todd77

Just recently got my WAVE WHAM Ingram and while initially I wasn’t too impressed with it, after watching a few episodes of Patlabor, the toy has really, I mean really grown on me. The best aspect of the toy, in contrast to Yamato’s effort and to some extent CM’s, is that the overall proportion is wonderfully balanced. It may not match the somewhat squat proportions of the line art but it pretty much captures the look of its on-screen persona. The torso is just nicely sized – not too small like the Revoltech’s, not too elongated like the CM’s, and certainly nowhere near as oversized as Yamato’s. The legs, while long, are also quite slender with a pair of proportionately matching feet, which again, contrasts that of CM’s whose lower legs in particular, seemed quite a bit oversized (I’m not slating CM’s effort though as I love them way too dearly). The only thing they could improve with regard to the overall proportions is perhaps to make the soles of the feet a little thicker, but really, that’s only a minor quibble. As for the head, I think I’ve read some past comments that it isn’t quite as “handsome” compared to other incarnations of the labor. This, like everything else concerning aesthetics, I think depends on your personal preference on what constitutes a “handsome” Ingram. For me, the profile shot of WAVE’s effort is pretty much spot on compared to the line art as the visor remains rather wide and doesn’t taper as much as say, Yamato’s. From the front, I think the chin of the face mask could use some sharpening as it is quite a bit rounded. Nonetheless, it still looks good, again, matching how it looks on average as seen on TV. Now on to the other aspects. Articulation: Torso – probably the worst aspect in this regard, the torso only rotates to the left and right and even so, not by much. It doesn’t pivot up or down nor swivel from side to side, which could really help in more dynamic poses. Arms – possibly the biggest disappointment here is the lack of double-jointed elbows and as such, like CM’s Ingram, rotates up to the typical 90-degree range. Someone once mentioned that the rubber shrouds could interfere with the articulation and to some extent, that’s true. In my case, the left elbow would occasionally “pop-off” after rotating it to the max due to the aforementioned shrouds. Elsewhere though, everything is very much free from obstructions as the joints are quite tight and hold their own pretty well. The shoulders, rotate as they should (a full 360-degree rotation would contort the rubber shrouds to unsightly extents though) and can even swivel back and forth slightly. And the upper arm can be rotated towards or away from the body. Legs – definitely the best part of the toy in terms of movement range. The hips are nicely spaced away from the waist, which mitigates some of the obstructions that occur between the upper part of the hip armor and the waist (a common issue with the CM’s particularly if you want to stretch the legs farther apart or perform a kneeling pose). It helps as well that the hip armors are quite a bit shorter, being at level with the waist instead of going above it. The amount of twisting afforded by the hips as such is greatly enhanced by the preceding two factors. The knees are every bit as good as CM’s – tight, double-jointed goodness. However, the considerable range of movement afforded by both the hips and knees make kneeling poses really easy to pull off and the best part is, they do not look awkward. The feet, like CM’s effort, is divided into two parts: the heel and the sole, both of which can be rotated toward or away from each other. Each foot rotates ever so slightly and can be pivoted up and down. Movement range is probably hindered due to the fact that the feet practically take up the entire socket in the lower legs. As for the rubber shrouds, they don’t pose too much of a hindrance since the joints are quite tight. Overall, while the amount of articulation is similar to that of CM’s though I think the movement range with WAVE’s is a little better due to the more slender sculpt. Head – another weak point, the head rotates to the left and right but doing so even at slight angles would unsettle and pull out the rubber shroud, which is a little too small / short. The head also doesn’t tilt up much at all, just enough to look straight ahead. Overall, the head articulation is the one area most hampered by the rubber shroud. In terms of accessories and gimmicks, WAVE’s offering is a bit sparse, with only two