YF-21 Valkyrie

in the 1994 anime Macross Plus, two rival test pilots face off in two different valkyries, not only to see who’s fighter is better, but to see who gets the girl…

We’ve already looked at the first entry in Yamato’s GNU-DOU line, the YF-19 Valkyrie. Now we take a look at Isamu’s rival – Guld Goa Bowman’s YF-21.

The YF-21 looks nothing like any valkyrie that has come before it. It has a definite Zentradi influence to it, looking more like a Q-Rau than a Valkyrie. I’m sure this is no coincidence – it’s pilot is half Zentradi. And the difference between the two is more than appearances – the YF-21 is controlled by the MIND of the pilot as opposed to traditional controls.

The toy shares similar construction and quality as the YF-19. The toy is made of sturdy ABS and POM parts, and has a wide range of movement. Seriously. It’s the most poseable YF-21 made to date.

The head has a great range of articulation, considering the limitations of the design. To move it you have to pull it back a bit and tilt the front down, and then you will find you can move it around.

Also, like the YF-19, there isn’t much in the way of accessories. You get 3 variant hands and a gun. No stand, no fastpacks. Still, this figure looks great and it’s actually kind of refreshing to not have to keep track of all those parts.

Detail, paint and finish are all excellent. Even the small flaps on the rear engines are separate pieces. Yamato manages to pull off a great figure with no screw holes by making the whole figure essentially Lock together like a puzzle. You can remove the back section to separate the shoulders, which then release the fuselage and so on. Still, the figure holds together well.

The is my second GNU-DOU and so far they are on a roll.