Bandai 1/72 Scale Macross Frontier Plastic Models

[Hikuro]

Cool! cant wait to get mine. Though I still might get the 1/60 if it gets a litle better looking.

Sounds like Kawamori needs to take to the plate.

[Master Dex]

Those legs should come out and bend a bit further in gerwalk mode according to this guy's build.

That review makes it looks amazing. I want to wait for the Ozma but at this price I might just get the Alto model. Will take forever for me to build since I have so little free time these days but it should be worth it.

I have to ask, and no I have not checked the rest of the thread because I don't have the time, does it have to be painted for it to be anything other that white or is it all stickers? I don't like painting models so that could be a turn off for me. If it is stickers then I can live (I find it annoying to put them on sometimes though).

Also does it come with that white stand?

[QuinJester]

That review makes it looks amazing. I want to wait for the Ozma but at this price I might just get the Alto model. Will take forever for me to build since I have so little free time these days but it should be worth it.

I have to ask, and no I have not checked the rest of the thread because I don't have the time, does it have to be painted for it to be anything other that white or is it all stickers? I don't like painting models so that could be a turn off for me. If it is stickers then I can live (I find it annoying to put them on sometimes though).

Also does it come with that white stand?

No stand, those will only run you around $5-$8 though. All of the striping is stickers, the main body is all white but the things like feet and internals are molded black. The very first photo buildup posted a few pages back was done with just stickers and a straight build:

http://hima-toy.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/200...f-25f-802a.html

(this should also show via his step-by-step how to get the hips locked out for Gerwalk chickenleg mode)

[Fatalist]

I am all over this when I get my hands on it. Those are some seriously good looking kits, as well as a near flawless execution. Bandai's "toy" team needs to take a cue from the model dept.

[miriya]

No stand, those will only run you around $5-$8 though. All of the striping is stickers, the main body is all white but the things like feet and internals are molded black. The very first photo buildup posted a few pages back was done with just stickers and a straight build:

http://hima-toy.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/200...f-25f-802a.html

(this should also show via his step-by-step how to get the hips locked out for Gerwalk chickenleg mode)

Thanks for the link! That is asweome. This model looks fantastic. I just hope that I will be able to make the time to put it together.

[badboy00z]

Morpheus Review

I just bought the kit on Toy'R Us for 3,999 yen. I assembly it right away (took around 5 hours). The complexity rivals MG gunpla and the addition metal rod to certain joint is a nice touch. The kit is not yet painted or given any decals, just a rough assembly fresh out of the box. Swappable parts included hands and shield.

1. Battroid mode

The transformation is quite difficult, especially since the nose cone are always stuck with the chest cover. The pose is limited since there are no degree of freedom on the hip joints.

You bought the kit at Toys R US?? Also the hip needs to be rotated so the tips of the intake is parallel with the crotch.

[badboy00z]

1/72 Transformable VF-25S Ozma Lee "Skull Leader" Unit coming in November at 4,725 Yen!

source: http://ngeekhiong.blogspot.com/

I'll definitely get the Ozma version if the DX one doesn't turn out better.

[miriya]

I look forward to seeing pics of the final Ozma model with the decals all applied.

[Morpheus]

You bought the kit at Toys R US?? Also the hip needs to be rotated so the tips of the intake is parallel with the crotch.

Yup, I also realized the rotation on the hip after I read the manual again (lazy...) It turns out the leg in gerwalk mode can bend more, I just need to pull the leg harder (something which I don't like). This is the first transforming toys that I own so transforming it (and hearing the snapping sound) makes me little bit nervous. Now I need to find a stand for it.

If any of you already got this kit, do you also experience the trouble with the hip beam cannon joint?

[Graham]

The Ozma looks awesome.

Serious props to the Bandai VF-25 model design team. They have absolutely kicked the asses of the Bandai 1/60 design team.

Graham

[Graham]

So are the stickers on this foil stickers or what?

Graham

[theplasticwerks]

So, who's next, Luca or Mikhail?

Luca's fighter will have the most in common mold-wise with Alto and Ozma (as it comes with a standard gunpod), but a new head tooling will be needed, as well as the radar dish and whatever else is attached to that. Mikhail's fighter also has a new head, but his gunpod needs to be tooled up as well.

I feel like Mikhail's '25 is going to take less work to tool up, and will be produced next (plus, he's the next-most popular character, IMO).

[Graham]

For Luca, you would also need the folding ventral ELINT fin that is sometimes (but not always) shown.