opened hands (left and right), two closed fists (left and right), a gun-holding hand (right only), a stun stick-holding hand (again, right only), a riot gun, a revolver cannon, two stun sticks (one fully extended), and an armored visor. The first thing I have to mention is how oddly sculpted the opened hands and closed fists are, at least to me. The opened hands have their middle fingers jutting out above the others, making it look a little “unnatural.” The closed fists, on the other hand, again to me, are somewhat blighted by conspicuously thick fingers, at least from the top view. I don’t know, maybe I’m just a little picky but they do bother me a bit since they don’t look quite as good as they should in a neutral A pose. Like CM’s effort, you’ll have to deconstruct the head in order to replace the standard visor with the armored one. Thankfully, all you have to do is remove the top part of the head, pop-off the current visor and replace it, and put the top back – very effortless unlike CM’s, which borders on model-kit building. I also like how the torso pat-lamps are implemented – remove the backpack (the Ingram battery cover) and simply push in a tab to pop open the lamps. The backpack also conceals a sliding switch that elevates the pilot seat. Overall, these implementations are better than their slightly fiddly CM’s counterparts. The neck windshield can be raised as well but my Ingram’s is a little loose as it can be rattled quite a bit. The Noa pilot figure cannot be removed however, though at the very least, it does have a good semblance to the character (unlike the CM’s) with neatly painted eyes and facial features. While the revolver cannon compartment on the lower right leg works, it’s not as good as it should be since it doesn’t hold the weapon very well – the gun pops off too easily and it’s quite a bit of a hassle to put it back in place. What’s worse though is that the cover on my Ingram doesn’t close as tightly as it should, resulting in an unsightly gap. Of course, this can be easily remedied by thickening the peg on the cover with some nail polish (or in my case, superglue). As for the stun stick, oddly enough, the short one is not fully concealed when inserted into the shield – its end protrudes outward quite a bit. I’m pretty sure the entire thing is supposed to be hidden unless it is ejected. And of course, the right hand extends though I wish the exposed mechanical details are painted, particularly the wires. The cockpit hatch opens but in a non-canon way. Normally, only the black part that houses the police crest slides out and flips upward. However, WAVE took a little shortcut by simply molding the black and white pieces as a single part, and so, the whole chunk just after the chest windows (the three cockpit windows at the top of the chest that are sometimes transparent and sometimes not) simply slides out. It doesn’t look too bad however and again, it might just be me nitpicking a little too much. I believe (correct me if I’m wrong here) that almost the entire toy barring the rubber shrouds is painted, with a mixture of plastic and purportedly, diecast parts though I can’t be sure which is which. The paint job has a nice glossy sheen to it, making it look a lot better in person. The various labels such as the license plate numbers, the division designation, the SV2 emblem, the Alphonse label etc. are all pre-printed on the toy so no stickers are necessary. What I don’t really care for though is the inconsistent inking of the panel lines that “breaks up” (the lines on the knee covers break-up here and there) and are of varying hues (the one on my Ingram’s right shoulder armor has a slight greenish tint). Frankly, I wish they would just leave out the panel line inking, which would perhaps lend a cleaner look to the toy. More annoying is the fact that the police crest on my Ingram is slightly crooked to one side. At about $150 (from HLJ) a pop, is it worth it? This will likely depend on how much you care for the Ingram’s design and a more balanced interpretation of its proportions as I believe those are the most distinguishing factors of WAVE’s effort. Other interpretations of the labor may offer better mileage in similar or other aspects depending on what you’re looking for in an Ingram toy. Personally, the sculpt alone sells it for me despite some of the flaws mentioned above. For me, it’s as good an interpretation you’re going to get aesthetically out of the current (and perhaps upcoming) crop of Ingram toys. Here are some pics:

