Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1

[jenius]

Lol, I don't think it matters that I want it because I don't I'll be able to get it.

[Shawn]

I am sure we'll see them on YJ for 55000 yen when released. I'll just hope we still have a strong USD to Yen in November.

[no3Ljm]

2 hours ago, F360 said:

kinda tempted on this Hikaru super VF-1s .. ... but looks like they are not tossing in any wing missiles at all.  .   

That's why it's a pass for me. 

Also, it's not too 'mechanical' for my taste.  

[Shawn]

The original Mechanic Edition

 

[max928]

On 8/8/2023 at 3:11 PM, nightmareB4macross said:

I’m with you on this.

After all this time this is what’s next?

Bandai could have at least made details for the arm and calf covers, and the clear parts that goes with them. I could have sworn the details were shown during the prototype stages.

Echoing this yawn.   Where is my max DYRL VF-1A, where is VT-1? 

I'll eat my shorts when we get some real announcements, like a release date for dx yf-21 or gasp... a dx vf-11b.  But i digress..

Edited August 9, 2023 by max928

[Lolicon]

Making people buy the same toy again just to get the mechanical details that should have been included in the first place?

No thanks, Bandai.

Great for the people who missed out the first time around though.

[Chronocidal]

5 hours ago, treatment said:

What?

No special rinky-dink banking stand included anymore for an exlusive?

FAIL!

 

That "special" stand adapter to use with super packs was a mistake, or at least the clear plastic was.  Mine cracked the first time I tried to mount it.  

[Radioguy]

1 hour ago, Lolicon said:

Great for the people who missed out the first time around though.

If it were available to them, of course.

Lotsa hurdles so far.

[Raikkonen]

I'm just so grateful this ultra limited release isn't a Low-Vis or Stealth... 

[R0P3-F15H]

what are the chances that the VF-1D gets a re-releases? Its honestly one of the most interesting looking in the line to me, but the after market prices are already double, if not triple release... And what are the chances of a VT-1 release? I assume bandai making a an Elintseeker is a very wide long shot but they could easily make the VF-1A, J and S in cannon fodder colors right? As cool as the 'hero' color fighters are id love to get some more slandered rank and file guys. Its just not an option to get after market for me, let alone attempt to re-paint one given then price id have to pay.

[Shawn]

Unfortunately no one knows Bandai's re-release schedule.

I was surprised enough to see the Mechanic Edition coming with a VF-1S head-why not do an A so then they could be done with the Hikaru DYRL editions and have something else in the pipeline for the 1984/2024 DYRL anniversary next year.

The VF-1Ds are still frequently seen on Yahoo Japan and Mercari via Buyee for around 40k yen new which is about $280 US, plus say $40 for shipping
With the currently strong US dollar to Yen rate, that is effectively what I got mine for when they originally were released (I think mine was $260ish)
Now that does assume you have the US dollar at your disposal of course.

Recently sold examples:
https://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/closedsearch/closedsearch?p=マクロス+超合金+vf-1d&va=マクロス+超合金+vf-1d&b=1&n=100

 

I'm currently saving up for my Mechanic Edition scalping that will happen in November for the release. With that same strong exchange rate, many sellers in Japan know this and are marking up their DXes for overseas sales opportunities. 

[glane21]

It’s disappointing that Bandai can pump out deluxe metal builds of every obscure gundam  almost monthly but it’s years in between Dx Valkyrie releases.

[Slave IV]

2 hours ago, glane21 said:

It’s disappointing that Bandai can pump out deluxe metal builds of every obscure gundam  almost monthly but it’s years in between Dx Valkyrie releases.

They main disappointment is that the Macross fandom is not as big and doesn’t buy enough for Bandai to consider making more DX Valks because if we were that big, they would make more. 

[R0P3-F15H]

57 minutes ago, Slave IV said:

They main disappointment is that the Macross fandom is not as big and doesn’t buy enough for Bandai to consider making more DX Valks because if we were that big, they would make more. 

bit of a surprise to me given every time ive seen a PO go up they are gone within a day or less.

[borgified]

Macross doesn’t get all the hype than compared to TF, Gundam or any other hobbies @R0P3-F15H as they mass produce those things like water and get more world wide attention. 

It’s the FOMO of short production of these items that these Asian collectors overseas get the FOMO fear. Over there in America, Macross is not that well known as it’s a smaller elite niche. 

Quote from one of @tekering blogs if I can remember (slightly deviated) from the much older generation: “Macross?? What the world is that? Is it a Gundam?” 

[Slave IV]

2 hours ago, R0P3-F15H said:

bit of a surprise to me given every time ive seen a PO go up they are gone within a day or less.

