Robot Island Mecha Models n' Toys Info

TransMY Penang Yumchar October Session

2010-10-17T23:25:00.002+08:00

Had a great yumchar with TF fans from the malaysian TF forum...
you can check it out at www.transmy.com

here are some random shots...
forgot to take pics of the people!!! my bad :(

Transformers Generations Deluxe Dirge

2010-10-13T10:49:00.003+08:00

love the blue...

Transformers Generations Deluxe Drift & Blurr

2010-10-10T01:08:00.005+08:00

Such an awesome duo...

Transformers Generations Deluxe Soundawave (War for Cybertron)

2010-10-06T21:48:00.002+08:00

Another winner!
Hasbro seems to be everything right these days
A big 'A' from me for this toy...

Soundwave mode...

BOOMBOX MODE!!!
...i like to boom boom pow...

...i'm a beast when u turn me on...

cybertronian heavy rig mode

Henkei Rodimus, clear version

2010-09-23T15:54:00.002+08:00

fell in love with this the first time i saw the pics...
simply couldn't resist buying it!
"terbeli" again... aduih sakit

Transformers Movie Toys Scaling Guide

2010-08-15T12:21:00.004+08:00

Yup this is done by me myself,
Feel free to use it as you wish.
Just click on it to enlarge and view it in photobucket.

Let me know if you have any requests for stuff that i haven't covered.

Transformers Toy Scaling Testcase

2010-08-08T22:16:00.004+08:00

Toy scaling has always been one of the overlooked subjects when it comes to transformers toys. Other toy lines such as gundam or macross actually make it a must to have the scale defined clearly for each toy/model kit. in the transformers toy universe though, scale is a much harder subject to tackle. this is mainly due to the vast variety of alt modes sported by these robots, ranging from tiny electronic devices to huge jets and helicopters.

one of the explanations used is the concept called mass shifting which i find very lame. mass shifting is used to explain for example, how starscream's f-22 mode can be more than twice as big as optimus prime's truck mode, but when in robot mode both starscream and optimus seem to be the same size.

anyway, with the transformers movie toyline still very well in production, the are quite few gems which can be found and put together to have a nice feel of scale. here i am showing a set of 4: leader class starscream, voyager class battle blades optimus prime, deluxe class ironhide and scout class breakdown.

ARE THEY IN SCALE???

well, actually almost!
scout breakdown and deluxe ironhide are actually same scale at 1:50
voyager battle blades optimus is 1:42
and leader starscream is 1:61

detailed info:

custom HFTD decepticon air cannon fodder type 1

2010-08-01T19:20:00.003+08:00

hi guys, so starcraft 2 literally made my laptop overheat, and i don't think i'd have funds for a hardware upgrade very soon... good, this means i'll have even more time doing custom TFs!

here's my repaint of HFTD jetblade as a cannon fodder.
hope to do more olive drab cannon fodders soon, esp with hailstorm, payload, terradive...

Custom ROTF Voyager Nemesis Prime

2010-07-09T16:41:00.002+08:00

since a new mold is already coming out for ROTF voyager prime,
i figured i may as well paint this old favourite of mine into nemesis prime

Custom ROTF Voyager Thundercracker

2010-04-18T23:47:00.002+08:00

it would have been nice if we had a thundercracker for the ROTF NEST line.
instead, we were given nebular starscream, which wasn't bad...
anyway for the heck of it, i made my own thundercracker custom and here it is
thanks for viewing :)

Transformers ROTF Desert Combat Rampage

2010-03-27T22:57:00.003+08:00

Another nice haul this month!
This is a great release by takara with a top notch paint job!
The color scheme is actually more accurate to what was seen in the movie, than the first release of this figure.
while it has an almost flawless bulldozer mode, the jackhammer mode (ie. the actual robot mode that was seen in the movie) has some horrendous back kibble! but not to worry, its eeasily removable. with or without the back kibble, the figure looks great from the front, and has no problems standing up thanks to the support from the hardened treads which are supposed to be his whip-like weapons. it has an extra attack mode which was never seen in the movie, but i prefer to leave it out... not a big fan of spider bots.

After removing the back kibble:

Transformers ROTF Human Alliance Barricade

2010-03-26T23:07:00.003+08:00

my latest haul, HA barricade
highly recommended!
...and now, to let the pics do the talking ;)

Custom ROTF Voyager Recon Ironhide

2010-02-02T13:10:00.003+08:00

Phew its been a long time...
here's my latest update, which is just a minor touch up on recon ironhide to give him a more movie accurate look.

