Review #67c: Generations Leader Jetfire
and Macross VF-1S Valkyries (Bandai 1/55 and Yamato 1/60)
part 3: Robot (Battroid) Mode
We come to it at last, the final part of this thee part review taking a look at three toys: the 2014 Transformers Generations Leader Class Jetfire, the 1/55 Macross Valkyrie toy that is the same toy that became the original Generation One Jetfire back in the 80's, and another Macross Valkyrie that is a more direct update of that original toy.
Looking at three toys at once can be a daunting process, especially when it is three different toys rather then, say, two (or more) different characters whose toys happen to share the same mold. Thus, this review has been split into three parts. In the first part, we looked at the toys in their vehicle modes. The second part looked at the toys in GERWALK mode. Now, in this final part, we finally take a look at these three toys in their robot mode, also known (in the case of the Macross toys) as Battroid mode.
Looking at three toys at once can be a daunting process, especially when it is three different toys rather then, say, two (or more) different characters whose toys happen to share the same mold. Thus, this review has been split into three parts. In the first part, we looked at the toys in their vehicle modes. The second part looked at the toys in GERWALK mode. Now, in this final part, we finally take a look at these three toys in their robot mode, also known (in the case of the Macross toys) as Battroid mode.
Toy #1: Bandai 1/55 VF-1S Valkyrie
As before, we will start by taking a look at the Bandai 1/55 offering, a reissued version of what is basically the same toy that was used to make the original G1 Jetfire toy.
The Macross Valkyrie was always a special "giant robot" vehicle to me. In its Americanized version as Robotech's Veritech fighter, it was the first giant piloted robot in fiction that I had encountered in fiction that had a logical reason for existing, and that made functional sense. On the one hand, it was a military aircraft. On the other hand, the military who made it was expecting an invasion by an army of giant humanoid aliens... so what better way to be able to go against them in hand-to-hand combat, then to have your aircraft turn into a giant robot?
And as for the aircraft-to-robot transformation, the Macross Valkyrie has one of the most elegant executions of it ever! It avoids the ailment that plague almost every aircraft transformer, of just being a folded up robot under a toy jet. In this case, the entire jet is important to forming the robot. The undercarrage of the jet are formed from the legs and the arms. The body and cockpit fold together to form the body of the robot. The only bit that might seem as if it is out of place in jet mode is the head, but even then it is technically incorporated into the jet mode as a laser turret. As far as when you transform it into robot mode, everything just comes together perfectly. Even the wings fold away nicely. The only bit that on the surface might seem like kibble is the back pack formed by the tail assembly, but it still serves a purpose in this mode as a jetpack.
In my opinion, there has never been a better jet-based transforming robot then the VF-1 Valkyrie. Even later Valkyries, while still amongst the cream of the transforming jet crop, have not quite managed to top the original.
So, shall we see how the original toy version of this design came out?
The Macross Valkyrie was always a special "giant robot" vehicle to me. In its Americanized version as Robotech's Veritech fighter, it was the first giant piloted robot in fiction that I had encountered in fiction that had a logical reason for existing, and that made functional sense. On the one hand, it was a military aircraft. On the other hand, the military who made it was expecting an invasion by an army of giant humanoid aliens... so what better way to be able to go against them in hand-to-hand combat, then to have your aircraft turn into a giant robot?
And as for the aircraft-to-robot transformation, the Macross Valkyrie has one of the most elegant executions of it ever! It avoids the ailment that plague almost every aircraft transformer, of just being a folded up robot under a toy jet. In this case, the entire jet is important to forming the robot. The undercarrage of the jet are formed from the legs and the arms. The body and cockpit fold together to form the body of the robot. The only bit that might seem as if it is out of place in jet mode is the head, but even then it is technically incorporated into the jet mode as a laser turret. As far as when you transform it into robot mode, everything just comes together perfectly. Even the wings fold away nicely. The only bit that on the surface might seem like kibble is the back pack formed by the tail assembly, but it still serves a purpose in this mode as a jetpack.
In my opinion, there has never been a better jet-based transforming robot then the VF-1 Valkyrie. Even later Valkyries, while still amongst the cream of the transforming jet crop, have not quite managed to top the original.
So, shall we see how the original toy version of this design came out?
Here he is in all his robot mode glory! For a toy originally designed in the early 80's, it still holds up very well! There is one significant change to this toy as compared to when it was originally released: the chest. In the above photos, you can see that the cockpit area is covered up with a shield emblazoned with Skull Squadron's logo. As the toy was originally designed, you were left with an exposed cockpit even in robot mode.