Again, partially because they make a lot less because there is less demand. We’re probably talking low 5 figures for most releases and for some of those to sell out instantly and others to go on clearance and still not sell out for months gives you a hint at how small the variance and fandom really is for Macross. 

[R0P3-F15H]

10 hours ago, Shawn said:

Unfortunately no one knows Bandai's re-release schedule.

I was surprised enough to see the Mechanic Edition coming with a VF-1S head-why not do an A so then they could be done with the Hikaru DYRL editions and have something else in the pipeline for the 1984/2024 DYRL anniversary next year.

The VF-1Ds are still frequently seen on Yahoo Japan and Mercari via Buyee for around 40k yen new which is about $280 US, plus say $40 for shipping
With the currently strong US dollar to Yen rate, that is effectively what I got mine for when they originally were released (I think mine was $260ish)
Now that does assume you have the US dollar at your disposal of course.

Recently sold examples:
https://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/closedsearch/closedsearch?p=マクロス+超合金+vf-1d&va=マクロス+超合金+vf-1d&b=1&n=100

 

I'm currently saving up for my Mechanic Edition scalping that will happen in November for the release. With that same strong exchange rate, many sellers in Japan know this and are marking up their DXes for overseas sales opportunities. 

Thanks for the tip I was actually able to nab one pretty close to release price 37000 ish? But they really get you on shipping..

[Raikkonen]

7 hours ago, Slave IV said:

They main disappointment is that the Macross fandom is not as big and doesn’t buy enough for Bandai to consider making more DX Valks because if we were that big, they would make more. 

This. 

Sometimes I wonder if just only the die-hard Gundam Metal Build community that buys multiples of each release, already out numbers the whole of the Macross Fandom that purchases valks. 

[Graham]

I know I'm very late to the game, but after a 6 year hiatus from all things Macross, I finally decided to get myself some Bandai DX VF-1 this in the past month. 😅

Got VF-1S Hikaru + Strike Parts + missile set, VF-1D, VF-1A Kakizaki and VF-1J Hikaru + GBP-1S Armor.

Really nice toys. My only complaint is the way the arms and legs peg into the toy in fighter mode is not really secure enough with the Super/Strike Parts installed.

[Radioguy]

2 hours ago, Graham said:

I know I'm very late to the game, but after a 6 year hiatus from all things Macross, I finally decided to get myself some Bandai DX VF-1 this in the past month. 😅

Got VF-1S Hikaru + Strike Parts + missile set, VF-1D, VF-1A Kakizaki and VF-1J Hikaru + GBP-1S Armor.

Really nice toys. My only complaint is the way the arms and legs peg into the toy in fighter mode is not really secure enough with the Super/Strike Parts installed.

Congrats! I envy your collection.

[Froy]

4 hours ago, Graham said:

I know I'm very late to the game, but after a 6 year hiatus from all things Macross, I finally decided to get myself some Bandai DX VF-1 this in the past month. 😅

Got VF-1S Hikaru + Strike Parts + missile set, VF-1D, VF-1A Kakizaki and VF-1J Hikaru + GBP-1S Armor.

Really nice toys. My only complaint is the way the arms and legs peg into the toy in fighter mode is not really secure enough with the Super/Strike Parts installed.

I read about this long ago on Jenius reviews.

With a little fiddling I was able to push the arm pegs almost all the way.

The leg pegs seems won't go all way in.

 

The thing is you have to push the arms up keeping pressure on the backpack. It doesn't require a lot of force. But should be done with care.

[Chronocidal]

And no, the legs never fit all the way up the pegs either, because the packs actually collide with the backplate before they can sit in place. 

Bandai.. proving once again they can absolutely take a perfectly functional system someone else made, and make it worse in every way.

[Shawn]

They never learned from Graham's Valkyrie Integrity Shake Test (*VIST") from 20 years ago! 
Nice to see you back in the game G!

[Bolt]

17 minutes ago, Shawn said:

They never learned from Graham's Valkyrie Integrity Shake Test (*VIST") from 20 years ago! 
Nice to see you back in the game G!

Awesome! 

[Tking22]

Another day another bump about a new release, but it's not the Kaki TV 1A, sigh, one day....

[505thAirborne]

9 minutes ago, Tking22 said:

Another day another bump about a new release, but it's not the Kaki TV 1A, sigh, one day....

On the plus a side, a post from Graham & Shawn in the same thread... not too shabby a day. 

A TV Kakizaki 1A would be nice but I'm still team Cannon Fodder VF-1A. (TV & DYRL)

[glane21]

16 hours ago, Slave IV said:

They main disappointment is that the Macross fandom is not as big and doesn’t buy enough for Bandai to consider making more DX Valks because if we were that big, they would make more. 