Booby Duck ahoy!!

That's a given, I expected nothing less from Oshima whose other credentials include Ico's (the PS2 game) haunting musical score and the orchestrated medley for Zelda: TP.

Though I've not read the manga, I think the writer and director took some liberties in adapting the story for the anime. If you don't mind my suggesting, you should watch at least the second half of the series, the von Braun arc in which the drama takes significant, and sometimes, intense turns. That's where the really good stuff happens (for me at least). Though I can't vouch for their quality, some of the "glowing" (user) reviews from Amazon and mahq mimic my impressions exactly (particularly of the later episodes).

Sorry to hear that. Did you watch the series to its conclusion, by any chance? I know a lot of people were turned off by the initial episodes.

I got screwed on the official region 1 DVDs as well! Two or three of the discs wouldn't even play on my laptop (though they worked fine elsewhere). Still didn't stop me from getting another boxset (which had perfect discs) . I love the series too damned much!

Hell yeah! I've never read the manga but I've watched the anime and it is really, I mean, REALLY good. Fantastic even! Damn, I'll just go out and say that it's my FAVORITE anime of all time. The drama especially towards the second half of the series is just unbelievable (cue episode 24!).

I agree, the first movie is a lot easier to digest especially when watching it for the first time but the second movie is every bit as good in its own right too! It just takes a lot of effort to really appreciate it; its deliberately slow but tense pacing may not be to everyone's tastes. Both, for me, are hallmark Oshii movies.

The flight one was severely damaged and crashed into the sea. And right after that, Utsumi (aka Richard Wong), the mastermind behind the Griffon saga, as well as Batrinand, Griffon's pilot, had to leave the country immediately with the help of Schaft's boss (who ironically, was pissed at him (Utsumi) for starting the whole Griffon fiasco and even called in S3 - Schaft Security System - to reel him in, which in turn, led to Kanuka's temporary return to the 2nd division in place of an injured Kumagami) as they were being investigated and pursued by Matsui, the detective. There was no scene indicating that they have dredged up the defeated Griffon and patched it back up though theoretically, they could still have salvaged it in order to prevent further evidences from being dug up. Anyway, it was once indicated that the most important aspect of the Griffon project wasn't the actual labor itself but rather, the blueprints for building it as well as the accompanying OSes that run it (which is why Utsumi had Batrinand go against the JSDF and police labors and especially Noa's Ingram - to steal their labor OSes and the accumulated labor data). The intention is to sell the blueprints AND OSes by demonstrating the superiority of the Griffon over other labors. So anyway, to answer the question, they could have patched up the original Griffon but they could also have easily rebuilt a new one (considering Utsumi's near limitless resources and guile). They are basically the same base unit only with different, optional, backpacks. Besides, some of the original Griffon parts such as the hands were left behind - or rather ejected (since the blind Ingram wouldn't release its grip) - during its first match with Noa in its desperate attempt to escape so some parts would naturally have to be rebuilt anyway. Also, quite a bit of time had elapsed between the first and second Griffon encounters (the two battles did not happen back-to-back) so that would give them plenty of leeway to simply rebuild a new one.

They're different units. The flight one appeared first and crashed into the sea after bailing out from the "boxing" match with Noa's Ingram. The second unit appeared in the 2nd OVA series which continued on from the end of the TV series. The 2nd unit was the one that trashed the Peacemakers (AV-0) but this time, lost conclusively to Noa's Ingram (she had help, of course, from Kanuka's Unit 3 as her Ingram was running low on battery). Anyway, most of the fight with the aqua griffon happened with its aqua pack detached.

I love my 1/60 VF-1 v2s as well. Despite owning the first issue of Focker's 1S, I've had no problems with it thus far - it has a really solid feel to it, even with the fast pack on. And my recent acquisition of Hikaru's Super 1J makes the whole deal even sweeter - I'm in Booby Duck heaven! The joints of these things are really nice and tight though, if you do plan to purchase one of these, do be careful when handling them particularly the shoulder hinges. Also, they can be a little back-heavy in battroid mode when fully equipped with the fast packs though nothing that some clever posing can't handle. Whatever you decide, I hope that you can fully enjoy these toys for what they are.

Not sure if I can of help but I have the first batch of strike Focker 1S and I've transformed it dozens of times and so far, no shoulder problems for me. I have to admit though, the shoulder joints are pretty tight on mine so I've always been extra careful in handling the slightly flexible swinging hinges - the ones of which people are reporting breakages. Other than that, I have to say it's the best Yamato valk toy I have - pretty solid especially compared to the looseness and floppiness of my 1/48 1J and 1S. You can grip the darn thing upside down with fully equipped FAST packs!