BEFORE:
Pics courtesy of TFW2005.com

AFTER:

Next up:

1/72 Macross Frontier Ozma's Armored VF-25S Part 3

2009-11-15T02:08:00.002+08:00

this is the final part...
battroid mode :D

1/72 Macross Frontier Ozma's Armored VF-25S Part 2

2009-11-15T02:07:00.000+08:00

gerwalk mode:

1/72 Macross Frontier Ozma's Armored VF-25S Part 1

2009-11-15T02:01:00.002+08:00

i have finally finished ozma's valk, and wow did it take a hell of a long time. i'm glad its finally over! here are the pics as usual (",) this is my most favourite valk of all, completing it felt like a macross nirvana for me, nothing else even comes close

Custom ROTF Deluxe Class Breakaway

2009-10-11T02:16:00.003+08:00

hi guys, how you all doing
i've been busy at work recently and did alot of OT
well, need to work for money anyway :D
in a perfect world i'd sit at home eat pizza and paint toys all day lol... (that ain't true)

anyway here's my mini project, deluxe class breakaway
loved the mold, hated hasbro's paintjob, took the matter into my own hands

Inspiration was from here:

Custom Low Visibility Scheme for the Yamato 1/60 Hikaru VF-1J

2009-09-26T02:22:00.003+08:00

Update time! Finally done painting my low vis scheme and here are the pics :D
(This is what the grey cannon fodder shown previously finally became XD)
Now the hunt starts for the low vis 1/60 decals, especially the grey UN Spacy kites! where the hell can i find them? i know i know... the sticker sheet of the VT-1... OMG help me

Custom Yamato 1/60 VF-1J Grey cannon fodder

2009-09-19T10:26:00.001+08:00

hi dudes! this is my latest custom grey cannon fodder
yup this is probably one of the guys that always got blown up in the background in the SDF macross series LOL...

1/72 Macross Frontier Alto's Armored VF-25F Full Pictorial Part 3

2009-09-07T01:08:00.003+08:00

This is the final part, hope you all enjoyed it!

1/72 Macross Frontier Alto's Armored VF-25F Full Pictorial Part 2

2009-09-07T01:06:00.001+08:00

1/72 Macross Frontier Alto's Armored VF-25F Full Pictorial Part 1

2009-09-07T01:01:00.003+08:00

Phew! At last! Completed!
And now for the pics!

Jet Mode

1/72 Macross Frontier Alto's Armored VF-25F, almost done...

2009-09-06T15:34:00.002+08:00

hi again guys!
i have just completed the jet mode for my 1/72 armored VF-25F,
in the end i kind off decided to stick to the canon scheme,
but still retain the black armor plus some metallic here and there.

i cant show gerwalk/battroid mode yet cos i havent finished painting the rifles and hands
was supposed to finish them this weekend but i was travelling and forgot to bring the related sprues.
so i js contnued with what i had brought along with me,
and here are some shots i made at the hotel

1/72 Macross Frontier Alto's Armored VF-25F work in progress...

2009-09-03T11:10:00.002+08:00

sharing some pictures of my work in progress for Alto's armored messiah, on which i am doing a non-canon scheme for the armor parts. the scheme is not yet finalized, but basically what i'm aiming for is a black armor scheme. hope to complete this soon!

the armored parts:

main body and scheme trial runs:

My custom ROTF Grindor

2009-08-21T21:18:00.001+08:00

hi guys ;)
js giving a try at changing the scheme of grindor...
this is all hand painted mainly using iron and dark iron (mr. metal color),
with some touches of metallic black (left overs from ironhide, haha!)
i need to spray some clear coat later

but still no way movie accurate
really hoping for a leader class version to come out :$

My custom ROTF voyager Ironhide

2009-08-16T17:35:00.000+08:00

hello again bros,
this is my repaint on ROTF ironhide,
repainted from grey to black with a little added details
thanks for viewing!

Yamato 1/60 Macross DYRL Max Jenius VF-1S Pictorial

2009-08-15T02:11:00.002+08:00

wassup there! here's a pictorial of Max's VF-1S from macross: do you remember love?
i sure as hell remember love! enjoy...

