Time to Procure a Valkyrie

Got a feeling the kit is more durable than some of the past Yamatos. I'll definitely pick up one for a weekend's worth of fun. :-)

Someone loves destroido. [www.toysdaily.com]

Wait--the search light actually lights up!?

Sanjeev Wrote:
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> Wait--the search light actually lights up!?

If it doesn't, it shouldn't be a difficult mod to do with a dollar-store LED toy.

True....in fact, I've considered buying bulk LEDs to light up various toys of mine (mostly absurdly-large sentai bots, like DekaBaseRobo)...but then I got lazy.

Story of my life.

[www.yamato-toys.com]

Defendah!

Same pics here but without the stupid photozooma to deal with:

[www.toysdaily.com]

Wow, the destroids are looking awesome. So idea is, that since these don't transform and Yamato has a new QC person, I can actually "play" with these?

More pics of VF-25 Alto Custom Model:
[209.85.171.104]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/08/2008 03:51PM by RedAleseides.

Is there any diecast in the 1/60 Destroids? They're pretty hot--gotta love the opening hatches and well-painted pilot figs!

Just some metal in the joints, for strength, according to reports.

I can finally update my old Robotech/Exo-Squad destroids. The Defender looks flawless, anyone know what the torso separation feature is all about?


And Another shot of the VF-25 kit.



Man I love this thing.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/08/2008 08:32PM by B00.

Damn you B00..because of that last photo, I am now I seriously contemplating if I should buy this. At first, I thought of just skipping this (it wasn't even on my radar!) and just wait for the DX chogokin version. I thought I could resist it but.. man.. it looks so... pretty....

And Red didn't help either by posting the Messiah detailed review that revealed an endoskeleton! A FRIGGIN' ENDOSKELETON DAMMIT! He's hit a soft spot!

I'm surprised at how straightforward the VF-25 design turned out to be. It seems like people thought it was too complicated.

Quote
Amuro-Ray
Damn you B00..because of that last photo, I am now I seriously contemplating if I should buy this...

It's cheaper than the DX 1/60, and looks better. But sadly it's not as playable.

Seriously it's an amazing kit. Bandai's model team set the bar pretty high with this one. As complicated as the model is I was surprised at how conservative the construction was (a lot less pieces than I was expecting).

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/2008 11:34AM by B00.

Anyone ever 'read' the RPG manuals for Robotech by Palladium books? I remember there was picture of the destroids showing the modular function of the torso. Like the removable nosecone/cockpit, this helped with rescue operations.

However, in this figure, the legs are still attached, which debunks that explanation.

Maybe it's for changing artillery?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/2008 06:49PM by RedAleseides.

Amuro-Ray Wrote:
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> Damn you B00..because of that last photo, I am now
> I seriously contemplating if I should buy this... A
> FRIGGIN' ENDOSKELETON DAMMIT! He's hit a soft
> spot!


I feel your pain man. I was walking out ofmy local hobby shop the other day with Unicorn Gundam and told the owner, "I think I'm good for today". Just as I walked out, I saw the VF-25 box in the window. My heart sank, but I couldn't go back in. My gf was with me and her b-day is coming up- and I don't think she has that in mind. Shhhh...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/2008 06:50PM by RedAleseides.

RedAleseides Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Anyone ever 'read' the RPG manuals for Robotech by
> Palladium books? I remember there was picture of
> the destroids showing the modular function of the
> torso. Like the removable nosecone/cockpit, this
> helped with rescue operations.
>
> However, in this figure, the legs are still
> attached, which debunks that explanation.
>
> Maybe it's for changing artillery?

If you check out some of the other artbooks like Macross Perfect Memory it shows some other early Destroid design having the same feature. The idea was you could swap out parts between Destroids.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/2008 07:20PM by VF5SS.

RedAleseides Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> I feel your pain man. I was walking out ofmy local
> hobby shop the other day with Unicorn Gundam and
> told the owner, "I think I'm good for today". Just
> as I walked out, I saw the VF-25 box in the
> window. My heart sank, but I couldn't go back in.
> My gf was with me and her b-day is coming up- and
> I don't think she has that in mind. Shhhh...


HA! And I just bought my MG 2.0 RX-78 a couple of days before the 1/60 Messiah was released!! had I known it was so cool, I would've just skipped the MG2.0 in favor of this (what I meant was postpone my MG 2.0 purchase for a month or 2)!!!I am so pissed!

Lol. I keep telling myself, "Don't worry, you can pick one up that includes the FAST pack or FA for Ozma, or one of the other variations. I think this series was popular enough where they won't stop with one. I hope they go Gundam on this one (in terms of releasing hordes of remolds/repaints/add-on's/variations.)

damn double post.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/14/2008 07:53PM by RedAleseides.

[hk.myblog.yahoo.com]

Have to say, these are growing on me. The armor parts look hideous, but the valkyries aren't too shabby without them. Check that, the green one looks like a reject from Eureka 7, but the blue sniper version in Max colors and with the 1A-style head is sweet. And it's the first new diecast valk by Bandai in, like, 20 years. All the money I almost spent on the Yamato 1/60s I can spend on these.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/14/2008 03:49PM by gingaio.

Admit it, you love the thrusting groin action.

The DXs do look like they'll be awesome (and not made-of-eggshell-asplode-if-you-hold-them-funny) fiddle and display pieces.

Looks like the models will be getting fast packs.



More here.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/16/2008 03:05PM by B00.

