m0n5t3r

I thought the SMP would be bigger. But they're somewhere in between the SRC and the Revoltech in terms of size/scale. Still, it's the only Enkidudu that's available.

VF-0D looks really good in battroid. I'll try to be patient when I try to transform it later

15 hours ago, Froy said:

VF-2SS Just "warped" in.

The most messed up box I have to date but at 8500 yen it was a great deal for me. I really wanted to score this beauty since I started collecting the line.

Checking it latter this night. Mandarke listed it as opened but no used.

That's an awesome find, congrats. I still have my CMs Ishtar here hoping to someday get a good deal on a VF-SS, just like yours.

In the meantime, some stuff just came... still catching up. The Demoniacal Fit looks really good even from just inside the box. 

Was able to get these for a little below preorder prices thanks to online coupons/vouchers. First HMR valk. Being able to hunt for good deals online coz there are so many more sellers is starting to make collecting enjoyable again. After selling a third of my collection (along with all my Yamato Mac0 valks) and practically quitting several years ago, it's great to have a lot more newer stuff like this VF-0D, to display with my older toys. 

7 minutes ago, MKT said:

I'm seeing the Blue Legioss still hovering at retail price on Mandarake, although none are available at this moment. But perhaps it might cheaper for you to get at local stores if reissued. 

Yeah, I've had that on email alert forever... but the s/h and duties and taxes are a killer. The only one available locally is almost $300... no way I'm paying that much. Sentinel's prices are on the high side as it is. I'm hoping my patience will pay off one day. I have the Zeta and Iota to tide me over in the meantime (and my CMs w/ extra parts as a placeholder).

8 minutes ago, MKT said:

Well, the announcement of re-issues for the whole gang will likely push the Tread even further back. Possibly to 2025? 

Even if the Tread is officially announced & eventually released, I hope it won't be afflicted with first mold issues like their Ride Armor & Legioss.

 

I personally wouldn't mind a Blue Legioss reissue. Or a Legioss + Tread bundle that's cheaper than getting both separately. 

At the very least, Sentinel still has Mospeada on their minds. 

27 minutes ago, okinawaHAI! said:

Sorry folks for the large photo but I am not technically savvy. Depicted on the photo (circled in red) is the plastic piece in question.

I own two Mospeada Riders but reluctant to transform or pose them because of this issue.

Some have commented that the connector point arrived to them with stress marks, new in packaging.

The submitted photo is not my own but credited to Jenius who submitted it on this forum.

-Regards

Note sure if anybody's mentioned this, but it may be worth noting that the VR-038L uses a different, wholly solid pin for that connection (compared to the hollow, rolled metal pin on the first 3 VRs). That may have been the fix for that issue. 🤷‍♂️

So glad to receive this... preordered 1st time from a local seller and I paid in full up front last April just so I could get this for $175. 😅

Ver. 1 body with ver. 2 head. Looks so much better.

These KC figures scale really well with the Riobot figures compared to SHFs and Figmas.

Finally found an ok deal for this... still kinda expensive for an action figure IMO.

I also saw darotower's pic in the Strike a Pose thread and wanted to do a headswap with the first Rick/Hikaru figure with the dopey looking face.

tried the new faceplate first with the orig. head. Kinda ok up front, but the ears don't line up so there are gaping holes on the side of his head.

Here's Rickaru on display. Will probably do a headswap with the old one when I decide to use the alt head with the earphones and goggles.

14 hours ago, no3Ljm said:

Besides, I don't want to see my figures always face flat on the ground every time the cabinet gets bumped up.

Hahaha. That made me laugh. Thought I was the only one. Specially hate it when it starts a domino effect. Still amazed we got a full team of main ride armors from Sentinel. 

Awesome pics/poses... always nice to visit this thread.

Waited almost 15 years to have a Kamina action figure... 

First pic was 2009... fast forward to 2023 and the gang is finally complete. 🙂

1 hour ago, jvmacross said:

I actually feel it's never been easier to buy anything Macross-related these days...guess it all depends on how far back you are making the comparison...

Yeah, it is easier to preorder Macross stuff right now... and I was only just replying to the OP's question as to why most Macross toys have become ridiculously expensive.

