Bandai VF-31AX Kairos Plus - Hayate Type

[VF-Zero]

21 minutes ago, jenius said:

Yamato is bankrupt. Many of the folks from Yamato started a new company called Arcadia. Arcadia even owns some of the old Yamato molds, like the VF-1. Arcadia makes much fewer products than Yamato did but they DO support the Macross Zero line. The Arcadia VF-0 toys are generally big improvements from the Yamatos and they also have an improved SV-51 you should check out. Do note that Arcadia toys are built in much smaller quantities with much higher price tags. 

Bandai is also about to release a Hi-Metal R VF-0 toy that should have an attractive price point for a smaller (1/100ish) toy. 

OMG, now i'm obsessed with that Arcadia SV-51... 😮 The pics looks increadbly amazing, i can't believe my eyes. It is expensive, but i must have it. I will probabaly never take it out of box after paying that, only admire it from the box's window. If i play with it and breake it, it's definetly sepuku time for me... I can't dare...

[VF-Zero]

2 minutes ago, no3Ljm said:

It's a great time for you to come back to this hobby. Lots of good stuff.  

Be warned though. It's always a matter of how much our wallets can support this plastic addiction.  

 

Don't worry man. I'm a Prime 1 and Sideshow DC Comics Statue Collector, i can handle these beauties.

[aurance]

47 minutes ago, VF-Zero said:

I love big robots and i can not lie... The other bothers can't denia 

Guys and Girls, i wasn't around since the 2008, Is Yamato still making Transformable 1/60 Valkyrie models ? I bearly remember hearing something like Yamato bankrupted or someting at some point... But i didn't check the information out. I want to live in denial, If it's true. I only have VF-0S Transformable model from Yamato. I'm a Big Macross Zero fan.  I was going crazy for the Macross Models, Yamato were doing back in the day, but i was just a student back then.... I didn't have the money... 

Now, i'm back to get all the Yamato Valkyries i want, if they didn't bankropted... If they bankrupted ( i don't see any Yamato models on BBTS), i will get the Bandai ones. Is Bandai the Flag Carrier after Yamato for VF models ? The upcoming VF-25 Massiah anniversay edition looks amazing, i will definetly get it.  

Welcome back, fellow collector. 😁

[VF-Zero]

1 minute ago, aurance said:

Welcome back, fellow collector. 😁

Thanks alot, buddy. My come back will be glorious, soon i will swim in Sentinel, Bandai and Arcadia Models. Sky is the limit.

[no3Ljm]

5 minutes ago, VF-Zero said:

Don't worry man. I'm a Prime 1 and Sideshow DC Comics Statue Collector, i can handle these beauties.

Prime1? Out of curiosity. Any chance you purchased their Robotech VF-1 releases?

https://www.prime1studio.com/robotech-saga.html

 

[VF-Zero]

6 minutes ago, no3Ljm said:

Prime1? Out of curiosity. Any chance you purchased their Robotech VF-1 releases?

https://www.prime1studio.com/robotech-saga.html

 

No, unfortunatly. When it comes to Macross, i prefere transformable figures. 

[Angesdad]

2 hours ago, no3Ljm said:

 

 

Never get tired of this GIF, love it. Sad but true!

[no3Ljm]

3 hours ago, Angesdad said:

Never get tired of this GIF, love it. Sad but true!

Thanks!  

 

[Sokeijon]

Finally, I just got my VF-31AX. Not sure the quality control is bad or someone had opened my unit, played and put it back, sealed again. The paint job is terrible, a lot of scratches and the gaps are awful. My VF-31J Kai has perfect paint jobs and everything is tight in one piece. Anyway, still glad that no crack is seen.   

[hoahuynh]

Finally got my AX today, looks great but seems to be QC issue like everyone else.

Seems minor compared to what other people are reporting. One tail fine is flushed, while the other appears to be 2mm out of alignment.

My biggests gripe is the bits behind the intake, have not read anyone else having the same issue as me thou. WIll need too spend some time looking at it closer to see if its genuinely a problem.

On a side note, is there any sites that has a super set I could order off still, was holding out hoping my local would do it but due to COVID and timing they were away on holiday when the superset was released.

Edited February 7, 2022 by hoahuynh

[no3Ljm]

3 hours ago, hoahuynh said:

On a side note, is there any sites that has a super set I could order off still, was holding out hoping my local would do it but due to COVID and timing they were away on holiday when the superset was released.

