Macross Toy Reviews

[pud333]

Yeah, the 19S looks very nice with the stickers. I forgot to ad the UNSPACY stickers on the legs, so I did that after the fact and they look sharp. (Though I used the white ones from the 17 sticker sheet).

I haven't played with the 19S as much since I got it, but it looks great on my M7 shelf next to all the others.

[pud333]

Here is Yamato's 1/60 scale VF-1D. FINALLY! I've been meaning to grab one of these for a while, but because I missed the boat the first time, it was too expensive on eBay. Finally, Yamato re-released it with option parts for the 30th anniversary of The Super Dimensional Fortress Macross TV series.

Like the other VF-1 reviews, this will not be indepth. Just a quick pictorial with the focus on what makes this toy different. If you want a more indepth review, check back further in this thread for earlier VF-1 reviews.

The uninspiring box where they slapped the 30th anniversary logo on it:





As you can see, the toy comes with all the typical stuff plus some extras.



The option parts come in a little baggie, along with some extra instructions.



You get the optional seats for battroid mode, side vent covers, and neck plate cover. These option parts are there to cover up the major gaps in battroid mode as a result of transformation.



Fighter mode:

Because this VF-1D is used as a training valk in the show, I opted to not use the sticker sheet, because I didn't want to personalize it at all. As a result, this valk is as naked as they come.













Gerwalk mode:





Battroid mode:

[pud333]

The differences:

Okay, here's where things are different (besides obvious paint apps).

The VF-1D is a two seater. The toy comes with Hikaru in his racing flight suit, with Minmay. Nice detail on such a small figure, but no face, sadly. Considering the size, it would be a tall order to ask for that.





Here are the side vents. It is nice they painted or moulded the vents the same colour as the rest of the valk.



Here is the neck plate. Too bad they didn't paint this:



Different head sculpt:



The two seats are nicely detailed. This is the quality I really enjoy from Yamato! You can recreate the scene where Hikaru reveals himself out of the VF-1D.







The missiles are different on this release. Previous releases they were a dark gray, but this time they are black.



Group shot! Here is my entire 1/60 scale Super Dimensional Fortress Macross valks.



Final thoughts: The VF-1D is a nice valk. Since this is a re-release for the 30th anniversary, it's basically a cash grab. The good news is, Yamato gives you some extra parts to entice you to buy this. If you already have the VF-1D, there's really no point in getting this. While the option parts are great, they don't really add much in terms of whether it is worth it to pay another $100 for a valk you already have. If you don't have it, like me, it's worth buying for the valk alone. The option parts are just that: optional. They're just a bonus, and really doesn't lessen the toy's entertainment value if you don't have them.

That said, this toy was in high demand until the re-release, so I am glad I have it. It has sold out in most places, but you can bet Yamato will milk this sculpt again and will re-release it yet another time. If you see it and don't have it, jump on it.

[pud333]

Here is the VF-25F Super Parts for the Alto custom. This is a Tamashii web exclusive, which means if you aren't in Japan, you have to get them through a proxy buyer. This means you have to pay a premium to get them, unfortunately.

Packaging: the set comes in a brown mailer box. The packaging inside is your typical flimsy cardboard.







The super parts are basically set to snap on the valkyrie. There are many additional stand pieces for displaying in the various modes.



Fighter mode: The super parts definitely add additional bulk to the toy, making it look pretty beefy. I think I prefer the sleek lines of the valkyrie without the bulk of the super parts, but Alto spends so much time wearing them in the tv show, and they do look really nice.

The pieces snap on really easily, and it doesn't seem like they scrape the valk in any way.









The missile pods open and you can see the little red missiles inside. And while not super detailed, they do look cool. When putting on the missile pods, you have to remove a piece of the shoulders. This is where a bit of parts swapping occurs, but it's pretty easy to do.



The individual boosters are all articulated, even the small ones. This is really great, and just shows the attention to detail Banda has put forth this second time around.





One thing I will note is that the super parts definitely make the valk noticeably heavier. Having a stand, while not necessary, is really helpful. While I think the stand Bandai provides is really ugly (I would prefer a clear stand), it is stable, which is always a plus.

Gerwalk mode:

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Battroid mode: I think the super parts look the best in fighter mode. Alto looks ready for war.







The detail on the figure overall is impressive. Lots of tampo printing, which is what I love about these Bandai figures. Unlike Yamato, which relies heavily on sticker sheets. The overal weight distribution is also very well done.











Final thoughts: This super parts set is fantastic. When bandai did the first release of the VF-25 valks, they designed them without thinking about the super parts. This second time around, they designed them with the super parts in mind from the beginning. The result is a much more secure and easy to install set of super parts. The ridiculous amounts of tampo printing and articulated boosters just make this set a must have for hardcore Macross Frontier fans.

Transformation can be done with the super parts on, but it is time consuming. The one negative about them are the vent covers. The armour pieces that go over the hip vents fall off easily. At least the left one does for me. The right one seems more sturdy. But that's a very small negative.

The other negative is the availability. As I said earlier, Tamashii web exclusives have to be bought from a proxy buyer if you don't live in Japan. I paid 6,000 yen for mine through Tokyo-Hunter.com. They preordered for as high as 7,500 yen, and that doesn't even include shipping. Web exclusives are made to order pretty much, so if you don't preorder them, the chances of you finding them later at a decent price are slim. However, if you want show accuracy, you'll need to get these, since Alto's VF-25F is rarely seen without them on.