Wow, I love the glossy sheen of the toy. And, I think, they've nailed the proportions of the Ingram quite well too, at least, better than Yamato's version. The head sculpt is different as well, looking a bit like the Revoltechs. Still a nice looking figure and the poseability looks to be on par with CM's Ingrams, especially with that nice kneeling pose. I assume there's ample diecast content in this one, judging from the sheen itself (though I'm not too sure) and the not-quite-as-crisp (read thick) panel lines (not at least compared to what you can get with plastic).

Just watched episodes 13 and 14 - really nice!

I have 3 of CM's Ingrams and though I love them to bits, I think their proportions are a bit off as well - the lower legs and the waist section are too fat, IMO. Still, like you, I wish Yamato could have gotten it right. Barring the overall proportions, I think the sculpting of the individual parts is quite beautifully done . Me too <feverishly patches up tattered wallet> !

I on the other hand, can't get enough of Ingrams. If only I've got the a wallet with the size to match...

With the shoulders posed and angled the way they are, it does make the Ingram seem less stumpy and a whole lot more burly than the full frontal shot posted earlier, at least to my eyes. Kind of reminds me of the exaggerated proportions of the Ingram that was shown during the midway parts of the TV or OVA episodes (can't remember which). Edit: I also noticed the diecast parts used for the ball joints on the ankles, hips, waist and arms as shown in the red-colored breakdown parts. Half the shins are also diecast.

Here's my meager collection. I really need to start investing on a proper cabinet...

I noticed that the three-quarter shot posted earlier looked so much better than the full-frontal one. Maybe it's because the shoulders are raised a little higher instead of being level with the body:

Nice work! It seems that Yamato is almost spot on with the overall width and height. It's just that the individual proportions of the legs, arms, and body are a bit off for each, which adds up to the squat proportions. I also notice that the top portion (where the shoulder lights are located) of the body slants down quite a bit in the lineart. Either that or it's simply the body that's tilted downwards (or upwards) in the lineart (or the toy).

The 3/4 view doesn't look too bad proportion-wise but the full-frontal one really shows how short those legs are or how oversized the body and arms are in comparison to the legs. It's almost similar to Yamato's 1/48 valks with their nosecones extending past their knees only this time it's the hands with the Ingram. Here's a reference lineart: And the asking price - woah - that's a little hard to swallow especially when you consider the less than ideal proportions...

I'll join you in the game of pot dodging. I didn't think much of MF's ending as well. Had "meh" written all over it for me. And judging by your discussions, looks like I missed quite a bit by snoozing off during those WTF episodes. Interesting stuff.

For me, I actually thought the ending was rather befitting for a series that had as many highs and lows as genuine WTF moments (the Charles, Marianne, and Akasha Sword arc). I'd always half-expected Lelouch to end up the way he did ever since I started watching the series. And the ending, with the insert song and all, kind of reminded me of the ending of another of Taniguchi's efforts - Planetes. The ending insert songs for both series were even performed by the same group!

Just realized that Bones' productions tend to feature these voice actors: Keiji Fujiwara (Holland, Eureka; Maes Hughes, Fullmetal; Raigyo, Xam'd) and Michiko Neya (Talho, Eureka; Hawkeye, Fullmetal; Prois, Xam'd). And Nakiami's voice actress did Renton from Eureka as well. Just thought this to be interesting.

Wow, the articulation is really nice, though judging from the poses, the squat legs are now even more apparent (particularly the leg-lifting shots), to me at least. Can't complain too much though since at the moment, Yamato's Ingram looks to be the definitive toy incarnation when you consider all the features. Also, looking at some of the poses (the prince's funky walk cycle and the cat's cradle), I suppose we can expect TV versions as well (instead of swappable shields and antennas)? Love that open hatch, kneeling pose.