Keeping the gundam metal build comparison going- I know the gundam fandom overall is much larger than Macross, but the metal build collector community is a sub group that reduces the population greatly due to their expensive price tags.  Designing and Tooling each new metal build is intensive and expensive.

Now consider that the DX valk tooling is all done (sans Elint and Ostrich.)   All they have to do is alternate the head and color way to pump out  every pilot or fodder variant.  Monetize that mold. Low effort / high reward.  That’s why the slow releases are puzzling and extra frustrating.

[takatoys]

I bought the Hachette valkyrie just to avoid getting those Bandai exclusives or any other new toy with internal parts. A big investment, but a model this good is what I always wanted.

 

[Slave IV]

9 hours ago, Raikkonen said:

This. 

Sometimes I wonder if just only the die-hard Gundam Metal Build community that buys multiples of each release, already out numbers the whole of the Macross Fandom that purchases valks. 

I don't think there is any doubt about this. Especially when comparing MB buyers to comparable high end Valks (Arcadia and DX level).

1 hour ago, glane21 said:

Keeping the gundam metal build comparison going- I know the gundam fandom overall is much larger than Macross, but the metal build collector community is a sub group that reduces the population greatly due to their expensive price tags.  Designing and Tooling each new metal build is intensive and expensive.

Now consider that the DX valk tooling is all done (sans Elint and Ostrich.)   All they have to do is alternate the head and color way to pump out  every pilot or fodder variant.  Monetize that mold. Low effort / high reward.  That’s why the slow releases are puzzling and extra frustrating.

Same answer. Because the number of people who buy high end (or any) Macross is much lower so why would they just keep pumping out repaints/remolds that are most likely going to the same people? We've already seen that the less popular models usually don't sell out as fast and even go on clearance. Given the assumption that Bandai already produces less of the less popular talks and that still happens, tells you a lot about how small the market really is.

[glane21]

Which Dx releases have gone to clearance though?  If the tv Max 1A release didn’t then the more “expected” schemes  should do well enough.  It’s so low risk for them I think they’re leaving money on the table.

[Raikkonen]

3 hours ago, glane21 said:

Keeping the gundam metal build comparison going- I know the gundam fandom overall is much larger than Macross, but the metal build collector community is a sub group that reduces the population greatly due to their expensive price tags.  Designing and Tooling each new metal build is intensive and expensive.

Now consider that the DX valk tooling is all done (sans Elint and Ostrich.)   All they have to do is alternate the head and color way to pump out  every pilot or fodder variant.  Monetize that mold. Low effort / high reward.  That’s why the slow releases are puzzling and extra frustrating.

The metal build fandom still towers over the macross collectors. I've seen crazy collections, like 3-4 of each and filling entire apartments. 

[Slave IV]

1 hour ago, glane21 said:

Which Dx releases have gone to clearance though?  If the tv Max 1A release didn’t then the more “expected” schemes  should do well enough.  It’s so low risk for them I think they’re leaving money on the table.

Low risk, maybe but the main thing is low returns. But don't underestimate the risks...Yamato made every variant a Macross collector could want and some in a relatively short period of time and look what happened to them. Don't want to get any more into a discussion about how supply and demand works but there is no reason for Bandai to worry about a few people whining that they couldn't get a Macross release they wanted or that they want more Macross releases because they will get to it when they get to it. Meanwhile, pump more resources into other items that they know there is much more demand for and therefore profit involved.

It's safe to assume most Macross collectors also collect other high end toys and if all of a sudden, Bandai released every version of the VF-1 in a short period just because they could, a lot of us couldn't or wouldn't keep up and you get another repeat of the Yamato situation where a bunch are on clearance for a while before they all dry up and by then, Bandai won't want to deal with Macross and what's left in the secondary market skyrockets even more for the few of us to fight over.

Basically, just chill and get the releases you want when/if they come and don't worry about it so much.

[glane21]

Yamato imploded because they diluted the value of their offerings by constantly reissuing them.  They were chasing capital  through sales and it didn’t work, only made their position worse.  Bandai doesn’t make that mistake.  Look at now hard they’re making it to get this latest release with only the clear parts as a new component.   Lotteries and whatnot. But you’re right that Bandai will Bandai and there’s Jack-all we can do about it.

[Radioguy]

Has anyone seen or know what the VF-1S Mechanic Edt. EAN or product number is/will be?

[Spark-O-Matic]

On 8/14/2023 at 1:24 PM, takatoys said:

I bought the Hachette valkyrie just to avoid getting those Bandai exclusives or any other new toy with internal parts. A big investment, but a model this good is what I always wanted.

 

That is an amazing piece! I've never found one low enough in price yet(crossing fingers). did you buy the kits and put together or a finished one?