Is this what Indiana Jones felt as he first picked up the golden idol?

I can picture Sanjeev screaming at his monitor now: "NOOOOOO KILL IT WITH FIRE!"

But you know, you can't just write something off because of its pedigree. Sometimes, it's just the right mix of things you like, that can make you go off in a direction you didn't expect.

Be@rbricks are the bastard sons of Kubricks. Those little Lego-looking guys that started at the forefront of the designer toy movement are still going strong. I don't know that hipsters even look at them anymore. They have resisted change and trends. Today's Kubricks are essentially the same ones that first came out, aside from different paint decoration. Be@rbricks are basically the same thing. I have been guilty of buying a few here and there, largely if it is tied into a character I like. So while I don't collect them, I'm not opposed to them.

I do however, collect Chogokin. Which brings us here today.

This toy is part of an ongoing collaboration with Bandai and Medicom, dubbed Project BM!. Most of the items are limited and/or show exclusives. At the Spring Tamashii Nations 09, Bandai unveiled a 200% Chogokin Be@rbrick.

The Chogokin Be@rbrick is available at Anime-Export.com

This one is an exclusive for the Autumn Tamashii Nations event, whose theme was Saint Cloth Myth. Thus, this Be@rbrick is gold chromed with a giant zodiac wheel on the chest.

It's all metal.

I mean ALL METAL. Percentage wise, I can't think of any gokin that has more metal content. Some parts are solid metal. Some are hollow metal. The weight is remarkable. The shine - perfect.

At 200% it is twice the size as your regular Be@rbrick. It just feels good in your hands. Is this what Indiana Jones felt as he first picked up the golden idol?

And it doesn't just look pretty - it is actually reasonably articulated. The head turns, the arms can rotate and swivel, the hands rotate, the legs can move... hell it has a waist joint. And each joint has that metal "clank" as you turn it.

I am smitten by its shiny goodness.

The back has a Tamashii Nations logo printed on it, and an embossed Chogokin / Be@rbrick logo.

The only drawback? fingerprints. Oh, and don't take pictures of it while you are in your underwear. the world does not need to see that reflection.

If you want one, they can be hard to come by. Fortunately, Anime-Export manages to get their hands on Tamashii Nations Exclusives rather quickly, so give them a try,

This set is bittersweet. The scene where Michel's valk arrives and Ranka starts singing is one of my favorite scenes in all of Macross Frontier. It sends chills down my spine. The set itself is great, but the fact that it only gets used in gerwalk mode really bumms me out.

The Galia 4 Fold set is a Tamashii Web exclusive. Collectors could mail away for the set, which is only available to Japanese residents. However, with the help of shops like Anime-Export, you can order them and have them shipped to the states.

The set is named after the Planet Galia 4, from Macross Frontier. In episode 12, singer Sheryl Nome is sent to the largely Zentradi military base on the planet Galia 4 to perform a concert. When she is stricken ill, a Zentradi uprising occurs. The SMS sends ace pilot and sniper Michel out with Ranka Lee to sing in her absence and quell the riot.

Unfortunately, the planet is too far away, but there has been work on an experimental Super Fold Booster that can get there quickly. This is the booster included in this set.

Once Michel and Ranka arrive, the fold booster is jettisoned and Michel's valk is equipped with sonic boosters that amplify Ranka's song, disrupting the renegade Zentradi attack.

As I said before, this is a mail-away set. While the parts are used with Michel's VF-25 Messiah valkyrie, they can be used with any DX Chogokin Messiah Valkyrie.

This is a small set. You don't get a lot. Included in the set is:

• Super Fold Booster x1
• Fold Speaker x4
• 1/60 Ranka Lee figure x1

The Fold Booster is plastic with clear dome parts. Unlike the Yamato fold boosters, nothing lights up. It can be attached with one of two different connectors, depending on if the toy has its armor parts on or not.

The Fold speakers clip onto the wings of the toy in either fighter or gerwalk mode. Unfortunately, the appearance in the anime is in gerwalk mode, and we all know how much the gerwalk mode on these toys sucks. Each booster is decorated with different colors on the points where they should be lit up, but these don't light up.

Also included is a tiny 1/60 scale Ranka Lee figurine.

This set is bittersweet. The scene where Michel's valk arrives and Ranka starts singing is one of my favorite scenes in all of Macross Frontier. It sends chills down my spine. The set itself is great, but the fact that it only gets used in gerwalk mode really bumms me out. And there is the price. The original Japanese retail is around $50 bucks, which is already too much. Add on the fact that you have to import it, and pay a markup due to the rarity... well, lets just say you need to be hardcore to get this set. Maybe if the fold booster or speakers lit up?

Regardless, good luck finding a set. We got ours at Anime-Export, and if you want one, maybe you should too.

It'll do.

Review sample provided by Hobby Link Japan

I feel that the VF-25 represents a culmination of all the little quirks and details seen in Variable Fighters over the past 25 years. One of the most memorable aspects of Valkyries is the full armor packs that encase the once sleek robot in loads of bulky armor. The VF-25 is the fourth Valkyrie to have a full armor set with the others being the VF-0, VF-1, and the VF-11. The VF-25's APS-25/MF25 armored pack owes a lot to its predecessors in addition to obscure designs like the Stampede Valkyrie and the Star Child.

