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Bandai Macross Frontier toys thread


valhary

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While it's true that in order for Yamato to move from development to production, approval to the changes requested by the licensor (BW) must be completely met, the scenario is very different for Bandai and Big West.

Bandai may entertain a few changes here and there...but they are not without their own design team. If in their collective opinions their CADs and prototypes are accurate, when it comes to it they'll blow Kawamori off if his changes disrupts too much of their schedule - because they can.

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As long as they make all the various valks with their special items like the sniper rifle i could care less who makes what at this point just as long as it's an amazing product

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Aren't the Valks all full 3d cgi in the show?

Would have thought Bandai won't actually need that much input from Kawamori to just make a 3d model into a toy.

That is after all, what they do.

The CG models from the show and the CG models for making the toys are very different - the latter also requires part by part drawings which includes drawings of the mechanics, male & female fittings for each part and etc. And they need to come up with it like YESTERDAY. It's not that they don't really need Kawamori's input but it's because their design team can cover that part of his job as well and most importantly, they are always in a rush to take full advantage of the merchandize sale while the show is on air and hot - otherwise, it would be pointless and wasted opportunity. They don't just capitalize mainly on nostalgia like Yamato.

Edited by Beware of Blast
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i biught the 1/60 Gundam Exia the other day and I noticed the pilot is significantly smaller than Roy from my 1/60 Zero. Now granted Setsuna is a kid, but im still wondering if the 1/60 scale will be the same from the 2 companies....

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The CG models from the show and the CG models for making the toys are very different - the latter also requires part by part drawings which includes drawings of the mechanics, male & female fittings for each part and etc. And they need to come up with it like YESTERDAY. It's not that they don't really need Kawamori's input but it's because their design team can cover that part of his job as well and most importantly, they are always in a rush to take full advantage of the merchandize sale while the show is on air and hot - otherwise, it would be pointless and wasted opportunity. They don't just capitalize mainly on nostalgia like Yamato.

I'm well aware that a CGI model can't be used to make a toy straight off, but as you've said it's just the re-engineering from graphics to physical product that needs doing. Which isn't really anything to do with Kawamori, all his astethic related work has been done for them.

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Edited for more direct answer:- It has everything to do with Kawamori. He is like the principal license holder's approver. When Bandai or Yamato translate his sketches and linearts into CAD & protptypes, should there be any compromises, he is the one who signs off on it - Unless someone at Bandai is given equal footing to sign off without Kawamori.

Edited by Beware of Blast
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The wait for the figures is actually kind of like waiting for another great new Macros series.

I want to say that I am thrilled with Frontier and with the potential of the upcoming figures/models.

I am wholeheartedly supportive of making them 1/60 scale - and it is very good that Yamato is making 1/60 Perfect TF VF1s to boot!

I am sure that when the Bandai VF-25s do finally come out - I'll be returning to the Macross Frontier saga with renewed interest and vigor!

The idea that the top company in Japan is doing this is fabulous - I love Yamato and will continue to patronize them (aka be their patron! Not "put them down!" :) ) - but hopefully with Bandai doing MF - it will mean that there won't be any...err...experiments with QC at the cost of the customer ;)

VFTF1

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The CG models from the show and the CG models for making the toys are very different - the latter also requires part by part drawings which includes drawings of the mechanics, male & female fittings for each part and etc. And they need to come up with it like YESTERDAY. It's not that they don't really need Kawamori's input but it's because their design team can cover that part of his job as well and most importantly, they are always in a rush to take full advantage of the merchandize sale while the show is on air and hot - otherwise, it would be pointless and wasted opportunity. They don't just capitalize mainly on nostalgia like Yamato.
Bandai has been doing this "mecha single sourcing thing" though, going back as far as the first Gundam SEED show. From the beginning the on-screen CGI designs were designed to be utilized by the CAD design teams who were developing the model kits and toys.

If this isn't the case with Macross Frontier it's probably because they don't have the same level of coordination, for whatever reason.

Any chance we'll get Queadluun-Rae toys?

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What I've learned is that Bandai has been doing this for quite a while now. It's all about control.

This area of coordination alone is the one thing that Kawamori (not sure if this is also the case with Studio Nue also) should use to make his life easier - I mean, the man brings his Legos to back-up his design drawings on briefing with his animation team as well as his toymakers!!! Who else except Kawamori (for fear of giving a less than impressive presentation) does that these days?

With CAD, he only need to model once and tweak to his heart content. His contractors could use his file for the animation and toy making - toymaker who find something wrong with the model gets back to Kawamori, they agree to make the changes and Kawamori emails the changed model to the animation team - of course not usually in that order, but the work friction is less.

I chalk it up as a case of individuals moving in the same direction, but at different speeds.

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So, bottom line, Bandai team is using the same cad files from the animation for the toys? so, that means the toys will be extremely accurate? right?

If it's Gundam, yes. For Mac F, I don't think so. But one can dream. :D

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What we have here is the big guy vs the little guy. Bandai vs Yamato. There was never any doubt in my mind that Bandai could produce a better VF-1. They just never did. With the market getting saturated a couple years back, I wasn't surprised. Now they have an opportunity to do good. Some of us wondered what it would be like if Bandai made a new valk and made it appealing to collectors, unlike the kiddified Macross 7 line. This is finally happening. Some of us wondered how another company other than Yamato would take on valk toys. This is finally happening.

If Yamato ends up making a VF-25 years later then we will have a variety of VF-25s to choose from. Its been 14 years since the airing of Macross Plus and just now we are getting a 1/60 YF-21. All of us have waited that long and yet we are still excited. Its not like anything will change. Experience has shown us that we are willing to wait years for a Yamato toy. Hell we still are.

I see this as a good thing. Its about time Bandai came back into the game. Now lets see what the big fish can do....

This gives me the reason to believe the re-releases of the old school: 1/55 line with super fast pack. Maybe to fund the VF-25 project/molds??

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meh, bandai doesn't need that sort of funding. If anything it's just to drum up a little publicity that they're back in the Macross game and to stick it to yamato.

Regardless, we are dealing with two fine toy companies that makes high-grade, high-quality sculpt, and superb engineering. Love to see the toys made by both company.

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I will be curious about one aspect:

If Bandai can create a VF with the accuracy, precision, detail and general coolness of Yamato and do it WITHOUT ANY QC ISSUES....

then I'm sure we will all be dancing for joy.

Paying huge prices is NOT a problem.

When I saw how Yamato's stuff LOOKED - it is a no brainer that the development and execution of Yamato's 1/48s necessitates those kind of prices - and actually the prices are comparatively GOOD for what you're getting (design wise).

The PROBLEM is the quality - when you pay lots of money and it falls apart - that's just unacceptable.

VFTF1

Bandai's QC isn't exactly that great either. Just look at any of the Gundam FIX figures as an example. I haven't picked up any since 0025, but I'm sure they still are plagued by bad paint apps and poorly molded/assembled parts. But then again, these are made of PVC, which I doubt the Macross F toys will be, so we'll see.

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Although looking at the pic again, if the VF-25F shown is 1/72 scale, there's no way the Vajra is the same scale.

I'm guessing the Vajra is going to be from the 1/100 scale toy line and the VF-25F shown is obviously the 1/72 scale model kit. Note the price of the kit, 4,200 Yen.

Graham

post-11-1210815852_thumb.jpg

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