Vespaeda

Speaking as a somewhat,'dull-witted' connisseur of music and the skills needed to make it: the more I learn of this vocaloid programming and Miku character concerts, I cannot help but think of the bigger picture: The world is stressed out & 'on-the-brink'; economically, resource-wise and geo-politically. Koreas are heating it up, w/China, Japan & the U.S. swirling around it and Mexico & Brazil are slugging it out w/narco-paramilitaries that rival their state gov'ts. Europe & their currency are oscillating; including their immigrant Muslim/Judeo-Christian cultural clashes, there are ample reasons for more terror activity in years to come, not including Yemen, Somalia & Afghan/Pakistan. Russia is preparing to flex its muscle again. Meanwhile, DeCulture energy waves are now being propogated from the Earth by Vocaloids... It may be 11-12 yrs since the original Ataria Is. incident was 'predicted', but how long before a Zent or S.A. fleet defolds in our star system?

So, just as I leave Japan, they whip out a singing, dancing android and an actress-droid that both push the 'Uncanny Valley'-bar another few notches. Top it off with a holographic J-pop idol...... If they can make the dancing Gyndroid sing the "Fruity-Nutty Bar" song from FireFly/'Serenity', all is well. But if not... "THIS IS NOT THE DeCulture WE ARE LOOKING FOR...CHARGE ALL CONVERGENT CANNONS AND PREPARE TO FIRE; YOUR TARGETS: THE MELTR'LAMIS FLEET AND THE PROTOCULTURE CONCERT!"

AreaSeven, Thanks for the REALLY 'old school' reminders of 'Space Academy' & "Jason...StrCmd". I tried HARD as a kid to watch these and find something redeeming. But following 'Star Wars' and the smattering of anime made available in the late '70s, there was no excuse for this infantile pablum. My vote: Kids shows: "Far Out SpaceNauts[Nuts]: Gilligan & 'Skipper'-look-alike, character actor. Really lame story & gimicky. Similar themed "Lost Saucer" w/Jim Neighbours & Ruth Buzzi was better executed kids fare. Both were Sid & Marty Kroft puppet shows(I was too young to know what 'drug culture' was...'nuff said.) Teen/ adult shows: "AutoMan" & late season "Buck Rogers". There were probably many others, but I admit to being too old to quickly dredge the crevices of my synapes that deeply.

My last day on Okinawa and while making my last rounds of favorite 'swag' shops, I stopped in a tremendous DVD/Manga/Porn Shop on Rt 329, Aza Kohagura, on the Haebaru Town/Naha city line. Most DVD & manga shops have a curtained off section chock full of hardcore in the back;the flip-side are the mega-porn shops that supplement business with a healthy stock of generic sport/hobby, news and culture mag sections, still in the front as a buffer. This particular one always had a rich selection of animation art books, although tending toward Moe and girly-stuff, as well as high-end vinyl & resin figurines. I could always get up-to-date Kokufan, Scale Aero & Great Mechanics here. Despite the bad economy, the single shelf devoted to Dengeki, Replicant & others 'mooks' had blossomed to 2 full aisles since my last visit in July. The new variety was staggering-- I was a kid in a candy shop and had to restrain my spending[gotta mail it all before my flight t'mrrow!). I just spent ~$150 on the following: 1)Variable Fighter Master File-VF-19 Excalibur 2)Design Works:Art of Hidetaka Tenjin 3)Kazutaka Miyatake Design Works:Macross & Orguss 4)Into the Sky: Mikimoto Haruhiko Illustrations 5)Great Mechanics RGM-79 Data Book{complete GM Mobile Suit design progression up thru the Jegan/F-91 era GMs) 6)Macross Chronicle #50(last one, I think?) Now I know how women feel about shoe shopping! I guess its "on the other foot"

Hoi-Hoi-san sounds like a lot of fun. No better kid fantasy than to shrink down to insect-size armed with weapons to take 'em on mano a mano!

If his first entry was in March 2008 and he only has six craft I wonder how big a backlog he's got? Hopefully another dozen in various states of completion. I would tend to think our VFs are holding a double-digit, deli counter ticket #, if he's the only one posting these ships....

