F-ZeroOne

I sympathise ( though my problem is less affordable, and more space ) but does anyone remember when the problem was there weren't enough Valkyrie toys...?

First, to stay on topic, since Kawamori-san models his Valkyrie designation loosely on the modern U.S. style, my "nitpicks" are with this in mind. Second (to hellohikaru), your comment on WWII Zeros is way off, as far as I can tell. "Zero" referred to the Mitsubishi A6M series specifically. And not all Russian fighters are called MiGs (at least not accurately). The term MiG refers specifically to aircraft designed/manufactured by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau. "Zero" did indeed refer to the A6M, but hellohiakru isn't far off - one book I have on WWII aircraft tells how Allied pilots would report "Oscar-type Zeroes". Draykov, I understand what you're saying but I guess Kawamori was just as attracted to the name as many other anime creators before him, regardless of the "realistic" designations.

Actually, there is one... Mitsubishis Model A6M is much better known as the "Rei-Sen", or "Year 00 model", or simply "Zero"... Probably not coincidentally, it was also the most well known Japanese aircraft of World War II. There have been a lot of Zeroes in anime before, including Evangelion and Gundam Wing...

Prince of Space, which is an obscure little black and white Japanese SF movie from way back when, is my runner up. But Battlefield Earth is absolutely the worst SF film I've seen. Its not so much that you can't watch it, but as soon as you start to think about it, and then think about the effort that must have gone into it, your brain just starts to dribble out of your ears. Films like that are why SF fans don't get no respect!

Main criticism I would have of that is the same one thats been made about the Space 1999 Eagle, which is also, ahem, "well endowed" with engine nozzles... ...where does the fuel go?!

I believe it was called "Zero Wing", for the Sega Genesis ( Mega Drive in Europe/Japan ). The jokes rather worn thin now, but if you haven't seen the intro yet it is worth taking a look at. It is, in its own way, a masterpiece, and a reminder of one of the more interesting periods in gaming.

M.D. Geist was one of those anime with a good concept but very poor execution. I can kind of see how people can like it, but I'm also annoyed that it means stuff like Patlabor on TV don't get no respect... For a much better take on a similiar concept, may I recommend the ( original ) Rogue Trooper, from the UK SF comic 2000AD? "Naughty Norty!"

Oh, one thing I feel I must say; while, like Graham, I tend to prefer more robotic mecha designs, I think the Eva designs were clever not for what they looked like but for what they did. Other mecha run; Evas sprint, for example, and Anno was able to take advantage of their semi-organic design in other ways - when an Eva has its arm twisted right round, you feel it that it really hurts...!

I admire Evangelion; I'm not entirely sure I like it. I've just been getting the chance to see it in Japanese for the first time ( UK anime DVD releases - they no longer suck, but we've got quite a bit of catching up to do...! ) and I've been able to pick up on a couple of little language things you might not get from the dub. I do really admire Hideki Anno for the way he completely deconstructed the mecha genre with Evangelion ( I also find it amusing that Evangelion is often ignored as actually being a mecha show...! ); nothing has really been able to be the same since, and it should not actually be possible to release something like Gundam SEED after something like Evangelion! [1] [1] I find SEED cynical, unoriginal, and rather lacking in original thought. On the other hand, I can't stop watching it. It has something, even if its someones elses...! Edit: typo.

You're welcome!

Almost certainly Osamu Tezukas Space Firebird 2772.

Just a thought, but have you tried suggesting to him that he might like a Tuxedo Mask costume?

Sorry to be picky, but I think you mean "WW I" aircraft. AFAIK, Germany never used Fokker built aircraft during WW II, though the Dutch did.