Graham

[Chowser]

So from what I am reading, you have to paint the red/black areas on Alto's? Or does it come with a decal ala Hasegawa's YF-19 kit?

I really don't want to paint anything since I suck at it.

Guess I will wait until someone releases a fighter only model or toy or I'll commission someone to build a fighter only out of the model kit.

[David Hingtgen]

Fins are molded black, the red and silver/grey bits are stickers or decals. Morpheus posted his build like 6 posts ago. http://macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?s=&a...st&p=661536 That's EXACTLY what it looks like when built "raw". Morpheus applied no stickers, added no paint. What you see is what you get.

If you apply all the stickers, and paint nothing but the canopy for some reason, you get this: http://gamu-toys.info/gangu/pura/r3/mf01/mf01.html (he also inked in the panel lines, not sure by what method) ::edit:: And he painted the knife blade.

A totally unpainted, unwashed/uninked build, but using decals instead of stickers: http://hima-toy.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/200...f-25f-802a.html ::edit:: Whoops, viewing the pics full-size makes me think they're the stickers too. Or the decals suck. I don't think we've seen a decaled-but-unpainted built yet. (which I plan to do)

Graham---looking closely at the builds, I think the stickers are clear/Yamato style, not foil style. Disappointing, as I think foil would have worked and looked much better.

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

And if anyone else owns it could you do a youtube transformation vid? I'm curious to see how it transforms...

Do you have to be extra extra careful about how you handle it when transforming?

Edited September 23, 2008 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[anime52k8]

Fins are molded black, the red and silver/grey bits are stickers or decals. Morpheus posted his build like 6 posts ago. http://macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?s=&a...st&p=661536 That's EXACTLY what it looks like when built "raw". Morpheus applied no stickers, added no paint. What you see is what you get.

If you apply all the stickers, and paint nothing but the canopy for some reason, you get this: http://gamu-toys.info/gangu/pura/r3/mf01/mf01.html (he also inked in the panel lines, not sure by what method) ::edit:: And he painted the knife blade.

A totally unpainted, unwashed/uninked build, but using decals instead of stickers: http://hima-toy.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/200...f-25f-802a.html ::edit:: Whoops, viewing the pics full-size makes me think they're the stickers too. Or the decals suck. I don't think we've seen a decaled-but-unpainted built yet. (which I plan to do)

Graham---looking closely at the builds, I think the stickers are clear/Yamato style, not foil style. Disappointing, as I think foil would have worked and looked much better.

are you sure hat Guma used stickers and not decals? they look like decals to me. and what exactly are foil decals?

[Jarrod]

So, I got my kit today (Shipped EMS from HLJ), and spent all day assembling the kit, and then dissambled it for painting. Some thoughts:

First things first, the fighter mode support stand is absolutely NOT needed! In fact, that area might be the most solid in fighter mode! That said, the wings and legs have no pegs or locking points whatsoever, and remain in place solely by the friction of thier joints. The parts fit in fighter mode is not perfect, but far from bad, and with a little caressing you can get those gaps and seems to nearly dissappear.

Transformation is nicely complex, and it had a few "Oh so that how it works" moments. It is definitely a bit tricky in a few places, particularly getting the chest over the nosecone in battroid mode or putting the arms back in place in fighter mode.

The lack of polycaps is so very refreshing! I'm totally a believer in ABS joints and this kit, along with the recent MG Turn-A for example, are perfect examples that ABS is the way to go for sturdy joints. Speaking of sturdiness, battroid mode is SOLID, and very nicely posable.

Gerwalk mode is definitely the least stable of all three, but does look pretty good.

As for the markings, you get three sheets. The first is a small set of foil stickers which contain stickers for the visor, gunpod sensor, and some white stickers to correctly color the pelvic piece(which is molded in black despite being mostly white with a small black section). The next two are identical sets, the first waterslide decals, and the second of the clear backing, pre-cut style similar to what comes with Yamato Valks or a MG Gundam. Either option you choose, expect to spend a few hours on them

I should have this thing fully finished in the next few days, and I'll post a gallery then....any particular questions feel free to ask.

Jarrod

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

So why did bandai have that thing underneath the middle of the fighter? Was it just to scare us?

Edited September 23, 2008 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[regult]

So why did bandai have that thing underneath the middle of the fighter? Was it just to scare us?

Yeah, coz if it was to show-off "hey it's compatible with gundam action base!!" it did't work, it made me feel the model was floppy.

