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Gotta give it up for Hasegawa


whytwolf

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I just picked up my first 1/72 Hasegawa valkyrie, a VF-1s, and I can't express how impressed I've been with not just the detail but the parts fit as well. I've slowly been building up using the photoetch sheet as well, and it's the best model, and certainly the most enjoyable I've worked on in a very long time (likely ever).

Thank god for this thing, or I would be rattling around a big empty house alone after my wife left me last week. She found my Macross obsession hard to live with I guess <_<

Sean

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models are keeping me company for my long distance relationship with my gf too. I see you live in Calgary...I used to live there until I moved to vancouver about 5 yrs ago (currently in Montreal now). always good to see fellow macross fans in canada and I'm very impressed with Hasegawa kits as well, although I've only done the battroid. I do wish that they'd be more sturdy though (so it'd be more playable like gundams). I'm sure it's not a problem with fighters though as they're not meant to be movable anyway. ;)

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I do wish that they'd be more sturdy though (so it'd be more playable like gundams).

If you want something more sturdy, but which still looks great, I'd recommend buying a toy like the Yamato 1/48 VF-1 instead.

Hasegawas are supposed to be traditional (fragile) model kits, not the half-toy half-models that the Bandai Gundam kits are.

Although I'm not a model builder, I recently comissioned a pro-painter to build me 3 Hasegawa kits (VF-22S, VF-0S and SV-51 Nora), all built wheels up as if flight and I'm absolutely blown alway by them. I can't believe how big the SV-51 is, it's a monster.

Graham

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I have been working my way slowly through building a VF-1D as a test build for the pile of other Hasegawa Macross models I have recently picked up.

Thus far, carefull removal from the sprues and alignment wile gluing has allowed me to assemble pieces with no putty once I have smoothed the joint, so typical Hasegawa there. The decal sheets are well impressive also.

From now on, I will be picking these kits up as they are released.... :D

Cheers

Tony

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I do wish that they'd be more sturdy though (so it'd be more playable like gundams).

If you want something more sturdy, but which still looks great, I'd recommend buying a toy like the Yamato 1/48 VF-1 instead.

Hasegawas are supposed to be traditional (fragile) model kits, not the half-toy half-models that the Bandai Gundam kits are.

Although I'm not a model builder, I recently comissioned a pro-painter to build me 3 Hasegawa kits (VF-22S, VF-0S and SV-51 Nora), all built wheels up as if flight and I'm absolutely blown alway by them. I can't believe how big the SV-51 is, it's a monster.

Graham

Graham I agree with you that the 1/48's, especially when customized, almost approach model quality. However, models are always more finely detailed (eg panel lines) and for one 1/48 I can get about 6 or 7 Hasegawa's and have hundreds of hours of fun time. With toys, I usually take them out of the box, admire them, put them on the shelf and transform them once in a while. With models I get much more interaction in the building process and when I look at them, I remember all the fun and challenge I went through to get them where they are. I got 3 yamatos and 1 hasegawa last month and by far the hasegawa gave me the most fun.

I believe there is no reason why they can't make the joints more sturdy like the bandai kits. I reckon this is hasegawa's first robot kit so flaws are expected (e.g. weak joints, non-aligning pins and holes). They're learning though, as seen in the improved hip joints of the strike battroids, so I have hope. In fact, I think that they DO want to make them playable so they're making it a mostly snap-together kit to make it easier for people who are otherwise averse to models. When the bugs are fixed, we'll have the best of both worlds!! :lol:macrossbattroid012.jpg

macrossbattroid010.jpg

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Here's some photos of my Hasegawa Macross models. I paid to have these built, as I can't paint for toffee :lol: I asked for all of them to be built 'wheels up', as I think Valks look much better in flight.

First up, Max's VF-22S from Macross 7.

Graham

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nice models graham. is it expensive to hire someone to make your models?

I really dig the SV-51. I wish it's possible to build it as the black Ivanov type though- it looks much more menanacing. Ivanov and Nora types differ only in color in decals right?

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nice models graham. is it expensive to hire someone to make your models?

I really dig the SV-51. I wish it's possible to build it as the black Ivanov type though- it looks much more menanacing. Ivanov and Nora types differ only in color in decals right?

Yes it is expensive to have the models built. I'm usually a toy guy and don't go near models as I find them too fragile, but I figured as we'll probably never see a VF-22S toy and who knows if Yamato will make an SV-51, so I decided it was worth it to have the models built. And I couldn't resist getting the VF-0S made, as I love the design and so far the prototype Yamato 1/100 VF-0S toy looks pretty crappy.

Yes, you are correct. The Ivanov and Nora types differ only in color and decals. I'm sure Hasegawa will release an Ivanov version soon, perhaps with the large FAE bomb featured in episode # 4.

Graham

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Last pic, the Zero and SV-51 together. The SV-51 is a huge bird, it would absolutely dwarf a VF-1!

Graham

Why is it that everytime Kawamori designs a new valk, it gets bigger and BIGGER and BIGGER than the previous one?

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Why is it that everytime Kawamori designs a new valk, it gets bigger and BIGGER and BIGGER than the previous one?

Post-Macross designs can probably be chalked up to the need to match the size of Zentraedi machines, or something similar. Maybe they needed to get bigger for performance reasons. The M0 designs are bigger than the VF-1 because they use the same type of engine systems as normal fighter jets, so they have to be bigger--of course, in context, these planes are no larger than the jets in use by air forces around the world.

Besides, big is good. More detail. More space taken up.

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Yeah, more of my extremely limited shelf space taken up, which is not good :(

It just means you have to become a bit more critical about the models, and a bit more picky about which you buy.

It certainly can't hurt the wallet, at least. And it makes the models you currently have stand out more. Maybe it's just me, but I take more interest in a well-done set of three models than I do in a well-done set of twelve. Maybe it's the overkill factor.

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Yeah, more of my extremely limited shelf space taken up, which is not good  :(

It just means you have to become a bit more critical about the models, and a bit more picky about which you buy.

It certainly can't hurt the wallet, at least. And it makes the models you currently have stand out more. Maybe it's just me, but I take more interest in a well-done set of three models than I do in a well-done set of twelve. Maybe it's the overkill factor.

I agree....mainly because I have limited budget and time so I have to very selective about my purchases. the 'completists' here though will probably think differently.

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Maybe they will, but one can only go through so many VF-1 variants before wondering whether or not having six of the same plane is worth it.

Lol...I agree with you on this one. Most valks from the original Macross only differ in color and head. Valks are like Ferraris....they're a beautiful thing to behold, but I don't think I'd have 20 same Ferraris with just different color schemes. That's why I"m steering my macross model collection beyond valks to include destroids and some of the bad guys like the glaug pod.

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