To the right, you can see what this looks like. Farther to the right, you can see how the covered cockpit is accomplished -- the cover of the cockpit is removable, and an interchangeable piece replaces it. The new cover can also be left on in either Fighter or GERWALK mode if you wanted to simulate either of those modes with the heat shield deployed.
On the other hand, while the Battroid certainly looks better with the replacement cover, if you happen to be the sort who hates having to deal with extra parts, leaving the clear cockpit on does not ruin the toy. Just consider it as having a more vintage look! |
Arm articulation is pretty much the same as it was in GERWALK mode, the only difference being that the shoulders are no longer slightly hindered by the wings. There isn't much articulation in the legs. The waist is stationary. Just below the waist there is a joint in the upper leg that allows for about 90 degrees forward movement and a bit of backwards movement. The knees then have similar articulation, except that there is more of a backwards bend and less of a forward bend. The head can spin 360 degrees, and the antenna can be moved, all together, forward or backwards.
As was seen in GERWALK mode, the gun pod fits into the Valkyrie's right hand. Although I didn't photograph it, you could also use the extra clip to store the gun behind the hand.
Finally, to the left we have a photo of G1 Jetfire wearing his armor, thanks to a photo swiped from Seibertron.com. As this is a version of the toy made in the 80's, this would have been well before the interchangeable cockpit cover had been introduced to the mold.
Is this the perfect Valkyrie toy? Well, that depends on what criteria you are looking for in your Valkyrie toy. I suppose it will be better to go into the specifics once we have finished looking at the other VF-1 toy I have been going over in this series of reviews. So, let us leave the Bandai 1/55 version for now and move onto Yamato's offering! |
Toy #2: Yamato 1/60 VF-1S Valkyre (with Super parts)
Well, here he is! Not sure what to say to start with that I haven't already. It is a VF-1S, but with much better lines and more articulation.
A bit of design history to discuss when regarding how the figure transforms. In a lot of ways, the transformation is very similar to the original version's, but with minor refinements and improvements. After all, if something works, no need to do major reinvention! But there was one area where the original Takatoku design used a major cheat to achieve the transformation, and that was with the big metal bars upon which the legs are swung down for robot mode. (Scroll back up a moment, they should be pretty obvious in the photos.) They worked, and on a toy of the early 80's it was an acceptable compromise. When Yamato got license to produce VF-1 toys, they wanted to do away with these swing bars. On their first attempt, the version 1 1/60 scale, the way they achieved this was rather simple, although quite imperfect. Remember way back in part one of this review, when I mentioned, "many complained about the less then perfect transformation which required completely removing large parts of it from one place in one mode to put elsewhere on another mode"? Well, the "large parts" in question were the entire legs. You pulled them completely off from where they were attached for Fighter and GERWALK modes, and plugged them into a new place for Battroid mode. It worked, I suppose... and it was better looking than having two big swing bars on either side of the figure. But it definitely left one wanting for a more refined transformation process. |
Yamato's next attempt was their 1/48 scale VF-1. This time, Yamato re-introduced a metal swing bar, but rather then having two of them which remained visible to the sides of the cockpit, they went with a single, centralized swing bar. A little panel opens up on the underside of the cockpit, and the base of this swing bar slots in under this panel to form the hips. Almost all evidence of this bar remains hidden within the internal structure of the figure on either end of the transformation.
So then we come to this, the version 2 1/60 scale VF-1 Valkyries. Yamato's attempt to take everything they did right with the 1/48 Valkyries, shrink it back down in size, and refine it further. The leg transformation for these toys is very similar to that of the 1/48 scale versions, and it works just as well.
There has been a bit of ongoing refinement in this area, in that the size and shape of the panel that opens up under the cockpit for the hip assembly to slide into has undergone a few tweaks. Originally the panel was smaller and almost invisible when closed. This made for a better looking jet mode, to be sure. But it was also a bloody pain in the arse to get the legs slotted in! Over time the panel was altered somewhat, with the opening it provided made a bit bigger. This does make the panel less invisible in jet mode... but the legs are a heck of a lot easier to get into place!
The figure being reviewed today is one of these later revisions... and, well, as far as that panel being more visible goes, if you go back and look at the photos in part one of this review, you don't really see any effects of this except in the photos looking at the Fighter mode from directly underneath. And even then, it isn't horribly distracting. So really, I think it is a good trade off for the easier time transforming the hip area.
And now for a few more photos!
So then we come to this, the version 2 1/60 scale VF-1 Valkyries. Yamato's attempt to take everything they did right with the 1/48 Valkyries, shrink it back down in size, and refine it further. The leg transformation for these toys is very similar to that of the 1/48 scale versions, and it works just as well.
