DX Chogokin VF-171 Cannon Fodder

[Golden Arms]

I received mine today as well. Its got a ton of scuff marks and over paint in certain areas, which is definitely disappointing. The joints seem to be OK, but I haven't had a chance to transform it yet.

I also decided to order another one from AmiAmi, as that price is too good to pass up.

Ditto. I got mine on Saturday and decided to order another as well from Amiami.

Mine has scratches as well.

[Shukenzero]

Is NY safe to use credit card? Sorry if it's a little off topic

[plastik]

I put in an order at amiami too. That's a great price. If I select credit card as payment is it charged directly to my credit/debit card and my bank does the conversion to yen or is their credit card system through paypal?

[SaitouSad]

Is NY safe to use credit card? Sorry if it's a little off topic

Yes, though I normally use Paypal, which is linked to my credit card to be on the safe side.

I put in an order at amiami too. That's a great price. If I select credit card as payment is it charged directly to my credit/debit card and my bank does the conversion to yen or is their credit card system through paypal?

Depends. You can choose to use either your credit card's or Paypal's rates. Personally, I believe the credit card companies tend to have a slightly better rate than Paypal.

[Valk-1S]

Yes, though I normally use Paypal, which is linked to my credit card to be on the safe side.

Depends. You can choose to use either your credit card's or Paypal's rates. Personally, I believe the credit card companies tend to have a slightly better rate than Paypal.

It will depend on your credit card provider. In Australia, most CC will use the exchange rate close to the mid rate, however, the provider may charge you a foreign transaction fee which varies and most of them being around 3.5% I believe. Paypal exchange rate will be reflective of these transaction fee. However, with Paypal I noticed that sometimes I pay in Yen, but the transaction is said to have taken place in Australia, so I get a good rate but without the foreign transaction fee.

Those who got confirmation from Amiami, can you let me know how much the shipping cost is. To the US is the same as Australia and would like to know before considering putting an order in. Thanks.

[raptormesh]

Shipping is 1990 Yen registered small packet to Aus, Valk-1S.

[Valk-1S]

Shipping is 1990 Yen registered small packet to Aus, Valk-1S.

Thanks raptormesh.

[Scyla]

Ya I just emailed them along with this pic.

vf171-missing-chest-piece.jpg

Now if that isn't clear enough, I don't know what is.

*In the event that NY can't help, can someone shapeways this part?

I think NY will give you at least a refund so you could a new unit from amiami. I think you have to pay shipping it back to Japan. So you can estimate what the expanses are to get a new one.

Maybe NY sends you a replacement unit since they are still available but shipping it back will be at your own expense and that can be very pricey if you choose the wrong service from what I heard here on the board.

Hope NY acts fast so that you can secure another one while they are still available if you want this toy.

Good luck.

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

I think NY will give you at least a refund so you could a new unit from amiami. I think you have to pay shipping it back to Japan. So you can estimate what the expanses are to get a new one.

Maybe NY sends you a replacement unit since they are still available but shipping it back will be at your own expense and that can be very pricey if you choose the wrong service from what I heard here on the board.

Hope NY acts fast so that you can secure another one while they are still available if you want this toy.

Good luck.

amiami is sold out

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

CF normally do not sell well. If you look at Yamato when the 1/48 first came out, the VF-1S Roy was very popular that it received numerous reissues. When the VF-1A CF was announced it was said to be limited, probably to help the sales. Not sure whether it is but it was not sold out immediately and no reissues were done. This is probably the same for the frontier valks with Alto and Ozma VF-25 selling well, while the CF not so. It might impact a release of a VF-25 CF but given how Alto been reissued, we will probably see Ozma reissued as well. So far we have frontier items coming out every month up to August. 4 months left in the year. We might see Ozma reissued as well as VF-25G and RVF-25 super parts, and maybe Tornado parts.

I'd be more inclined to believe it's a sign the CF isn't nearly as popular.

.Also, stock appears to be moving a bit as if you look at Amazon JP, the lower prices ones are gone. I managed to pick up another two shipped by EMS for 32,275 Yen or 16,138 each shipped which appears to be a good price.

agreed cf don't sell well as hero valks across the board.

the only exception might be is the alto 171 in contrast to the 171 CF. or it may be the case that the 171 cf is just as unpopular as alto's in Japan as Mommar mentioned.

but i sure hope they release a vf 25 CF and whatever the case, whether due to lack of popularity, that it's widely avail outside of Japan. I really hate these rat races with scalpers for pre-orders and then having to settle for mark ups @ NY

[SaitouSad]

that lasted pretty long this time
Hope those who haven't scored one (or an extra) finally managed to get one at this awesome price

[Kelsain]

Er, I'd better open mine up to qc it soon, just in case...

[Scyla]

amiami is sold out

Bad luck I guess but NY has still some units available.

So is this cannon fodder a shelf warmer or not?

[Shukenzero]

Bad luck I guess but NY has still some units available.

So is this cannon fodder a shelf warmer or not?

Warming my shelf and a great many others' shelves

[Gakken85]

I don't think being in stock on a couple sites for a few weeks counts as a shelf warmer. Maybe in crazy macross circles it might be haha.

[raptormesh]

The Yamato GNUs are shelf warmers, this hardly qualifies.

[Dimis]

Slightly offtopic:

My VF-171 CF, and VF-X and a few other items arrived today at work. I had them sent here because the driver of the courier company knows me by now... no comments... So they arrived in this box which sat at the reception for a few minutes only. When i arrived there, the receptionists were staring at the box like they were hypnotized. By the way, i work in a clinical setting...

Almost died of embarrassment. Not even Pegasus, or Unicorn... Cancer Deathmask! How can you even start to explain?

[ErikElvis]

Haha Jesus.

