RavenHawk

Out of curiosity, which site did you choose? I currently have pre-orders open on MOSPEADA products at HLJ and BBTS.

If the mods want to delete this thread, due to the separate ones, then I understand. At the moment, there look to be about 4 or 5 threads on various Megazone 23 products in the first few pages here. Since there are so many different items coming out this year and next, I figure that it might be helpful to have a single thread to keep them all straight, and to compare/contrast. We have: - Arcadia 1/24 (thread at ) - Freeing 1/20 (thread at ) - Fewture 1/20... or 1/15... unclear (thread at - The old Yamato, which can be great for comparison, 1/15 (rider was closer to 1/18) (thread at ) - Aoshima also made a 1/24 model (no recently active thread on that) So, here is how things look to me: Arcadia: 1/24 "die cast model". The big deal to this one, in my opinion, is that they have shown prototypes of Hagans and Proto Garland (at Wonderfest in 2016, and updated in 2017). So, while this one looks largely like a scaled-down Yamato, it might be worth getting if it is going to be part of a full in-scale line of Megazone 23 products. They have also more recently revealed an add-on strike Garland pack (shields and weapons that add on to make it look like the Strike Garland). Price: 25,800 at HLJ for Garland, 24,510 at CDJ, 23,994 at A-E, 25,300 for the Garland; 64,584 for the blue and white version; 25,704 for the Strike Parts; all at AmiAmi (the latter two appearing to be incentives from the Kickstarter for the new anime); Release: 12/2017 Freeing: 1/20 scale This one wins on robot mode, but the bike mode looks a little crushed together. The video that they put out showing the transformation of this thing looks, in my opinion, terrible. Just way way WAY too finicky. On the other hand, it's an E=X Garland, and I've wanted one since I first saw Megazone 23 Part III, and never thought we'd get one. The figure that comes with it looks kind of cool. Price: 26,213 on HLJ, 24,834 on CDJ, 23,460 on A-E; Release: 02/2018 Fewture: 1/20, though it seems closer to 1/15 in robot mode Looks similar to the Yamato, but with more elongation and sharp points. Maybe a little artistic license taken to make it look more dynamic. The paint job definitely looks less plastic and more paint, with a darker color than I think we've seen before. It does look detailed, though the figure that comes with it looks a little iffy. Price: 39,800 on HLJ. 39,800 on CDJ, 37,810 on A-E; Release: 04/2018 So, what are everyone's thoughts, looking at all of these together? The Fewture looks detailed, but I'm not a fan of the paint, and the pricing is just way way too high for my tastes. The Freeing looks cool, but finicky. Tempted to get it due to no other E=X figures being out there, but not sure what you're getting justifies the price. To me, the Arcadia is the only one I'm seriously considering. The pricing is a little more reasonable, but still up there, so I'm on the fence. On the other hand, if this does become a larger line, with multiple versions of the Garland, plus Harguns, maybe cheaper strike packs down the road, and if they have a deal to make figures for the new anime (which may be the case, looking at the Kickstarter incentives), then I know I'm going to be kicking myself later if I don't get this one.

Not that it will happen, but that would probably push me over the edge into buying it.

I definitely agree with what you're saying here. I've designed and had many products manufactured, personally and for former employers. However, there's always the question, regardless of the final market size: "Is the final product worth the cost?" (Not to mention, "Is the final product going to damage our reputation?") In this case, it looks to me like this may be the best we've got, but it remains to be seen whether it's worth the cost. Now, back in that 2007-2009 Mospeada resurgance (I may be misremembering the years), I snapped up every product I could, because it was better than nothing. At this point, if it's a ride armor (or Motoslave, etc.), then I'll almost always get it, regardless of cost (though the new rush of Megazone 23 products may be finally over that line of me being willing to spend big money on small products or flawed products). For other Mospeada products, like this... just not feeling it. (gingaio, to your comment about third party/unlicensed TF products: I snap up every third party motorcycle that comes along. A few have disappointed, but most, in recent years, have been at least equal material quality and much better or more interesting engineering than any of the HasTak stuff, in my opinion. I'm very willing to pay the 3x-10x higher prices when I know the final product is worth it.)

