with people I know. We used to have an online clan that specialized in playing "smear the queer" with noobs who thought they knew it all (people don't like that kind of attention at all for very long, they find somewhere else to play) now that I do limited online gaming, I'm much happier. Next time I have to lay the smack down on some 13yr. old that thinks he's "Ahnold's" next descendant I'll probably quit for good.

    While we're on the subject of FPS games, did anyone else think that while UT2003 was good, it didn't quite measure up to the original UT in terms of playability and execution? Just curious.

    Latest 1/48

    in Toys

    Posted

    I don't know what all the whining is about.. the Hikaru VF-1S is THE flagship valkyrie of the DYRL line. What's more, not all of us have modelist tendencies (or if we do, mediocre at best), we're a little less anxious to tear into $120 toys just to change something up (especially after having to PAINT it)

    So WTF are the rest of us who can't change things up supposed to do if we want a VF-1S Hikaru? Commission someone who CAN to do it? Let's be honest, after labor and cost of paint it would cost us far more than $120.

    Price of original valk $120 (random price, pretty standard)

    Custom Valk head $15-20 (again, random, just bear with me... discount this if Roy valk is used)

    Cost of paint supplies $5-10 (maybe less, but it'll do for this case)

    Labor commission $40-100 (no one worth commissioning to do this would do it for cheap)

    Valk and parts shipping costs $15-30 (from dealer to you, from you to customizer, from customizer to you)

    so, all told, I'm looking at anywhere from $190-250 just to get a valkyrie customized to look like what I could buy for $120. Yes, I probably played it a little loose with the prices, but you get the idea. I'd have to pay a buttload more and have to wait longer to get it. People like me (who disdain cutting into their expensive items just to make them look different), this is a godsend. This rant isn't particularly aimed at anyone, just try to remember that not everyone has the option (or the funds) to have custom valkyries made. A rip off?? Hardly. This is Yamato working for US. I thank them for every variant they offer simply because I don't have the skills to make them. Do I buy every one? No.

    And for those of you that argue that yamato could better spend it's time producing "new" valks like M&M J variants, all THEY are is a repaint of a Hikaru VF-1J... if you want it so bad, buy a Hikaru VF-1J and customize IT. Don't want to? Ahhh, all of a sudden you start to see why the Hikaru 1S is being made.

    Who made the regult

    in Toys

    Posted

    Umm, do you have any idea how large 1/48 battle pods and Officer pods would be???? Let's be a little more realistic and hope for a 1/60(approx) version, as those will almost be the size of a 1/55 or bigger.

    AFOS

    in Movies and TV Series

    Posted

    this has been debated at length previously. While the AIPHOS certainly bears a resemblance to protodevlin, and there is little to no doubt that it is somehow connected to the supervision army, I have a lingering doubt that it's not so easilly classified. I guess we'll see when the time comes.

    newbie question on painting

    in The Workshop!

    Posted

    It's really a question of personal taste. I don't assemble the whole model, but I do assemble like-components before I paint

    (example: 1/100 scale ARII VF-1J Battroid)

    Assemble the upper thigh-paint it

    Assemble the Foot-paint it

    Paint the lower-leg halves

    -Assemble the entire Leg

    and so on....

    The basic rule of thumb being, the more detail that has to go into a piece, the more painting/panel-lining you'll wanna do before you glue it into place.

    Aircraft Nose Art

    in Anime or Science Fiction

    Posted · Edited by Skull Leader

    I did a similar thread about a year ago on the old forum, but new members and new times have prompted me to do it again.

    So, starting back in WWII, it was common for bombers (and some fighters) to display nose art on their aircraft (I saw a whole book dedicated to this stuff in Barnes and Noble once), more often than not, they depicted a lady in less-than-full clothing, sometimes in a compromising position (there were many other things too, but this predominated). So, were you a valkyrie pilot and were given the opportunity, who would YOU sport on your fuselage??