It was only a matter of time before we would see an Armored VF-25S in Bandai's Deluxe Macross Frontier Valkyrie line. In fact, I'm surprised that we didn't see it sooner since the Armored VF-25S is seen right from the get-go. Honestly it makes me wonder why Bandai even bothered with the first release. It might be worth it if Bandai eventually releases a separate accessory pack but right now the armored set is much more appealing.

The VF-25S's fighter mode is largely unchanged from the first release. The only new addition is a set of new hip parts that have holes for attaching the hip armor. These come already attached to the hip armor so you also get a set without holes attached with the toy. Sadly there isn't much you can do with fighter mode except swing the wings and extend the landing gear. It really needs some underwing stores to make it come alive.

This is my first experience with the DX VF-25's infamous display stand. While it is less complicated than the stand from the GFFM Zeta Plus I reviewed, it is also a lot uglier. I understand the use of diecast in the ankles makes this toy a little unwieldy for a stand but Bandai's solution is just poorly executed. The toy plugs in at the front of the stand while the rear end simply rests on the cradling piece. Nothing lets you adjust the pitch or bank of the plane so you're stuck with it at this mediocre "gate guard" angle.

GERWALK mode is also king of lacking. While it is possible to achieve a proper A stance but leaving the intakes unlocked from the upper body, the lack of swivel joints in the knees limits what you can do in this mode. The rear end is also susceptible to sagging.

In order to attach GERWALK mode to the stand you must plug the intakes into the front fuselage which leaves the legs in an awkward straight position. The angle the toy rests at looks terrible and with the legs locked in place there's nothing you can do to make the toy look more dynamic.

Battroid mode is the best mode out of all three for this toy. The original release of the VF-25S was plagued by a stubby neck. Bandai has included a spacer piece in this release as their fix. While it does breath new life in the toy, the piece cannot be left in for fighter or GERWALK mode. It makes me wonder why they didn't just re-design the head or neck.

Regardless of my complaints, the new neck piece really improves the look of the toy. The VF-25S's head is one of my favorite head designs in Macross. The paint job on this toy is sharp and nicely detailed.

The VF-25S possesses a good amount of articulation and as a 1:60 scale toy it provides some interesting opportunities for interaction with robots of the same scale.

The armored set consists of 16 different pieces with the backplate breaking down into 2 pieces and each leg part breaking down into 5 pieces. Each part is entirely plastic and feel solid.

Snapping the parts on can be a bit of a chore with satisfying results. For more details on the armoring process please skip ahead to my video.

The Armored VF-25S boasts an impressive 264 missiles across the various launchers on its body. My only complaint is that there should be paint filling the spaces between the missiles so that they don't look like one solid part.

This side view shows that the toy can stand upright even with the added weight although it is a little touchy.

The Armored Battroid is fairly detailed with most of the major markings represented by tampoo printing. However, not all the markings are present and there is no decal sheet to provide these markings.

In this form, the large stand actually works well. Unfortunately it is difficult to splay the legs out due to the added weight.

For me, Armored GERWALK is a complete disaster. Bandai thought an extra backplate for securing the wings was a good idea. This backplate also has two balljointed struts that connect the back of the GERWALK to the legs in order to spread the weight. I couldn't get it to work at all and my patience for this toy's GERWALK mode ran out.

Armored fighter mode fares much better. Looking like something straight out of Ray Storm or Image Fight, the fighter mode evokes the image of a real one man dreadnought. The armored leg parts feature their own landing gear so you can display this mode without the stand.

The cannons on the booster and pivot and swivel. The booster nozzles are also movable.

Again the detail in this mode is fairly well executed. The colors are especially sharp and there are not apparent defects. However I have found that removing the armor has scratched some of the markings of the base toy.

An additional spacer piece and cradle extensions are provided to display the armored fighter on the stand. Again this time the stand works with the toy instead of against it.

When its all said and done, Bandai's deluxe Valkyrie have been consistently underwhelming. As I look at this toy and compare it with Valkyrie toys form Yamato or even the GFFM Zeta Plus toy I reviewed I can't shake the feeling that this is just good enough. Despite the price, nearly as much as the Zeta Plus, I just don't see the same level of engineering and craftsmanship Bandai that made Bandai the leader in the robot toy industry. I love the design of this Valkyrie and the toy satisfies me but I really wanted Bandai's A game on this release and I felt that if ever there was a version of this toy that they had to get absolutely perfect it was this one. I don't feel that they have redeemed themselves enough to make this toy for anyone else than fans of the design and that's a real shame.

An under-appreciated gem

Laserion DX is the hero mecha from Video Warrior Laserion, a cartoon which originally aired for 45 episodes in 1984. From what I can tell, VWL was a virtual-reality based story, obviously influenced by Tron.

The show and its toys were unpopular, and the chogokin languished on shelves in both Japan and the US (both DX and ST models were released domestically under the Godaikin brand).

