Bandai DX YF-30 Chronos

[treatment]

I think it's funny how for the last two years there's been a lot of "pass, it's silly looking" talk on this thread and now it's suddenly ,"Holy!!! I have to get at least two!"

that's bc the silly looking missile comes off and it looks great without it. i still think it looks dumb w the missile rack in battroid.

Nice posed pics from the members and all, but I think it still looks really dumb and really silly with and without the missile-rack.

Still a pass to me.

[Kanedas Bike]

Nice posed pics from the members and all, but I think it still looks really dumb and really silly with and without the missile-rack.

Still a pass to me.

Stay true!

HLJ still hasn't sent my payment request yet, which suits me just fine for now.

-b.

[mechaninac]

Nice posed pics from the members and all, but I think it still looks really dumb and really silly with and without the missile-rack.

Still a pass to me.

All Valkyries are planes that transform into robots; they are ALL really dumb and really silly looking in their own particular ways... and I love'em all.

Edited August 9, 2014 by mechaninac

[Kanedas Bike]

*snip*

crazy forum error/double-post

Edited August 9, 2014 by Kanedas Bike

[Swoosh]

Nice. Swoosh, you have cemented yourself in the history of the YF-30 release. Competent , pleasant pictures of a new release. Very enjoyable. You have made the wait tolerable! Could you take some detail pics of how the nose cone transforms, and sits in battroid? Maybe a step by step focused on that area? Your braceless gerwalk photos establish the lack of need for said brace, but I am still curious about battroid.

If you want to keep it in gerwalk mode, it is better to use the brace, coz wings and missile pod still making it back heavy, it may be hold up well for a few photos shoot, yes, it is tighter than Bandai previous release but I can see those joints will still get loose overtime....

Battroid actually holds up a lot better than Gerwalk

[ChaoticYeti]

If you want to keep it in gerwalk mode, it is better to use the brace, coz wings and missile pod still making it back heavy, it may be hold up well for a few photos shoot, yes, it is tighter than Bandai previous release but I can see those joints will still get loose overtime....

Battroid actually holds up a lot better than Gerwalk

Interesting.

[lechuck]

Amazing what an integrated waist joint can do for the battroid.

Now if we could only get some double jointed knees, torso joint and forward pivoting shoulders in future valks...

Pic request, can someone do some close-up profile shots of the head (no fancy angling).

Would appreciate it, thanks.

Edited August 9, 2014 by lechuck

[Loop]

Nice! My second unit from CDJ might make it out of Japan before the holiday, has changed to shipping in progress.

[ULessa]

Nice! My second unit from CDJ might make it out of Japan before the holiday, has changed to shipping in progress.

No stats on my order but everything should be shipped out in 2 days anyway.

[no3Ljm]

I think so. The pelvic area requires a downward push to disconnect from the main body during transformation, and if I remember correctly, it's held by a pair of screws at the back. Correct me if I'm wrong though...only transformed it last night.

Thanks Shukenzero. Looking forward to examine everything just in case it needs fixing.

Love this shots. I always have the Robocop impression on the head.

[anime52k8]

that's bc the silly looking missile comes off and it looks great without it. i still think it looks dumb w the missile rack in battroid.

It looks ok without the missile pod, but it also looses all it's character. The giant bar-o-missile over the head is it's unique trait, without it, the YF-30 just looks like a VF-25 without the sexy proportions.

[TCracker]

Mine ia coming next week..

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

It's so funny to live through the trends/eras of mechanical design in anime and be present to see how fans react and perceive the changing design of mecha. Not just because the industry trends pertain to Macross, but looking at the mecha genre in anime overall. I recall years ago how many long time Macross fans felt at the time the Macross Plus mecha (the VF-11 Thunderbolt in particular) was so thin and gaunt compared to the old school Macross designs and even the larger super/real robot mecha they were used to. As time went on and mecha designs became noticeably sleeker (of which much of the Macross franchise was responsible for promoting) this reaction from fans appeared again and again with almost every sequel. Macross Zero seemed to be a real point of contention for thin robot modes and Macross Frontier mecha raised even more scrutiny for it's thin designs.

But post-Evangelion, so much anime mecha has been informed by those thin, emaciated EVA designs for so many years that it has become the norm in anime mecha. The fact that a mecha as slim and sleek as the YF-30 Chronos can now be perceived as "beefy" or "muscular" in comparison seems to me a rather amazing turn in how we mecha fans look at modern mechanical design. We sure think quite differently than we did years ago...or perhaps some of us haven't changed all that much and still think these designs aren't "big" enough

Compared to destroids they are all skinny. I think we must keep in mind that the overall mecha are huge. SV-51 is skinny looking, but it is heavier than vf-1 I would imagine due to more volume. Since fighter jets are meant to be light overall, it makes sense that they are weak-looking compared to say zentradi power armour with all the bulky shapes. VF-17 is the exception. What is needed is more transforming destroids but these are not the heroes. Imagine if S.Kawamori allowed them to transform into tanks or something so the ground mechs could appear less useless? They started to put wheels on them in mac zero, so the logical evolution is they have some kind of antigravity hovering capability or something. (think floating rocks helping them to lift them and they slide across the ground like the MS-09 Doms in gundam haha)

VF-11 still looks skinny to me because its shoulder armor look so vulnerable compared to the vf-1 which covers all sides and looks more robust protecting the joints. The yf-19 and yf-21 cover more too. It is such an unsafe looking bot mode imo No wonder the bloody gunpod was lousy and jammed up. It's just a cheap robot made on tight budget.