Big In Japan has it for Y11800.

https://www.biginjap.com/en/completed-models/26577-macross-delta-dx-chogokin-vf-31ax-kairos-plus-hayate-immelmann-super-parts-set-.html

Luna Park has it for Y12500.

https://www.lunapark.store/product-page/dx-chogokin-vf-31ax-kairos-plus-hayate-immelmann-super-parts-set-japan-version

Now, I know most members here have different experiences with Luna Park. I haven't use them yet. They're somehow not consistent on everyone's packaging. So please take this message as a caution.

Big In Japan on the other hand, I used them a number of times before for TWE stuff and I didn't had any problems with them.

 

Do remember since this is a TWE product, it has to be paid upfront no matter which store you use.

Edited February 7, 2022 by no3Ljm

[recon]

17 hours ago, Sokeijon said:

Finally, I just got my VF-31AX. Not sure the quality control is bad or someone had opened my unit, played and put it back, sealed again. The paint job is terrible, a lot of scratches and the gaps are awful. My VF-31J Kai has perfect paint jobs and everything is tight in one piece. Anyway, still glad that no crack is seen.   

Seems that this release is plague with problems and issues. Not sure if this due to lack of QC or backlogs on current releases. 

[Sokeijon]

Sharing some photos, some scratches may not be able to capture under camera.

 

[seti88]

8 minutes ago, Sokeijon said:

Sharing some photos, some scratches may not be able to capture under camera.

That looks ok to me, as in the context of other painted/tampoed toy/models out there.

Probably the matt finish is just making it look a bit more....dirty?
Or a matt finish doesnt 'protect/hide' blemishes as much as a glossy finish does.

Edited February 8, 2022 by seti88

[Angesdad]

44 minutes ago, Sokeijon said:

Sharing some photos, some scratches may not be able to capture under camera.

 

Ahhh the typical Bandai QC we come to embrace and love...NOT! (Seriously that ain’t too bad)

[Sokeijon]

Ya, not too bad. Lucky no cracking parts. 

[Sokeijon]

Just noticed the poor paint jobs.

[sh9000]

My package from Luna Park arrived.

https://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/topic/49497-general-discussion-of-stores-store-policies-and-practices-shipping-and-handling-types-of-packaging-supply-and-demand-favorite-cardboard-from-stores-pics-of-shipping-boxes-from-stores/#comment-1608538

 

[Chronocidal]

Welp.. that's disappointing.

I've gotten nothing for about two weeks now, since I first got tracking info, so maybe they'll cancel mine and I can just dodge that bullet.   Not feeling like I need duplicates of this one, really.

[PsYcHoDyNaMiX]

8 hours ago, sh9000 said:

My package from Luna Park arrived.

https://www.macrossworld.com/mwf/topic/49497-general-discussion-of-stores-store-policies-and-practices-shipping-and-handling-types-of-packaging-supply-and-demand-favorite-cardboard-from-stores-pics-of-shipping-boxes-from-stores/#comment-1608538

 

That's so fkd up. Im considering canceling/cc chargeback for my vf31ax mirage po.

[jenius]

I just got mine to battroid for the first time... and I don't understand the gun at all. I can used the fixed posed hand to hold it but it's at an unnatural angle. The back portion of the grip interferes with the forearm. Anyone got a good trick to make it better?

[Sanity is Optional]

28 minutes ago, jenius said:

I just got mine to battroid for the first time... and I don't understand the gun at all. I can used the fixed posed hand to hold it but it's at an unnatural angle. The back portion of the grip interferes with the forearm. Anyone got a good trick to make it better?

Try holding it in 2 hands across the body like with a VF-27, or Michael's sniper on a VF-25?

[Angesdad]

7 hours ago, jenius said:

I just got mine to battroid for the first time... and I don't understand the gun at all. I can used the fixed posed hand to hold it but it's at an unnatural angle. The back portion of the grip interferes with the forearm. Anyone got a good trick to make it better?

Can you not use the included fixed pose hand that has a downward angle to it?

[jenius]

Here's a picture of what I'm talking about:

You can see to the left that the grip of the gun is a big U and the back of that U lands right where the forearm is. On the right you can see that this means the gun must be angled away from where the hand points because of the conflict of the grip and the forearm. Imagine shooting a gun that was always point 20 degrees off from where you pointed. I suppose a Valkyrie could automatically compensate for this but I just wanted to confirm I wasn't missing something or doing something wrong. It's a left/right issue so the downward sloped hand doesn't change it. 