Transformers ROTF Legends Class Devastator Review Part 2

2009-08-10T01:29:00.003+08:00

Now for devastator himself, woohoo!
alt mode 9/10
this is based on the average score of all the individual alt modes of this bunch. i really feel that a fantastic job was done here, and could not ask for more (maybe i still wish they were all in the correct scale :P). kudos to the design team!

robot mode 10/10
i was simply blown away by how accurate the robot mode was to the lineart! further more, this is only a legends class figure. let these pics do the talking!
concept art:

articulation 7/10
despite still being classified as having "limited articulation", aritculation is there where it matters. the head being on a ball joint, can look in ALL directions. it does have limited articulation on elbows, fingers, knees and ankles.

transformation 10/10
a very satisfying and fun trasformation. all the individual bots lock securely to each other. i was very impressed by the way mixmaster, demolisher and overload combined together to form the main body and the head. two thumbs up!

x-factor 8/10
devastator's apperance in the movie was brief, yet it was awesome enough. TF fans and non-TF fans alike, i think no one could miss the sequence when the constructicons combined to form devastator. we also saw devastator slowly devour an Egyptian pyramid. Devastator also contributed a moment of humour, just before he came tumbling down to his premature death.

Final score 44/50
legends class devastator is simply awesome despite his small size. A highly recommended piece! will snap more photos of this guy later.

Transformers ROTF Legends Class Devastator Review Part 1

2009-08-10T00:45:00.005+08:00

i'll be giving a brief review of each individual constructicon before moving on to Devastator himself.

let's start with...

mixmaster
alt mode 8/10
the driver's cab does look too big compared to the mixing tank. but nonetheless a very fine, robot-kibble free alt mode.

robot mode 4/10
unfortunately a pretty bad robot mode. although the armor on the arms are in the coorect place, but the rest of the robot is a let down. the legs, the arms and the headsculpt are really, not nice to look at...

demolisher aka scavenger
alt mode 8/10
a solid alt mode, yet its flaws are the 2 huge wheels inside the excavator and lack of articulation on the excavating arm.

robot mode 10/10
a very well done robot mode, still very spot on to what you see in the movie! stands much easier that it's voyager class counterpart due to extra treads for support at the back. it's arms also have more articulation.

overload
alt mode 9/10
i am continued to be WOWed by these legends class figures. really nothing much to complain about the alt mode.

robot mode 8/10
a very spot on robot mode to the concept art that was shown (but did not make movie appearance unfortunately). very likeable! but lacks articulation

hightower
alt mode 10/10
this is my personal favourite. the alt mode has alot of configurability where you can adjust the height of the crane arm. for the crane it self, you can even opt for a small hook, a big hook or a wrecking ball! one of the most fun alt modes ever.

robot mode 8/10
a very unique take on the robot mode (that even concept art was never shown of). it's either you love it or you hate it. for me, it got me freaked out at first but i have learnt to like it. this is because it is reminiscent of a scorpion body, but has a very humanoid head sculpt! isn't that freaky?

man i still get the chills...

long haul
alt mode 8/10
again, a very spot on alt mode but lacks something i cant explain...

robot mode 6/10
one of the worse robot modes of the bunch with mixmaster. really not something nice to look at (long haul is my favourite constructicon from the movie :()

rampage
alt mdoe 9/10
hmm... honestly, all the alt modes of this bunch seem to be pretty good!

robot mode 8/10
main issue is the alt mode treads that become the leg kibble. it has its flaws, but it sure captures the movie ramapge robot mode much better than it's deluxe class counter part. still very good i say.

last but not least,
scrapper
alt mode 9/10
nothing much to complain really

robot mode 9/10
a pretty decent robot mode. it has a good height, and decent articulation on its arms and legs due to ball joints. pretty cool for a legends class!

Coming soon: Transformers ROTF Legends Class Devastator Review

2009-08-09T22:25:00.002+08:00

wassup transforming robot fans!
been a really busy week but i still managed to make my latest haul!
just to keep the ball rolling, here are some in-box pics,
review to follow soon! (should be tomorrow, gasp!)

my custom ROTF leader class megatron

2009-07-29T01:16:00.003+08:00

tried my hand at painting leader class megatron.
the color mix i used is 3 parts steel and 1 part silver (mr. hobby paints).
mayb i shud have added a bit more silver as it looks a bit dark...
i'm not quite finished with this yet, as i plan to paint more details in gold/silver, but not sure when i'll be doing that haha
anyway, on with the pics!

