Aegis!

So these are supposed to be solely designed for the Macross Zero zection of Character Model magazine , right ?

This means this will be a new section focused on M0 alternate designs by Kawamori himself , which doesn´t mean thet´ll appear on the OVA itself.

I´m gonna have to speculate a bit here and say I´m suspecting we´ll be seeing a M0 artbook soon enough. God , if only Mikimoto would cooperate with some awesome watercoloured VF-0s and Sv-51s I would cry with happyness

I wish we could have some nice colour illustrations included with Kawamori´s b/w designs and sketches.

Mmmmm...let me see.

I remember first hearing of MW when I did a little search on macross on google an found Kevin´s shop , he was expecting the first issues of the Yamato M+ toys and I cried with joy when I saw the first pics of those toys. There I found a link to the old ikonboard forum and lurked for some months , I think joined right after all the Toycom fiasco, about Sept-Oct 2001. I used to be known as vf-19 geko-custom in those days. I opted for a smaller name qhen we switched to these new boards.

Anyway , I remember the times when we first got news that the tiny company that made the M+ toys a few years back was planning on making SDF Macross toys and we were all excited and expectant. Then Yamato surpirsed us with the awesome 1/60s , in those days we had far less bitching but after a while the toy section (particularly) started to turn into what now is known as the bitching arena of hell.

It was thanks to this site that I started collecting macross toys.

In those times we had a lot of funny anecdotes , the Fanworks section was a real lively place and the atmosphere was a lot warmer.

Those where the times

Nice.

I´ve heard a lot of Okinawa , I think I need to go there at least once in my lifetime.

anyway.

I want to know where did you get the SV-51 pic ? it looks great.

5- NO Edward  to be shown !!! YES he bit the dust this time hell yeah !

Heh, Edgar?

Sorry I temporarily forgot his name.

Anyway , it seems Edgar didn´t have much luck after getting out of the VF-0D.

Has anyone noticed some of the characters preciously featured in the character section have suddenly dissapeared ? me thinks Kawamori sama made a few changes on the plot mid-way to the end of the OVAs

I don´t care if they stopped producing Vf-1s tomorrow , if it´s for me I would actually be glad they do that , what I do care about is whether they´re in the conditions to justify expanding their macross line to other series like game based valkyries such as the VF-5000 or the VF-9 , we know Bandai still doesn´t give up on their M7 license even though those bas%$·? don´t produce a single toy from such license.

First impressions:

1-Nora IS HOT !

2- The traditional animation and haracter design have evolved a bit as they seem to be of a more nicer quality

3- It´s known by now that M0 sets the standards for anime CG use nowadays and they still achieve to impress me with every new episode of M0. The VF-0 shown is spectacular.

4-It seems that the old guy in the pics is no one else but Dr. Hassford , it looks to me that he has allied with the Anti-UN

5- NO Edward to be shown !!! YES he bit the dust this time hell yeah !

Wonder how Roy and DD´s fight is going , I hope this new episode is mor eheavy n the plot rather than small events like the past episodes.

Awesome , grea scan. This would´ve made great news a few months before when the first episodes were released.

Good Lord , I can´t stop to be amazed at this guy masterpiece , I mean , I almost pissed my pants , really nice technique even though his proportions a bit off , but for just 4 hrs of work you can´t ask for more , specially since it´s just a fanwork.

awesome , we have to convinve this guy to make more of this precious works.

Negative things about this (If info is right):

-This should´ve come with the 1/60 Q-rau from the begining

- Yamato clearly doesn´t know how to priorize their resources , investting in two separate figures when they should´ve just invested in the improved figure instead of adding the butt-ugly one with the Q-rau is dumb. Moreover , they could make more profit by selling the Q-rau and (improved) Figure separately instead of bundling them together.

- People rich enough to buy the new Millia figure and Q-rau will be left with a spare , poor quality figure.

Good things about this:

- Those of us who still haven´t bought the Q-rau can get a nicer figure.

- If this figure is in a totally different scale , this could mean Yamato is planing a independant , totally new line of articulated ¨action¨ figures.

