RavenHawk

I agree with you on the footpeg placement, and it's something that has been bothering me all along. It doesn't match the original animation... It doesn't match the concept art... (in fairness, I just did a look through a bunch of the real original concept art, and it mostly seems to just skip the footpegs entirely, so this might not be a good argument) ... and, in my opinion, the MOSPEADA would, if in the real world, be intended more like a Ducati Multistrada, where the rider might find themselves just as likely on paved roads as on slightly rougher terrain requiring more of an upright, weight off the seat, stance.

That's what always surprised me with the toy lines. It seems like Megazone 23 has gotten a lot more love from toy makers and model makers than you would expect. Big Yamato line (about equal to Bubblegum Crisis), decent Aoshima line, and now three separate companies making figures, with at least one planning a full line. All of this from 3 OVAs, with most fans really only being partial to the first. Compare that to Bubblegum Crisis with 8 initial episodes, 3 more in Bubblegum Crash, 3 in A.D. Police Files, 3 in Parasite Dolls, 12 in A.D. Police: To Serve and Protect, and 26 more in the reboot Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040, and yet the same, if not less, merchandise. Back to expectations on Megazone 23: All of this is just my personal opinions, and my personal tastes... but I don't think it's that great. There are SEPARATE ELEMENTS of it that I love, but most of the movie does nothing for me. I keep coming back to it mainly because of my love of bikes and Shinji Aramaki designs, as well as some of the ideas behind the storylines, rather than the actual execution of those ideas. Most people seem to love the first OVA, and hate the two sequels (the final one of which is more like 2 separate, shorter, distinct movies). For me, personally, I think they don't stand up well together as a trilogy, but I think each is totally ok taken separately, in and of itself. I still love and collect Megazone 23 items, but, for my personal tastes and for my personal enjoyment of watching and regular re-watching, the Aramaki rankings are: 1) Genesis Climber MOSPEADA 2) Bubblegum Crisis 3) Bubblegum Crash 4) Viper's Creed 5) BGC Tokyo 2040 6) Megazone 23 7) remaining BGC spin-offs

Honestly, I think you can even tell when you watch it on the small screen. it's especially jarring with the new ending adding in for Robotech: The Untold Story

I think it may be the same contents as the "Maneuver Book" with the silver cover and the top-down view of the Garland, but I don't own that book to compare. If someone on here does, and wants to post a couple pages from it to compare, I'll do the same from mine to verify.

We've been discussing over at the newer thread

So we've gone from 12/2017 to 3/2018, and now to 7/2018. I have to say it makes me wonder 2 things: 1) If the original, more minor rework (at least as I understood it) caused an estimate of 4 months delay, and this more significant rework (again, from my understanding of the blog post) is ALSO estimated at 4 months delay, how reliable are these estimates? Seems like that July date could easily slip a couple more months, even if no new issues are discovered (especially considering that the blog post seems to say that they are reopening ordering to get more orders in, which could lead to larger production quantities and production times). and 2) At some point, with all of these delays, and with the creation of new molds for the diecast bits, and with material cost increases, either they're going to take a big hit on profit, or they're going to have to increase the price.

I'd preorder a second one if that were the case!

There were some on shapeways, but I don't trust their quality. I run a 3d printing business on the side, and was expecting to be modeling and printing up some new ones just for myself for my new metallic Garland. I was assuming they would arrive disintegrated, like on my old ProtoGarland (which is why I have two of that one; Yamato sent me a whole new one when one shoulder broke on my first one). However, the metallic Garland actually has the later improved joints.

Darn, i was hoping for a transforming Houquet. Guess we're still stuck with just the 1/18 CMs and the 1/20 Gakken.