Transformers Alternity Black Convoy Review

2009-07-29T00:32:00.004+08:00

hi bros! now its time for me to stop playing with my toys and get my arse to do my review of the transformers alternity black convoy!

first off, the size of this thing is the same as a deluxe class TF figure, but it is almost as heavy as an ultra class figure (in between leader and voyager class size). this is because of the die cast metal parts used in this toy. pretty neat huh. but the price is also in the ultra class range too, but i think it's still worth it though... haha

alt mode 10/10
the car mode for this guy is the nissan GTR, and i am very impressed by it. it has plenty of details from the opening doors, hood, boot, front AND BACK seats, steering wheel, gear shift and hand brake, to the nissan GTR logos and small paint touches. very great job done by the guys at Takara! my only complaint is that the rear part of the car (made up of the robot's legs) do not quite hold together as tight as they should. nonetheless it still deserves a perfect score.

robot mode 8/10
in robot mode you will see more significant pros and cons. the robot mode looks very cool, and i love the head sculpt. the alt mode kibble is placed correctly enough to look good. although many people complain about it being back heavy, for me it ain't that bad. the main problems are the short, short arms that may kill the appeal of this figure for many people. still, it's not a deadly sin... AS LONG AS its not doing any kind of pose and just stands there.

articulation 7/10
the articulation to achieve dynamic poses is there, and the stability given by the large foot print is really good. but this is where the short short arms really show their ugly side. due to the puny arms (and did i mention puny weapon?) you really cant get it to look awesome in action poses. which is quite sad...

transformation 10/10
one of the best things about this figure. the transformation complicated but not frustrating. very satisfying! and plenty of wow factor, how the robot kibble is so cleverly used or hidden away in the alt mode and vice versa. there is even some automorph incorporated! a good mix of old school and movie verse transformation. breathtaking!

x-factor 5/10
can't really give many marks here. the comic provided with the toy to give it some "character" is lame to say the least. the only thing going for it is that it's a representation of optimus prime in a seperate universe. and its black. pretty cool, but just not enough.

overall 40/50
surprisingly, despite its puny arms, puny weapons and lack of x-factor it still managed to achieve this score. key strengths lie in it's alt mode and transformation. a very fine toy and display piece, but not something i would whole hearterdly recommend...

black convoy says it's time to buy him the gears of war gun blaster accessory!

Coming soon... review of the Transformers Alternity Black Convoy

2009-07-22T11:00:00.004+08:00

i just bought this thing last weekend. My God, i can't believe how impressed i am by this thing. I haven't been this impressed by a toy ever since i started collecting Yamato Macross toys! i just can't wait to complete my photoshoot and review of this awesome little thing, but a bit busy at work now. Some preview pics for now!

Transformers ROTF Leader Class Jetfire Review

2009-07-19T22:13:00.004+08:00

Ahh... finally got my rusty ass to complete the photo shoot and review for Sir Jetfire!

Alt Mode 7/10
Plenty to love, and to hate about the alt mode. For the love of God, it's an SR-71!!! This jet is legendary. Simply love the size, panel lines, details, markings and everything else looking from the top. Very accurate to the blackbird. But, plenty to hate about the robot kibble below. Don't get me wrong though, i am not blaming the designers AT ALL for this. it has a jet mode, robot mode, and can combine with leader prime for God's sake. A solid, 7.

And now... BANDAI DISPLAY STAND TIME!!!

Thanks for trying, Grandpa Jetfire...

Robot Mode 7/10
For the most part, a pretty decent attempt. Nothing REALLY wrong about it, just don't think TOO much about movie accuracy and you'd be fine. Yeah... after watching the movie a few more times, you'd be less than satisfied with this. The jet turbines are supposed to be the legs, but here you find them both on his back as kibble, while his legs have fake turbines. The cockpit kibble is on the arms, while a fake cockpit is on Jetfire's forehead. And, Jetfire's body is too big compared to his legs. Another 7 i'd say.

Articulation 8/10
Now let me show you how Jefire brought the pain in his day!!!

Transformation 5/10
OK, not as hard as Prime's, but still much harder than Megatron's. However, the is nothing fun or satisfying about it. There is no wow factor either. Wow factor is something like when robot kibble is cleverly hidden in the Alt mode. None of that here.