Yeah, now that I've had a chance to browse the site I see that it is only got 6 ships on detailed display(another 3 Star Trek shuttles are visible as background items). Stuff I grew up with, but only the Eagle & the Orion really grip me; BSG was cool for its era but has always been diluted 'Star Wars' to me.[Viper< X-Wing]. On their FB page, someone states the website has only been up for about 24hrs! Considering the background of the creator, it is only a matter of time and I'm sure, willing contributors of similar skills beating down his door with submissions, before it blossoms to something appropriately akin to the Smithsonian/Udvar Hazy. Just "Jone'zin" for VFs to get their day in the sun!

Hello all, Being practically an Apollo-era 'fossil' and currently gov't property, I'm usually behind the curve on the latest & greatest--I hope I'm not reposting this info. Discovered via a news-sharing network, a veteran FX producer from Star Trek & Star Wars has created an online SciFi & Fantasy Aerospace Museum populated with many classics of popular movies. While such galleries are nothing new[starship modeller, Fine Scale Models, MW Gallery], this has been generated to look like a full-scale, real world airshow, like Oshkosh or a military hosted summer event on a paved tarmac!!! I've just logged in and am still exploring, but honestly, my first thoughts were "Share this w/my MW-family pronto". You guys in 'Aircraft vs. Super...' thread especially! B)) Cheers check it!!!! Anton

As I get ready to leave the land of Deculture, I'm poking around more bookstores & hobby shops. The closer I look at the plethora of glossy magazines devoted to computer/digital programming and DIY custom hobbyists in the Japanese book stores[Tsutaya/Book-Off & others], the better I see how robots ubiquitous in daily consumer use is less than 12 yrs away. Despite supply & demand of oil, rare-earth elements and manufacturing priorities in a shrinking, conflicted world the allure of robots for everyone will be insatiable. Current military apps aside, the general American public will expect to see advanced, versatile products in their midst the same way the 60's/70 generation of Japanese youth have spent the last 40yrs pursuing the real robot revolution beyond their anime and into Honda, Toyota and the prototype exo-skeletons. My interest is less of when they'll turn around & kill us all( ), but when would any of you think there will be 6-10 in. tall, toy robot endoskeletons & armatures that I'll be able to retrofit inside my 1/144 and 1/100 Gundams and have U.C. era melee re-enactments? Affordable & rugged enough as toys? Its been bugging me...I HAD TO ASK!!! Vesp

"G-Gundam was the best Gundam. BANDAI WHAR IZ MY HURRICANE NEO-NETHERLANDS "WINDMILL" GANDAM MG??11!!!"--Ghost Train LOL You guys are fricken hilarious ! "By the way, what do u guys think about the new gunpla anime? And the new gunpla beginning gundam?"-- Archer Whats this about a new Gundam Gunpla Series??? Vesp

"Vespaeda - sounds like you had a really good time! I'm glad that someone else on the boards has managed not only to see it but see it at the actual cinema."--Tochiro Yes, an understatement! I've known about this theater for ~1-1/2 yr and never took the time to come[Actually, wasted some opportunities because I'd been hoping to bring somebody who "..looked & smelled a lot better than me after a 20K bike ride"!! ] It definitely could have used some MW'ers, local otaku or more people who'd appreciate it as Japanese cinema experience. Small group of ~12-15 people sat in on my viewing and in true Japanese social etiquette, were silent as church mice throughout[no cheering, laughing,"Whoa..Sugoi!"] and stayed till the very last credit scrolled by. No 'easter eggs' at the end . Low turn-out could be due to "Golden Week" just ending...

"....is there addt'nl VF-171 footage in battroid?"-Nexxstrait, Well, honestly no battroid footage I could remember. However, it is with my deepest regret[shared...sob,..sob..]... , to report that during a what I believe was possibly 'DYRL-homage' sequences while Sharon sang, there was a brief amount of VF-171 'pwnage' like cannon fodder.... Does anyone actually know what the canonical reason is that the VF-171s can't hack it like the '25 Messiahs in the dogfights? Can't just be because of rank & file G.I./NUNS pilots are inferior?

