Let's start with my current obsession: Macross. I loved the show as a kid, Robotech *SIGH* and was always fascinated by the VF design. It's in my opinion, the perfect transforming robot. The robot looks amazing and the plane is fantastic. Up to about 10-12 years ago, the only toys one could get were the Bandai or Takatoku versions of a VF fighter. (I am not including all other smaller renditions of this figure by other companies and bootlegs.)
But then...it all changed now, we are spoilt for choice. Yamato (now Arcadia), Toynami, Bandai and many other have jumped onto the hype.
For the Macross toys, I will put everything in the same article, so all manufacturers etc will be mixed up together. I might change it later on, but for now, I'll give it a go like this as I like having all their pics grouped.
TOYNAMI Masterpiece
I'll start with the latest ones that I got. The Toynami versions. They are 6 of them. All come in book-style boxes. These toys look good on the shelf, they are a bit like a taller version of a Bandai HCM (High complete model) that came out ages ago. So in terms of articulation, it's old school! No A-stance on these figures!.
I personally like them, but as a toy, the fall short on a lot of points. The plastic used feels slightly cheap, not sturdy. The transformation is also not stable, even the use of magnets in parts does not hold the toy together that well. But, they look cool! And to me, that's also very important. So as long as you are careful whilst handling/transforming them there shouldn't be too much issues! On the flip side, having only been released in limited numbers makes them still fairly collectible 12 years later. They used to retail for about $ 80.00. but now...prices range from $40 to $250!! They are not worth that much though. and $80.00 is more than enough for what you get. So try not to get to exited when bidding (if that's how you get them). As they can be found for less.
In all, yes there are better renditions of the VF's out there, but these ones never meant to be super-articulated etc .So taken for what they are (a half model/half toy), they are worth it. I mean when it comes to Macross, you can never have enough Valks!
6/10
Pros: looks reasonably cool.
Cons: feel a bit cheap.
But then...it all changed now, we are spoilt for choice. Yamato (now Arcadia), Toynami, Bandai and many other have jumped onto the hype.
For the Macross toys, I will put everything in the same article, so all manufacturers etc will be mixed up together. I might change it later on, but for now, I'll give it a go like this as I like having all their pics grouped.
TOYNAMI Masterpiece
I'll start with the latest ones that I got. The Toynami versions. They are 6 of them. All come in book-style boxes. These toys look good on the shelf, they are a bit like a taller version of a Bandai HCM (High complete model) that came out ages ago. So in terms of articulation, it's old school! No A-stance on these figures!.
I personally like them, but as a toy, the fall short on a lot of points. The plastic used feels slightly cheap, not sturdy. The transformation is also not stable, even the use of magnets in parts does not hold the toy together that well. But, they look cool! And to me, that's also very important. So as long as you are careful whilst handling/transforming them there shouldn't be too much issues! On the flip side, having only been released in limited numbers makes them still fairly collectible 12 years later. They used to retail for about $ 80.00. but now...prices range from $40 to $250!! They are not worth that much though. and $80.00 is more than enough for what you get. So try not to get to exited when bidding (if that's how you get them). As they can be found for less.
In all, yes there are better renditions of the VF's out there, but these ones never meant to be super-articulated etc .So taken for what they are (a half model/half toy), they are worth it. I mean when it comes to Macross, you can never have enough Valks!
6/10
Pros: looks reasonably cool.
Cons: feel a bit cheap.
TOYNAMI 1/100
Toynami also released some 1/100 versions of the VF's. For the most part, when they first came out, they were relatively cheap. And for the price, they are fun little figures. They come with a lot of parts, such as wheels, cockpits, stands, hands, missiles etc. It is a perfect transformation, but some parts like the cockpit needs to be swapped between modes.
The only downside, is the build. They are very poorly built, especially when it come to the articulations. the pegs etc tend to crack.it's a real shame. it means that yo've got 80% chance that your figure will break at one point (unless you never touch your toys that is!!)
They also released the special parts for them, real nice touch. At one point they even had a Super Oustrich prototype. But it never materialised.
