Bandai VF-31AX Kairos Plus - Hayate Type

[PsYcHoDyNaMiX]

I've lost count of how many 31s I have... I really should do an inventory check.

[ValkAddict]

5 hours ago, Graham said:

If Bandai ever release the Arad and Chuck VF-31AX ...

I am surprised Bandai hasn't already announced these releases, simple repaint and new head sculpt. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[MKT]

I'm warming up to the 31AXs more now. Primarily I think the paint scheme, especially in Fighter, looks better than the base 31 and even more so when putting all three AX releases side by side.. 

[Shawn]

8 hours ago, Graham said:

I think I have a VF-31AX Hayate fighter mode obsession. 😅

So far I have 4x VF-31AX Hayate, displayed as:

• 1x in Fighter mode.
• 1x in Fighter mode with Super Packs.
• 1x in Fighter mode with Armored Pack.
• 1x in Fighter mode with Super Ghost set.

I just absolutely love how the VF-31AX looks in Fighter mode.

I also have:

• 1x VF-31AX Mirage type in Fighter mode.
• 1x VF-31AX Bogue type in GERWALK mode.

If Bandai ever release the Arad and Chuck VF-31AX, I'm definitely getting 2 of each and displaying one in Fighter mode and one in Battroid mode.

In the world of smart phones we expect pictures!

 

[Chronocidal]

10 hours ago, ValkAddict said:

I am surprised Bandai hasn't already announced these releases, simple repaint and new head sculpt. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I would guess they're gauging how much demand there is for a complete set based on sales of the same characters the first time around.

That is to say, no, I don't expect to EVER see Arad and Chuck get any releases of anything, ever again.  

I really can't even attempt to wrap my head around what they're planning at this point.  They seem to be half-and-half over whether they're trying to string along the HMR crowd waiting for the rest of the destroids, or re-issuing a pile of things to satisfy the international market now that it's open (which doesn't seem to include anything from Delta, funny enough).

On the other hand, I really wouldn't be surprised to find out that Bandai has gone silent to prep for a simultaneous international release for whatever series Kawamori is busy cooking up now.

I would love them to get around to someday finishing the first set of super packs for Delta, or, even better, get around to finishing the DX VF-1 line.. but it looks like they're too focused on the things they can actually release to the rest of the world.

Edited September 12, 2023 by Chronocidal

[twich]

1 hour ago, Chronocidal said:

I would guess they're gauging how much demand there is for a complete set based on sales of the same characters the first time around.

That is to say, no, I don't expect to EVER see Arad and Chuck get any releases of anything, ever again.  

I really can't even attempt to wrap my head around what they're planning at this point.  They seem to be half-and-half over whether they're trying to string along the HMR crowd waiting for the rest of the destroids, or re-issuing a pile of things to satisfy the international market now that it's open (which doesn't seem to include anything from Delta, funny enough).

On the other hand, I really wouldn't be surprised to find out that Bandai has gone silent to prep for a simultaneous international release for whatever series Kawamori is busy cooking up now.

I would love them to get around to someday finishing the first set of super packs for Delta, or, even better, get around to finishing the DX VF-1 line.. but it looks like they're too focused on the things they can actually release to the rest of the world.

I am still wishing for a release of the SV-262Hs Bogue Crimson Knight and they simply must make a SV-303!

Twich

[Graham]

11 hours ago, Shawn said:

In the world of smart phones we expect pictures!

 

Haha, at the weekend.

 

[Graham]

On 9/12/2023 at 1:05 AM, Shawn said:

In the world of smart phones we expect pictures!

 

A couple of pics from my bedroom display shelves. I'll. They to get all my 31AX together for a pic at the weekend.

[505thAirborne]

 

[Graham]

Watched that review this morning.

While I know that the VF-31AX Kairos Plus series has some fitment issues in fighter mode, I still actually prefer the appearance of the 31AX toys overall to the VF-31 Siegfried series.

And fighter mode is my favorite mode. 4 out of 5 of my VF-31AX are displayed in fighter mode, as I just love the look of the 31AX in fighter mode.