X-factor 10/10
i really liked his movie appearance, though it wasn't long! First off it was simply WOW to find a SR-71 transformer. then he provided some good humour and an interesting history lesson. Then he absolutely kicked somebody's ass. Finally, he was part of the climax of the movie, 50% of it actually. Nothing less than 10 in X-factor, considering all this.

Overall 37/50
The winning point is his X-factor. Combining with Prime, a legendary jet as an Alt mode, solid movie character. Otherewise, imagine if his alt mode wasnt an SR-71 and just any plane with robot kibble under. Imagine if he was just a nobody in the movie. Imagine if he never combined with Prime. Then, this toy would be everything that reminds me of why i quit collecting TFs for a while and moved to Macross.

Transformers ROTF Leader Class Jetfire

2009-07-18T01:14:00.002+08:00

i just got my leader class Jetfire today. simply couldn't wait to combine him with Optimus Prime. nothing to say or review about, except that it's FREAKING AWESOME!!!
on with some pics. hopefully i can do a review on just the leader class Jetfire by this weekend.

Config 1

Config 2

Side view

Back view

How the gun should be held (according to lineart)

How prime blasted megatron through a wall:

Tribute to Mikhail Blanc - The eyes of a sniper

2009-07-14T21:33:00.007+08:00

aka Michelle...
about time i did this
my hero, my favorite character in macross frontier
simply cried when he died

With the woman he loved:

most touching picture

in his 25G:

his death

and vengeance

ROTF leader optimus and voy ironhide - minor touch ups

2009-07-13T03:27:00.001+08:00

did some minor touch up to my leader prime and voy ironhide figures!
i think for prime, there is still alot to do! but i think i'll stop right here for now...
as for ironhide, i just did his face and guns, don't dare to do anymore...

ROTF voyager class The Fallen Quickie Review!

2009-07-12T21:24:00.004+08:00

My full time job is really taking a big toll on my personal time :(
let's do a quickie ;)

Alt Mode 8/10
so the fallen's alt mode didn't really appear in the film i think. all he did was teleport around. but i still consider this as a pretty decent take at it. a menacing looking cybertronian jet, which looks very convincing to me. AWESOME, alien details in orange, which most customizers completely ignore and spray silver all over it :(, couldn't ask for more really. only deduct points for the arms that are not really secure in their place and some kind of (robot?) kibble in the area between the cockpit and his head. Fits PERFECTLY on a gundam action base, mind you! adding back a point for that...

Robot Mode 8/10
again, awesome looking alien detail, seems very movie accurate, except for the hunch and lacking a staff weapon. good headscuplt. mechalive gimmick is kinda lame though, refer below:

Articulation 9/10
ok so no turning neck, no ankles, spring loaded feet... all spells disaster for articulation, no? but the rest of the available articulation MORE THAN makes up for it. especially the turning waist. GOD i love articulated waists... you jduge

Transformation 5/10
Not a painful transformation. not rather fun either. not something i want to transform all the time.

X-factor 7/10
A mixed bag here. he's supposed to be the big bad guy in the film, and was pretty convincing until the final 20 mintues of the 2:20 hours of it. the poor guy died quite horribly...

Overall 37/50

fallen says: Gimme a leader class version, please...

ROTF leader class Megatron Review

2009-07-03T21:44:00.003+08:00

Now here's a review of the less popular leader class release from the Transformers ROTF line.

Alt Mode 7/10
Lately I am more into "out of this world" alt mode designs for transformers. This Megatron really looks menacing in his alien tank mode, and it's quite huge.

I don't mind the head being so exposed in this mode either, as this alt mode was never meant to be a disguise. This is a concept and attitude that i really like and befits the decepticon leader.

The sculpting is also really impressive. Plenty of detail all over!

Also, the electronic gimmick is a firing cannon sound and some lights. But your cannon needs to be locked into place for this. Anyway for those who are wondering, the cannon can pretty much point in any direction you want! Great

Ok so now lets talk about the bad. Firstly, the tank treads aren't really parallel to each other, but thats just nit picking on my side. Definitely not THAT movie accurate for those who had seen the movie. It doesn't look like it can fly at all! haha. It would have been good if they made it a bit more flat and streamlined like the voyager version. But what irks me the most is the kibble and gaps in this part of the tank:

Robot Mode 8/10
First off, the mecha alive feature is awesome! gears inside the chest just rattle like nobody's business, then Megatron's head gives a very energetic shrug (or shake, or jerk, whatever) and he yells "I am Megatroooon!!!". Again, the sculpting is amazing. The head and chest are very detailed and spot on. My only gripe is that the upper legs are too small compared to the lower legs and the rest of his body, and that the backpack is too high up giving him too much of a hunched look.