Nowadays, for whatever reason, they are expensive. From $20 to $50 (even more in some cases) and to be honest for what you are getting..well it's not worth it. If you can get them cheap, go for it, they are fun, not the most anime accurate rendition, but fun! That what toys are for!
5/10
Pros: great fun to play with,Look really great in Fighter mode, and can be panel lined to great effect.
Cons: cheaply built, articulation joints will eventually crack (if they are not already so when you get them!)
Toynami also released some 1/100 versions of the VF's. For the most part, when they first came out, they were relatively cheap. And for the price, they are fun little figures. They come with a lot of parts, such as wheels, cockpits, stands, hands, missiles etc. It is a perfect transformation, but some parts like the cockpit needs to be swapped between modes.
The only downside, is the build. They are very poorly built, especially when it come to the articulations. the pegs etc tend to crack.it's a real shame. it means that yo've got 80% chance that your figure will break at one point (unless you never touch your toys that is!!)
They also released the special parts for them, real nice touch. At one point they even had a Super Oustrich prototype. But it never materialised.
Nowadays, for whatever reason, they are expensive. From $20 to $50 (even more in some cases) and to be honest for what you are getting..well it's not worth it. If you can get them cheap, go for it, they are fun, not the most anime accurate rendition, but fun! That what toys are for!
5/10
Pros: great fun to play with,Look really great in Fighter mode, and can be panel lined to great effect.
Cons: cheaply built, articulation joints will eventually crack (if they are not already so when you get them!)
Yamato GNU-DOU
Another company that released smaller non-transforming version of the toy was Yamato. As part of their GNU-DOU line. Non transforming, but very good quality. The pose-ability on these are just amazing. You can spend hours just posing them, they look very accurate and the articulation is perfect. fantastic little figures but for whatever reason, the VF version are very hard to get hold of, and very expensive too. The Macross Plus figures on the other hand, from the same line are much cheaper and easier to get hold of.
I think these VF's were the first GNU-DOU figures ever released. They also came in a different packaging to the later ones. Shame Yamato gave up on that line as all the GNU-DOU figures are just amazing. Forget about Revoltech, with their weird plastic, proportion and big ball-joints that are so visible it makes their figures look odd!.
I personally love those, yes, they don't transform, but the perfect Valk to put on top of your PC and keep fiddling with it!
9/10: amazing action figures!
Pros: great built and paint job, solid joints, fantastic articulation and most importantly fun to 'play' with
Cons: don't transform, not enough versions, I wished they would've released all the Valks in that line.R.I.P Yamato GNU-DOU were amazing!
Another company that released smaller non-transforming version of the toy was Yamato. As part of their GNU-DOU line. Non transforming, but very good quality. The pose-ability on these are just amazing. You can spend hours just posing them, they look very accurate and the articulation is perfect. fantastic little figures but for whatever reason, the VF version are very hard to get hold of, and very expensive too. The Macross Plus figures on the other hand, from the same line are much cheaper and easier to get hold of.
I think these VF's were the first GNU-DOU figures ever released. They also came in a different packaging to the later ones. Shame Yamato gave up on that line as all the GNU-DOU figures are just amazing. Forget about Revoltech, with their weird plastic, proportion and big ball-joints that are so visible it makes their figures look odd!.
I personally love those, yes, they don't transform, but the perfect Valk to put on top of your PC and keep fiddling with it!
9/10: amazing action figures!
Pros: great built and paint job, solid joints, fantastic articulation and most importantly fun to 'play' with
Cons: don't transform, not enough versions, I wished they would've released all the Valks in that line.R.I.P Yamato GNU-DOU were amazing!
HYPERWIZ
Now, let's get to something different...a 1/55 YF-10 from a Chinese TV show called: Astroplan!! Yes..the purists out there are going to scream blasphemy. But for toys lover/collectors, it's just a neat addition to your collection. Definitely inspired from the Macross Frontier design, so obvious, they even copied the UN-Spacy logo on the top of the plane. Personally, I only managed to get one DX version (I think they were released in 4 different sizes and as model kits too!!). The DX as the name suggest are massive. The reason I looked one up, is simple. I saw a pic of one that had been customized and it looked really cool. So I did the same. And when I mean customized, I mean just panel-lining, and stickers here and there. Just that and you end up with a really great looking VF. The robot is not that great, but as a plane it's really cool! Not going to ramble too much about the it, but it's solid, fairly well built AND it has one thing no official Valks have....a ROTATING front wheel!!! How's that for luxury!!