[Angesdad]

6 minutes ago, jenius said:

Here's a picture of what I'm talking about:

You can see to the left that the grip of the gun is a big U and the back of that U lands right where the forearm is. On the right you can see that this means the gun must be angled away from where the hand points because of the conflict of the grip and the forearm. Imagine shooting a gun that was always point 20 degrees off from where you pointed. I suppose a Valkyrie could automatically compensate for this but I just wanted to confirm I wasn't missing something or doing something wrong. It's a left/right issue so the downward sloped hand doesn't change it. 

I see what you mean. That's really not great and adds to the long list of AX fitment & design issues.😔 

[sqidd]

6 hours ago, jenius said:

Here's a picture of what I'm talking about:

You can see to the left that the grip of the gun is a big U and the back of that U lands right where the forearm is. On the right you can see that this means the gun must be angled away from where the hand points because of the conflict of the grip and the forearm. Imagine shooting a gun that was always point 20 degrees off from where you pointed. I suppose a Valkyrie could automatically compensate for this but I just wanted to confirm I wasn't missing something or doing something wrong. It's a left/right issue so the downward sloped hand doesn't change it. 

Jeez. The AX is the gift that keeps on giving.........I'm glad I got two.......and PO'd Mirage. 

[jenius]

I suspect this one is a Kawamori issue.. I wonder how it's handle in the anime. Did the 3D model just let the grip go through the forearm? We shall see.

[no3Ljm]

In the series & movie, VF-31AX Kairos Plus is an upgrade of VF-31 Kairos. But in DX form, it's the opposite. What a shame, Bandai. What a shame. 

 

[jenius]

I guess any gun with a stock might be held at an angle while braced... So I don't know, it may seem awkward but not really be that off.

[DewPoint]

I would think that the gun would need to be at that angle of you do anything close to a 90 degree elbow bend. The angle does seem a tad much though.

[seti88]

Don’t have the AX valk, but could it be that the grip is the back of the ‘U’?

Ie. It doesn’t have a conventional gun trigger and the front part is merely a hinge, not a trigger?

[kajnrig]

I'm not sure what the issue here is. That's just a natural consequence of the gun's handle design. Apparently the 31AX has a new hand angled specifically for holding this gun? Is that the case or no? If Bandai were smart they would have included one, but if their hobby division is anything to go by, then they'll be as cheap as possible and you'll just have to deal with it.

[no3Ljm]

I think I understand what's @jenius is pointing out. The first thing that comes to mind is GITS Motoko Kusanagi on how she holds the stocked rifle. I know her figures has more wrist articulation and the connection from the wrist to the forearm is more fluid so it looks more natural compared to Battroid that has less wrist articulation and blocky forearms. So holding a stocked rifle needed to be angled a little from the forearm. Esp on the VF-31AX since its forearm is tad thicker than the previous model.

 

Previous VF-31 can hold the rifle closer to the forearm, tend to look more straight due to the forearm is not as thick as the VF-31AX.

 

Edited February 12, 2022 by no3Ljm

[kajnrig]

I get it, I just don't understand what's problematic or unnatural about it. I suppose it's just so common to me that I've sort of become numb to it.

One way to "fix" it is to change up the posing of the arm so that the elbow is protruding away from the body a bit. That should free up some space that the handle can drop into. You'll want to manipulate the wrist as well, such that it's in line with the shoulder in whichever direction you want the gun to be pointing.

Really, though, Bandai should be including specialized hands specifically for that gun.

 

[jenius]

22 minutes ago, kajnrig said:

I get it, I just don't understand what's problematic or unnatural about it. I suppose it's just so common to me that I've sort of become numb to it.

One way to "fix" it is to change up the posing of the arm so that the elbow is protruding away from the body a bit. That should free up some space that the handle can drop into. You'll want to manipulate the wrist as well, such that it's in line with the shoulder in whichever direction you want the gun to be pointing.

Really, though, Bandai should be including specialized hands specifically for that gun.

 

Yeah, I think that's the simple solution: A fixed posed hand with a steep cock at the wrist to offset the angle. Also agreed, holding it more like a rifle than a pistol makes a lot of sense and is more fitting to the design of the gun (and looks cool to boot!). Kawamori should put a bit more thought into the gun next time around... this grip is an ergonomics nightmare.