I just came across some of these kits in lower Naha City, Okinawa. My favorite 24HR indoor flea market had fully stocked shelves of hard to find "oldie-goodies", including IMAI Macross TV era, Queadlruun armour, the StormAttacker SDF[mebbe 1/5000], a Glaug, a HWK Monster and a Defender(?...tan, cloven hoof feet and dual-rifle gun forearms?). Prices were much steeper than their other Gundam heavy stock. ~$60-90 per kit--only 1 of each type, although 2 of the Defenders. I said naww. i get the impression the horrible economy is forcing the very last, grey-haired hobby shop owners in feeble retirement to sell off the last of their well hidden, basement stock & re-issues. So many old, obscure 70's & 80's anime kits surfacing, but still demanding hi prices.

Wow, His work is immortal. His imagery of Conan helped cement AwNold in the role. I'm feelin older than usual. Rest in peace, master....

Two personal reports which give me great pleasure to share: I'm preparing to PCS out of Okinawa after 3yrs[last 6mos in Khandahar]. I've been treating myself to frequent shopping hunts @used book stores, hobby shops and Aeon/Jusco stores for gunpla, hobby mags & collectibles. My favorite place is a huge,24HR indoor flea market in Naha City, just across from the JSDF air base. I've scored dozens of old skool, U.C. Gundam, Dunbine & SPT Layzner kits, and two 1/48 Yamato Valks--one a Fokker '-1S' for my retiring LPO-'senpai', who grew up on it in P.I. Currently considering buying 1 of 4 avail. Queadlrunn 1/60s for $60 ea. All these and other gashopons, music & DVDs for pretty much dirt over the last 2yrs. Last weekend I scored Mac-F, OST 1 & 2 for $40!!! Best part: the girl checking out my purchases helped me differentiate an "audio drama"-version of the CDs from the sndtrks and went on to tell me the Mac-F movie was playing in the heart of downtown[Kokusai St., if anyone is familiar] at an eclectic, indie/foreign movie cinema called "SakuraZaka". Finally went & watched it last night after a good fitness ride on my roadbike from Chatan[ride video on FB shortly, plus a brief glimpse of the cinema lobby!]. Freakin awesome on a big screen with crisp colors/sound! The VF vs. Vajra action was sparse compared to the series, but graphically all the space and colony/Mac-Qtr shots were pretty breath-taking. I've still never experienced the same, awe-inspiring visual impact in a US/Pixar anime(mebbe parts of Wall-E), particularly the VF-25 maneuvering and dogfighting. The Macross cannon shots & the Canaria's Monster-in-action made me feel like a kid watching "Robotech" for the first time a million yrs ago...[NOTE: I said "KID"--includes figuring in the distorted "sparkle & glitter" perception of "HOLYSH&T!!!" only grade schooler's eyes see with!] I only understand fragments of conversational Nihong. Besides watching series subs on DailyMotion and the work of the faithful here on MW to elucidate the story over the past 2 years, I could tell it was a condensation in the spirit of DYRL. A lot of the homage scenes(Alto in gerwalk protecting Ranka in the street w/the autocannon and the finale vs. the Vajra[won't say anymore in case its a spoiler]) just made up for any dry drama or character snubs in the overall story. Looking for an excuse to see it again. On a side note & hoping not to p*ss-off mods for off-topic, but the theater lobby had some collectibles[mags, towels, t-shirts, Nan-nan bowls]. Anyone who may be interested in stuff from here or the discount flea market[i'm not a veteran swag/trade seller, but I'm honest], I'd be willing, within reason, to try and hook you up, for slightly more than cost[eg: gashopon, Mac-F 'SD' desk figurines, ~4" high, vinyl of VF-25, Alto, VF-27 & QueadRau are ~980yen, 'bout $10. If thats crazy, oh well, but if you really want/'need', I'd be able to facilitate. Anyone interested, PM' me and I'll try & compile a list of avail. swag. I've got <7days now, then 2wks in June to do this, then I'm outta here. Vespaeda