Ozma's version seems seriously good in that magazine scan, but then, the Alto version looked just as good on print too...If I could only get one, it would be Ozma, but I think I can't wait that long, so I will end up getting both and annoy the wife!

[Valkyrie addict]

I should have this thing fully finished in the next few days, and I'll post a gallery then....any particular questions feel free to ask.

Jarrod

can't wait to see it finished!

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

If I could only get one, it would be Ozma, but I think I can't wait that long, so I will end up getting both and annoy the wife!

If only they had released ozuma first.

You'll probably end up getting them twice each because of the super pack and armor pack versions that bandai will release later.

[Graham]

Definitely recommend getting the new November 2008 issue of Hobby Japan magazine. Not only does it have a Macross Frontier cover, but it also features a 47 page article on the Macross Frontier kits and toys and CG art.

Most of the pages showcase the completed builds of the 1/72 Alto VF-25F and Ozma VF-25S model kits, along with custom conversions for Micheal's VF-25G and Luca's RVF-25 and a scratch build variable VF-27! There's some really beautiful photos.

I'll try to scan in some of the pages later.

Graham

[anime52k8]

Definitely recommend getting the new November 2008 issue of Hobby Japan magazine. Not only does it have a Macross Frontier cover, but it also features a 47 page article on the Macross Frontier kits and toys and CG art.

Most of the pages showcase the completed builds of the 1/72 Alto VF-25F and Ozma VF-25S model kits, along with custom conversions for Micheal's VF-25G and Luca's RVF-25 and a scratch build variable VF-27! There's some really beautiful photos.

I'll try to scan in some of the pages later.

Graham

HOLLY S**T VF-27 WANT!!!

[Graham]

Sorry correction, the scratch built VF-27 model in the new Hobby Japan is battroid mode only, not variable.

Graham

[striderhiryu]

hey triple post is cheating, no wonder why your post count is so high. lol

[anime52k8]

hey triple post is cheating, no wonder why your post count is so high. lol

also helps that it's his site.

[anime52k8]

So, who's next, Luca or Mikhail?

Luca's fighter will have the most in common mold-wise with Alto and Ozma (as it comes with a standard gunpod), but a new head tooling will be needed, as well as the radar dish and whatever else is attached to that. Mikhail's fighter also has a new head, but his gunpod needs to be tooled up as well.

I feel like Mikhail's '25 is going to take less work to tool up, and will be produced next (plus, he's the next-most popular character, IMO).

I would say michels valk is has more in common, considering it's just a new head and a new gunpod. heck, they could just take the existing alto, change the color of the plastic, and throw in an extra multicolor sprue for all the extra parts (wich would be nice since you'd get an extra gunpod). as for luca, they'd need to completely change the backpack and arm in order to make the mounts for the radar dish and fins.

also best proof that michel will be after ozma is that on the box cover art, they have ozma then michel then luca flying in the backround in that order.

[SDF-ONE]

So, who's next, Luca or Mikhail?

I agree, the next kit will most likely be Michel's. It is also pictured in the manual. No sign of Luca in there. I doubt they will give you an extra gunpod as it is on a separate sprue.

[Fly4victory]

Alright, what is up with HLJ?

They now have the VF-25 listed as discontinued.

http://www.hlj.com/product/BAN955525

We need to get a spy in HLJ, like we have one with Yamato.

[Graham]

As mentioned, the new November 2008 issue of Hobby Japan magazine (just out) has a Macross Frontier cover and 47 pages about Macross Frontier model kits, toys and some CG mecha art.

Out of those 47 pages, 40 pages focus on the Bandai 1/72 scale model kits, with some beautiful photos of completed VF-25F Alto and VF-25S Ozma kits, as well as custom Michael VF-25G, Luca RVF-25 and a scratch built 1/72 scale VF-27 battroid mode.

Here are scans of 10 sample pages. Enjoy!

I really recommend buying this issue so you can enjoy all the pages.

Graham

[electric indigo]

Thanks a bunch for the scans, Graham!

I see the modeler added a ton of rivets on Alto's machine - blasphemy, I say!

Otherwise, gorgeous stuff.

[Valkyrie addict]

OMG, those are awesome!! thanks Graham...

[emajnthis]

Since it appears Bandai has taken interest in expanding the 1/72 line, that means there's a good chance we could see a three pack Ghost set to tag along with Luca

[TSP]

Thanks for the scans Graham. They show some nice improvements but non of they have changed the hinge joint for the wings. That was the first thing I thought of when the first pre production photos showed up. Same thing on the tail fins.