    Me?? Nothing less than Audrey Tautou will do ;) (see "Amelie" or "He loves me, he loves me not")

    PS: If you're gonna attach a photo, try not to wipe out the post with it (not too large)

    post-26-1067194133.jpg

    goodbye my friends.....

    in Toys

    Posted

    Take care of yourself man, we're not going anywhere anytime soon.

    I was in a similar situation about 7 years ago, I know exactly how you feel..... Do what you gotta do and come back to us when you can!

    Just picked up Macross Zero HK Boot DVDs...

    in Movies and TV Series

    Posted

    You guys know I never like to agree with Keith, but this time I'm with him....

    Those DVDs are damn cheap from the get-go (walk into a Best Buy store and see how cheap "good" anime sells for). You're getting exactly what you pay for in those HK bootlegs. Be thankful you have the animation on hand and the opportunity to figure out the story.

    Now that you've learned your lesson, go download the ANBUone Fansubs and read it in good english. ;)

    U.N. Spacy Earth Defense Grid

    in Movies and TV Series

    Posted

    I don't think the population of earth was reduced to such a level that it couldn't have repopulated itself naturally, there was just a need to QUICKLY propagate the species and spread them out.

    Earth is still "home plate", and as a viable and populated planet, the UN had every need to protect it, hence, they spared no expense.

    1:60 GBP-1 !?

    in Toys

    Posted · Edited by Skull Leader

    Because the 1/60 line is still pretty popular. Also because it makes sense to test the waters with the smaller scale. If people don't fork the bank over for the 1/60 version (read: if it doesn't sell well) then you likely won't see a 1/48 version.

    I think this is a pretty acceptable way of handling things. I hate it that so many fans take it so damn personal that Yamato didn't release the 1/48 scale version FIRST, and THEN worry about the blokes that still collect 1/60s (rewooh, this isn't against you, it's just a rant in general, don't take it personal). I'm so incredibly sick and tired of this "Bigger is the only way to be better" kick.

    [old person rant mode]

    This thing looks like it's gonna be friggin cool, but people can't stop worrying about ("oh, that's nice... when's the 1/48 coming out? Why didn't they release it in 1/48 FIRST??")... lots of folks are loosing respect for Yamato when it comes to this. The 1/60 line is a damn fine product. Yes it has it's flaws, but so has every release of the VF-1 (or any other valkyrie for that matter) that ANY company has put out so far. We've become a community of damn spoiled perfectionists. We want it friggin HUGE, we want it SUPER DETAILED, and we want it at something like $35. You know, I almost liked it better when there were just the 1/55's and the 1/100's... and if you wanted it super detailed, you DID IT YOURSELF (and hence, it was something to be proud of).

    I hate to say it, but Robotech fans have a SERIOUS leg up on us in this department. All they really have is the MPC, and they love it. Yamato is our flagship company now. they've made a widly varied 1/60 VF-1 lineup, all of which otherwise wouldn't be available to us. I mean, who ELSE has provided us with a VF-1D, a VT-1, or a VE-1(recently)? And the TV super valks...Weapons and armor all available in the same package. Each valkyrie comes with a full ordinance loadout (with the exception of the Ostrich and Elint) separate hands, VHF antennas, pilots, and well, you get the idea. These are the type of details that Bandai/Takatoku customers of 20 years ago would've LOVED to have. (they SORT of got some of this stuff with the HCM lineup) Well, now that same company that is bending over BACKWARDS for us is providing us with yet another item that no other company is producing (again, for nearly 20 years)

    Are the 1/48's better? Hell yes! BUT... the point is this: Don't forget your roots! We wouldn't have the 1/48's if it weren't for the success of the 1/60 lineup. Also don't forget that there are STILL those amongst us who love and collect the 1/60s (ME, for one... and I can't be the only one). Let this new hot innovation run it's course. If it stands to our tests, then there is a strong hope for a 1/48 version.

    [/old person rant mode]

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