New Macross Frontier Plamo!
 

Bandai has pulled out some surprising models at Shizuoka Hobby Show for their Macross Frontier line...it's not just 1/72 models they're making now....click here for the info!

So these models ... Do they require painting? I'm unfamiliar with the whole model version thing. Are the like Gundams where everything comes on plastic trees and require assembly and maybe some painting?

I'd be interested in the 1/48 if only assembly is required and not paint.

Oh and that Klan Klan with armor is hella tempting!

No1/72 yes, as for the 1/48, most likely.

I am very tempted by the 1/48, if it is indeed a Perfect Grade model.

Hmmm. Depending on how much the 1/48 is, I just might get one.

Great!
 

A 1/48 scale VF-25F Messiah model kit! Excellent! It will be massive!

Damn I wish I could have gone to this show today. Work is killing me.

What happens to Klan Klan's legs when she is piloting the Q-Lea? Do they sort of "disappear" ?

The 1/60 Messiah is huge already. I don't need a 1/48... Or do I? Will be interesting to learn more. Wouldn't they have the letters PG somewhere in the card description if it was indeed a Perfect Grade kit?

...

<EDIT> Brain fart. There's a Hasegawa 1/48 YF-19 being shown off at the show too and for some reason, I read "VF-25" as "YF-19" :P . Whoops!

Good question, Bandai may name it something else, to disginguish it with the Gundam and EVA PG kits...maybe "Valkyrie Grade", or something like that. I have a sneaky suspicion that the 25 is just the first of many kits, I suspect we will see other valkyries from other Macross series before the year is over.

If the model is perfect variable, chances are it will be the most detailed incarnation of the VF-25 ever produced. Maybe some fans will stop bitching about wanting to see Yamato tackle the 25 in 1/60 form, if the 1/48 VF-25 by Bandai turns out to be like we think it will(PG, uber detailed).

Bandai looks to be establishing itself as the top dog on any anime line they sponsor.

They've taken on Hasegawa in the 1/72 and NOW the 1/48 scale model kits and often used Hasegawa's own marketing plan to their own advantage (Deculture decals anyone?).

They've taken on Yamato's GN U line with the 1/100 scale mecha and as well as the Yammie toy line with the DX series.

Next the CM Corporation with their Frontier figure line. For smaller companies like CM, they'll have to become more inventive if they want to cash in on this current Macross craze. Re-issuing old figures is not going to do it for them. Now a line of 1/6 scale Macross flight helmets or more of the cross section cockpits they've done would certainly give them a fresh line to offer the fans of the franchise.

With respect to CM, they already have the molds for the VF-1 cockpit, all they have to do is do repaints and voila-Roy, Hikaru, Max, Milia and Kakizaki, with a VF-1S version of either Hikaru or Max (or both) as the chase piece of the set... Granted a new model of Milia would have to be made for her cockpit, but the costs to produce the line would be minimal compared to the potential profits...

Good insight man, I mainly thought of their competition toy-wise with the perfect variable valkyries, but not the other areas, thanks for the heads up!

If Bandai and Hasegawa try to compete for the 1/48 scale Macross market, we the consumbers will be the biggest winners!

Between the two of them, they hold the licenses for all the variable fighters in the Mac universe!

Competition breeds more products for us fans to enjoy! Competition is good. I hope Bandai makes a VF-19S perfect grade kit in 1/48 scale....their renditions of the Blazer valkyrie in fighter mode look great.