When I became serious about vintage gokin, I was equally confused and elated by the typical robot collector’s indifference towards Laserion, a toy which I found especially appealing*. I was able to easily snap up a few lots to assemble a complete, minty specimen for hundreds of dollars less than any other Godaikin-era gokin of similar size. It was one of the rare instances where what I desired was actually plentiful and cheap. Laserion, at least in its Godaikin incarnation, ontinues to be an easily obtained, entry-level piece.

Laserion comes in a classic suitcase-styled Popy box (15" x 12" x 4"), with handsome photographs and art on the front and sides. I particularly like the green wireframe illustration.

Inside, the playset rests in its Styrofoam cocoon, covered in the typical Popy window-lid.

In broad strokes, the set consists of the main robot armature, the infill body pieces, and weapons/accessories. I find the shear number of parts exciting, but I can understand how those partial to perfect transformation would be put off.

The “empty” armature is a formidable toy on its own. It’s substantial (at 11”)and fun enough to play with by itself. The figure tends to “melt” due to its collapsible nature, though.

The fully-collapsed mode is interesting, but I can’t imagine why it exists.

The body is mostly ABS, but with metal pins at all of the multifarious collapsing joints and diecast at the shoulders, knees, and elbows.

The parts which fit inside its torso and appendages can be combined into two modes with small rubber plugs, included (but often missing).

Both of these configurations suck heavily. The rubber plugs prevent any sort of solid connection, so the toys are just gooey blocks of fail. This feature is the weakest part of the whole set.

The head is a spaceship unto itself, and includes a small pilot within.

With the combination of the armature and the inserts, the figure really shines.

The textural complexity of the flat black, red, silver, and red; the chrome; and the translucent green, is unequaled in classic gokin, or indeed, since.

The figure comes equipped with a sword, gun and knee-lasers.

Laserion, while technically well articulated, is essentially a brick. But he’s so heavy and complex that I don’t miss the pose-ability.

But wait! It gets (much) better. Until a few months ago, I was somehow unaware of the upgrade armor! I luckily happened upon an auction for the accessory, bid on it before I knew what the hell it was, and then did my research.

The armor is sublime. All plastic, it comes packaged separately in a window box.

Inside, the (8) pieces are packed in Styrofoam with cardboard backing graphics.

I was a huge fan before I knew this set existed, but Laserion is incomplete without it. When you’ve fitted the pieces, each held on with friction, you get the feeling that this is the way he was supposed to look.

The bulkiness of the armor still preserves the layering and transparency of the overall figure, magnifying the complexity and depth of the design.

Gaze upon it, ye mortals:

*So why does Laserion appeal so much to me?

My design sensibility is influenced by the confluence of nostalgia and tectonics, ie what I feel is “cool” in my gut and what I can appreciate as a beautiful and intuitively fun object.

As a child of the eighties, my aesthetic taste is forever imprinted with a bias for the design touchstones of that era: chrome, angular lines, transparency, bold colors.

This era, arguably, also saw the nadir of aesthetics and engineering in Japanese toys.

Laserion, as a toy, is ambitious. It does more per-inch than other contemporaneous gokin. Each joint in a toy is a significant investment in engineering and material cost, and Laserion has around 70 JOINTS in the main figure alone. The engineering of the armature is totally unlike any other toy robot, Popy or otherwise, with no closed clam-shell volumes at all, just an articulated framework.

Laserion personifies the entire mystique of the modern robot, the union between the machine and the spirit. Laserion’s design is a totally unique interpretation of the larger idea. The other titans of classic Gokin, say Tetsujin, Voltes, and Combattra, while well executed and soulful, don’t break any new ground in character design. Most are just impeccable versions of classic characters, either revised from previous designs or similar to each other. Laserion is a singular, beautiful expression of the mecha narrative which isn’t visually derivative of other characters.

Laserion succeeds in being the embodiment of the super robot idea, realized with state-of-the-art engineering and quality (which we may never see again), while still being fun and funky. I think, by any standard, Laserion can compete with any of the more beloved Popy DX bots.

Not a lot of essential parts in this set, so maybe I can understand why this was a mail-away, but still, the whole concept leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

Now that Bandai is finally harnessing the power of the web, and the power of the Japanese Collecting community, they have begun offering exclusives through their "Tamashii Web Shop". The exclusives are usually add-ons to already released toys, are sold at a premium and are next to impossible to get in the States.

I don't know about the Japanese market, but it is causing quite a stir among the foreign collecting community. Most of these items require that you have a Japanese address, meaning that you have to go through a middleman to acquire them at a premium.

One could argue that if you don't like the price, don't buy them. But to me the issue is that by doing this Bandai is actually giving you less for your money. In the past, SOC and other collectors items were simply packed with every item that ever appeared in the show. Take for example, the giant cannon with Ideon, or the hover vehicle with the Walker Machine Galliar. These days though, those items would have been offered as web exclusives and tack another $100 onto the price. Now Bandai can charge more for the same items, and pack less into the toy. An upcoming example is the upcoming Big O Soul of Chogokin. Key gimmicks and accessories are not packed in with the toy, rather they are being offered as a mail-away. That $100 SOC just became $200.

