drifand

Interesting to see the 3D rapid-prototyping 'ridges'... but seriously, the Revoltechs will be the ones to beat especially with the Yamaguchi sculpts for ultra-heroic proportions.

Now that Deunan has Briareos, how long before a 1/6 Batou comes along? Man, I'd love to have that Medicom next to my customised-head CG Motoko...

Weren't the Megazone mechs designed by Shinji Aramaki while Bubblegum Crisis Hardsuits were by Kenichi Sonoda (Gunsmith Cats etc)? These are coming out just in time for Chinese New Year loot.

I enquired at the local Books Kinokuniya and they quoted me 90SGD (!) as the set is a special order. Bummer.

Still waiting for the Armored Labors to arrive in Singapore to have a closer look at the proportions. Meanwhile I've got the Hercules sofubi and Peacemaker on order from HLJ... crossing my fingers that the 'mecha action' won't look cheap next to the glossy white Ingrams.

That's great! Sounds like this is the Garland I will finally buy after all the fear and trepidation over the fragile shoulders. Please share pix if you can. :-)

Nah... The winner is US, the fans. We get to choose what we like here. Personally, I'm splurging on both CM's and Megahouse. Only wish the CM's Legioss wasn't so strangely retarded in the folding arm-fins... that and the ultra-high price tag. These little puppies are still 'affordable' even if overpriced.

Don't forget the smarter seam-hiding for the VF-1S head... :-)

Wouldn't it be great if Bandai just applied their super-duper product design and released some kind of MG-class kit of both Legioss and Tlead, maybe in their Real Robot Revolution line-up? Sigh. I can't believe the fins REALLY stick out like that! That totally blows in my book. Up until I saw up-close the exposed fin/arms in Soldier-mode, I was hoping the previous leaked shots were mis-transformed. >Groan< I'm going to have to re-consider the Aoshima edition after all. Some of the local shops actually put the contents on display in the hope that people can see the overall quality isn't ALWAYS the worst-case reported by the Japanese collectors.

I was only sick of the fighter-first 1/48 VF-1... but the new 1/60 made me feel better right away. :-)

Well, I've been collecting all kinds of Japanese robot toys since the 80s and when the 1/48 was launched, I was initially very happy. The amount of detail and gimmicks were absolutely unmatched anywhere else (and still is, barring the arrival of the new 1/60s). However, ultimately the 1/48 didn't do it for me because of the bias towards the fighter mode. I know many here feel that the 1/48 is the 'most realistic' depiction of the VF-1 design, i.e. if a fighter really could TF to a robot, this was IT. Nonetheless, there are fans like me who loved the design more for the Battroid mode than anything else, and for us, the new 1/60 line is a most welcome development. I sincerely hope Yamato applies everything they've learned about toy design and production to-date and release a truly well thought-out and un-fragile toy. This is where the future of Macross collecting is for me... and it is filled with visions of more 1/60 destroids, atmospheric boosters, optimised GBP-1S and Super/Strike armor sets. :-)

Wasn't there an exclusive Hobby Japan or Dengeki Hobby repaint in grey and yellow? I guess that one wouldn't really count...

You get a 'battle-damaged' VF-0A before that happens! :-)

That's summer 2008.

Ah yeah.. WAVE High Advanced Model...

The new tailfins and nosecone don't bother me in the same way the 1/48's hands and arms didn't bother other folks here. :-)

They are the same scale but the VF-1 is actually smaller than the VF-0.

Sounds like you'll be a potential customer for KAIYODO's WHAM series of labors in 2008. Ingram and Helldiver are first up. No screw holes in sight although only the Ingram will feature any diecast (think WHAM SDF-1 levels, not CM's Ingram)... the Helldiver will probably be mostly plastic/ABS.

I LURVED that artillery frame kit! I do!! I built mine up and when the hip joint broke, I got out and bought another just to redo it... If Bandai makes this a SPEC, I'd definitely be on the preorder list.

Heck, I'm not really complaining, it's just an observation :-) Maybe 'perfection' will arrive just before their license runs out, or before it gets outbid by Big-B after a theoretically spectacular run of Frontier toys and models? Perfection comes in different flavors for every fan. For me, I'll take the new 1/60 after holding out so long on the 1/48. Others already love the 1/60 YF-19, but I'm holding out on THAT one... I'm keeping my fingers crossed for improvements on the non-flush neck piece in fighter mode... Someday....

Exactly. I mean, no one really minded the 'impossible' sizes of the optional hands for the 1/48, right? I personally thought those were inelegant (and proven by the new 1/60's better hands)... but for the screen magic in M+, 'omega pants' could be the best thing for us demanding fans.

The cynic in me says every new and improved version of any Macross toy must have at least one tangible flaw that won't be a deal-breaker BUT if reworked in a future edition will prompt hardcore fans to buy it all over again. - Original 1/60 VF-1x : Nicest overall proportions at the time, BUT THE LEGS COME OFF. - 1/48 VF-1x : Perfect transformation, BUT THE BATTROID MODE TAKES A BACKSEAT TO THE FIGHTER. - New 1/60 VF-1 : Perfect transformation + better battroid proportions, BUT THE CANOPY STILL SUCKS. - ?'30th Anniversary 1/48 VF-1'? : Milked for 'perfection' at last?

Maybe Yamato could include some 'slip-on' calf muscles to imitate the incredible morphing structure and allow the 'perfect' battroid display? :-)

While I'd like very much for Yamato to reduce paper waste some of the empty space is there to protect the toy during the rough and tumble of international shipping... you know? The kind where the handlers drop kick the carton simply because they're having a bad day? A reseller told me that they'd feedback to Yamato that the 1/60 VF-0's tailfins were getting damaged because of accidental crushing of the corners of the boxes...

I know I've been riding Yamato hard over the 1/48's overall proportions but in this case (and that of of the '19), I really have to say they have done a more than admirable job. The M+ designs are a whole lot more complex than the VF-1 and it's simply impossible to match the line art totally in every mode. Plus, compared to the original series, I'd say M+ places an even greater emphasis on the FLYING. Who knows? It may just come full circle a few years later. Everyone sated on 1/60 toys... then BOOM! 1/48 YF-19 and 21 for the Macross fan who *thought* he already had everything. ;-)