Bandai DX Chogokin 1/48 VF-1

[davidwhangchoi]

Let me think like Bandai for a sec:

Tease a really popular valk with a great attachment:  VF-1 Atmospheric-Escape Booster. 

Get the fan base excited to pre-order it.  next: start exploiting the same fans by selling TV red tipped reaction warheads exclusive to a super Roy TV VF-1S w/ Hikuru figure and charge $550.

Release Tv Max 1a with animation error removal-able vertical stabilizers stacked with missiles but troll fans and omit tv 1a kakazaki. 

 

Chogokin vf-1 are solid 1/48  yamato's version 2 toys. love them chogokin vf-1's

but hate the company's schemes to nickel and dime the fans.

Bandai will release a really good product for a good price, then exploit by nickel and dime with small items omitted. 

then reprint the main hero valk while omitting other valks on purpose to string fans along. 

 

Bandai launched Metal Build lineup with 00 Exia in 2011,  from 2011 to 2026 never gave the entire 00 lineup or at least complete the main 4 hero suits. reprinting  exia or 00 raiser till people stopped caring. 

 

I still love Yamato they produced full vermillion and skull squadron without playing these games. Yamato gave us fan made customs as the 1/48 vf-1a low viz and the city urban camo. Love Yamato/Arcadia as a company, we'll have to wait till 2027-2028 for their next release. 

[Froy]

If Bandai is going to pull one more of this dumb moves at less they should throw in a grey goggle head like yamato did back then.

[nightmareB4macross]

3 minutes ago, Froy said:

If Bandai is going to pull one more of this dumb moves at less they should throw in a grey goggle head like yamato did back then.

They already did this with the GBP-1J Bundle set.

[jenius]

If it's the 1J Hikaru again they should make it a TV super bundle with a TWE Miria in a similar set up being available a month later... 

[Froy]

29 minutes ago, nightmareB4macross said:

They already did this with the GBP-1J Bundle set.

The extra head in that bundle could actually be the one with the white goggle. Only in very rare instances the TV armored VF-1J is presented with a white goggle. 

[grogall]

 On 8/10/2025 at 11:02 AM, grogall said:

I guess you thought's where positive lately! 😉

I think everyone is just being way too negative in their expectations lately! You have to think like @Shawn and it will happen!

I'm positive the VE-1 Elintseeker is going to happen this year, I'm positive so it will happen! 🤗................😉

 

 

[Ignacio Ocamica]

Don't know how many times I've posted this same question:

Bandai, when are you going to release DYRL VF-1A Hikaru????

[grogall]

1 hour ago, Ignacio Ocamica said:

Don't know how many times I've posted this same question:

Bandai, when are you going to release DYRL VF-1A Hikaru????

Please address your question about releases to Kazuhiro Takenaka  k.takenaka@p-bandai.co.jp and not here in the forum! 😉

[borgified]

I also get the same rhetorical question about “When is so and so company going to do this and that?” on other hobby forums as well and expect that specific company to reply to that question, but in reality, the company is not on those specific forums. Why not just forward those questions to the company themselves and see what their reply is? 

Hoping to see new Macross stuff in the pipeline as I’m honestly getting tired out. 

[Duymon]

inb4 bandai stops making 1/48, leaving completionists in rage and starts making a new-new vf-1 toy series in another scale, and starts all over with TV Hikaru 1J.

☠️

[m0n5t3r]

3 hours ago, Duymon said:

inb4 bandai stops making 1/48, leaving completionists in rage and starts making a new-new vf-1 toy series in another scale, and starts all over with TV Hikaru 1J.

☠️

They're already kinda doing it by reviving the 1/55s. Probably still gauging the max money they can make off of nostalgia and how to promote/market it similar to those TF missing link stuff... limited production, marketing it as some "collector grade" will-become-vintage type of figure... before collectors either "get tired out" or  just die out 😅.

Still miffed that the latest VF-1S release is region restricted here in Asia (where both Japan and China are located, doh!) and preorders here from local dealers are at TWE level prices ($290++) for a retail release! I just want to get one to get to experience it, even though I've restricted myself to 1/60s and HMRs for Macross stuff. Tempted to preorder one I saw online from a JP "indent" seller, but it's still at $215. On a different note, there was a DX YF-21 available from a similar JP seller for only $175, but yesterday only. Scared off by the potential broken parts out of the box and that it's only really good for one mode.

 

 

 

Edited February 16 by m0n5t3r

[Froy]

Yeah! Bring the 1/35 line in already!

https://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/topic/43122-bandai-135-dx-vf-1/page/7/#findComment-1234156

[davidwhangchoi]

2 hours ago, Duymon said:

inb4 bandai stops making 1/48, leaving completionists in rage and starts making a new-new vf-1 toy series in another scale, and starts all over with TV Hikaru 1J.

