Grand Admiral

Fair enough. My frame of reference comes from my work with the LEGO company, and from the costs associated with their toys and molding. Nearly every omission or substitution of a piece was directly related to cost. Even saving $.10 on the cost of a set adds up quick when you're producing thousands of sets. I think money is a pretty simple explanation for why they wouldn't change the fuselage. Slap two seats in, new chest shield, new head. Done. It doesn't surprise me in the least that Yamato might be doing something different than what they "promised," especially if it might save them a few bucks.

You sir, win 100 internets.

Wait, what? "Plastic is cheap"? You're suggesting they should mold something and just throw out the plastic? Really? Cutting molds isn't cheap, and it's entirely relevant. Why would they cut an entire new fuselage mold including development time, engineering, CAD work, mold cutting costs, etc. We're talking about a cost difference of tens of thousands of dollars just to accomodate your fantasy scenario of a slightly different fuselage section that's a tiny bit more line-art accurate. The cost is not irrelevant or negligible, it actually costs a whole lot of money. Do you actually know anything about plastics molding or are you just talking out of your ass?

The existing molds most likely already have the fuselage grouped together with some of the existing parts, like the legs/arms/tail section, etc. Usually parts are grouped together on molds if they use the same color plastic. The 1D forward fuselage is the same color as most of the legs, the wings, and the aft fuselage sections. They are using the same fuselage mold because it's cheaper to do it that way. "They could do it if they really wanted to" doesn't trump the economics of the situation.

Jenius, can you tell me how large they are in combined fighter mode? Would they fit inside a Detolf display case? Also, does anyone know if Toynami plans to make a green Beta? The green is my favorite.

Bahahahah! Thanks Pete, that was perfect.

I have a Detolf too. The flexistands do fine.

No, it really doesn't. Because one mold saved is still money saved. Why make two molds when one mold will do? You can't make a VF-1D without the different head, but you CAN make one using the same fuselage section. It will make some guys on the internet mad, but they'll still buy it anyway.

No, I'm sorry, that nose cone is clearly WAY too long because it doesn't look exactly like this line art: Also, the model you posted makes other compromises, with skinny arms and legs, and the hands are too small, and there are no side covers.. and... and... and... You see my point?

You guys really crack me up. A correct *anything* is impossible because of the amount of anime magic that goes into the transformations. Anime doesn't have to abide by physical reality, so the nose cones can get shorter in battroid mode and the fuselage can change length, and the two-seater heat shield can come out of a too-small fuselage, and big hands can come out of the tiny arms, and side covers can appear out of nowhere, etcetera ad nauseam. It doesn't surprise me that Yamato might use the same fuselage for the two-seaters. A single plastic mold can cost tens of thousands of dollars to create. By only using one mold for all variants, Yamato saves a LOT of money. That's called "economy". I know it makes the line-art guys mad as hell, but seriously, it's a business, and aside from a few oversensitive nerds on the internet, most people won't really care all that much.

It really depends on your setup and what "altitude" you want your valks to be displayed in. Here are two 1/48s with 4" and a 6" stands in an Ikea "Detolf" glass display case. Here are my 1/60 valks on the 2.5", 4", and 6" respectively.

I've been pretty conservative with regard to HD. I waited until there was a clear victor in the HD-DVD/BD competition. I'm going to upgrade to a BD player probably soon after Christmas. I've made the decision to buy all my future movie purchases on BD, but only upgrade select movies from DVD to BD, and only when carefully considering reviews online and making sure they have quality transfers. I've read a few articles online about some of the studios just ripping the DVD release to a BD disc.

I remember asking my grandma for one of the G1 autobot cars and she freaked out. "SEVEN DOLLARS?!" You can buy an equivalent size transformer TODAY for between $8-10.

I have been pleased with my VF-1J Hikaru. No problems, and it's been transformed a few times over the past month.

I'm just here to represent the old man rocking chair contingent of "You kids don't know how good you got it with all these valks these days. In my day we used to DREAM of having valks to complain about."

With a bit more work you can do him up proper.

Oh man I would LOVE a MP Thrust.

I'd rather they had made the hallway connect to the cockpit and had retractable landing gears instead of loading it up with electronic gimmicks and shooty missiles and an escape pod that's non-canon. Sigh.

Wow, gorgeous photos. I need to get some proper photo lights.

Just received my VF-1J Hikaru from Overdrive. They shipped it on Tuesday and I received it today!

Yes actually I painted the headlights and waist spots at the same time.

Picked up a Silverstreak yesterday and decided to put him under the knife. I give you: Silverstreak with no ugly spoiler! I touched up the spots where I cut the spoiler, and also painted his headlights blue to match his waist, and painted the taillights solid red.

I got shipping confirmation for my Hikaru VF-1J today.

That still isn't 1/1. The X Wing is supposed to be 12.5m long (41 feet). The one in that auction is 28 feet long. Also, X Wings don't land with the S Foils in attack position.

You will have both hands available in the set. The "chubby" TV hands are just add-ons that you can stick on the end of the arm. The photos here clearly show both the mechanical hands and the TV hands: http://www.toysdaily.com/discuz/thread-79300-1-1.html