This looks hella good:

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/pictures/l/...EOGDS-1244.jpg

From CDJapan.

& the preoder deadline has ended about a month ago. D:

In re: Bandai 1/72 scale VF-25 model
 

Hey all, I'm seeing lots of suggestions about WHAT swag you can buy from this series, but I'm not reading a lot of reviews, so I'm going to add one here...

OK all you models builders out there, listen up! This model kit ROCKS! If any model I've ever built is worth the money, (and I've built quite a few over the years) its THIS one! I think all told including shipping it cost me around $70. Mine is the Alto Special and I'm only about 1/5th of the way into it, but its amazing. This kit is as described, all "snap fit". So far there are no parts that really need anything more than just snapping them together like an elaborate 3-D puzzle. Whomever designs the assembly and moulding for Bandai deserves a raise in salary. The way things fit is flawless. The finish and color of the parts is beautiful. The quality of the moulding is astounding and the instructions so detailed and easy to follow that it doesn't matter that I can't read kanji. (Although my hiragana and katakana reading ability is coming in handy in pinch...)

All I'm using as tools so far is a decent pair of sprue clippers to get the parts off the trees, an x-acto knife to shave the sprue ends off and a flat needle file to smooth things out where I can't shave it properly. The moulding has NO flash at all...amazing! Every piece fits perfectly with NO modifications... I've never built a kit that didn't require SOME modifications... And so far the decals fit perfectly without having to seam them.

All in all a GREAT kit that is both easy to build, yet challenging enough that its like putting together a really complicated puzzle. The results are looking really wonderful and its been a lot of fun working on it so far. If you are even thinking about getting one of these kits, I'd say go for it. Based on this experience, I'm already planning on getting an Ozma VF-25SS as well. As I get further into the kit, I might post pictures...

Happy building!

Mughi~

Great, now I'm motivated to buy myself one. Will you paint yours? I imagine the lines need to be marked for it to look better.

I put in an order on HLJ for the restock some weeks ago. Now I'm tempted to order the VF-25S Ozma Custom :(. I think I'll end up lining the model with a Gundam Marker at most since I lack any model painting ability :heh:

I could go the "pro" route and do all that painting, but so far I'm really happy with the base results. I decided that since I want to transform it from time to time, I'll mostly leave it box-stock and use the stickers instead of the decals. Paint and decals aren't usually very forgiving with playing around with the thing... posing and all.

There are some details I will paint... the canopy frame needs it and maybe a few highlites like vents and such, but I'm not going near the depth the master model in the shots is. I actually like the inscribed panel lines better than the blackline highlited ones... It looks more like the show...

The pilot is SO SMALL that while I'd usually paint him in, I just don't know if I want to bother. I'd need some new brushes and paint I don't currently have and feeling a little cheap and lazy I don't want to turn a $70 kit into a $200 one! :p ;)

Happy modeling!

Mughi~

And here I thought I could manage to paint the model if I bought one. Don't have an airbrush though. I'm happy that you say that there is no need to go that far. The model costs around 70$. It'll be around 90 with the shipping prices for me. :eyebrow:

Bitching about prices? Hell, you kiddies have no idea how much I spent, and on what...

- Tak

Going the airbrush route to me is overkill, but that depends on what level of MechaPorn you like... The parts are moulded in white, black, grey, red, clear and ABS white, which for those parts is inconsequential that they're different. As its coming together it looks really sharp with the plastic seams defining the color breaks in a way that taping them and painting them could never achieve. There are lots of small hatches and vents that will look really good with a little blackout or titanium detailing, but nothing that breaks the deal on getting the model to look finished with not taking a brush or pen to it at all. The ONLY place I could use a bit of added color is the clear visor on the head. Its supposed to be clear green and the sticker they include just looks weird. Still I hate to buy a bottle of clear green tint for such a small piece... :upset:

I've already reserved the Ozma over at HLJ and am hoping for that one to come out even better... if that's really possible! :)

Good to know. I'll be buying this model pretty soon. It would be nice if you could post some photos of the finished version. Of course, I mean your work ;)

Right now I'm spending about an hour a night on it. I've managed to get the cockpit and nosecone together on Sunday and one arm last night.

Its such a clever assembly, because the parts don't look like much as you clip them off of the trees. As I get, say a hinge together, it looks like it won't hold, then the next part locks that previous together. What makes this kit so fun for me so far is that each of the pieces looks like a total "WTF is THIS going to be?!?!" Then, once I get the final outer shielding on it, flipping it over and seeing how nicely finished the part looks and going "OOOOOOOooooh! Cooooool!" :)

Mughi~

Does anyone know if the VF-27 kit is up for preorder anywhere? I want it so bad.

None so far, but seeing the progress of Alto VF-25 sales (out of stock everywhere), I would not be surprised if they have one for ordering in the near future. For now, the only VF-27 you are going to get is a scratch built version.

- Tak

Darn, now your making me anxious about not thinking getting it earlier :heh: It must be a real treat to assemble all of the parts together. I'm going to order my VF-25F soon. Maybe even tomorrow. Can't wait.

I believe that Mughi should treat us to some pictures. :p

Just got my shipment confirmation for my VF-25F model :hyper-^v^: :hyper-^v^: :hyper-^v^:

Bandai's next DX is the Macross Quarter.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m.../iup723963.jpg

Holy crap Chokogin Macross Quater, that's easily 200 US dollars.

Just $200? This is the Quarter, so I am expecting something around $500 for its pricetag.

- Tak

Well I was reading the box which says its above 20cm tall. That height being smaller than my Chokogin Gunbuster, which was around $200, I estimated the same.