It's a shame I missed them when they came out as they are now difficult to get hold of. Especially the DX ones. But I will hunt down the other 5 for sure!!
8/10: fantastic value for money and look kinda funky.
Pros: big, chunky, solid, cool looking, easy to cutomize and make it look fantastic
Cons: hard to get now (2013), robot mode a bit uninspired, yes..it's not Macross..but so what!!
Now, let's get to something different...a 1/55 YF-10 from a Chinese TV show called: Astroplan!! Yes..the purists out there are going to scream blasphemy. But for toys lover/collectors, it's just a neat addition to your collection. Definitely inspired from the Macross Frontier design, so obvious, they even copied the UN-Spacy logo on the top of the plane. Personally, I only managed to get one DX version (I think they were released in 4 different sizes and as model kits too!!). The DX as the name suggest are massive. The reason I looked one up, is simple. I saw a pic of one that had been customized and it looked really cool. So I did the same. And when I mean customized, I mean just panel-lining, and stickers here and there. Just that and you end up with a really great looking VF. The robot is not that great, but as a plane it's really cool! Not going to ramble too much about the it, but it's solid, fairly well built AND it has one thing no official Valks have....a ROTATING front wheel!!! How's that for luxury!!
It's a shame I missed them when they came out as they are now difficult to get hold of. Especially the DX ones. But I will hunt down the other 5 for sure!!
8/10: fantastic value for money and look kinda funky.
Pros: big, chunky, solid, cool looking, easy to cutomize and make it look fantastic
Cons: hard to get now (2013), robot mode a bit uninspired, yes..it's not Macross..but so what!!
Yamato
Yamato...what to say, personally, I really loved that company (now extinct, re-birthed as Arcadia). They usually do great toys based on various series. But they were very prolific when it came to Macross. At the beginning it was trial and error, with toys breaking apart in hands..But they tried and tried !! they released loads of Valks, pretty much all of them really. The 1/60 scale came in two versions. The first version, were not perfect transformation, you have to take the legs out and swap some parts, such as the heat shield. The good thing about the 1sst version of the 1/60, is their size, not too big nor small, just great in my opinion. Version 1, were really great until they released Ver 2. Version 2 are perfect transformation and even thought they are also 1/60, they are slightly taller.
BUT...I think people are making too much of a fuss about Ver2.. they are really light, no die-cast legs like version 1. Also, the transformation is a pain in the 'you know what'. Making the toy a bit more fragile in my opinion. So yes, they are more pose-able, and look slightly better than Ver 1. For me, I prefer the 1st version, and would not be surprised if with time, Ver2 looses its collect-ability over the 1st ones. So you'd better get them whilst they are affordable!!
They also have the ultimate VF..the 1/48. These are the biggest so far, taller than the vintage 1/55 Takatoku/Bandai. They look amazing. I'll give them that . Very detailed, super poseable etc, they are similar the the 1/60 Ver 2. But with that coolness comes no die-cast, a transformation that takes forever to achieve without breaking stuff and a price to match.
I do like the 1/48, they are really the 'perfect' rendition of the VF from the anime. But as far as being a toy, nope, they are display pieces. Even the 1/60 Ver 1 are much more sturdier than those. So to have on a shelf, great, to play around with...not really. With the demise of Yamato, people started to panic over the fact that Arcadia would not have the license from Yamato to produce Macross figures. But , they do have it. And have released a few. Whether they will be as prolific as Yamato, unlikely, but one can only hope. So in all, they are really great pieces, and have so many VF renditions and scales that any fans can find their holy grail! Just remember, prices are not going to fall. Maybe Ver 2, but as far as the 1/48 are concerned, until another company gives it a shot, they will continue to gain in value.