What does this means ? we could have M+ figures , M0 figures , DYRL figures , etc.. etc.. etc...

Nothing too radically amazing , but if you go and look at the ¨goods¨ section there seems to be some kind of info on something that appears to be a M0 TIAS book.

If someone can traslate what the page says then it would be very helpful for many of us.

I think it would be excelent news if there´s a M0 TIAS book on the way.

only problem with your idea with the banepresto valks, is that the model companies do not make decals that small.

Well , I was thinking more in the lines of applying only the custom colour schemes , as you said , prestos are too small for decal work and since its only for guinea pig work it wuld be a waste of money and time to apply decals to banprestoes , considering you´re using them only to see wheter a colour scheme looks good or not on a valk.

thanks for your comment anyway

Wow , I didn´t expect so much awesome ideas , excellent contributions guys.

Always thought an F1 or CART paint/sticker scheme would look cool as a "racing" valkyrie.

http://www.mschumacher.com/ms99-australiangp-slide.jpg

http://www.jonnykane.com/images/photos/tkg00/portland1.jpg

or give one a Shelby paint job. 

http://www.nvsaac.com/photogallery/images/...0/67GT500_1.jpg

I was thinking of the same concept , giving valkyries classic racing cars colour schemes , like WRC kinda colour schemes , I personally was thinking of buying a 1/48 1S reissue and giving it a Castrol colour scheme , though I know it pretty hard to acomplish such a complex (for me at last) colour scheme on a valk I think it´s a neat idea.

I like the idea of the Shelby paint job.

As most everyone knows, I am working on the Armored Gerwalk for the 1/48 (yeah, if you can call it working - today was the first day I could actually devote a few straight hours to it). I'm also working on another armor conversion for the 1/48, but I am not at liberty to mention it at this time...

That would be a really amazing thing to look at , with all the greatness of the 1/48 , I can only imagine how cool a AG would look like.

On another note , I´ve realised that the best way to try out custom colour schemes without spending too much money on them is to simply buy a couple of banprestos and use the little guys as guinea pigs.

First of all this aint another custom showcase thread , we already have the custom toys section on the main page so I´m not asking for a second one.

I´m starting this thread with the intention of opening a space where our creative minds can express themselves freely.

So , If anyone is working on any unusual customs (be it 1/48s , 1/60s or whatever) such as special colour schemes or mods please post your ideas here.

I was thinking of giving a 1/48 VF-1A a MS Gundam colour scheme , with the classic colours and all. Another idea that ocurred to me was to paint a VF-1J or S with the Smokescreen WRC Subaru Impreza colour scheme , but to do that I first have to find some decals of such WRC car.

I hope some of our local customisers can contribute with their original ideas in this thread.

thanks

Is the Q-rau able to do some more ¨original¨ poses , cause all I´ve seen so far of it is just standing poses , it says it has lots of articulation points but so far all I´ve seen being posed are the arms.

I would be very grateful if you or someone else could posts some pics of it in differet more radical poses.

I remember the days when I joined the old forum. In those days we use to have constructive criticism and tolerance between members , nowadays if someone criticises someone else beloved toys he gets flammed because he´s supposedly bitching.

If I were to join this forums as it is todays I would rather not , in fact I´ve stayed here mostly because of the old members and the nice atmosphere they bring up in this place from time to time.

I agree with Calvin that seeing thread after thread getting infected by authoritarian members that tell everyone to shut up just because their views are being contrasted by others is just ....boring.

Is like those fanatical religious people who go to other peoples churches and burn it to ashes just because they don´t have the same beliefs.

I also like to see some bitching from time to time but I think sometimes (as in , everyday) it gets out of control , specially from those people that feel like they´re god and only their opinion is valid.

C´mon people , we´re supposed to be adults ! Telling other people they´re bitching just because they don´t see things like you is idiotic.

Long gone are those days when we were all expectant and optimist about the toys we would see.

This place has turned from a place where we would share opinions and experiences to a hell hole where everyone that opens his mouth is masacred with insults and rude words.

yeah , we could all say , if you don´t like it then get the f--k out of here , but where else would a macross purist go ? RT.com ? yeah right...seriously , telling pople what to do and what to think is not the way to try to convince them that you´re right , your probably going to piss them off.