I feel like I should really like this color scheme, as I usually tend to, but, somehow... just not doing it for me. Plus, it doesn't look like it comes with a figure. If it was $120 or so, I'd get it. However, this says 64,584 JPY... so, Google tells me that's $576 USD? That's insane. No way. (In fairness, almost a decade later, I'm still kind of kicking myself I never picked up the Studio Halfeye Maneuver Blade for $500)

* Ignore my post. Accidentally responded to a really really old post *

Are these magazines (like the one that this art is from) essentially fanzines? I remember there was a similar thing for a new Megazone series ("Lost Possibility" or something similar) back in 2007 or 2008 that looked really high quality and professional, but folks here on these boards explained to me that there are basically the modern Japanese version of the fanzines we used to have here decades ago.

Which contract with Tatsunoko are you referring to? Where are you getting that quote from? I have only seen the Petition to Confirm the Arbitration Award, which states ". . . from the 1991-LA in that Such exclusive rights shall include all rights in all media now existing or hereafter invented, including but not limited to, theatrical, non-theatrical, television, video, merchandising, soundtrack and publications rights excluding only the merchandising rights in Japan. . . . " I'm not sure what litigation provision you're referring to, and nothing in the judgment I've seen supports anything being exclusive to Macross. If a product is being manufactured in Japan, in sold into the US, then HG could go after the retailers that are shipping to the US, and could take matters before the ITC if they just want an injunction. Again, I'm only looking at the one judgment, so if you have access to the multiple original contracts or to the complete text of the arbitration decision, then please share. EDIT: Re-reading your post, what you are referring to as a "litigation provision" does not, to my knowledge, have any bearing on their rights to enforce copyright or their exclusive contract rights here, but there are obviously plenty of details in the contracts that I haven't seen.

I disagree. See my post below yours (sorry, you posted yours while I was still typing up mine).

I don't disagree with you as to the facts (i.e. no mention of this on HG's websites, BBTS is selling the Stig, HG does not appear to be blocking any of the Japanese sellers from shipping orders outside of Japan). That said, HG's rights to MOSPEADA appear to include derivative works, which this would likely fall under (based on their recent arbitration with Tatsunoko). So, in my opinion, it seems like either: 1) This isn't on HG's radar yet (or, at least the ability to get it shipped outside of Japan isn't); 2) HG gave approval but hasn't worked out their own distribution deal outside of Japan yet and thus hasn't announced anything; 3) HG took a cash payment for the license which excluded getting their name slapped on the box; 4) The arbitrator's decision, as quoted by the judge in the arbitration enforcement award, may have been slightly out of context. What I mean by that is that the decision gives HG rights to the copyrights of the shows and source material (minus visual representations of some Macross characters), including derivative works. The only specific cutout that Tatsunoko maintained was merchandising rights within Japan. The decision writes of this in regards to all three series (Macross, Southern Cross, and MOSPEADA), so the only way I see that HG would not have rights here would be if the quote was out of context and somehow Tatsunoko retained merchandising rights to derivative works on MOSPEADA... but this seems highly unlikely, based purely on the rest of the decree; 5) HG is aware of this, but doesn't have the cash to enforce the less direct issue of "We have merchandising rights to the shows, we have rights to derivative works, and these are merchandising rights to derivative works, thus this is also covered;" or 6) Tatsunoko did this behind HG's back, which is a contract violation. However, we now that their contract requires going to arbitration, which may be going on right now. The selling of these is not likely to support "irreparable harm" to HG, thus they have not been able to get an injunction while awaiting arbitration (or decided not to spend the money trying to).

Why do you say that? Or should we leave that discussion for a different thread?

Harmony Gold's too, most likely.

The Unrustable Bastards bike is not a redesign of Kaneda's bike. It is a completely unrelated toy that offered a red version (and the above image) as a stretch goal for their Kickstarter campaign as an homage to Akira (or, rather, for funders who had contacted them and asked for a red version that they could customize for that purpose). To me, there's a world of difference between redesigning someone else's work (i.e. suggesting you can do it better) and this. (As a side note, I came across a DeviantArt artist recently who is posting pictures of his "redesigns" of MOSPEADA, though he's actually just redrawing concept art from pre-production of the show and claiming it as his own)

I think the post from before suggesting that the Rey might be so close to the Stig because they're running the majority of the parts in the same production wrong is probably on the money. Still, part of me is wary when a second product is on order before there is a single review or in-hand of the first one. Who am I kidding? I'm still going to pre-order it when it hits BBTS...