Yamato 1/48:
8/10 mainly for their awesome size and details! (if you want toys though, just get a 1/55 chunky monkey, better value for money!)
Pros: amazing looks and details, perfect transformation,additional accessories, biggest transforming VF 'figure' (yes,'figure' not toy)
Cons: too light, no die-cast, transformation is not simple nor fun, fragile parts (leg caps for example), too expensive, and too addictive, once you get 1 you'll want another.
Just staring at them on my shelf...they look fantastic.. \(>_<)/..If only they were made out of die-cast *Sigh*
Yamato...what to say, personally, I really loved that company (now extinct, re-birthed as Arcadia). They usually do great toys based on various series. But they were very prolific when it came to Macross. At the beginning it was trial and error, with toys breaking apart in hands..But they tried and tried !! they released loads of Valks, pretty much all of them really. The 1/60 scale came in two versions. The first version, were not perfect transformation, you have to take the legs out and swap some parts, such as the heat shield. The good thing about the 1sst version of the 1/60, is their size, not too big nor small, just great in my opinion. Version 1, were really great until they released Ver 2. Version 2 are perfect transformation and even thought they are also 1/60, they are slightly taller.
BUT...I think people are making too much of a fuss about Ver2.. they are really light, no die-cast legs like version 1. Also, the transformation is a pain in the 'you know what'. Making the toy a bit more fragile in my opinion. So yes, they are more pose-able, and look slightly better than Ver 1. For me, I prefer the 1st version, and would not be surprised if with time, Ver2 looses its collect-ability over the 1st ones. So you'd better get them whilst they are affordable!!
They also have the ultimate VF..the 1/48. These are the biggest so far, taller than the vintage 1/55 Takatoku/Bandai. They look amazing. I'll give them that . Very detailed, super poseable etc, they are similar the the 1/60 Ver 2. But with that coolness comes no die-cast, a transformation that takes forever to achieve without breaking stuff and a price to match.
I do like the 1/48, they are really the 'perfect' rendition of the VF from the anime. But as far as being a toy, nope, they are display pieces. Even the 1/60 Ver 1 are much more sturdier than those. So to have on a shelf, great, to play around with...not really. With the demise of Yamato, people started to panic over the fact that Arcadia would not have the license from Yamato to produce Macross figures. But , they do have it. And have released a few. Whether they will be as prolific as Yamato, unlikely, but one can only hope. So in all, they are really great pieces, and have so many VF renditions and scales that any fans can find their holy grail! Just remember, prices are not going to fall. Maybe Ver 2, but as far as the 1/48 are concerned, until another company gives it a shot, they will continue to gain in value.
Yamato 1/48:
8/10 mainly for their awesome size and details! (if you want toys though, just get a 1/55 chunky monkey, better value for money!)
Pros: amazing looks and details, perfect transformation,additional accessories, biggest transforming VF 'figure' (yes,'figure' not toy)
Cons: too light, no die-cast, transformation is not simple nor fun, fragile parts (leg caps for example), too expensive, and too addictive, once you get 1 you'll want another.
Just staring at them on my shelf...they look fantastic.. \(>_<)/..If only they were made out of die-cast *Sigh*
Yamato 1/60:
8/10 (my opinion, I love Version 1 1/60 VF much more than Version2!)
Pros: Looks, feels like a toy, super solid, good amount of details, big range,die-cast parts,suckers that think Version2 will go up in value will be in for a shock when these become X3 times more expensive to get in the future (could be wrong, but don't think so)
Cons: not perfect transformation..BUT...in the anime..it's how they transform!! so yes, no bars or whatever, but more realistic imo compared to other VF figures. heads can be a bit low, not as 'crisp' as Version 2, not the greatest of Gerwalk modes either
8/10 (my opinion, I love Version 1 1/60 VF much more than Version2!)
Pros: Looks, feels like a toy, super solid, good amount of details, big range,die-cast parts,suckers that think Version2 will go up in value will be in for a shock when these become X3 times more expensive to get in the future (could be wrong, but don't think so)
Cons: not perfect transformation..BUT...in the anime..it's how they transform!! so yes, no bars or whatever, but more realistic imo compared to other VF figures. heads can be a bit low, not as 'crisp' as Version 2, not the greatest of Gerwalk modes either
Yamato 1/70:
6/10 : great looking but some unfortunate design flaws (;_;) ...Ok..I'm biased I really like them...so 7/10 if you like die-cast robots!