With all the stereolithographic services available today, would it be possible get a 3D imaging business to plot & scan this model's dimension data and then get it laser cut/carved into styrofoam blocks or even lamination slices of corrugated cardboard or hard pressboard? The completed sections/laminations could be used as a skeletal "base" kit to which a capable hobbyist could apply surface finishing and details. I envision pressboard lamination sections like a more filled-out version of those dinosaur skeletons out of thin plywood. Just cover with styrene sheets or PVC to skin or even add an articulated/hinged wood or metal armiture on the inside for transformation purposes. Something like that wooden SDF-01 that guy crafted in his garage, but not so clunky & mis-proportional . This would be a lot closer to a SDF model any man could own/build in appreciable size than what most garage companies could do in resin or limited run. Open to a lot more interpretation by the builder than the promised DX/Bandai or potential Yamato offerings. Just thoughts on giving your craftsmanship a legacy, Maverick....[one we'd all like a piece of

ron5864, Thanks for making my month(birthday month, actually) and I'm sure some others! I've had just enough down-time & net access to catch up on the MW goodness I've been out of touch with. I'm really homesick for Okinawa & Deculture[although working amidst daily combat sorties & REAL, 30mm autocannon sound-effects around me make it a bit bearable! ]. But your 11 mins of stop motion/soundtrack/edits/transitions was JUST AS FRIkKEN ENGROSSING AS THE ORIGINAL SERIES!!! WTF! Big sh*t eating grin on my face the whole time! Add to the fact that I just got back in touch with a certain H.S. friend last night after almost 18 yrs! He was my scifi/space opera/mecha anime buddy who introduced me to Macross & VFs in the summer of '84---back in Manhattan, when the Towers still stood and the Forbidden Planet and a handfull of other shops around town were "it" for anime. The particular significance is that I've had his original VHS copy of DYRL since 1992 & never got to return it to him before we went in different directions. I can't wait to return it to him! Keep developing your arts; you might be a part of a "live action Macross" retelling some years hence...when the VF/mecha designs are considered 'period piece', and a 100 people can accuse you on the InterTubez of "stealing your homage story" from visionaries like Carl Macek, Alpha Plan, etc...(ie: Cameron & 'Avatar'). :D

The UN forces/Coalition couldn't retrieve Alaska Base survivors; we are too busy receiving casualties from Marjah City in Helmand, where the freakin Pashtus deny the Zentran's existence and insist we are trying to destroy their 'Flower of Life' crop fields. Any serviceable mecha & crews will be accepted to join the fight to neutralize the insurgents,though. Our trauma center had a busy day[mercifully, most treated were not "ours"]. Vesp

Of all the planes to model, IAD goes ahead and chooses the most difficult & funky! I'd be happy flying a pusher-prop JAM-Type2. I guess the only way to top that would be a Banshee carrier!

Find myself singing "My Boyfriend is a Pilot" and "Shao Pai Lao" to myself at sunrise here on Khandahar Airfield, regardless of who's around. Truss up in my DCUs, kevlar, magazine & M16 all the while imagining I'm a VF-1 being FASTPACKED and scrambled outside the ARMD on a launch arm. Of course, the 'Valkyrie Scramble' BGM is playing in my head. This happens daily on the way to work. Keep hoping the AV-8Bs returning from patrol will switch to GERWALK upon landing. My only treason: making stand out ID tags for my seabags that read:"PRINCIPALITY OF ZEON: AMS-119" when we shipped over from Kuwait. I couldn't think of an appropriate Macross moniker at the time... Please forgive my transgression