I'm not really familiar with Figma, but they seem to be focused on figures, and not mecha (for the most part) or vehicles. It seems surprising to license MOSPEADA and Bubblegum Crisis, two properties really known to a large degree for transforming bikes, and NOT include transformation.

I disagree. If the armor folds from the front and from the back, you don't need the helmet to pass through any hole. If you have the tank split, slide down, and fold around, then it doesn't need to go through the rider's abdomen. It just takes more creativity. I did a rough mock up of it in CAD just to prove it to myself. When I have free time, I'll detail it up and 3D print it.

I'm not a fan of that either, though that is true to the MOSPEADA book redesign. Still, Aramaki spent enough time commuting on a motorcycle where you'd think he'd appreciate a matching rear splash guard, for symmetry. Might have to 3D print one.

Or until someone more creative comes along... who actually cares about this particular old anime... and sees enough potential financial benefit to make it worth their while. Which isn't the most likely thing in the world.

I see it in that animation, but I don't think any other animation showed it that way. I think Aramaki's idea was basically 1) Gauntlets separate from front wheel/suspension, while still held in place by (redundant) shocks/steering column 2) Cowl separate down the middle 3) Seat and pillion fold up behind rider, taking wheels and engine with them 4) Gas tank and windscreen somehow magically fold under and back with the items from 3) 5) Cowl slides back onto rider's chest, which magically still has the armor there that was in front of the engine, even though it should have gone with the gas tank and windscreen. Magic!

Oh, I get it. I just want a ride armor that folds up in front and in back without the rider having to get off the bike for it to transform. Maybe the Sentinel will be the one, even if that gas tank transformation looks odd.

This step here (attached below) is where I find the Sentinel diagram confusing. It looks like the "gas tank" (not that it really is one in MOSPEADA or Robotech) seems to fold up, and then somehow flip over the rider's head, along with the windscreen? This part of the transformation is actually what bugs me most about ALL the MOSPEADA toys over the years. Be it the old Gakken (big one and 1:20, both), the CMs, the Megahouse, or the Beagle/Toynami, they all have the rider essentially have to get off or out of the way so that the seat and pillion can flip up and into the gas tank, and then the rider has to get UNDER the gas tank, and then the cowl flips down onto the rider's shoulders. None of this is anime accurate. In the anime, the cowl basically just rotates back onto the rider's chest, and the gas tank kind of (anime magic) disappears/flips under the rider along with the engine. That said, I don't REALLY care about being anime accurate, but I don't like the rider having to get off the bike to transform it.

Agreed. It wasn't bad, and, actually, I kind of liked it, but you had to set aside some time to do it. Even after a few times, it was like a 20 minute process to get it right. Still fun though.

Base on only the one single 1:28 Acid Rain toy that I have (and "toy" is an appropriate word for it), the vehicle is pretty nice. The figure, on the other hand, has a lot of articulation but the fits are very loose. On mine, the legs and arms pop off very easily, and the hands keep sliding out of the arms (they rotate because they're inserted with a slip fit). Granted, I definitely prefer that the limbs pop off rather than breaking off, but they pop off REALLY easily (especially when trying to get the figure into the right position to ride the speeder).

I have the Sentinel preorder with BBTS, but I have the 2 MOSPEADA Aoshima model kit re-issues on preorder with HLJ. I didn't get any email from HLJ about this... though, come to think of it, when I did the check out on those preorders, I think it might have required me to do the PayPal billing agreement. Not sure, since it was a few weeks ago.

I'd love to see some comparison pics between the two, if anyone has them. Hard to tell a difference from the pics that I've seen online so far. My 1:28 Stealth Speeder came in the mail today. It reminds me a lot of the Transformers Human Alliance line (which, admittedly, I was a big fan of). Unfortunately, here, it made me realize that I really do prefer 1:18 to 1:28.