Also here are some shots on the transformation of his right arm, from cannon arm to clawed arm. This is feature of him is rather fun too... would have been better if he had an elbow on this arm.

Articulation 7/10
The head can only look up 90 degress, it can't look left/right at all. The right arm is really BIG, but doesnt have an elbow. The left arm, is really small and thin, but has an elbow and also an articulated middle finger. The feet have no ankles, but my, it does sooo well even without it. Plenty of menacing poses can be done due to good leg articulation and amazing stability, it's all up to your imagination!

Transformation 10/10
This is one of the best things about this leader class megatron. Transformation is satisfyingly complex yet not too difficult. Much more fun than leader class optimus prime for sure. You'll find yourself transforming him back and forth plenty of times!

X-factor 9/10
Looks really menacing and evil! But i agree the voyager version is even more evil looking. Where the leader class wins is in the sheer size in both modes, which is very important for such a character as this decepticon leader. Definitely plenty of x-factor going for the toy itself, just deduct a point because he got his ass kicked in the movie :P

Overall 41/50

I leave you guys with this :P

2009-07-01T12:28:00.001+08:00

hi dudes, js sharing some pics from an exhibition (in the biggest shooping mall on penang island, malaysia) i took part in last weekend. it was a transformers exhibition in conjunction with the screening of "revenge of the fallen", but the organizers were also keen on displaying some macross. hence i contirbuted my yamato 1/60 vf-1 and also my macross frontier model kits.

Here are the pics taken by a freelance photographer. and although my model kits aint that awesome, i hope at least i did them enough justice and gave them good exposure to the TF fans.

BTW, no DX chogokin vf-25s were on display.

Transformers ROTF voyager Demolisher review

2009-06-20T02:51:00.002+08:00

i decided to review this guy, as i think differently about him than most of the reviews i've read. i like him ALOT, unexpectedly and surprising even to myself. this purchase was what i considered as an impulse buy - but everything changed when i actually opened the box

first off, this guy's alt mode very refreshing and looks quite realistic. i think the last time we had an excavator transformer was in transformers cybertron metroplex/megalo convoy. and it was, to put it mildly, not the slightest bit convincing. it was practically a bot on its hands and knees with an excavating arm fixed on top. with demolisher however, the excavator mode is almost perfect save for the robot kibble at the rear, but even that doesnt look the slightest bit out of place. on top of that, there is some really good detail in the rubber treads, stairs, railings, and the operator's compartment.

All in all a convincing alt mode with some fun posing the excavating arm that has some internal moving gears.

what i like most about this toy is the simple yet intriguing transformation. this is definitely one of those TF toys that is conveniently transformed yet satisfying at the same time. a rare balance it is and demolisher has struck it. i really transform him alot :D

now to the robot mode which probably most people do not seem to like. i find this bot just as refreshing as the alt mode. it does not have humanoid limbs, very alien like, and even has a bug like head. but i simply love it like a breath of fresh air. it has some good details on the shoulders, and i like the head sculpt. and on contrary to what many have said, he is actually very posable! all you need to do play around with his center of gravity. both wheels (above the head and below) play a vital part in maitaining balance, and you have the freedom to move them forwards/backwards to adjust the center of gravity. anyway, i will just let my pics do the talking :) i had tons of fun

so my word on demolisher is get him, i highly recommend him!

More pics... SMS squadron battroids

2009-06-20T02:39:00.002+08:00

some final photos of my macross frontier sms squadron, this time in robot mode. hoping to get the armored messiah model kit by july or august :) but until then...

... the time has finally come for the transformers movie we all have been eagerly awaiting... and i will be taking a hiatus from macross toys for at least a month :P

1/72 VF-25 Super Messiah group photo time!

2009-06-11T14:17:00.001+08:00

1/72 Transformable VF-25F Armored Messiah Alto Saotome's Unit - 25th June release!!!

2009-06-09T17:44:00.002+08:00

Coming out one day before Ozma's??? Too good to be true!
Initially I thought this would around one month later than Ozma's.
Simply loving the "it's me against the whole world" vibes it gives!!!

