Jump to content

VF-19 Excaliber - custom lineart


grebo guru

Recommended Posts

I must admit I'm not that much of a fan of the Y/VF-19. It's transformation is very imaginative, to be sure, but some of its aesthetic points leave me kinda cold. I don't like that it doesn't have the classic VF-1 "hoof" style feet (of course, this is a trait shared with most latter VFs, and I understand the technical reasons behind it -- I just don't like it), and its got pretty fat legs, and its fighter mode is *almost* cool, but not quite. I think this VF coulda stood one more round of refinement before being approved. And I definitely don't mean the kinda refinements it got in Macross 7. Not overall, anyway.

Buuuuut in any event, here's the VF-19A with its gunpod. And the VF-19S (my tweaked version). And here's both of them with Super parts (for which I used the shoulder parts from Mac7 and the leg fastpacks from Mac+). I'll get around to doing a VF-19A and probably a D-and/or-T in the future.

Enjoy!

post-4460-1164687855_thumb.jpg

post-4460-1164687900_thumb.jpg

post-4460-1164687929_thumb.jpg

post-4460-1164687952_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I prefer the YF-19 and the VF-19A (Pre-Mac 7) versions. They are more Gundamized to be sure, but more palatable than the designs for TV series that followed. Even the Stormvogel II that I have come to love had the silly brainwave bubbly canopy as opposed to the straight conopy SK designed for the non=brainwave version.

Though I never understood the need for thos fugly fast packs! Something along the lines of the Strike packs and the like would suit the fighter better, but the question remains as to how can it transform with them still attached... A dilema for sure...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice YF-19 with the Gunpod. That's cool to see.

Gotta say I'm very happy with the YF-19. To be honest, by the time Macross Plus came around I was really craving a mecha that actually looked more robotic. Don't get me wrong, I love classic mecha like the VF-1 and some of the less flashy Gundams like the Alex from Gundam 0080. But they looked a little too humanoid and blocky. I was more then ready for a mecha design that wasn't a collection of boxes, however asthetically pleasing the old generation of mecha from the "real robot" genre might have been.

When the YF-19 and YF-21 came out, they both had just the right mix of humanoid features to be a working biped, but the torso, arms, and joints were all beautifully futrisitc in design. The two mecha were also much more rounded, thinner and matched the much sleeker aerodynamics of the fighter mode. I couldn't get enough of them. Nowadays, these design elements have all been copied and endlessly repeated in numerous animes from Gundam to Neon Genesis Evangelion to Full Metal Panic. But at the time they were revolutionary for the real robot genre and I praise the innovation. One more reason I adored Kawamori's work. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Of all the Mac+ valks the YF-19 is my least favorite... but I definitely love them all. I simply can't stand the ultra awkard Gerwalk mode for any of the valks and I think the 19 is the worst offender. In battloid mode the YF-19 reminds me of Whoa from Kung Pao, Enter the Fist. This kinda sounds like trashing but let me reiterate I do love it.

On the drawings, is it just me or do the super parts seem kinda cumbersome?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the drawings, is it just me or do the super parts seem kinda cumbersome?

It's not you... :rolleyes:

The YF-19 & YF-21's fast packs were nothing more than augment attachements to the aircraft that were barely noticable unless they were pointed out.

It was the Mac 7 designs that came up with the fuglies... :blink:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You know... you guys got me thinking. I rather like the imporabable, almost-retro looking design of the YF-19's Super packs, but it has bothered me too that they're arranged the way they are. After thinking about it for a few moments, I came up with this.

It's not 100% right; the perspective on the pack isn't quite suited to the perspective on the Excaliber's body, but it's close enough to convey the general idea.

What do youse guys think?

post-4460-1164698242_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It doesn't work. At least the stretching-the-limits-of-plausibilty original packs have a more accurate location on the transformed VF-19. Yes, they look like they make the thing top heavy, and it'll fall over. But as those packs are transatmospheric and contain a scramjet, they aren't 100% dead weight...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also you have the wrong body on the VF-19S, that is the YF/VF-19A body. I love the YF-19 I think is a great fighter and battroid, but agree that it needed one more design revision to do away with some of the anime magic inherent in its design, see the new toy to see the lengths having to be made to make it because of that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Weren't the VF-19F and S designed for space use only? In both VF-X and VF-X2, a VF-19A exists, that looks similar to the YF-19. I say similar, because the YF-19 is a test bed with a lot of extra bells and whistles. Some of them made it into the finished product, but a few of them didn't.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also you have the wrong body on the VF-19S, that is the YF/VF-19A body.

I know. It's deliberate. I really really dislike the body design modifications of the Fire/Blazer Valkyrie; I prefer the YF-19/VF-19A. So, for my purposes, the VF-19S is simply the Blazer Valk's S-head on a YF-19 body. The same will be true for the VF-19D and VF-19J, when I get around to them.