VF-1D and more from yamato : [www.toysdaily.com]

Wow...is this a custom? Or is Yamato planning on marketing air-brushed versions of these?

the tag says its a weathering ver. How does airbrushing it bump the price up so much though?

Agreed, especially since the weathering doesn't look too hot. I'm more interested in the recolor variant in the background. Wish I had know about it before buying the first run.

Yeah, the sample doesn't look quite 'right'. I would prefer they reversed the shadow/highlights... smokey around the muzzles, scratched/lighter on sharp edges. Nice to see the option though.

THAT's what's wrong with it... looks like it needs a shave.

So.

Uhhh...

What's up with the Origin of Valkyrie reissues? Has Bandai given up on them already? Any news from Toynami?

so backing up for a minute I actually like the vf25 dx....yeah it doesn't look exactly like the show but it looks like it'll be fun....now the debate becomes, is it $150.00 of fun...?

Runaphen: The Max and Hikaru 1A's with armor are out, but as far as the Toynami releases the consensus seems to be that the whole deal seems to be on hold until next year...

I thought Toynami's plan was to get the current Origin pieces out by Christmas...

I guess they're not gonna hit that deadline...?

I can't remember where I read that, but I'm pretty sure I did.....or maybe it was a scotch induced hallucination....that happens sometimes...

Yeah, the 1A'a with armor came out toward the end of August. I thought there'd be some hints of new releases from Bandai by now.

I guess I'm just impatient for some more news. I've got this horrible twisty feeling in my gut that we'll never actually see the VF-1D released.

I have this horribly twisty feeling that Toynami is going to prove a disastrous distributor for Bandai, mostly...

*wonders about Toynami's financial situation*

Just saw the Tomahawk in the stores today. The package is surprisingly weighty, pretty close to that of a reissued 1/55 VF-1J right next to it. The pricetag was also weighty. Thanks to the financial distortion wave swamping the world right now, the asking price was close to 120USD. I thought about it for about 30 seconds and bought an Army Garland on sale for 99USD instead.

Picked up my bargain-price sealed-in-box 1/15 Army Garland today and took it out for a spin. Guess what?

1. Nothing missing or broken OOB, good.
2. Upon extending the right foot, the ENTIRE foot assembly popped-off the leg.
3. In my shock, I grabbed the main body and the upper torso popped-off the hinges at the handle bars.
4. Next, I found that the entire left leg is limp; no grippy when fully extended.
5. Both fore-feet are looser than a $5 hooker.
6. While locking the seat down for robot mode, the entire rear red-light popped off. No glue.
7. Splitting the front wheel, the right-side magnet pulls off its socket. No glue.
8. Pulling it off yanked the OTHER magnet out as well. No glue.
9. The fists... they're perfect mates of the floppy feet. Loose as heck and cannot grip the weapon well.

So... was I paranoid about Yamato Toys' crappy QC? I think the factory foreman was hoarding the glue supply and sniffing it up. :-/

[ga.sbcr.jp]

[ga.sbcr.jp]

GA Graphic pics of the DX VF-25s. I wish I could reach into the picture and give the Ozma head a good yank upwards. Is the test shot broken or something? Also the landing gear looks awful and it will have to be different with Michel's VF-25 or you won't be able to have the sniper gunpod attached in fighter mode.

drifand Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Picked up my bargain-price sealed-in-box 1/15 Army
> Garland today and took it out for a spin. Guess
> what?
>
> 1. Nothing missing or broken OOB, good.
> 2. Upon extending the right foot, the ENTIRE foot
> assembly popped-off the leg.
> 3. In my shock, I grabbed the main body and the
> upper torso popped-off the hinges at the handle
> bars.
> 4. Next, I found that the entire left leg is limp;
> no grippy when fully extended.
> 5. Both fore-feet are looser than a $5 hooker.
> 6. While locking the seat down for robot mode, the
> entire rear red-light popped off. No glue.
> 7. Splitting the front wheel, the right-side
> magnet pulls off its socket. No glue.
> 8. Pulling it off yanked the OTHER magnet out as
> well. No glue.
> 9. The fists... they're perfect mates of the
> floppy feet. Loose as heck and cannot grip the
> weapon well.
>
> So... was I paranoid about Yamato Toys' crappy QC?
> I think the factory foreman was hoarding the glue
> supply and sniffing it up. :-/
At the chance of sounding like a Yamato fan boy that is more of a problem with that particular release much like the Escaflowne or a few others. I have a lot of the Valkyries and one of the Scopedogs and have had only minor issues so far. Try emailing Yamato's customer service or HLJ (if you got it from them) about the issue. They are usually pretty good about replacements and what not.

I've heard a lot of bad things about the Garlands so I've avoided them regardless of price...

Therein lies the pain of living in a toy collecting world where Yamato exists. They show so much promise in technically 'impossible' and sculpturally exciting pieces. Take the Garland in question: Brilliant design solution to an 'impossible to make' design, yes? But it's like once their team solved the main problem, everyone just started patting themselves on the back and forgot about OTHER important things... like how CAD is no substitute for a thinking designer when it comes to manufacturing problems and material tolerances.

Hence: A gorgeous come-on to any 80's mecha fan that very unfortunately could fall apart with very little coercion. All that promise... squandered. Pfft.

So, the new 1/60 Valkyries – am I tempted? Of course! Would I buy? Not after reading about the easily worn and broken shoulder hinge. I guess Yamato is still 'young' and 'learning' from their 'mistakes'.