Bandai knows this. They have tested the market in the past to see what we will bear. For example, the Soul of Chogokin Raideen set. You could buy the regular set, or the DX set with the giant stone head. This was a great approach because both sets were available at mass market retail. But maybe the market couldn't support both releases? Who knows? Why not do the same with Valkyries? Saint Cloth Myth? Perhaps it is Bandai's way of giving something unique to their core market in an increasingly international market. Some food for thought.

This set here is the Tamashii Web Exclusive Ghost & Weapons set for the Macross Frontier DX Chogokin RVF-25. These parts can be used with any VF-25, but they are specifically geared for Luca's RVF-25 Messiah. To order the set you had to place an order on the Tamashii Web site by a certain date and fork over 5,200 yen. However, if you bought the RVF-25 DF Chogokin Luca Custom, you could send in a coupon that allowed you to purchase the set at a reduced rate. Oh yeah, it's all in Japanese, and they only ship to Japan.

As a non-Japanese resident, you have a few options. One of course is to pick one up on the secondary market, another to use a middleman to place an order on your behalf. Few web stores accepted pre-orders for the sets such as Anime-Export. You can expect to pay about double the retail price for this set through these channels. Such is the price we pay.

The set arrives in a cardboard mailer, inside that is a plain looking monochrome outer box. The parts are organized neatly in a tray.

So what do you get for your hundred bucks? Not a whole lot. This set is for die-hards. You get the Ghost fighter, stand, 2 antennae, and three pairs of wing missiles as well as four large white missiles.

The ghost is the best part of the set. Ghost fighters are unmanned drones that can be sent out in lieu of manned fighters. In Luca's case, he has three identical drones that he has named Simon, John and Peter. This set only comes with one Ghost Fighter, so I don't know which this is.

The Ghost is all plastic but solid. It comes with a removable bottom plate so that you can attach the stand connector. The stand is clear plastic in two parts. There is also a spot on the nose that is for an optional antenna.

All of the other accessories are for the RVF-25, in fighter mode only.

Each of the weapon pods attaches to the wings in any number of configurations. Each has the same connection method, but are keyed to fit on either the left or right wing. None of the missiles can separate from their connectors.

Finally there are two antenna that can be attached to the tips of the boosters. Not sure what their purpose is, but they look like parts that really should have been packaged with the core valkyrie. You can also take one of these antenna and attach it to the ghost booster, but that leaves one empty spot on the booster. Why not give you three?

So there you have it. Not a lot of essential parts in this set, so maybe I can understand why this was a mail-away, but still, the whole concept leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

Definitely for the diehards, available from Anime-Export.com

Let's be fair, the toy is not terrible, it just has one terrible mode.

I'm not going to go over the pros and cons of the Messiah Valkyrie again, we all know its a mixed bag. Good fighter mode, good battroid mode, absolutely horrible gerwalk mode.

The RVF-25 Messiah Valkyrie Luca Custom is a special-use valkyrie used in the series Macross Frontier. Luca Angelloni is a meek, bookish member of the S.M.S. Skull Squadron who pilots the special Reconnaissance Version Messiah Valkyrie.

The toy is essentially the same as the other Macross F DX Chogokin toys, with some paint and mold changes. Each of the Skull Squadron members have a custom VF-25, different from the mass production version. You can get your RVF-25 Messiah Valkyrie at Anime-Export.com

Luca's RVF-25 features a unique head sculpt as well as a large radar dish on the back. Like the Michael Custom, Luca's valkyrie comes with super armor parts and a custom display stand.

In fighter mode, the main fighter is tight and looks great.

Adding on the super parts makes for a frustrating experience. Most of the armor parts fit ok, specifically the leg and chest armor, but the armor that covers the intakes falls off at the drop of a hat.

As far as gerwalk mode goes, its absolutely fu*kin terrible. Without the armor its a mess, add in the armor you just want to smash it with a hammer. Nothing stays on at all, and the armor on the back and wings just makes the whole rear sag. The stand is supposed to make it displayable, but fails miserably. I was too kind about it in my Ozma review - but after handling a few of these it really becomes apparent.

But lets not dwell on the misery of gerwalk form.

Battroid mode is really nice, much better than Gerwalk, but still you end up with too many armor pieces that don't fit well. Expect a waterfall of parts when trying to transform it. Best not to bother with them and just wait till you have the whole thing transformed.

The real weak point again is the armor over the hips, or the intake manifolds. There just isn't enough plastic on the clips to give them a secure connection.

There are some pluses to the armor though. I like the shoulder armor that has concealed missile pods, I like the leg and chest armor, and I like the big boosters. You can still have the radar dish attached on the back in this mode as well, but it dislodges easily.

The figure also comes with all the armaments of the other valks - the large gun, the two blades, and several interchangeable hands.