Is there a point a point to this thread ? we all know Mwers are obsessed with the 1/48 , the obvious outcome of such a post would be 1/48 lovers just saying how much cool the 1/48 is over the 1/60 (which is true but OT nontheless).

The only problem with the 1/60 is the fact that Yamato made the 1/48.

From then on the 1/60 stoped being recognised by its merits and istead was left for those times where people need to glamourise the 1/48.

When we talk about enemy mechs , does it have to be just SDF Macross ?

I mean , everytime we start some nice little whish list all people can come up with is SDF Macross Mechas , C´mon why can we dream beyond that ?

What about the Zentradi power Armour seen in Macross Plus ? What about the Ghost or the Neo Glaug ?

well if we´re gonna limit ourselves with just one show then I would vote for the Glaug , THAT is gonna be HUGE with a major M for Massive !

Oh man , why ddoes this have to be a fight everytime Yamato gives us something new and great !?

Seriously , you all say you´re in your late 20s and 30s but look at you , you all keep wasting your time arguing with somebody else because they don´t feel the same wqay you do , that´s just childish , haters or lovers just stop the bitching please , is not like someone is paying you money everytime to throw crap at someone.

Thanks for the review Graham. Unlike some others, I think you give very good fair reviews. I guess some people expect reviews to be nothing but bash fests. Regardless of price, it does look like a nice toy. It has more poseability than I thought it would have and appears well balanced. I am very suprised at the size. I was under the impression that it would be a good inch or two taller than the 1/48. Oh well, that size looks more reasonable. If they ever sell cheap on ebay, I might pick one up someday.

I also agree about the green version.

I sincerely agree with your all points JawJaw.

I think it´s a GREAT toy as well as a pretty nice addition to Yamato macross line , it looks great , it sounds to be great , it has it all and I´ll definitively buy one. Unfortunatelly , as it is now , I think the price is a bit high for the number of gimmicks and gadgets it features. The Millia figure is not exactly awesome , particularly the head/face sculpt which from what I saw in the pics isn´t really similar to the line-art.

Anyway , I´m very attracted to this toy , but I´ll have to wait till I can seriously justify its purchase at a reasonable price. And for the doubters , yes I have the money , I could easily buy 2 Q-raus right now with a few clicks of my mouse but I think Yamato is testing the waters as to how much they can get away with in regards to how much fans are willing to pay for ANY toy they produce, don´t get me wrong I still love Yamato , they´re releasing M0 toys , GBP and now the Q-rau but we need to get real , the Q-rau seriously shouldn´t cost the same as a 1/48.

If it was 70 or even 90 then I´d be buying it right away.

Saying Yamato is in their right to sell this toy at such a unreasonable price is a lame excuse , Would anyone be willing to pay $300 for a Banpresto if it was the only toy/model produced now ? I wouldn´t.

mmmmm....I think I´ve been living on the moon recently cause I seriously thought the Q-rau was going to seel for like $80-90 but $120 !!! bloody hell , isn´t that a bit overpriced for a non-transformable plastic toy with less detail than the 1/48. Shouldn´t it have the same ammount of detail if it´s going for the same price ?

I looked at the pictures and and a bit disspointed with the texture of the toy , all the plastic parts look like they´ve this kind of wax texture/reflection.

I was expecting a bit more detail with the q-rau , I guess the promo photos were too good , with all the shinny surfaces and all

Well , now that my critisism is over I have to say the toy is great and I will gladly buy it....when the price drops to $80 of course.

Excellent news mate , thanks for the review , it is much appreciated.

It´s nice to see Graham posting some reviews on Yamato toys once again , I was worried they also prohibited you to do reviews on their toys

With all the whinning and bitching ocurring everyday I hope not cause the poor guy in charge of reading this board would surely get depressed and shoot himself.

I´m quite sure Yamato used to pay attention to these boards in the veeeery long past , but nowadays I think they´ve preferred to ignore us , meaming they have (to my conclusion , i could be very wrong) limited the info they pass onto Graham or anyone else with access to Yamato´s secrets so we don´t start speculating and guessing what could actually be in their plans.