Edited August 9, 2014 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[Mr March]

I know we all look at bipedal robots and anthropomorphize them because they appear to us like a human body. But I've never equated "skinny" with "weak" when examining the Macross mecha, or any robot. They are robots; the "thickness" of their limbs has zero bearing on mechanical strength. Depending on the construction/technology of any given robot, thin limbs can actually be "stronger" than large limbs since they do not use "muscles". Of course any given robot's limbs must be designed/built for a given range of mechanical lift but power generation would ultimately determine the limit of mechanical strength. More power generation would mean more lifitng capability. So technically each Valkyrie generation should be "stronger" than the previous generation, regardless of aesthetic appearance.

Digressing back to aesthetics, I just find it interesting that in the modern era of Macross (let's arbitrarily label that era as Macross Zero to Macross Frontier) fans are now so used to thinner mecha design that to some, the YF-30 Chronos can be viewed as "bulky" and "muscular" by comparison. I personally think the limbs of the YF-30 are rather lithe, but I think the broadness of the Chronos torso and the Chronos transformation system relative to the VF-25 Messiah/VF-27 Lucifer/YF-29 Durandal range of mecha can make it appear a little more impoising in robot mode.

Edited August 9, 2014 by Mr March

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

It looks ok without the missile pod, but it also looses all it's character. The giant bar-o-missile over the head is it's unique trait, without it, the YF-30 just looks like a VF-25 without the sexy proportions.

true,

but the fight mode is where it's at. and before, i was just trying to tolerate the stadium lights in the other modes.

actually was afraid battroid would look hollow without lights since it's torso is smaller than the 25's but it does look decent... and can hold it's own without the missiles. i'm excited if other attachments come out for it.

[Valkyrie Hunter D]

This is the first "modern" valk I'll be getting in a long time. This delta winged beaut looks so much better than ANY Frontier valk. My almost forgotten pre-order should be getting here from CDJ in a few days, so I now pray to the Hory Froating Head that it'll be in one piece.

[zzgundam010]

Thanks for posting all the great pics, everyone. Can't wait for mine to arrive.

[firefly]

me too

[Kurisama]

Goddamn that is a gorgeous valk. I regret not getting a pre-order in. Also that I can't afford it right now!

[valhary]

official site

http://tamashii.jp/special/macross/yf-30/

[ChaoticYeti]

official site

http://tamashii.jp/special/macross/yf-30/

That is a fun read.

[Golden Arms]

The gallery demands a video review!

[barurutor]

The last 2 days worth of picture posts in this thread have been awesome, now I wish I hadn't passed up pre-ordering this.

[Valkyrie Magnus]

This almost makes me wish I ordered 2

[ErikElvis]

neither of mine have shipped from cdj or ny. I NEEEEEdddddd herrrr

[Valkyrie23]

Did anyone get a payment request form HLJ yet?

I guess at this point, it will ship after the holiday

[Gakken85]

Some people will hate anything that's over $100 bucks haha.

Any comments from those who have one in hand if they feel any looseness or qa problems?

Easy to forget those in the afterglow

[Gakken85]

just got a payment request from hlj

[Kanedas Bike]

Did anyone get a payment request form HLJ yet?

I guess at this point, it will ship after the holiday

just got a payment request from hlj

ditto, literally just now

-b.

[Pedro2k6]

Finally HLJ send my payment request for the YF-30.

EMS shipping this time is little more expensive than last month with the VF-25

Edited August 9, 2014 by Pedro2k6

[UN Spacy]

The gallery demands a video review!

Jenius or VEEF will probably have theirs out first.

I might do one...but it'll be at the end of this month lol.

[anime52k8]

Has anyone taken battroid pictures next to a YF-29/VF-25?

[Mommar]

I was planning to do a video review for the YF-30 when it arrives but right now it's scheduled for Wednesday which means I won't have time to do anything until at least next weekend. Not sure if I'll be able to put anything together.

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

I know we all look at bipedal robots and anthropomorphize them because they appear to us like a human body. But I've never equated "skinny" with "weak" when examining the Macross mecha, or any robot. They are robots; the "thickness" of their limbs has zero bearing on mechanical strength. Depending on the construction/technology of any given robot, thin limbs can actually be "stronger" than large limbs since they do not use "muscles". Of course any given robot's limbs must be designed/built for a given range of mechanical lift but power generation would ultimately determine the limit of mechanical strength. More power generation would mean more lifitng capability. So technically each Valkyrie generation should be "stronger" than the previous generation, regardless of aesthetic appearance.