The stand that the figure comes with has a few issues. The main point of connection to the stand in fighter and gerwalk mode is a black tab that fits under the nose. Under the bottom of the nose is a tab that pulls out to connect to the waist in battroid mode. The black tip of the stand fits into the hole left by this piece when it is flipped out. This anchors the nose, but the rest of the toy simply "rests" on the rear plate. This would not be a bad idea if it were not for the fact that the front part can easily separate from the rest of the stand, causing the valk to come crashing to the floor. In battroid mode there is a separate stand part that attaches under the waist, but the figure stands fine without it.

So yeah, lots of complaints. So why did I get it? Well, I needed something to display my Tamashii Web Exclusive Ghost and Weapons Set. That review is coming up next.

And let's be fair, the toy is not terrible, it just has one terrible mode. Most Macross collectors will likely just display it in one mode anyway, and it DOES look really good in fighter and battroid mode.

Should you want to get one for your collection, you can get one at Anime-Export.com

This design is why we are here today. Why my childhood was what it was. Why this website exists. This is Ground Zero, or a reasonable facsimile thereof.

Before you get all excited, this is just a reproduction of the original GA-01 that was offered as a prize item from Banpresto. While it is not the original item, it is a great opportunity to talk about some of the history behind this legendary gokin, the one that started it all.

Back in 1972, Japanese toy maker Popy was having a bit of success with merchandise from its live action shows like Kamen Rider when it decided to first use Zinc Alloy (aka Diecast) in making small vehicles seen in the shows. The resulting toy line was known as Popynica (a combination of Popy and Mini-Car) and was the first Popy product to use the now legendary numbering system. It was during this time that Popy got the license to manufacture merchandise from a new cartoon called Mazinger Z. Developed from a manga, Mazinger Z had been capturing the minds of children everywhere. In order to replicate the feeling of the giant robot, Popy created the Jumbo Machinder line of 24" polyethylene robots.

The Jumbo was a huge success, and Popy was about to hit on another. Lead designer Katsuhisa Murakami was brought in to create another toy concept. If the Jumbo represented size, what would represent weight?

In the anime, Mazinger Z is made out of a fictitious metal called Cho-gokin (literally, "Super Alloy"). Murakami decided that creating these new toys out of the diecast used in Popynica toys and branding them "Chogokin" would be a hit with kids, thinking their toys were made out of the same metal as Mazinger Z.

Murakami was right, and the rest is history. The Chogokin Mazinger Z was dubbed GA-01, and sold like crazy. So much so that they continued to refine and execute the design, resulting in four original versions of the GA-01 and countless repaints and reissues.

This design is why we are here today. Why my childhood was what it was. Why this website exists.

Of course, being the first Chogokin, finding a mint condition example can be a rare and costly affair, costing thousands of dollars.

In 1999, Banpresto decided to reissue the GA-01 and offer it as a prize item to be given away when customers sent in coupons from a select Super Robot Wars video game (Super Robot Wars F Final). Banpresto needed a GA-01 to reproduce, and since the molds had long since deteriorated, looked to collectors to find a mint specimen. They eventually got one from Koji Igarashi, author of Green Arrow Graffiti, and another from Kazunori Saito, legendary collector and publisher of several guide books. It is from these collectors that Banpresto got their template for their version of the GA-01.

According to this article on Toybox DX, the Banpresto version is pretty close to the original, aside from the markings on the feet and the firing mechanism on the back. A comparison of the original versus the reissue can be found here.

Like the original, this version features folding down chest plates with launching missiles.

Included are regular fists and iron cutter fists, both launch with the press of a button on the shoulders.

The toy comes in a reproduction box, complete with paperwork, foam padding, missiles, and two kinds of fists. The reproduction box came shipped in an outer Banpresto box. A black version was also offered, and is harder to find than this one.

This reproduction can be easily found for under $100 on various sites, and is a great stand in for the real thing.

As a bonus, here's a montage of vintage Popy commercials, starting out with Mazinger Z

In 2009 Bandai announced the GX-45 Mazinga Z, a complete retooling of the first Soul of Chogokin, and in the commercial it relates a modern day salaryman's yearning for his classic GA-01

The original toy is cool as hell. When you had the old one, you knew it was destined to do more. When those fists came unglued, you knew they were supposed to fire.

In this version, they did. And it did a whole lot more.

This may look like that small Voltron you had as a kid, but it's not. This is the real deal - the GB-73 ST Dairugger XV that the Matchbox Vehicle Voltron was based off of.

In the 80s it was not uncommon for American toy companies to license Japanese properties and bring over their toys. But due to some kid choking on a Battlestar Galactica missile, we had all these safety rules now which meant any cool Japanese toy brought over was going to be instantly neutered.

The original toy is cool as hell. When you had the old one, you knew it was destined to do more. When those fists came unglued, you knew they were supposed to fire.

In this version, they did. And it did a whole lot more.

The ST Dairugger XV shares a lot of parts with its bastard Americanized cousin, but there's a lot different.

The box is a beautiful Popy style box with fantastic illustrations all around. The toy comes packed in a styrofoam tray.

The chest is the same, and the US version still bears the Popy logo on the back.