Pros: Look, feel like a toy, die-cast parts,display great in most modes, well detailed and heavy
Cons: some issues with articulation parts that have tendencies to break a bit too easily, some releases are better than others (2nd versions of the 1/70 are generally much sturdier than 1st iterations) size-wise, a bit small (shame they did not do them in 1/60 right away). Again, cheap to find for now but it will change.Collectors who like quality toys will know what I mean...The new Yamatos are great display pieces, but not so much toys. Yes, I am biased, but well, it's my opinion, my site, my reviews!!
6/10 : great looking but some unfortunate design flaws (;_;) ...Ok..I'm biased I really like them...so 7/10 if you like die-cast robots!
Pros: Look, feel like a toy, die-cast parts,display great in most modes, well detailed and heavy
Cons: some issues with articulation parts that have tendencies to break a bit too easily, some releases are better than others (2nd versions of the 1/70 are generally much sturdier than 1st iterations) size-wise, a bit small (shame they did not do them in 1/60 right away). Again, cheap to find for now but it will change.Collectors who like quality toys will know what I mean...The new Yamatos are great display pieces, but not so much toys. Yes, I am biased, but well, it's my opinion, my site, my reviews!!
Yamato 1/60 Unpainted:
A fantastic idea from Yamato, they released their Ver 2 toys in Kit form. Rightly named' Unpainted Version'. The main classsic VF's were released, including extra parts, such as the Battroid mode opening head cockpit chair option. (Like you see in some Macross episodes, when the pilot exits the VF via its head. Great gimmick. Also they have put a very unique option, Miria's 'Baby-Pod' to attach below the Vf!! Talk about Fan-service!. Anyway, these kits are really completely blank...you have to do everything. So modelling skills are recommended. (Ok you can just put some decals and leave it white..but what's the point in this!!?) If you get an Unpainted kit, you want to create something that Yamato hasn't already released right? But once again, I can't stress enough that some skills and patience are required. If you don't have those, just buy the ones already made. It'll save time and aggro for you and keep the price of these understated toys very low for the rest of us!!!
9/10 :Great Kits!!!
Pros: just like a V2 Yamato toy. But you can make it whatever you want!! At a fraction of the price. Example, I can get 4 1/60 Kits for the price of 1 Yamato/Arcadia 1/60 Ver 2 toy.
a no-brainer in my books!!! Great for customs too.
Cons: some parts can be a pain to put together...And you do need some skills if you want to get a decent looking VF....Also takes a fair amount of time to build and finish correctly.
A fantastic idea from Yamato, they released their Ver 2 toys in Kit form. Rightly named' Unpainted Version'. The main classsic VF's were released, including extra parts, such as the Battroid mode opening head cockpit chair option. (Like you see in some Macross episodes, when the pilot exits the VF via its head. Great gimmick. Also they have put a very unique option, Miria's 'Baby-Pod' to attach below the Vf!! Talk about Fan-service!. Anyway, these kits are really completely blank...you have to do everything. So modelling skills are recommended. (Ok you can just put some decals and leave it white..but what's the point in this!!?) If you get an Unpainted kit, you want to create something that Yamato hasn't already released right? But once again, I can't stress enough that some skills and patience are required. If you don't have those, just buy the ones already made. It'll save time and aggro for you and keep the price of these understated toys very low for the rest of us!!!
9/10 :Great Kits!!!
Pros: just like a V2 Yamato toy. But you can make it whatever you want!! At a fraction of the price. Example, I can get 4 1/60 Kits for the price of 1 Yamato/Arcadia 1/60 Ver 2 toy.
a no-brainer in my books!!! Great for customs too.
Cons: some parts can be a pain to put together...And you do need some skills if you want to get a decent looking VF....Also takes a fair amount of time to build and finish correctly.