[NightCastle]

Wow! That is a crazy thing to put on a box for any circumstance.

[eriku]

Just smile, wink and say "it's exactly what it sounds like."

[NightCastle]

Or, you could steeple your fingers and say "Excellent!"

[Loop]

Slightly offtopic:

My VF-171 CF, and VF-X and a few other items arrived today at work. I had them sent here because the driver of the courier company knows me by now... no comments... So they arrived in this box which sat at the reception for a few minutes only. When i arrived there, the receptionists were staring at the box like they were hypnotized. By the way, i work in a clinical setting...

Almost died of embarrassment. Not even Pegasus, or Unicorn... Cancer Deathmask! How can you even start to explain?

So how does the cancer death mask work exactly? Do you put it on to get deadly cancer?

Transformed unit 1 of 3 and did not have any missing pieces. Has a lot of scratches and what not and some dings that I did not expect. Might have to start calling Bandai, Band-aid though.

Edited May 14, 2013 by Loop

[Dimis]

So how does the cancer death mask work exactly? Do you put it on to get deadly cancer?

Transformed unit 1 of 3 and did not have any missing pieces. Has a lot of scratches and what not and some dings that I did not expect. Might have to start calling Bandai, Band-aid though.

And there are 12 of them in the box too, the box says... lol It really is impossible not to take it literally unless you know of Saint Seiya.

[royard]

Finally transformed one of mine and it's the first VF-171 that I have transformed. Not sure whether I am doing it right and probably someone mentioned it back in the post. In battroid mode, does the body lock at all. The only lock seems to be the backpack. Mine seems to collapse quite easily in the middle as there appears to be no lock at all. Just wanted to make sure I am not missing anything. Thanks.

Also, stock appears to be moving a bit as if you look at Amazon JP, the lower prices ones are gone. I managed to pick up another two shipped by EMS for 32,275 Yen or 16,138 each shipped which appears to be a good price.

If you don't mind me asking, how is Tenso's service? Most importantly, do they repack your package or just send whatever the Japanese merchant sent?

Edited May 14, 2013 by royard

[Reïvaj]

Still learning my new camera.

I love this picture.

[Valk-1S]

If you don't mind me asking, how is Tenso's service? Most importantly, do they repack your package or just send whatever the Japanese merchant sent?

I am happy with their service. The day they receive it, I will receive notification that they have received it later in the evening on the same day. And so far when I request shipping on that day, my items are sent out the following day. Packaging is based on what the Japanese merchant sent. For the two VF-171 I got, it was placed in an Amazon box that fits both perfectly but no bubble wrap. Tenso will open the box to inspect the content. If the items are wrapped they will remove the wrapping but will not wrap it back. If you use their consolidation service, they will repack and use those air pocket spacer to fill the gaps but do not bubble wrap the items.

that lasted pretty long this time

Hope those who haven't scored one (or an extra) finally managed to get one at this awesome price

Probably lasted a while as well due to the VF-171 being out for a couple of weeks now and most people would have picked one up already and it was probably sold to people considering picking up another.

[royard]

I am happy with their service. The day they receive it, I will receive notification that they have received it later in the evening on the same day. And so far when I request shipping on that day, my items are sent out the following day. Packaging is based on what the Japanese merchant sent. For the two VF-171 I got, it was placed in an Amazon box that fits both perfectly but no bubble wrap. Tenso will open the box to inspect the content. If the items are wrapped they will remove the wrapping but will not wrap it back. If you use their consolidation service, they will repack and use those air pocket spacer to fill the gaps but do not bubble wrap the items.

Probably lasted a while as well due to the VF-171 being out for a couple of weeks now and most people would have picked one up already and it was probably sold to people considering picking up another.

Thanks for the very detailed explanation, especially for the consolidation service bit--I didn't see that they offer something like that. I will think about trying them out.

[yman1437]

Amen.

Well, the thing is if its sold out everywhere now, you will be singing I love ny all day long.... How do you know how the stock situation gonna be?

[Valkyrie Magnus]

I got my 2nd one from NY today. Thanks to Loop for showing me I need more than just 1 lol. I love the look of the fighter and I preordered 2 armor sets as well making a very tough looking squadron.

[usagiz]

I made it all the way to gerwalk without instructions, then it got ugly! I finally used a side shot to figure out the rest and got it to battroid! Number of pieces which popped or flew off onto the floor: 16! Chest piece was the worst, especially trying to reattach:) I guess I know why they are called nightmares! I am glad I sold off my alto and will have 2 of these...

(null)

Edited May 15, 2013 by usagiz

[raptormesh]

Huh is that normal no pieces popped out during transformation for me but had to contend with silly tight joints and it took me 10 minutes to lock the backpack in battroid mode.

[Valkyrie Magnus]

These things look awesome in fighter mode. I don't think I will transform them.

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

nice fleet, the 17's in front blend well in that pic with the 171's

[David Hingtgen]

without instructions.......Number of pieces which popped or flew off onto the floor: 16

There you go.

[Gakken85]

http://imgur.com/a/fHe2Q

The transformation was fun... for the most part.

I had issues with:

1. The little slidey black tabs in the armpit. wasn't sure how to position them at first.

2. Pulling one of the legs all the way out at the hip. That little pop was fine on one leg, but annoying on the other.

3. I didn't figure out that I had the head twisted improperly until I was almost finished, and I had to backtrack.

3. Locking the chest in. I finally figured out that back plate and the mid nose cone snap together near the bottom, not up at the back.

Overall it's very sturdy and looks beautiful. I'm still a bit pissed about the scuffs from the factory... it's like buying a new car with scratches on it, but maybe I'll get another at some point.

I don't think the transformation is any worse than the Masterpiece Skywarp, other than fiddling with the chest locks. I love the articulation in the legs and the metal bits.