Since we're still waiting on the new MZ23 stuff, I figured I'd try to fill in my collection of older toys. A few weeks ago, I came across the Megazone 23 Complete Box for an absolute steal of a price (it seems to currently run anywhere from $200-$600). This is the big box that includes the 1/15th Yamato "Metallic" Garland, the DVD, the original soundtrack, an art book, and what I think is a promo disc for the MZ23 Playstation game (haven't tried it out to confirm, and it isn't listed on the contents). To keep this thread going while we wait, and for some comparisons once the new Arcadia stuff comes out, I'm including some pics. Front of the box Back of the box. It's a nice, big, flipbook style of presentation. The flap includes the insert which has the book and discs, while the main box includes the Yamato figure. The front of the book (in it's protective plastic sleeve, which includes the title (on the sleeve, not on the book itself). The book is really nice, on very glossy and heavy stock paper, almost all in color. It is all in Japanese, though, interestingly, the pages go left to right. It's around 100 pages long. The back of the book shows some alternate paint schemes. In addition to a lot of concept artwork (including some that I was surprised not to have seen before), there are more alternate color schemes inside. The disc "twin pac" is nice and solid, including the DVD on a first flap, the soundtrack behind it, and a paper sleeve with the (I think) Playstation game inserted loosely. The Garland is in the standard Yamato plastic insert, inside a cardboard sleeve. Usual accessories for the standard Garland are included, as well as a decent instruction booklet. This is the "metallic" edition. I don't know if I would call this really "metallic". I have the Yamato metallic re-issue of Priss and her Motoslave, and that one actually has a genuinely metallic finish to it, a bit like an aluminum anodize. This is more of a darker, richer color than what was on the regular edition. Same mold as before, so Shogo can either be seated fully, or he can be holding the handlebars, but not really both. This is probably necessary in order for Shogo to fit inside when it is transformed into robot mode. Basically, the bike is 1/15 scale, and the figure is closer to 1/18 (in my opinion). Just for fun, and size comparison, here is the Garland in bike mode with the Mayhem Mekanics Spector Rogue (which arrived recently, too). A bit more of a size disparity in robot mode (partially because the Garland's legs extend during transformation at both the knees and the ankles). The "metallic" finish is a bit more evident in robot mode, especially on the brown parts of the legs, which look much richer (for lack of a better word). And, of course, we need to bring out the rest of the crew (well, the ones that I have that seem to be close to that 1/18 scale, anyway). Don't mess with those Shinji Aramaki designs.

I already picked up the re-issue of the Stig and Yellow, but haven't seen the Houquet before.

Oh Arcadia, it looks like you're going to be taking even more of my money...

You beat me to it. Was wondering about these, and was literally on HLJ checking if the release dates had changed when you posted this. I'm getting a little concerned with the delays and the lack of any updated prototype pics or samples.

That wouldn't surprise me. I have SolidWorks and three 3D printers. I'll be content making my own.

... for $30...

Think I'll model it up and 3d print a couple when the Sentinel finally comes out.

Agreed. It's not in any of the promo pictures or in the newer Aramaki artwork and, based on this image, it doesn't look like there a slot to fit into or a flap that would open up to reveal it.

That third missile rack was an Imai addition, I think (though Aoshima then added it to their Toynami figures, if I remember right).

I think I'm spoiled by how open Arcadia has been with their prototypes, their delays, and their longer plans for MZ23.

Has anyone seen any comments from anyone from Sentinel (maybe on twitter?) about whether there is any intention of making this part of a bigger line? Seems like we're getting Stick and Rey, but absolute silence about anything else.

Not those, fortunately, though I'm sure they're going to be lightening a lot of bank accounts around this forum. My way to minimizing the harm to my wallet is by sticking to bike mecha... though I'm all out of shelf space, even with that. The Fewture Garland just didn't strike my fancy (especially at that price point), and the transformation video of the E=X actually un-sold me on that one. For MZ23, I'm investing in Arcadia, since they seem pretty serious about extending it to a line of different Garlands and the Hargun. So, I must be forgetting something else... other bikes... more 3D printers... mortgage and utilities, maybe?

Feb: Sentinel Stick and Mayhem Mekanics Unrustable Bastard. March: Sentinel Rey and Arcadia Garland. I know I'm forgetting something else, too. Those two months are going to see a lot of PayPal pre-authorizations hitting...

On an unrelated note, thanks to a recent online auction purchase, I FINALLY have the MOSPEADA story properly explained to me...

I see Stig as 1/31 and Ray as 2/28.

I keep checking around every week or so, but there still don't seem to be any pre-release videos or anything for any of the Garlands, except for the E=X (which pretty much convinced me NOT to buy that one). I'm a little surprised.