The hands now shoot, and the toy comes with an extra set of hands. Each had can be placed in two positions.

This version also includes a sword!

The legs on this version have built in missile launchers, a feature never even hinted at with the original. The lower legs are diecast metal, with plastic car feet with rolling wheels.

The ST Dairugger XV can be had for pretty cheap, compared to other vintage gokin. If you had the original as a youth you owe it to yourself to get one of these.

I had planned on finishing up a different review today but I am so filled with hate over this thing that I had to let it out now. Time for me to put on my cranky pants as I review the VF-25G Michael Custom.

Review sample provided by Angolz.

Ok, so let's just get the basics of the review out of the way. Other than a new paint job, head and actually including the Super Parts with the release; it's the same toy as the Alto Custom or Ozma Custom.

So before I proceed with the specifics of this release let's go over the highlights from the last review...

The Good

• Excellent representation of the mecha in both Battroid and Fighter mode while remaining very “toy-like”. Not “anime perfect”, but good.
• Very high quality and sturdy plastics in use.
• Transformation is fairly straightforward and easy
• All markings and details are pre-painted on.
• Die-cast landing gear, ankles, thigh intakes and crotch
• Shoulder design allows for large range of motion
• 1/60 scale has a nice presence on the shelf. Not to big, not to small... just right.

The Bad

• Worst Gerwalk mode ever. Only able to create dynamic poses by disconnecting the intakes and fiddling with the feet angles, leaving you with a very un-toy like, fragile and precarious display.
• The head lasers/antennas are made of soft PVC and are prone to bending.
• Spotty Quality Control. Many report having very loose or very tight shoulder joints. My Alto had a loose and a tight shoulder. Some have reported having the screw holding the block assembly together breaking in two after only a few transformations.
• Swappable hands getting loose after being changed out a just a few times.
• Printed detail on plastic parts rubbing off after casual handling.
• For something in the “Chogokin” line, there isn't a lot of the key ingredient in it. Approximately 15% of the piece is metal, the rest is all plastic.
• Die-cast landing gear is short and stubby.
• Die-cast ankles are too loose to hold Gerwalk mode upright.
• Range of motion overall in the knee area is severely lacking in both Gerwalk and Battroid mode.
• Bandai is capable of creating a much better and well rounded toy and really left me feeling like they rushed the design and settled for “good enough” instead of “great.”

So how does Michael's Custom VF-25G fare since the Alto release? In a nutshell. The super armor and stand makes a mediocre toy, awful.

It didn't start with hate. I picked this up knowing it's faults from my experience with the Alto Custom release but I expected the extra parts to make it better, not worse...

When I got it, I carefully transformed it to Battroid mode, put on all the armor, equipped the stunning sniper rifle and created a very nice, neutral looking pose to accompany my Klan Klang figure. There it sat for a week and a half and everything was good. It looked pretty on the shelf and I was satisfied.

The paint scheme looked sharp and the armor looked relatively good (Granted the thigh intake cover was a bit delicate and kept popping off but it stayed on after I stopped trying to pose it.) But then I picked it up last night and took it through its paces while shooting photos for this review and any enjoyment to be had almost got itself thrown out the second floor window. Seriously.

The suggested retail price is 16,800 YEN and at the time of this article that's approximately $170 bucks before importing to the states. So the average collector state-side is paying close to $200 after shipping.

In this economy that is a $h!t-ton of money so keep that in mind as I show you what Bandai has decided is “good enough” for your $200.

Super Armor and a Stand

All the armor feels like quality plastic molded in greyish-blue with all other markings painted on. The white detailing on plastic feels very light and thin and looks as if it will scratch or rub off easily. Be careful when handling. Putting the armor on is pretty straightforward and the included manual leaves no question as to where everything goes.

Also in the box is a black stand with the base in the shape of the S.M.S. Logo.

Honestly I think this thing is very utilitarian and ugly. No points for style on this one. It's a fixed pose base that can be swapped around a bit to accommodate the piece in all three modes. Sort of...

Battroid

So I must say I think that I like the blue, white and black coloring of Michael's Messiah over all the others and the colors on the piece really do pop. The plastic parts are molded in blue with the white and black being painted on. So be very mindful when handling one wrong scratch will show very prominently on those parts.

A super secret waist joint in the nose cone...

Which lets you rotate the piece at the crotch. Look at that isn't it dynamic and exciting?

I didn't think so either. They can think to add this stupid joint but can't give the legs proper range of motion for Gerwalk mode?

With the armor on it's pretty wicked looking but you do have to fiddle a bit to get the boosters to sit properly on the wings

The thigh intake armor is very touchy and has a very loose grip on the mecha. Again, short sighted design here. There is no reason better "grooves" to get the clips to hold aren't there. In and of it self, it's not a huge deal but all these little things add up...

It sits fine for display but I imagine if a kid actually tried to bring this to show and tell at school they would be the parts lost before the day is over. No matter how careful you are, if you are handling it and posing it they're going to end up on the floor. They do have a hinge so you can use the joint there on the mecha.