Yamato Macross Zero
Ok, so even though these VFs are from Yamato, I thought I'd do their own little sections. Macross Zero in my opinion had great potential. Set before the original Macross story, it uses the VF's predecessors as the main fighters of the anime. There aren't many models to be fair, a few good guys, and a few bad guys. Personally, I did enjoy the story, even though it's short, I even preferred it to Macross Frontier. And well, the Mechas/VF's are really interesting. Even though the series came out way after the original, they did manage to have VF's with credible designs. You can clearly imagine these to be the first VF's. Big, chunky, nearly twice the size of the 'classic' VF we know,not as maneuverable and looking a bit ancient! But this makes it more credible in terms of fighter evolution. The story is worth a watch. Also, they do appear in the Macross 30 PS3 video-game. Great fun to pliot!. So even though it was a bold move from Yamato to release the Zero line, I cannot be more happy that they did. The Bad guys for some reasons were not very popular in Japan, were most fans opted to get the 'Hero''s valk, but they are amazing toys. Worth hunting down.
AND.....DRUM ROLL...next Month..February 2015, Arcadia is releasing the Zero VF-0D!! So the line is not dead yet! And if you like kits, Hasegawa has a big selection of Zero Kits, both in Fighter and Battroid mode (1/72 scale).
Yamato 1/60 Macross Zero:
7/10 :Great VF!!!
Pros: fantastic looking VFs, as tall and large as a 1/48! Extras such as the Ghosts, cool gun pods, comes with armor pieces, load of little gimmicks such as the moveable seats, tons of missiles etc
Cons: Well....depending on the releases, there are some problems, not very tight, the VF-0S rattles a lot, parts don't feel well connected together, and relatively fragile, little antennas, tiny spikes. not the most solid Yamato pieces out there. The Ivanov / Nora are more 'stable' but also have flaws.
Overall QA issues, breaks and other stuff...So handle with care.!!!
AND.....DRUM ROLL...next Month..February 2015, Arcadia is releasing the Zero VF-0D!! So the line is not dead yet! And if you like kits, Hasegawa has a big selection of Zero Kits, both in Fighter and Battroid mode (1/72 scale).
Yamato 1/60 Macross Zero:
7/10 :Great VF!!!
Pros: fantastic looking VFs, as tall and large as a 1/48! Extras such as the Ghosts, cool gun pods, comes with armor pieces, load of little gimmicks such as the moveable seats, tons of missiles etc
Cons: Well....depending on the releases, there are some problems, not very tight, the VF-0S rattles a lot, parts don't feel well connected together, and relatively fragile, little antennas, tiny spikes. not the most solid Yamato pieces out there. The Ivanov / Nora are more 'stable' but also have flaws.
Overall QA issues, breaks and other stuff...So handle with care.!!!
Bandai
I've started with some newer VFs from Bandai as I took their pictures first!! So Even though they released a lot of toys from the original Macross franchise, I'll start with a more recent Macross series...(will edit it later on to put things in chronological order..)
Macross 7!
When the show aired, Bandai was the only company that released toys from the show. Only 4 VFs were made around 1995. They were obviously aimed at a younger target audience. Chunky and plasticky, with little appeal. Still, they were for a time the only Macross 7 toys on the market. So collectors bought them regardless...There are also bootlegs that came out, using the original molds. The boxes are slightly different though so is the plastic used. Good for cheap customs ! (my blue VF-19 is a bootleg)
Here are all four in all their glory.(to be noted that some chromed Ltd editions exist, also they were re-released a few years later with paint apps instead of stickers, the toys are still the same though.)
Bandai 1/65 Macross 7:
6/10
Pros: cheap, solid build, big and chunky , you can give it to a 5 year old and it'll still be there after they've done playing with them.
Cons: some look better in fighter mode whilst others look better in Battroid mode. Poorly detailed, articulation is minimal.The guns have to be buit!!! They are on sprues! Without the stickers, these VFs look slightly bare.
Macross 7!