Hey kugar13, One of the most experienced, long-time builders/customizers on MW, "cobywan" ,answered above suggesting you go the CG route over scratchbuilding. If you have skill & access to these PC tools,definitely go right ahead. Otherwise, if you have any ability for building simple plastic kits of planes/tanks,etc. or are hobby inclined, I'd suggest go ahead w/scratchbuilding w/one caveat. Steer clear of a heavy reliance on professional resin puttys, vinyls and expensive supplies used by dedicated SF hobbyists. The expense & quirks of these media is a labour of love/learning & cash investment. My favorite media for quick and dirty scratch-up is styrofoam, cardboard and paper mache because its freely available as pkg'ng waste for "$"-painfree trial & error. A LOT lighter than the traditional materials as well(concerning posing, sag & transport). As you stated an interest in variable fighters, yet req'mt to avoid copyright infringement, how about picking a real world jet plane that hasn't been VF'd by Kawamori-san[bloody unlikely though,eh!...]? Dissect it, first on paper, then move up to hacking a cheap plastic kit. You could minimize a transformation to something as simple as GERWALK. An F-4 PHANTOM or AV8B HARRIER might lend to be morphed into an easy VF because of their blocky/bulbous proportions. Visualize your transformation axiis and hinge points off of existing mecha designs or kits from the anime of your choice. If hacking plastic kits requires more hobby knife/Dremel skill than you're capable of, use paper-card printed models of your subject jet[easily avail. for download off the Web] enlarged to desired size and mount in appropriate sections over a transforming armature. Like the Kotobukiya frames in 'thegunny's link, flowershop wire lends to great, cheap armature bases that styrofoam, bamboo skewers/craft stiks & cardboard can be quickly attached to with Gorilla-type foaming glues or hot glue guns. Hinge/pivot points can be as simple as interlocked 'eye'loops twisted into end segments of this wire, with an additional length of wire threaded thru these to provide poseability. Texture and lay-up strip styrene, discarded model kit "greeblies/sprue" and paper mache for definitive detail & shaping. Artist color markers and additional sections of contoured paper/card or white foam w/glue can make up for a lot gaps & asymmetries. Most important: final appearances are ONLY limited by your finishing approaches, skills & imagination. The same principles of vinyl/epoxy resin and plaster modeling apply concerning finish: symmetrical filling, progressive texturing and sanding of all surfaces & joints. In this case, talcum powder, lite drywall spackle, & foam or sawdust, mixed into water based polyurethane like Polycrylic provide filler & leveler. They accept acrylic & enamel paints well. Another tremendous added bonus is that these materials are much less toxic to handle/breathe & dispose of, esp. for beginners! Just my Canadian 2 pennies worth of experience. I wish you quick & satisfying results so you can concentrate on the actual film. Peace.

Good point, Although, I'd also be satisfied if J.C. includes native songs that awaken an "even more"-primordial, super[..dimension..] entity behind the life force of Pandora. Say, mebbe: a biomass of 'Titanic' proportions, that absorbs energy weapons & missile impacts, only to respond with torrents of power that wither & peel dropships like overripe bananas and incinerate Earth mecha mercilessly... :lol: Yeah...phukk Urth, in our resource depleted future. We deserve it many times over, let alone child-raping other worlds=Happy Ending!

Temporarily on Camp Virginia, Kuwait before heading to Afghanistan. We're actually calling it Camp V*gina, because its FULL OF SAND!

Vespas are COOL; it would take a bit of skill/luck & cohones to get a vintage one. My username does come from 'Vespa' & 'Mospeada', but the 'Vespa' comes from Hornet, as in F/A-18 Hornet. I was stationed in Japan and got to see a lot of them and other mil. jets/mecha close up back in 2000. It was when Mac Zero came out and I returned stateside 3 WEEKS before the first Yamato 1/48's were released!!! I had no chance to buy one--they could be had from Japanese toystores for $90 - 110 US at the time!!!! My other friends 'in-the-know' also left at that time, although I pissed my best friend off by getting into a relationship w/his Japanese homey's mom.... ; he wouldn't look up sh*t for me after that. I actually designed my own variable fighter f-18 back then and hope to model it someday. Go ahead and trust your skills and build. Worst that can happen is your results will look crappy, but you look beyond and attempt again until you like what you see. I recently worked hard building internal mechanisms/articulation for the boxy waist plates of a 1/144 Gundam with wire, springs and metallic beads. It worked like a charm after 1-1/2 month work and was ready for finishing & painting. I picked it up and it caught on something at the pelvis joint and ripped apart!!! I was too pissed to touch it for a week, but I got over it and will start again with improvements learned. I'm head'in for the land of 'camels & burkas' shortly, so it will be a while.