In Battroid mode, what pose-ability it did have in the lower knees is lost when you put the armor on the back of the legs. There is no range of motion, not even one “click”. If you do the armor pops off...

So when you try to use the stand to pose it in mid flight your options are limited if you want to leave the armor on because you cant really bend the knee very well. I tried for a while and gave up...

Gerwalk Mode

Same complaints as the Alto...

You can cheat a dramatic Gerwalk mode without the stand or the armor on, on a flat surface. You basically disconnect the intakes from the fuselage, squeeze them up and in a bit and just let the rest of the fighter sit there on the top of the intakes leaving you with dramatic A stance.

With the armor it becomes an incredibly difficult exercise in Zen-like patience. The ankles can not hold it upright in even the most basic and neutral pose impossible. You have to close the feet and balance very carefully, it also helps to rotate the ankles a bit.

I did the following for a half hour... parts flying and falling off... it wasn't pretty. You see while the armor does stay on, it's pretty twitchy once you start handling it. Thigh intake falls to the ground, pick up, put on, booster pops off one of its “peg holes” and needs to be realigned, realign the booster, a leg armor piece falls off, pick up leg armor off the floor, put back on, thigh intake falls off, pick up off the floor, Gerwalk mode falls onto its nose... I hope you get the point.

I walked away very flustered at this point and came back a day later with the Zen-like patience took some time and figured another cheat to make the display hold up a bit more solidly...

If you roll the "hip plate"...

... sort of halfway so it sits between the fuselage and the shoulder bars..

it helps it all sit a bit tighter.

You must be asking yourself, “Atom, surely it can be look good in Gerwalk mode with the stand?” You would think so, it even includes a “brace” to hold up the back end. With the stand it's an even bigger joke. Leaving the intakes attached to the fuselage looks pretty lame.

With the stand, you have to drop the crotch at 90 degrees to get the clip to hold the nosecone in place when you pull the intakes off to try to “cheat” your Gerwalk mode.

This is the mode on the stand...

Apparently this is supposed to be “good enough”... Don't believe me? Think I've just posed something wrong? Check any of the official promo photos for this or better yet check a showroom picture.

Fighter

In fighter mode there isn't much to complain about. It looks beautiful and everything is nice and stight. Very solid in fighter mode.

Remember that stunning looking sniper rifle I mentioned earlier? Want to attach it to your fighter and “land it”? To bad, Bandai decided short and stubby was “good enough”. Really Bandai? This is a joke right?

[Editorial Note: If you need your own Pheyden (Wraith Version) to hold up the nosecone of your VF-25G be sure to check out the CollectionDX Store. and get yours while supplies last.) It is a toy that is sure to stay together unless you want it to come apart.]

With the armor on it's again pretty solid except for the boosters and intake armor. With handling these will get jarred loose.

With the stand you're meant to display it like so...

But you can use the Gerwalk attachment to get a nosedive pose that I prefer a bit more...

Wrap Up

I'm sorry Bandai, but “good enough” is NOT going to cut it in this current worldwide economy. Toys and collectibles are far from a necessity and if someone is going to drop $150 to $200 dollars on something these days it better be the very best it can be. You are capable of doing so much better and I am imploring you do just that with your upcoming Macross Quarter. I've given up on your “Chogokin” interpretation of the Messiah's sadly.

Only you as a collector can decide if your willing to put up with all the short comings. I am strongly suggesting you sit it out and wait a few years till a better redo comes along especially if your toy funds are thin. If your a Macross Frontier fan, I completely understand the burning desire to own at least one of these and if you must have one I implore you to pick your purchase carefully and stick to just one. No need to reward Bandai's lackluster effort with large profits because you got all caught up in the Macross frenzy and went off on a buying spree before it sinks in - These are not that good.

When they redo them all in a few years as an SOC or Chogokin 2.0 or whatever don't come crying to me. I warned ya early, I did my part as a “toy-journalist.”

Review sample provided by Angolz.

While Bandai got much right with their re-entry into the transforming, variable fighter market, I am stunned at what they got wrong... I take a look at Alto's VF-25F from the latest installment in the Macross franchise, Macross Frontier.

Bandai! They truly make some of the most awesome toys and collectibles on the planet. So when they announced that they had the license to the new Macross franchise to make toys I was ecstatic. I mean they're Bandai, they turn out SOC's, SIC's, SCM's, Soul SPEC's and ChogkinDX's with such consistent and exacting quality what could go wrong?

Well colored me surprised at how disappointed I actually am with their new series of Chogokin DX VF-25 Messiah's. While they got much right, I am stunned at what they got wrong. Which is a shame because this could have been an outstanding piece, instead it's just OK.

I bought my Alto Custom about 6 weeks after it was released from Angolz.com so I've had some time with it and I had hoped that my initial disappointment would wear off but it hasn't. So while others have been more forgiving of this releases flaws I am not.

The box is fairly small measuring 8 inches by 14 inches by 3 inches. Images of the actual toy and images from the anime decorate the box. Inside the box is the piece in fighter mode, packed in an old-school Styrofoam tray along with the included accessories.

Accessories in the box are...