When was the last time we got a scoop ahead of anyone else anyway ?

I feel nowadays we´re passing through a drought of info as the only info or fotos we get now is throught hobby magazines.

This is not to say Graham holds any responsability over this situation , on the contrary , it is obvious that is Yamato who´s limiting the info that is eventually revealed to the public and since that close relationship has slowly dissipated in time it is obvious that they don´t feel the need to go through these boards anymore , specially when we don´t prsent any relevancy in their incomes as they real market is Japan.

I´m not overly excited by this new line , it may be cheaper on one hand but on the other it´s not perfect and if I´m gona invest on M0 I prefer to have the real thing instead of something which doesn´t do justice to the mechs.

I´m may buy a OCTOS and VF-0D but that would be it

You know, you're doing exactly what you get mad at us about.

Actually no.

What I said was that i would want higher quality versions of the 1/100 M0 toys , in other words bigger than the 1/100 M0 toys ,BUT I never have (or will) said I wanted those high quality to be 1/48. I still think that idea simply sucks for the majority of consumers.

At this point I´m just hoping for 1/72 version , hopefully Yamato will surprise us and do them in 1/60 scale.

I didn't say anything about 1/48's did I?

I remember you got mad at a lot us when we looked at the 1/60 armored and said we'd pass on it and hope for a bigger better version. Now here you are looking at the 1/100, saying you're going to pass on it and hope for a bigger better version.

No , people clearly started whining to have a 1/48 version of the 1/60 GBP hence they said they´d pass on it. I mean , since when people here have stopped asking for 1/48 version every time Yamato releaseas a new (non-1/48) product ?

secondly I didn´t get mad at all , all I said was that to secure the production of a 1/48 version people should first see if the 1/60 version sells well otherwise Yamato would assume the GBP isn´t popular at all. Is this what you call getting mad ? people must be really sensitive in your town.

Anyway , I don´t know why people are getting dissapointed so early in the game , Yamato always stated that this new line would aim to be more affordable by making it in a smaller scale , and if that wasn´t enough this is just a prototype and Yamato has already said they would try to improve some of the imperfections.

Just see this toys as some sort of hyper-deluxe M0 banprestos , just as cheap but also just as cool as the M+ toys (with current sculpting advances -CAD/CAM- of course).

I´m not overly excited by this new line , it may be cheaper on one hand but on the other it´s not perfect and if I´m gona invest on M0 I prefer to have the real thing instead of something which doesn´t do justice to the mechs.

I´m may buy a OCTOS and VF-0D but that would be it

You know, you're doing exactly what you get mad at us about.

Actually no.

What I said was that i would want higher quality versions of the 1/100 M0 toys , in other words bigger than the 1/100 M0 toys ,BUT I never have (or will) said I wanted those high quality to be 1/48. I still think that idea simply sucks for the majority of consumers.

At this point I´m just hoping for 1/72 version , hopefully Yamato will surprise us and do them in 1/60 scale.

Box pic

I love it.

One question though: What's with the 639?

The Millia Sculpt looks really nice though it is a small pic.

Well , I assume you already know Zentrans and Meltrans don´t exactly ...well...do it , they´re basically fighting machines so they don´t have the natural instict of reproducing hence they resorted to cloning to have new soldiers.

In this case Millia is the 639th clone of the original ¨Millia¨ .

Secondly , as we all know and feel , it´s a real shame they decided to go with 1/100 when they could perfectly have gone with 1/72 but I suppose they´ll save that option for the higher quality version (or 1/60 which would be perfect but alas it´s been ruled out by G already so  )

When did Graham rule out 1/60? I do vaguely remember reading somewhere that Yamato had let it be known that they would concentrate on 1/72 scale in the future, but I can't recall details or the source.

I recall Graham saying Yamato would stay away from 1/60 in the Thread when the VF-0 was first revealed and people started bitching and moaning it was 1/100 as well as in the polls related to this topic.

I´ll post some links to those threads when I have some more time , sorry.