There has been a bit of ongoing refinement in this area, in that the size and shape of the panel that opens up under the cockpit for the hip assembly to slide into has undergone a few tweaks. Originally the panel was smaller and almost invisible when closed. This made for a better looking jet mode, to be sure. But it was also a bloody pain in the arse to get the legs slotted in! Over time the panel was altered somewhat, with the opening it provided made a bit bigger. This does make the panel less invisible in jet mode... but the legs are a heck of a lot easier to get into place!
The figure being reviewed today is one of these later revisions... and, well, as far as that panel being more visible goes, if you go back and look at the photos in part one of this review, you don't really see any effects of this except in the photos looking at the Fighter mode from directly underneath. And even then, it isn't horribly distracting. So really, I think it is a good trade off for the easier time transforming the hip area.
And now for a few more photos!
I have to admit to having resorted to a bit of a cheat with this toy, and the photographs I have taken of it in this mode. The cheat is related to a bit of "animation magic," that is elements of the figure's transformation as presented in the anime series that exist for the aesthetics of the figure, but would be difficult (if not impossible) to incorporate into the transformation of toy versions. These elements include pieces to fill in gaps on the sides of the figure (under the arms, between the front and back of the body) and a gap behind the figure's neck. Now normally, I wouldn't go too far calling this a cheat... After all, the intake covers are a similar item! But in this case, these are pieces that didn't come with this figure. I received them with a different armor set for one of my other VF-1s (Hikaru's VF-1J) and borrowed them for these photos because, well, they do make the figure look better!
That being said, omitting them does not make the figure look bad or incomplete. In fact, from a lot of angles the gaps they leave are not terribly noticeable. But, on the bright side for people who like what these parts add to the figure, I am pretty sure (although not positive, as it has been ages since I got one myself) that newer releases do come with these pieces as standard accessories. |
Anyway, just to give you an idea what the figure might look like without these parts, here are a few photos without them installed. As you can see, looking at him from straight on, there is no visible difference! The other photos are taken from angles that should accentuate the absence of these pieces. While not quite as refined a look, it is still one of the best looking toy representations of this design that there is.
(Also, these are the only photos I took for this review that have the stock fists on the figure. I figured I should include at least a few with them somewhere, so you could see what they look like! I definitely like the optional hands better, but these are still good looking hands and should be perfectly acceptable if you don't wish to be swapping too many pieces around.)
(Also, these are the only photos I took for this review that have the stock fists on the figure. I figured I should include at least a few with them somewhere, so you could see what they look like! I definitely like the optional hands better, but these are still good looking hands and should be perfectly acceptable if you don't wish to be swapping too many pieces around.)
One part that isn't an optional part this time is the piece that covers the canopy in Battroid mode. With the 1/48 figures, Yamato figured out how to make this an integrated component of the figure. This is another improvement that they were able to retain in their newer 1/60 design. This is accomplished by having it slide up inside the chest for storage in the other modes. This being an integrated piece is almost universally seen as a positive. The only drawback I can see is that it then, unfortunately, cannot be used in either Fighter or GERWALK mode, but this is a very minor drawback far outweighed by, frankly, how nice it is to not have this as a separate piece.
I feel it is necessary to comment a bit on the neck and head, or more specifically on the height of them compared to the rest of the body. The top of the chest has an angular depression in the middle, around the collar area. On the animation model, the base of the neck is flush with the bottom of this depression. However, on this figure, the neck is flush with the height of if this depression didn't exist. This could best be illustrated by a close up comparison of this figure with the Bandai 1/55 figure, which in this respect is a bit closer to the animation model.
I feel it is necessary to comment a bit on the neck and head, or more specifically on the height of them compared to the rest of the body. The top of the chest has an angular depression in the middle, around the collar area. On the animation model, the base of the neck is flush with the bottom of this depression. However, on this figure, the neck is flush with the height of if this depression didn't exist. This could best be illustrated by a close up comparison of this figure with the Bandai 1/55 figure, which in this respect is a bit closer to the animation model.
What is the cause of this deviation? Well, in order to better proportion the robot mode overall, the cockpit area actually slides upwards into the body slightly during transformation. The cylindrical bit visible between the head and the top of the chest, filling in the cavity that would otherwise be where the head should be? That is actually the back end of the cockpit area. It needing to have been pushed up into the body results in a corresponding slight displacement of the head.
Personally, this doesn't bother me. But I have seen other people complain mightily about it! I think these are just the sort of people who are just desperate to find something to complain about, and apparently the shoulder issues (as mentioned in part two of this review) weren't enough for them and they had to go looking for something else to be upset over. Is it an ever so slight deviation from the animation model? Yes. Does it ruin the toy? Not at all.