Hmmm. I'm coming to really like the modified positioning of the backpacks I did last night. I think I'm gonna go with it. ^_^ Thanks for putting the idea in my head, Zinjo.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd check the compendium to see if there are any official designations besides the 19A/F/S if not I would put your modified heads on those. Maybe make your VF-19S into a VF-19B/C. There really is no reason to keep with the A/D/J/S designations of the original series as not all Valks stick to that. The VF-17D is not a two seater, it is more akin to a VF-1J in configuration. Also IIRC there is a VF-1B designation that is basically a VF-1S but with different avionics, need to check the compendium for that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know what variations of the VF-19 (and 17, and others) there are -- they're just not the ones I want. Remember, I'm doing all this for the purposes of an RPG I'm gonna run. It'll be a hybridized continuity, so going against established designations and variations is not a problem for me.

There really is no reason to keep with the A/D/J/S designations of the original series as not all Valks stick to that.

Aha, actually there IS a need to keep with the A/D/J/S designations -- because I want to do it.

Greebz

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Simply based on appearence, I like the repositioning of the fast packs on that last pic Gebo. Even if it isn't "cannon" it still looks better than the silly, but possably needed place, on the mecha's shoulders. Personally I think it looks a lot better your way at least in Batroid mode. B))

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No offense Grebo, but if you just pick and choose like that you are creating a whole different universe then what is established in macross canon. And well, you are maceking the whole thing into another robotech type franchise. Your changing the fast packs is cool and a good idea, though the mounting leaves a lot to be desired as it would be very weak. Also the 19S head on the 19A body is cool, but why say it is a 19S, why not say it is a 19B or 19C? That way you can use existing craft more easily and make the game more accessible to the canon purists.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it's okay to do this sort of thing. It's like those silly monster mecha that fans of the various mecha anime do, swapping heads, limbs and other parts from various mecha and putting them together into something new. A sort of lineart "kitbashing" if you will. Gundam fans call it "Frankengundam," an obvious portmanteau of Mary Shelly's famous literary character.

IMO, there's such a lack of quality pictures online for the standard mecha of Macross, I'm not really interested in the swapped mecha as much as the canon stuff. And personally, I don't really get much out of seeing these hybrid creations other than some passing amusement. But I like the custom color schemes and I like hi-res pictures :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No offense Grebo, but if you just pick and choose like that you are creating a whole different universe then what is established in macross canon. And well, you are maceking the whole thing into another robotech type franchise. Your changing the fast packs is cool and a good idea, though the mounting leaves a lot to be desired as it would be very weak. Also the 19S head on the 19A body is cool, but why say it is a 19S, why not say it is a 19B or 19C? That way you can use existing craft more easily and make the game more accessible to the canon purists.

The canon purists wouldn't be satisfied unless Kawamori himself gave the RPG royal ascent... :p

Let's face it SK didn't hold true to the SDFM conventions in Mac 7, so why should Grebo be forced to?

Kawamori himself has stated he doesn't believe in strict adherance to "canon" like Star Trek ultimately did. The fact that Mac Zero changed the back story of SDFM is not an abomonation, but simply an "adjustment" IMO.

To this point SK has not definitively stated that SDFM is the "actual" story of SW1, he is leaving his options open to re-tell the story if he sees fit. He says it is a story about SW1, but no where does he commit himself to say IT IS the story...

So IMO Grebo is well within the spirit of Macross, even if it isn't canon to the purists... B))

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Weren't the VF-19F and S designed for space use only? In both VF-X and VF-X2, a VF-19A exists, that looks similar to the YF-19. I say similar, because the YF-19 is a test bed with a lot of extra bells and whistles. Some of them made it into the finished product, but a few of them didn't.

VF-19A is a carbon copy of the YF-19 really. It's designed for mass production. Don't know if the F and S is only designed for space use, they looked fine when the M7 fleet got to Rax. Thinking about the variants, the kai had some adjustments too when it got to Macross 7, assuming we went from YF-19 to VF-19 Kai. Cause of the wings, that is the next closest relative to the YF-19 I reckon, followed by the VF-19 F and S.

Edited by kensei
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The canon purists wouldn't be satisfied unless Kawamori himself gave the RPG royal ascent... :p

Let's face it SK didn't hold true to the SDFM conventions in Mac 7, so why should Grebo be forced to?

Kawamori himself has stated he doesn't believe in strict adherance to "canon" like Star Trek ultimately did. The fact that Mac Zero changed the back story of SDFM is not an abomonation, but simply an "adjustment" IMO.

To this point SK has not definitively stated that SDFM is the "actual" story of SW1, he is leaving his options open to re-tell the story if he sees fit. He says it is a story about SW1, but no where does he commit himself to say IT IS the story...

So IMO Grebo is well within the spirit of Macross, even if it isn't canon to the purists... B))

:D Heh, let him do what he wants. I'm just nabbing the ones that are cannon for my collection of pics, I'm making a collage. He's come up with some canon stuff that I've never seen before like the VF-17A.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...