On 3/6/2023 at 4:21 PM, 68whiskey said:

Bandai knows you will all pay for any product they throw out there and then pay for it again with the Re issue or different color variant. They know their market quite well. Its the same in the Star Wars, Transformers and Gundam communites. 

The other thing is sometimes the initial pre order price will be low but after release the price will claim due to availability or lack there of.

just my 2 cents.

I blame Bandai as well. it was Macross collector's heaven before the v.2 Frontier valks and the dawn of preordering madness, limited production runs, TWEs etc. 

5 minutes ago, nightmareB4macross said:

That’s a bummer. Do you happen to what hydrogen peroxide percentage it was? Liquid or cream?

I have always wondered what works for long term use.

Cream 12% (I asked a fellow member that posted on the "yellowing valks" thread what they used)

3 hours ago, nightmareB4macross said:

How long did the whitening last?

BTW, your VF-1J looks awesome.

Thanks. Whitening didn't last very long. Not exactly sure but probably a little more than a month before it started yellowing again.

1 hour ago, MKT said:

That’s a nice custom. 

Toys yellowing doesn’t bug me as much these days, because I know I will one day have them painted up to solve the yellowing.

Toyed with idea of whitening them with peroxide, but I’m hearing the yellowing just comes back in a short few months (anyone who did peroxide treatment previously can confirm this?)

Yeah, the yellowing just comes back and was worse after coz the discoloration became uneven. But that's just my experience. Looked like it worked for some others who posted in the other thread. Just not sure if it lasted for them. Painting it is definitely the sure, long term solution to yellowing plastic. 

Just want to quickly share the first ever macross toy I bought as an adult some 20 plus years ago... from the severely yellowed POS to painted and lightly weathered. H-peroxide treatment didn't work. But I finally found someone to custom paint it that wasn't charging an arm and a leg for the job... after 5+ years of looking! It's an old toy and it's not perfect but the phone pic doesn't do it justice. I might take better photos of it later on... for now I'm just enjoying it being on display again after years in storage coz I couldn't stand the sight of it.

7 hours ago, jvmacross said:

 

Thanks!

I normally just use the awesome pics from @sh9000...but KC has forced me to open their VF-1's and check on QC issues with each release....so I figured I'd mess around with posing their figures and actually enjoy them instead of my usual MISB routine...it is very time consuming so I really appreciate the dedication when folks like @sh9000painstakingly capture several of the iconic SDFM scenes via their collections....

First time seeing this thread. This is what I missed about MW, creative members posting stuff like these. Makes collecting fun again and not just about obsessing about what's coming out next, qc issues, the cost of these things etc. etc. 

Cool pics @jvmacross ... even the ones from last year. 👏

Another negative effect I've noticed, at least here locally, is that even legit and reputable shops are marking up their prices for these DXs (and SOCs and other higher end stuff) significantly above retail (just below what scalpers charge) right off the bat. Coz they know from what they've been allocated vs. the qty they ordered, that supplies are gonna be way lower than their preorders/inquiries. 

1 hour ago, Chunky001 said:

If you do the calculations for actual inflation (value of the dollar) and factor in exchange rate the Bandai stuff is no more expensive than the Yamato stuff was.

The limited supply driving pricing up is a problem though.

Yes, the real culprit is the limited supply which is what scalpers are taking advantage of. But you can't really compare the influence on the toy/collectible market that Bandai has compared to a small, niche toy company like Yamato/Arcadia. One increases their prices so they can keep their business running, the other...

7 hours ago, Lolicon said:

Bandai really sucked the enjoyment out of this hobby. 

This is the main reason I quit collecting some 5 years ago. As if the ridiculous inflation they started wasn't enough, the limited supply really drove the prices way above what I was comfortable spending on these things. It's like they're in league with the scalpers to screw with us collectors.

"selling accessories separate and delivering poor QC on their figures only to resell an update version later."

This too. 

4 hours ago, no3Ljm said:

Not into SDs but will probably get the normal looking lion and vehicle force voltrons. 

That SD Vehicle Voltron reminds me of Lord Farquaad... 😆