When the show aired, Bandai was the only company that released toys from the show. Only 4 VFs were made around 1995. They were obviously aimed at a younger target audience. Chunky and plasticky, with little appeal. Still, they were for a time the only Macross 7 toys on the market. So collectors bought them regardless...There are also bootlegs that came out, using the original molds. The boxes are slightly different though so is the plastic used. Good for cheap customs ! (my blue VF-19 is a bootleg)
Here are all four in all their glory.(to be noted that some chromed Ltd editions exist, also they were re-released a few years later with paint apps instead of stickers, the toys are still the same though.)
Bandai 1/65 Macross 7:
6/10
Pros: cheap, solid build, big and chunky , you can give it to a 5 year old and it'll still be there after they've done playing with them.
Cons: some look better in fighter mode whilst others look better in Battroid mode. Poorly detailed, articulation is minimal.The guns have to be buit!!! They are on sprues! Without the stickers, these VFs look slightly bare.
Bandai 1/60 DX Macross Frontier: (Version 1)
Well here is the latest installment in the Macross Saga. To be fair, it feels like the toys were designed first, then the scenario was just an afterthought.
Don't get me wrong, it's watchable, but far from original. Too many recurrent stories from other Macross series, similar in a lot of way to the 1st one (Love triangle etc.). Similar cast of characters, some die too like in the original Macross. I'm not here to review the anime, but personally, I feel its WAY over hyped.
Toys-wise, in ususal $$$$-grabing fashion that Bandai excels at, they released the 1st versions of the toys and few years later...they re-released them again labelled 'Renewal Version'.
So...I'm going to make all you hardcore Frontier fans upset. BUT... why pay nearly twice as much in some cases to get the renewal versions (especially if you already own the 1st ones...) ?? Let me put it this way: ON YOUR DISPLAY IN THE MIDDLE OF HUNDREDS OF OTHER ROBOTS, THERE IS NO FREAKING DIFFERENCE!!! If you don't own any and have money to spare, sure why not go for the Renewal, otherwise do yourself a favor and keep your Version1.....
7/10
Pros: fairly solid, big toy, detailed, nice tampo printing, cool modes (yes even battroid is nice if you know how to diplay it..)
Cons: some paint scratching if you're not careful, having to get the armor sets separately can be a pain in the backside. Some parts like hinges can get cracks after a while, if you transform them too often, they can get loose. A bit too futuristic looking, more akin to Shmups ships than real planes...
After you get 1, you'll want all the others...Unnecessary re-release, they should just give us 1 version that's perfect rather than getting there in 50 versions...but hey..that's Bandai marketing for you, and too many people just fall right in......
Well here is the latest installment in the Macross Saga. To be fair, it feels like the toys were designed first, then the scenario was just an afterthought.
Don't get me wrong, it's watchable, but far from original. Too many recurrent stories from other Macross series, similar in a lot of way to the 1st one (Love triangle etc.). Similar cast of characters, some die too like in the original Macross. I'm not here to review the anime, but personally, I feel its WAY over hyped.
Toys-wise, in ususal $$$$-grabing fashion that Bandai excels at, they released the 1st versions of the toys and few years later...they re-released them again labelled 'Renewal Version'.
So...I'm going to make all you hardcore Frontier fans upset. BUT... why pay nearly twice as much in some cases to get the renewal versions (especially if you already own the 1st ones...) ?? Let me put it this way: ON YOUR DISPLAY IN THE MIDDLE OF HUNDREDS OF OTHER ROBOTS, THERE IS NO FREAKING DIFFERENCE!!! If you don't own any and have money to spare, sure why not go for the Renewal, otherwise do yourself a favor and keep your Version1.....
7/10
Pros: fairly solid, big toy, detailed, nice tampo printing, cool modes (yes even battroid is nice if you know how to diplay it..)
Cons: some paint scratching if you're not careful, having to get the armor sets separately can be a pain in the backside. Some parts like hinges can get cracks after a while, if you transform them too often, they can get loose. A bit too futuristic looking, more akin to Shmups ships than real planes...
After you get 1, you'll want all the others...Unnecessary re-release, they should just give us 1 version that's perfect rather than getting there in 50 versions...but hey..that's Bandai marketing for you, and too many people just fall right in......