☠️

lol Metal Structure VF-1J Hikaru $1000 USD

optional missiles $150

Fast packs $300

[Duymon]

10 hours ago, davidwhangchoi said:

lol Metal Structure VF-1J Hikaru $1000 USD

optional missiles $150

Fast packs $300

don't forget the part where they release dyrl fast packs with all of skull squadron but only ever release a hikaru 1S and a kakizaki 1A and released tv roy 3 times 

[rocketblast]

On 2/6/2026 at 2:43 PM, Shawn said:

@jenius Awesome review thanks for sharing!

They should call this Hellboy mode!

I like the armor, too bad they don't sell it separate like they did with the previous release.  Don't really feel I need one more VF-1S.

[SpaceCowboy]

I've been dormant in the collecting game for a few years.  I think i got purchase fatigue combined with losing the desire to wake up at 1AM to slam a server for an hour to get a $200-$400 toy. 

So i don't have any dx 1/48th (though I have a couple of yamatos).

What are the chances I'll be able to pick up a DX VF-1S Roy revival in August at non-scalper prices?  Or should I just be trolling ebay for a v1 release?

[Special Sauce]

It seems that it's a little easier than it's been to get these now but with tariffs it's gonna cost more no matter where you get it

Edited March 20 by Special Sauce

[SpaceCowboy]

Yeah, tariffs are dumb... but you think i could get a revival for $300 or so in August. V1 dx VF-1S looks like it's around $400 otherwise.  

[Special Sauce]

4 minutes ago, SpaceCowboy said:

Yeah, tariffs are dumb... but you think i could get a revival for $300 or so in August. V1 dx VF-1S looks like it's around $400 otherwise.  

Seems like most Revival stuff has been selling around $300 at US retailers so I can't see why you wouldn't be able to get one for around that price.  With the Supreme Court ruling that the tariffs are illegal there's the potential for them to be a little cheaper moving forward as well.  Some US retailers are a little cheaper than others so shop around when it becomes available for pre order

Edited March 20 by Special Sauce

[SpaceCowboy]

Cool,  I think I'll hold off and see what happens in August once the release comes out or if there are US preorders available since I missed the Japanese window. 

Edited March 20 by SpaceCowboy
Grammar

[vladykins]

On 3/20/2026 at 11:38 AM, Special Sauce said:

Seems like most Revival stuff has been selling around $300 at US retailers so I can't see why you wouldn't be able to get one for around that price.  With the Supreme Court ruling that the tariffs are illegal there's the potential for them to be a little cheaper moving forward as well.  Some US retailers are a little cheaper than others so shop around when it becomes available for pre order

Sadly that killed off certain targeted tariffs and instead were replaced with more general tariffs to avoid the IEEPA ruling. But those at least must expire after 150 days.

[seti88]

Next VF-1 DX ...top gun version...1st April....

[grogall]

49 minutes ago, seti88 said:

Next VF-1 DX ...top gun version...1st April....

Are you making an April fools joke before April 1st.? That's bad luck! 🤮

[seti88]

16 minutes ago, grogall said:

Are you making an April fools joke before April 1st.? That's bad luck! 🤮

No joke, saw some online already calling for it…accompanied with the RT copyright bla bla bla replies…

[grogall]

It's not a VF-1, it's a VF-25 and doesn't belong here! 

[Special Sauce]

I kinda like it

[Radioguy]

I like the colors too.

[mechaninac]

Having this be a VF-25 instead of a VF-1 makes perfect sense from an aesthetic approach; after all, the Messiah is the closest Macross air/spaceframe in overall look to the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.  Got to say, I'm highly tempted to get a copy because it looks great and, like Yamato's 1/48 VF-1A Low Vis (to this day, one of my all-time favorites), "grounded" in realism.

[Radioguy]

Overall, the response is really great on this. I wonder if more than Bandai expected.

[Lolicon]

Welp, so much for me not pre-ordering any more Bandai valkyries...

[Decepticlone]

I just acquired my first DX 1/48 VF-1S from Tamashi Nations on the US Amazon site. I pre-ordered the revival Fokker VF-1S on Amazon Japanwhich did not include shipping or tarrifs and cancelled it once I found it on the Tamashi US store. Tarrifs were included, although it mentioned nothing about them. I just took a chance. Brand new, shipped to my door from Japan in 7 days. I just didn't want to wait for the revival and chance missing it or paying ungodly tarrifs.

This will be my fourth valk, my first one being a Yamato 1/60 DYRL I bought back in 2008 or so. I bought the ThreeZero VF-1J a couple months ago and THAT sent me off trying to get a DX. Absolutely needed a DX before the world descends farther into hell. I've been a TF Masterpiece collector for a long time and technically my second valkyrie was MP-57 Skyfire. 

I need a fast or strike pack now, but those aren't available anywhere except Japan from what i can find. There are at least ebay listings for vf-1's in north america. I have a used VF-1J coming as well. The addiction has taken hold.