• 4 sets of hands (closed fists, gripping fists, flat open hands and partially open hands)
• 1 gun pod (Howard GU-17A new model 5-barrel 58mm gatling gun pod in supernerdspeak)
• 1 gun pod clip (to attach the gun pod to fighter mode)
• 1 assault knife (AK/VF-M9 Assault Knife in supernerdspeak)
• Arm shield (standard bulletproof “anti-projectile” shield in supernerdspeak)
• Instruction Book

Let's start with the good.

Done in the 1/60 scale these Macross Frontier designs will blend well with classic Macross designs made by other toy makers in the same scale. Overall it's a stable, solid, good looking piece and transformation is fairly straightforward for such a “complex” design. While some have complained the finished piece isn't as slim as the line art I think they did do an overall good job capturing the look and feel of the VF-25 series of variable fighters.

While it doesn't have as much die-cast as the name “Chogokin DX” would imply, the quality of materials used for the main piece are excellent. High quality plastic, PVC and POM appear to be in use as well as metal in the ankles, thigh/intake, landing gear and shoulder block/joint. The toy feels solid and has a nice heft to it.

The included instruction book is clearly illustrated and enough to get you through the transformation even if you can not read Japanese. The booklet also features several full color splash pages with information about Macross Frontier and the latest variable fighter the VF-25 Messiah.

Fighter mode. The proportions are good though some have complained that the side profile is a bit chunky compared to line art. Everything sits and locks without being floppy or falling apart so performing barrel rolls with it is no problem.

The fighter does have die-cast landing gear with rolling wheels though they are a bit on the short side, barely clearing the ground with the gun pod attached. I suspect this will become a problem with later releases like Michael's VF-25. His Sniper Rifle is so big I doubt the landing gear they've designed here will clear it. Time will tell...

What I did find a strange design decision was the small fins on the lower back legs. In the series they're animated at an angle in fighter mode then fold into the leg during transformation. With the toy they have the range of motion to angle out properly but Bandai did not cut out the “slot” on the leg enough to allow it that freedom of range. Thus the leg fin must be left pointed straight down. What the...?

Now Gerwalk mode. Here's where I feel Bandai really dropped the ball. These pictures show the full extension of Gerwalk mode and as you can see it's not very good. The leg's have no rotation around the knees, it is just forward and back and that's as far as it goes. Not very dramatic or sexy is it?

There is however a “trick” to getting a dramatic display. You disconnect the intakes from the main body, pull the “crotch” down a hair and pinch the intakes in towards the body. Spend about a half an hour futsing around with the ankles and feet... then walk away carefully, praying to the toy gods no one stomps through the house shaking it loose .

Yeah, it looks good but it's that delicate. I just don't get what Bandai was thinking here. Would it have been that difficult to add just one more “click” to the extension to get upper legs straight? Had they done that and added a rotating joint above the knee they would have had a great overall toy in all 3 modes. Instead you get 2 solid modes and 1 delicate, origami, fragile display mode. Kind of a bummer.

Thankfully Battroid mode is better. Standing at 8 1/2 inches tall, the leg joints and range of motion are adequate. However a known quality control issue really shows itself here. Bad shoulder joints...

The joints that hold the “shoulder block” are actually fairly good. As a matter of fact these joints do allow you to get the arms in some excellent poses but sadly my right shoulder is very loose so it won't actually hold it's arm up at the shoulder without support. Ironically my left shoulder is super tight. Judging by feedback on the Internet it's a QC issue that plagues many but not all out there. So buying one is a bit of a game of Russian Roulette on whether you get a bum one or not. For the asking price and the QC we know Bandai can achieve; it shouldn't remotely be a question when purchasing one.

I also noticed after just a few days of handling that some of the tampo printing on plastic is prone to rubbing off. My Alto's left shoulder's SMS marking is half rubbed off with nothing more than casual handling and transformation. There are several other spots that have slightly rubbed off but nothing as noticeable or as prominent as the shoulder.

With today's engineering why the compromises in the design to begin with? There is no reason for swapping hands and such a lackluster Gerwalk mode? Was there not enough time to engineer a wider range of joints or rotating knees? Was it really that difficult to design articulated hands? Was it next to impossible to design a slot for the assault knife? Really Bandai? Really? I mean would these things have really added that much to the cost of the finished piece? Was there not enough time to make these things happen?

Sigh. I can let the other stuff slide but that Gerwalk mode is unforgivable. Granted you can cheat a good looking display for this mode but it definitely goes against the rest of the “toy-like” feel and charm and is such a let-down when compared to the other modes of the toy. It just leaves me feeling like they rushed to meet a release deadline or skimped to keep costs down. For the record I could have waited a month or two longer and would have easily paid more for these few simple features.

There is a lot to like about this release and only you as a collector can decide whether the cost of entry is worth what you are getting for the price. Personally I do not, but your mileage may vary. I expect more from Bandai in the 21st century and I just hope their upcoming Macross Quarter fares better.

You can get your Alto Custom VF-25 Messiah at Angolz. As of this article they are sold out but a little birdie told me they should be getting a restock any time now.