Actually, IIRC, F-117s on, um, "not active" duty are fitted with a small radar reflective fitting which lets air traffic control know where they are. I was astonished to read that there are US collectors with MiG-21s in their garages ( thats a Mach-2 capable interceptor ) and theres even a rumour that a couple of Su-27s have made it into private hands. In the UK, the Civil Aviation Authority has generally taken a rather dim view of what could be described as civilians zooming across this scepter'd isle in Mach 1+ capable aircraft, which has stymied attempts to get Avro Vulcan bombers and English Electric Lightnings back in the air, though such pleading does continue.

Wow, thanks for that - I love Max & Millia and was looking for a new wallpaper. Nice art!

Thats okay, I was just teasing. Its a nice pose...!

The opening concert of the first OAV. Sing, ya monkeys!: "Konya wa Hurricane!" I first saw Bubblegum Crisis just after getting into anime, and it was the first subtitled anime I ever saw. It completely blew me away. A lot of UK anime fans of the same era have strong feelings for this series, it was probably the first series in the UK that was treated like releases now are expected to be, and bear in mind that it cost £25 per single tape in those days...! ( and yes, I was one of those who shelled out for the whole series, though the price did come down later, and I also later bought the DVD version, plus the first soundtrack and a sceensaver! ). BTW, I always liked Revenge Road, too.

So tell me, is the Bondage Edition 1/60 VF-1J the next top secret Yamato release, or do you treat all your toys that way...?!

All right, the time limit will be 12 hours. Thanks! And that Captain Tylor question - I should know that, but I can't even remember what the guy looked like - why couldn't you have picked an easy lone like what the navigators real job is...?!

I have a small problem with that actually; I live on the other side of the Atlantic and theres about 8 or 9 hours time difference. For example, I knew the answer to the Bubblegum Crisis "Replicants" question, but by the time I got to my PC and was able to answer it already had been several times over. Also, 2 hours seems a bit tight; surely not every MW'er sits in front of their PC all day?!

Zeta, you're of course entitled to your opinion, and similiar sentiments have been raised in the various retrospective looks at Concorde over the past couple of weeks in the UK, though I do feel that the same thing could have been - or rather, has been - said about the Moon landings, and I also can't help wondering what would have happened, or if people would feel the same way. if the planned US SST had got into service...

Concorde, the worlds only regularly scheduled supersonic passenger airliner, makes its last commercial flight today. I can think of no finer tribute to what was arguably the most famous jet in the skies for the past couple of decades than Terry Pratchetts description in his book, Wings: "...a bit of shaped sky". So long, Concorde. It will be far too long before we see your like again...

Do I get a bonus point for pointing out that Sylias Gullwing is a replica, genuine 300SLs being rather thin on the ground even now...? BTW, you might want to re-think the multiple-choice format...

I don't know what the validity of these claims are - though one British arms manufacturer was pleased with itself when its product picked up the B2 at an airshow a couple years back ( the USAF rightly replied that an airshow did not exactly count as operational conditions ) - but is should be borne in mind that not only is the F-117 now 25 year old technology, "stealth" is not the same as "completely invisible". I remember reading in New Scientist that a number of new technologies might make it easier to detect stealth aircraft in future, including one I think which relies on picking up refelected electromagnetic signals off of buildings or something... While speaking of favourite aircraft, theres one warbird I feel deserves a mention, largely because it never does get mentioned in lists like this - the Hawker Hurricane. During the Battle of Britain, there were over twice as many Hurricanes as Spitfires, they made 2/3rds of the kills during that period, pioneered the large-gunned "tank-buster" aircraft concept in the desert, fought in just about every theatre of the war - including Russia - were used for many experimental purposes, defended convoys out in the Atlantic before the concept of escort carriers was devised... ...and yet every German bomber would cry "Achtung! Spitfire!" as they were approached by Hurricanes...

The Supermarine Spitfire, preferably Mk. IX. Very rarely does an aircraft get such an incredible combination of history, design excellence and sheer good looks all together. And she still makes people stop in the street and look... Second choice... hmm... theres a lot I could choose, but to actually travel in, I'd go for a hot air balloon. I don't really think theres any other kind of flying experience quite like it...