Bandai HG 1/100 YF-21

[Raikkonen]

6 hours ago, KOG Water Dragon said:

It's funny...

I preordered the YF-19 on day 1, as soon as HLJ posted it for preorder.

I did not get one shipped when it was released, it went to backorder.

While it was on backorder, I found 3 copies locally at 3 different physical stores. I then canceled my HLJ order.

Fast forward a bit... I preordered the YF-29 on HLJ as soon as it was posted.

Again, at release, it went to backorder and I got nothing.

I've already found a YF-29 at my local shop, and between local online stores and local physical stores, I can easily get a couple more.

I will again be canceling my HLJ order.

I have the YF-29 Max and YF-21 on preorder at HLJ now, but I have 0 confidence I'll ever see a kit come in for me via that avenue.

I'm sure I'll wind up getting 3 YF-19 Max and 3 YF-21 locally.

I don't know why HLJ gets so little stock of these.

Thanks for this warning with HLJ PO. 

[Raikkonen]

8 hours ago, Big s said:

I’m hoping that they’ll at least do a VF-11 to finish off the Valkyries from plus. I’d imagine there’s gonna be some milking of the molds for the YF-19 and YF-21. I’m also really hoping they do stuff other than the Valkyries, but I’m a bit doubtful they’ll do the zentraedi armor from plus, but I’d love to see it.

The 11 would be great considering how scarce it is generally. But I think they'll vary the next releases and maybe choose them by the most played type in their upcoming game?

[kajnrig]

9 hours ago, Big s said:

Bbts is a good place to shop, just I had a coupon for usags

Yeah, I was refreshing and refreshing USAGS ever since I saw the YF-21 on there, since I have an unused coupon from filling out a questionnaire or something a bit ago too, but the decals just inexplicably wouldn't show up.

8 hours ago, KOG Water Dragon said:

I don't know why HLJ gets so little stock of these.

Ever since Bandai acquired Bluefin here in the States, they've been limiting allocation to "JDM" stores that have traditionally served this market (HLJ, Hobby Search, Amiami, etc.). Probably they're trying to get as "clean" sales numbers as they can to more accurately predict future demand, revenue, costs, etc. It sucks for HLJ, because they assuredly have the capability to fulfill preorders if only they would receive adequate supply. Note that they don't exhibit the same inability to fulfill preorders when it comes to other items from other companies. It's specific only to Bandai.

2 hours ago, Raikkonen said:

Thanks for this warning with HLJ PO. 

If you're buying literally anything besides Bandai products, especially when it comes to Macross, they should be one of the first places you look. I don't know how the continuing recent international expansion of the franchise means for merchandising, but during the Harmony Gold Dark Years HLJ were consistently my one major source for all things Macross, and even today there are certain companies and items that have ye to break out into international waters, like Wave and their various-scale Macross kits.

[Convectuoso]

[lechuck]

9 hours ago, KOG Water Dragon said:

It's funny...

I preordered the YF-19 on day 1, as soon as HLJ posted it for preorder.

I did not get one shipped when it was released, it went to backorder.

While it was on backorder, I found 3 copies locally at 3 different physical stores. I then canceled my HLJ order.

Fast forward a bit... I preordered the YF-29 on HLJ as soon as it was posted.

Again, at release, it went to backorder and I got nothing.

I've already found a YF-29 at my local shop, and between local online stores and local physical stores, I can easily get a couple more.

I will again be canceling my HLJ order.

I have the YF-29 Max and YF-21 on preorder at HLJ now, but I have 0 confidence I'll ever see a kit come in for me via that avenue.

I'm sure I'll wind up getting 3 YF-19 Max and 3 YF-21 locally.

I don't know why HLJ gets so little stock of these.

Same here, cancelled my YF-29 just last night. I figured I will be able to get this locally before HLJ ever fulfils the backorder. Also the higher shipping costs these days eats up any savings on the actual item, so that it overall tends to be slightly cheaper to go locally.

What annoys me with HLJ a bit is that weeks before release they keep sending you reminder mails that you have something on pre-order, then it is release day and... nothing, no information that they could not fulfil or that they put you on backorder – a complete lack of transparency.

Edited September 29, 2023 by lechuck

[Raikkonen]

1 hour ago, kajnrig said:

products, especially when it comes to Macross, they should be one of the first places you look. I don't know how the continuing recent international expansion of the franchise means for merchandising, but during the Harmony Gold Dark Years HLJ were consistently my one major source for all things Macross, and even today there are certain companies and items that have ye to break out into international waters, like Wave and their various-scale Macross kits.

In the past, I got pretty much all my Yamato's from them. So I agree on that. But lately I constantly see this sudden backorder, and in stock in 2-3 days (which can become a month) trend with some of their kits. 

[Raikkonen]

56 minutes ago, Convectuoso said:

Cheers for pics. But... it looks very tiny when using the figuarts stand in the pic as a guide... how tall is the 19??? 10-12cm??? 

Edited September 29, 2023 by Raikkonen

[Raikkonen]

Ok, I found the height... 

13-14cm... that's not bad, definitely still in for the 21.

[Chronocidal]

Yeah, they are really not very big.  They scaled the YF-19 to 1/100 by fighter mode, without taking into account how short that makes it in battroid, and it's tiny compared with the YF-29 version.

Still, it's a good size.  I still want an HMR pair of those two, but I'll definitely enjoy having a small YF-21 for my desk.

[Raikkonen]

23 minutes ago, Chronocidal said:

Yeah, they are really not very big.  They scaled the YF-19 to 1/100 by fighter mode, without taking into account how short that makes it in battroid, and it's tiny compared with the YF-29 version.

Still, it's a good size.  I still want an HMR pair of those two, but I'll definitely enjoy having a small YF-21 for my desk.