Completed 1/72 vf-25 super messiah collection

2009-06-09T13:05:00.000+08:00

My good fren TC offered his 1/72 vf-25s super ozma kit to me at a price i could not resist 2 weeks ago! i was so happy, he was even generous enough to bundle the display stand with it! Thanks alot bro!!! TC has gone on to fully focus on collecting the DX chogokin, as we will be having an exhibition at Queensbay Mall Penang this coming 26th June 2009. Well actually its supposed to be a Transformers exhibition (in tandem with the ROTF movie screening) but the organizers gave use the green light to put our macross in the show as well! So i will be showing my 1/72 model kit vf-25, while TC will show his DX vf-25 collection.

anyway, after getting the kit from TC, there was quite some work to be done. he did tell me before that he only spent 4 hours to build it, and indeed it looked that way :P no offense bro. but at the price you gave it to me, its still darn good value for money. practically i took the whole thing apart, clean up the plastic nubs, assembled again. also i replaced all stickers with watersilde decals. also, i applied the sexy Cathy Glass decals in the best possible way i could think of. lastly i sprayed 3 layers of clear coat to give it a semi-gloss (and a nice smell, haha) on with the pics!!! (no robot mode pics for now, savouring the beautiful jet mode)

1/72 Transformable VF-25S Armored Messiah Valkyrie Ozma Lee's Unit - June 26th release

2009-06-01T10:28:00.000+08:00

Price is 8,400 Yen (inclusive of tax).
Images from Happinet Online.
~RM300, but expect local retailers to mark up to RM350 - 400.

you can see a new display stand connector for the jet mode
from the side profile, the gun pod seems to hang REALLY low
the wings look insanely heavy, the legs too
can the hip and knee joints still hold poses on the display stand??? i wonder
and how much stress can the wing joints take?
things were already bad enough with the super parts... and now this

Yamato's 1/60 Maximillian Jenius' VF-1S

2009-05-19T13:05:00.000+08:00

sharing some pics of my latest haul ^_^

Macross Frontier 1/72 VF-25F Super Messiah model kit

2009-05-13T12:56:00.000+08:00

First thing's first,
Fere are the pics of the parts needed to be replaced from your regular vf-25. quite alot of work here. The whole area near the intakes of the jet mode need to be replaced. the groin area of the robot mode needs to be rebuilt. Also, the side armor and back armor for the legs need to be replaced.

But i'm really loving the new shield. here's a comparison between the super parts shield and the original shield:

Transformation
If you found the vf-25 transformation a pain, then the super messiah is even more so.
Still, it is pretty much the same steps, with 2 additional pegs for the missle pods needed to be added when you're in robot mode.
The entire leg armor also has to be removed when you want to access the peg to extend the feet out. Surprisingly this was quite easy to remove, compared to flipping open the leg armor of the original vf-25.
I would advise to remove the wing boosters first whenever you attempt to transform it, even though you do not have to. This is to reduce the strain on the wing joints, as the joints are rather small.

Battroid mode
this mode can barely stand by itself due to the weight of the wing boosters at the back. even after you get it balanced, it WILL topple over anytime. you really need a display stand for robot mode, simply no other way.
anyhow, it looks freaking awesome!!! a wholesome upgrade for the messiah indeed.

Gerwalk mode
Unfortunately, getting gerwalk mode to work very hard to do. The weight of the boosters is simply too much to bear and the whole wing portion just flops down in gerwalk mode. You have to use clear coat paint or super glue residue to create enough friction for it to stay up. clear coat paint was what i used. :)

Jet mode
this is the mode where it really shines. simply can't describe how breathtakingly beautiful it is, i only hope the pics i posted here do it justice. this is where you get the ultimate satisfaction from adding the super parts. i was also pleasantly surprised that the legs do hold up pretty well when the jet is posed on a display stand. Seen here in these pictures, i also tinted the canopy in blue.

Conclusion
By all means, do get the super parts! Its simply beautiful and everybody will go WOW when they see it on your display (well, almost everybody).
If you are the type of guy who just likes displaying your model kit and not transforming them alot, then maybe you should get super parts for all your vf-25 except of course for ozma.
But I would not recommend getting more than 2 if you like to play alot with your model kit (like I do). After experiencing the transformation with the super parts on, the original non-super parts model seems a whole lot more easy to transform and durable now.

Verdict
9/10 as it's an awesome beauty, with awesome value for money albeit being not so playable.