I also like that in-universe, the Kairos Plus is more of a pure combat fighter, with increased firepower compared to the Siegfrieds, which were more airshow/Walkure support with a reduced/limited combat capability.

I'm also quite a big fan of the Zettai Live movie.

 

[twich]

1 hour ago, Graham said:

Watched that review this morning.

While I know that the VF-31AX Kairos Plus series has some fitment issues in fighter mode, I still actually prefer the appearance of the 31AX toys overall to the VF-31 Siegfried series.

And fighter mode is my favorite mode. 4 out of 5 of my VF-31AX are displayed in fighter mode, as I just love the look of the 31AX in fighter mode.

I also like that in-universe, the Kairos Plus is more of a pure combat fighter, with increased firepower compared to the Siegfrieds, which were more airshow/Walkure support with a reduced/limited combat capability.

I'm also quite a big fan of the Zettai Live movie.

 

I too quite enjoy the Zettai Live Movie, and wish they would go ahead and release the SV-262 and the SV-303!

Twich

[Raikkonen]

I'm waiting for that all grey version re-release... 

[Chronocidal]

I do like what was done well with the 31AX, but I still prefer the overall look of the standard Siegfried and Kairos.  The thick wing roots bug me a little, but mostly I think the redesign of the canopy screws up the nose profile something awful.  That weird single-piece canopy never sits flush all the way, and gives the nose this weird curvature that bugs me.

And there's still no excuse for the thermometer pod.

Edited September 25, 2023 by Chronocidal

[Sanity is Optional]

Kairos will always be the best. Paintjob and profile. Only issue is it still has the drone charger pod, despite having no drones...

[rematron]

51 minutes ago, Chronocidal said:

I do like what was done well with the 31AX, but I still prefer the overall look of the standard Siegfried and Kairos.  The thick wing roots bug me a little, but mostly I think the redesign of the canopy screws up the nose profile something awful.  That weird single-piece canopy never sits flush all the way, and gives the nose this weird curvature that bugs me.

And there's still no excuse for the thermometer pod.

My thoughts as well. I don’t think I’ll ever get an AX.  But I have 5 Kairos. 
 

8 minutes ago, Sanity is Optional said:

Kairos will always be the best. Paintjob and profile. Only issue is it still has the drone charger pod, despite having no drones...

Yeah. I just imagine to myself that it’s charging something else… 

[MKT]

7 hours ago, Chronocidal said:

And there's still no excuse for the thermometer pod.

This is the biggest mystery on why it exists lol.. It just looks so out of place, even more so on Gerwalk / Battroid, and the aesthetics of it look like its kitbashed out of something else.

At least for the huge gun we know it's sort of influenced by the Windermerean 262s.. although I don't recall the movie explaining anything on that. 

[PointBlankSniper]

25 minutes ago, MKT said:

At least for the huge gun we know it's sort of influenced by the Windermerean 262s.. although I don't recall the movie explaining anything on that. 

Ignoring the exact details of story for a moment, it seems like even the wings come from the Hs Draken. As are the super ghosts from the Lil Draken. Like how tornado pack combines the elements of 27 onto the 25, it feels like AX does the same for the 31s and Drakens. Combining designs seems like how these elements come to be, regardless of lore. Following that train of thought, the thermometer might be a throwback to the tornado pack's 3rd leg tail stand thing lmao

Speaking of which, we have the 303 with its high maneuver quad engine mode, which is an integrated version of the X-wing silhouette from the AX equipped with super ghosts... making it the equivalent of how the 29 is to the tornado pack lol

[Sanity is Optional]

2 hours ago, PointBlankSniper said:

Ignoring the exact details of story for a moment, it seems like even the wings come from the Hs Draken.

The wings are from the 31A Kairos (base model), which predates the 31 Siegfried.

[twich]

3 hours ago, Sanity is Optional said:

The wings are from the 31A Kairos (base model), which predates the 31 Siegfried.

While I believe that the VF-31A and the VF-31AX share a wing shape, the size of the wing is bigger on the VF-31AX.

Twich

[PointBlankSniper]

5 hours ago, Sanity is Optional said:

The wings are from the 31A Kairos (base model), which predates the 31 Siegfried.