[pud333]

Review: DX Chogokin Macross Frontier YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Type).

Up for review is the YF-29 from the Macross Frontier film, Wings of Goodbye. This valk was basically created for the second Macross Frontier movie. It's been a while since I've seen that movie, but I don't recall any real reason in the plot to introduce the new valk, since Alto is always just destroying his ride. I suppose it's a reason to make a new toy. Regardless of the reasons, it's here, and here's the review.

Packaging:

This is the re-release. This valk was originally released last year, but it was re-released again in May. The packaging is the same as the original release, except it now has the 30th anniversary sticker.





The figure comes with instructions, a stand, a gun, a knife, and spare fixed-posed hands.



Fighter:

Right off the bat, you see that the YF-29 seems to be a blend of various different valks in one. It's like if you took the VF-25, VF-27, YF-19 and threw in a bit of SV-51 influence, you get the YF-29. In short, it's a franken valk. At least that's how I see it. It's more bulky than the VF-25, and no where near as elegant. It's sort of like seeing one of those experimental cars at a car expo. It's not really meant to have any real world functional use, or at least it's not meant for mass production. Anyway, I don't particularly like the look of the valk, but hey, it's all subjective, right?













The pilot is your typical miscellaneous Bandai design, and like the VF-25's, there is an extra seat that can be revealed.



Gerwalk mode:

Gerwalk looks great to me. It looks pretty menacing if you ask me, and there are built-in cannons that extend out, giving this valk more firepower than normal. Some have complained about the unusually large back section, but the reality is the YF-29 is larger than the VF-25, so you're going to get a larger rear. Some guys like a girl with extra in the back end, haha.





The gun can be stowed underneath in gerwalk.

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Battroid mode:

This is where the valk shines. I think this is where it looks the best. The problem though is the large wings. The wings, because they also have the boosters, seem unusually large, and thus makes the valk very back heavy. It's the equivalent of a valkyrie mullet: business up front, party in the back.







The knife is sheathed inside the shield.





Gimmicks: This valk has a LOT of gimmicks. Way more than most. And this is also part of why I don't particularly like this valk as much as the others. It's just so busy, like they piled on idea after idea with no check on what makes the Frontier valks so great: their elegance.

The boosters rotate:



The wings are extended for fighter and gerwalk mode, but can also retract. Not pictured here is the gimmick where the tips of the wings, can actually be bent up or down by a few degrees. I have no idea what that does for the valk, and it is entirely unnecessary, but it's featured in the instruction book.





Transforming gunpod:





Rotating gun turret that can turn 360 degrees.



The reason why battroid is so cool, is because the YF-29 is armed to the teeth. It has shoulder missile pods that open up.



And leg missile pods that open and rotate 360 degrees.



The final look is one badass valk. It's like they took the tornado armour, and the Armour pack and basically built it right into the valk. Very busy, but pretty cool never the less.





Final thoughts:

It's a nice valk, yes, but I just find it too clunky and busy in Fighter to really enjoy. It's just because the frontier valks, the VF-25 and VF-27, are so sleek and elegant, that the YF-29 seems like a step backwards. Plus, because it is so busy, it seems like it was hastily put together to me, with so many other valkyrie designs thrown in, that to me, the YF-29 doesn't have its own personality. But that's just me.

The other downside is the transformation. The timeline for releases started with the crappy version 1 VF-25 valks, then the VF-27 where Bandai significantly stepped up their game, to the YF-29, which is almost renewal level quality, then the VF-25 renewal valks, which are near perfect. Bandai learned a lot in such a short time, and it is impressive, but it doesn't match the quality of the renewals. The transformation isn't as smooth, as the shoulders keep popping off just by looking at them, and the legs don't snap in place snuggly. The valk holds together enough to do the job, but it's not like the renewals where it is really solid. Also, due to the fins near the canopy, when in Battroid, the articulation of the legs are restricted, which is another negative.

I originally bought this during the initial release, buy put it up for sale within hours of getting it, mostly because I was really frustrated with the transformation. The shoulders popped off so many times I nearly threw the valk against the wall. But once I bought the renewal VF-25's, I realized my Frontier collection was missing something, and that something was the YF-29, so I bought it again. While my opinion on the transformation and Fighter mode haven't changed, I have come around to really appreciate the Battroid mode.

Finding one of these YF-29 valks at a decent price is nearly impossible. I got this for 12,320 yen, but the cheapest one can find it now on the secondary market is over $300 + shipping. The preorders sold out within minutes. Literally minutes. The newer renewals like the VF-25G coming in September, and the VF-171 coming late this month, also sold out within minutes. Bandai has been cutting orders, so stores aren't able to fulfill all preorders. It's a nightmare owning these valks now, so if you want one at a decent price, you have to pretty much camp out. Unfortunately, because of the time zones, when they go up for preorder in Japan, it's usually the middle of the night here in North America. Worse if you are on the East coast.

[mikeblizered]

Hello, I think you are lucky to have Macross as gift from your girlfriend.I saw the pictures of the toy that are displayed.Well, I can say $150 is a good price to buy it.Nice collection indeed.

[pud333]

Thanks! VF-171 is being released at the end of the month, so expect another review soon!

[SanMiguel]

great review its nice to see theres still some love on this valks/mechs in CND....im a big Macross junkie since the 80's era!!!