Digressing back to aesthetics, I just find it interesting that in the modern era of Macross (let's arbitrarily label that era as Macross Zero to Macross Frontier) fans are now so used to thinner mecha design that to some, the YF-30 Chronos can be viewed as "bulky" and "muscular" by comparison. I personally think the limbs of the YF-30 are rather lithe, but I think the broadness of the Chronos torso and the Chronos transformation system relative to the VF-25 Messiah/VF-27 Lucifer/YF-29 Durandal range of mecha can make it appear a little more impoising in robot mode.

Thin usually means weaker since enemies also see improvements in materials and other stuff when they steal their rival's ideas and copy them. (happens in all the gundam shows) It's the reason for the pin point barrier on the fist of the robots. When you punch an armored mech the delicate joints go under lot of stress. What makes valkyries special is the speed at which they can reach a target and then get out of the way. You see cannon fodder get blown up so they are not super robots like what the gundam is in the gundam universes with armor that can't be penetrated by bullets (only beam weapon).

When the SDF-1 punches a hole in the skin of the ships it isn't strong enough to not take damage of its own doing this. It must add that barrier to its body to allow it not to get wrecked.

A skinny mech made of good materials is still less than a heavy mech made of the same good materials. A zentradi power armor with claws punching someone in the face and blowing it up from inside with the wrist cannon didn't need a pin point barrier. Because of the overall bulk of the armor and the way the thing is designed: (no delicate joints and skinny finger)

What delicate joints gives is better accuracy when using object so that you have more dexterity when attacking them. You can pick up things and press buttons. If you want to stab a guy with a knife and only going for his throat you will be better able to guide the weapon on that small part of his body thanks to having fingers. Whereas doing that with claws on a power armor is more like trying to hold something with boxing gloves. So I still hold to the idea that bigger and thicker means more robust.

Punching a guy in the face with boxing glove protects your own hand so it's great "armor"/protection, but is it good for holding a baseball bat and swinging that bat around to hit accurately without those fingers free and exposed to manipulate it? Boxing glove might be great for punching a guy in the face, but the accuracy you get from having no gloves/armor on your hands when you hold a weapon means you can hold objects and use them better with your fingers giving full free motion. You trade being allowed to do more damage with a hand carried weapon that requires fingers to guide the weapon, for less protection of delicate joints.

I guess that is what I am talking about with the strength of valkyires being in their speed and accuracy and not in endurance and resistance to damage. They are lighter overall since they are air vehicles. If they are fast that is how they make up for being weak: by avoiding the damage using the speed they can move about at, not taking damage and succeeding in not breaking apart from stress which is what a heavy robot needs as its defense. (GBP armor is probably a half assed solution to that problem but then you won't be able to dodge roll or do any fancy stuff like you see hikaru doing)

If a destroid was the herioc mecha in the show they wouldn't die as easily as cannon fodder. Since SKawamori is a aircraft nut we will probably never see a cool destroid fight scene where it actually kicks butt. Unless it's one he designed himself hehe Most of the battles in the shows are air battles. What if you had no space to fly around? No space to dodge? You might have a mission where you go inside a complex where you have only so much space and have to fight at close range all the time so you would want better armor/stronger body more than light body with good speed since there is little space to avoid things in that kind of environment and having excessive speed gives little advantage because your homing weapons keep hitting walls not the targets. .

When I refer to strength I am not referring to it's ability to lift things but the overall ability to not break apart under pressure. Zentradi mechas have bulky forearms and their weapons are integrated into the frame which offers protection since it is behind the armor, not sticking out exposed to fire or explosives as much. Stuff like that is what I am talking about. Valkyries are ARTIFICIALLY strengthened in bot mode however that is why hikaru didn't die in the episode of SDFM when he crashes the vf-1 into buildings without exploding. But that is enhancements gained from its power source not the design of the robot itself. If a destroid had that too, and if zentradi mecha had it, you would have the same thing.

Contrast this to gundam where the V series of prototype robot is strong only because of materials alone which is why beam weapons are seen as the NEW main weapon for piercing the armor and not use of giant bullets. Normal bullets were the standard weapon for big robots before the first gundam was invented.(ie this robot had those special materials in the armor granting it protection against standard bullet weapons) In macross they just give the bullets the ability to penetrate the armor but the main highlight of valkyries is speed to chase down targets and avoid being shot and getting to the area in time, not in resistance to damage. (giants can still wreck them at close range with their genetically modified bodies. The armor of a zentradi mecha doesn't appear to be any better or worse than human made stuff due to materials like in gundam, but it just looks more bulky and suited for up close combat)

Sorry to go off topic but yeah fat robots rule. Skinny robots are weak.

Edited August 9, 2014 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

The gallery demands a video review!

Yes put it on a rotating base so we get to look at it from all angles. I'm going to get one eventually but I would love to see more vids of it.