Agreed.

If they do make the Vf-0 in this line, hopefully they'll still stick to 1/100 so Battroid should be tall as the YF-29. 

[no3Ljm]

Photos from Japan Model & Hobby Show 2023.

Edited September 29, 2023 by no3Ljm

[Big s]

There’s a 15% off site wide sale at USAGS this weekend. The picture at the top shows the YF-21 , so it may be including preorders 

[Raikkonen]

13 hours ago, no3Ljm said:

Photos from Japan Model & Hobby Show 2023.

 

 

😍 - Plane mode is so gorgeous and sleek,

[Big s]

3 hours ago, Raikkonen said:

😍 - Plane mode is so gorgeous and sleek,

I’m actually a bit surprised. Bandai usually doesn’t do so great with the fighters 

[Raikkonen]

29 minutes ago, Big s said:

I’m actually a bit surprised. Bandai usually doesn’t do so great with the fighters 

The parts-forming really cheats them around this. 

[sh9000]

https://www.entertainmentearth.com/product/macross-yf21-guld-goa-bowman-use-high-grade-1100-scale-model-kit/blf2720662

I'll still happily put all of the HG releases in Fighter mode next to my HMR Fighters.

[kajnrig]

On 9/29/2023 at 5:46 PM, Big s said:

There’s a 15% off site wide sale at USAGS this weekend. The picture at the top shows the YF-21 , so it may be including preorders 

Where are you seeing that? I haven't gotten any of their email newsletters for several months now for some reason, including sales announcements and the like, and I don't see it announced on their store page.

[Big s]

40 minutes ago, kajnrig said:

Where are you seeing that? I haven't gotten any of their email newsletters for several months now for some reason, including sales announcements and the like, and I don't see it announced on their store page.

It was in an email about a moving sale, everything looks discounted 

[Big s]

I thought I posted the code, but I guess I forgot

[Raikkonen]

Can anyone please help me here regarding HLJ pre-orders. I actually have 28.00 Euro credit sitting here, so might as well use it. 

So, when I pre-order it, it doesn't give me the option to select the shipping? When does this happen? Will be notified via email, and then asked to pick a method before payment? 

Edited October 2, 2023 by Raikkonen

[Big s]

1 hour ago, Raikkonen said:

Can anyone please help me here regarding HLJ pre-orders. I actually have 28.00 Euro credit sitting here, so might as well use it. 

So, when I pre-order it, it doesn't give me the option to select the shipping? When does this happen? Will be notified via email, and then asked to pick a method before payment? 

You’ll be given the option to ship either if you don’t choose private warehouse or if you did choose private warehouse, it usually comes up when you decide to ship, since there may or may not be multiple items by that time.

[Raikkonen]

19 minutes ago, Big s said:

You’ll be given the option to ship either if you don’t choose private warehouse or if you did choose private warehouse, it usually comes up when you decide to ship, since there may or may not be multiple items by that time.

Aha. Cheers. 

[t040484]

I hope they do VF-1 after YF-21. It's probably gonna be super small

[no3Ljm]

37 minutes ago, t040484 said:

I hope they do VF-1 after YF-21. It's probably gonna be super small

At 1/100 scale, I think it's best that you get the Hi-Metal R VF-1's. No big partsforming needed. No need to build it. No need to paint it.  

[Raikkonen]

I would like some Zero and VF-25 love in this line. 

[Big s]

10 hours ago, t040484 said:

I hope they do VF-1 after YF-21. It's probably gonna be super small

A vf-1 would be great if they leave out the compromises. But I’m pretty sure those would be further down the line despite their popularity. Unless they work out something with harmony gold then they’d only be available in Japan. The problems would also be for the buyer since Hlj would be the only place to buy them. Having a local option for these kits are great, but without that hlj will be backlogged for years to come. That being said, it probably would have an amazing battroid mode.

I’m pretty sure they’ll do a vf-25, VF-0, or VF-11 if not just a few variations of the existing ones soon. Maybe even some Macross 2 or 7 stuff, but I wouldn’t doubt a lot of delta stuff as well 
 

All that being said, I wouldn’t mind being wrong and seeing a readily available VF-1

[t040484]

On 10/6/2023 at 3:25 AM, no3Ljm said:

At 1/100 scale, I think it's best that you get the Hi-Metal R VF-1's. No big partsforming needed. No need to build it. No need to paint it.  

But the point of HG kit, is to build it. Half of the fun is in building it. 

I also forgot VF-4. What a unique fighter, and battroid mode. I want that too. Well, i want all Macross jets eventually. 

[Big s]

3 hours ago, t040484 said:

But the point of HG kit, is to build it. Half of the fun is in building it. 

I also forgot VF-4. What a unique fighter, and battroid mode. I want that too. Well, i want all Macross jets eventually. 

Not only that, but as much as I like the hmr, the battroid mode for the kit would probably look even better and you could buy three kits to display all modes for a similar price and then there’s No partsforming 

[Raikkonen]

35 minutes ago, Big s said:

Not only that, but as much as I like the hmr, the battroid mode for the kit would probably look even better and you could buy three kits to display all modes for a similar price and then there’s No partsforming 

That's pretty much my plan when they start with Zero and the Vf-25.

[Big s]

Usags has another 15 percent off sale today for all preorders

[sh9000]

[Convectuoso]

Looks good even before applying any stickers or decals

[sh9000]

 

[Convectuoso]

With all the partsforming involved, they should've added covers for this:

 

Edited November 3, 2023 by Convectuoso

[KOG Water Dragon]

5 minutes ago, Convectuoso said:

With all the partsforming involved, they should've added covers for this:

 

They did. Check the photos posted earlier in this thread.