Despite a similar shape, the outer wings on the AX are significantly larger than the 31A's, giving it a massive dogtooth profile that far more resembles the the 262Hs than the 31A.

Now that I think about it, even the thermometer might be partly an effort to carry over that long tail silhouette from the single engine + vertical stabilizer design.

They did shove Bogue into Delta flight to give him an AX after all.

[sjoebarry]

20 hours ago, MKT said:

This is the biggest mystery on why it exists lol.. It just looks so out of place, even more so on Gerwalk / Battroid, and the aesthetics of it look like its kitbashed out of something else.

At least for the huge gun we know it's sort of influenced by the Windermerean 262s.. although I don't recall the movie explaining anything on that. 

Has anyone tried modifying the pod?  I don’t have a 31AX so I don’t know how integrated the thermometer piece is on the pod but is there a way to like get rid of it or would that completely destroy the pod?

[Graham]

I must be one of the few people that actually doesn't mind the look of the beam gun with large size capacitor (AKA thermometer pod).

[twich]

Hasn’t it been determined that the little end of the pod is a laser cannon in its own? I seem to remember the Variable Fighter Master File backing that up in its book on the VF-31AX

Twich

[MKT]

16 hours ago, sjoebarry said:

Has anyone tried modifying the pod?  I don’t have a 31AX so I don’t know how integrated the thermometer piece is on the pod but is there a way to like get rid of it or would that completely destroy the pod?

I think the best way is to swap the whole mission pack from the other base 31 Siegfrieds or 31A Kairos..

[jenius]

Yep! That would be the way to go. 

[Chronocidal]

Definitely, just from the perspective of not messing with the original in case you want to later sell it.

In my case, I had a spare charger pod from the Hayate 31 with the speaker pod, so it was an easy swap.  My only real issue with the thermometer is that it sticks so far out in fighter mode.  My typical display method for most valks is to just open the feet and display them standing vertically (uses the least shelf space), but the probe out the back prevents that from working.

[Lolicon]

The thermometer is the least of the 31AX's problems.

[sjoebarry]

20 hours ago, MKT said:

I think the best way is to swap the whole mission pack from the other base 31 Siegfrieds or 31A Kairos..

Be cool if those mission pack/pods were sold separately 

[sjoebarry]

[MKT]

2 hours ago, sjoebarry said:

Be cool if those mission pack/pods were sold separately 

Agreed, so there was quite a bit of angst when the 31J with Speakerpods was solicited. Upon release, many units showed up on Mandarake with the Speakerpods missing, no doubt quite a few folks buying the set just for that pod.

The potential of those mission packs were really underutilized in the show. But then again, if more variances were animated, imagine Bandai milking full reissues of valk + mission pack sets each time. 
It seems Bandai doesn’t really like to TWE very small accessories anymore, so the days of something like say, the 25G’s Gallia IV standalone set are likely over, much less single piece mission packs..

 

2 hours ago, sjoebarry said:

 Nice comparison shot 

[Chronocidal]

1 hour ago, MKT said:

It seems Bandai doesn’t really like to TWE very small accessories anymore, so the days of something like say, the 25G’s Gallia IV standalone set are likely over, much less single piece mission packs..

I don't even care about the one-off small accessory packs.  At this point?  I just want them to release a mega-bundle of ALL the extra armaments they've ever produced, just so we can stick something on 90% of their releases that have hardpoints with no purpose.

Bandai mostly seems to have absolutely zero interest in making anything even remotely non-canon though, so despite all of the weapons options seen in the Master Files and other sources, I don't think we're ever going to see Bandai make any of it.

The best bet probably will wind up being if they actually produce an add-on set with weapons for the new YF-19, because that set is missing a ton of content.  They didn't even pack in the fast packs.

[Graham]

14 hours ago, sjoebarry said:

Awesome comparison pic.

[ArchieNov]

19 hours ago, sjoebarry said:

Reminds me of Baron Ashura lol

[MKT]

I don’t know why, and there isn’t much relevance, but the pic just reminds me of this lol..

[Graham]

Arghhh........Bandai.....hurry up and release the Arad VF-31AX,

That's my most wanted Macross toy at the moment.