And here's a few more photos with those optional parts put back in, showing off the poseability of the figure.
Personally, this doesn't bother me. But I have seen other people complain mightily about it! I think these are just the sort of people who are just desperate to find something to complain about, and apparently the shoulder issues (as mentioned in part two of this review) weren't enough for them and they had to go looking for something else to be upset over. Is it an ever so slight deviation from the animation model? Yes. Does it ruin the toy? Not at all.
And here's a few more photos with those optional parts put back in, showing off the poseability of the figure.
And I know I am trying to limit the Macross Valkyrie portion of this review to the VF-1S, but I have one photograph, taken ages ago before I owned this particular toy, that I just cannot resist sharing and which happens to be quite good for showing off the articulation of Yamato's 1/60 Valkyries. (You may even remember this photo as having been featured in the 2006 Voyager Class Jetfire's review.)
If I had had my VF-1S to include in this line-up, I suppose he would have been Focker Furter. (Thank you, thank you. I'm here until Thursday. Try the veal, it's delicious!)
Articulation is exceptional for a VF-1. We already discussed the arms when reviewing GERWALK mode, and those are pretty much the same here. Only difference is, much like with the Bandai 1/55 version, any hindrance to the shoulders that may have been present in that mode is completely eliminated here. The head is very nicely articulated, able to turn left and right freely, as well as look up or down. You can manipulate the transformation joints under the head as well to get a bit of extra added expression out of the figure. The antennae on either side of the head can be moved forward or backwards. Unlike on the 1/55, where they had to all move together, the left side and right side can be moved independently. (Although it looks quite weird to have them facing different directions, I am unlikely to have them doing so.) The VF-1As seen in the above Rocky Horror photo obviously differ slightly in having only a singular, centered antenna, but this, too, is capable of being moved forward or backwards.
There is no waist articulation, but frankly this does not bother me. The original, version 1 1/60s did feature a waist swivel, which was easy when the legs did not depend upon an internal swing bar to move them into position. The 1/48 scale versions, while incorporating such a swing bar, did try to retain some small measure of waist swivel to very mixed results. What swivel there was to be had was very slight indeed, tending to be almost invisible in what it added to any poses of the figure. And the presence of the swivel joint just made for a somewhat looser overall hip area. Frankly, in my opinion, omitting this joint in the newer 1/60 design made for an overall stronger figure, and it is not missed.
Moving onto the legs, the hips feature ball joints. These joints are very good for allowing for widening of the figure's stance, but are less useful for bending the hips forward or backwards. The wings on the back of the figure tend to get in the way of such movement. You can still get a bit of it, but nothing terribly expressive. Fortunately, there is another joint on the legs, shortly below the hips, that bends forward about 90 degrees to help compensate for this. There is a swivel above each knee (which you may remember was quite a boon to the look of the GERWALK mode). The figure can also bend quite well at the knees. Finally, the feet can ratchet forward or backwards, and also have a bit of left-to-right wiggle room.
Well, time to add on the FAST Pack and see what this one looks like as a Super Valkyrie!
Articulation is exceptional for a VF-1. We already discussed the arms when reviewing GERWALK mode, and those are pretty much the same here. Only difference is, much like with the Bandai 1/55 version, any hindrance to the shoulders that may have been present in that mode is completely eliminated here. The head is very nicely articulated, able to turn left and right freely, as well as look up or down. You can manipulate the transformation joints under the head as well to get a bit of extra added expression out of the figure. The antennae on either side of the head can be moved forward or backwards. Unlike on the 1/55, where they had to all move together, the left side and right side can be moved independently. (Although it looks quite weird to have them facing different directions, I am unlikely to have them doing so.) The VF-1As seen in the above Rocky Horror photo obviously differ slightly in having only a singular, centered antenna, but this, too, is capable of being moved forward or backwards.
There is no waist articulation, but frankly this does not bother me. The original, version 1 1/60s did feature a waist swivel, which was easy when the legs did not depend upon an internal swing bar to move them into position. The 1/48 scale versions, while incorporating such a swing bar, did try to retain some small measure of waist swivel to very mixed results. What swivel there was to be had was very slight indeed, tending to be almost invisible in what it added to any poses of the figure. And the presence of the swivel joint just made for a somewhat looser overall hip area. Frankly, in my opinion, omitting this joint in the newer 1/60 design made for an overall stronger figure, and it is not missed.
Moving onto the legs, the hips feature ball joints. These joints are very good for allowing for widening of the figure's stance, but are less useful for bending the hips forward or backwards. The wings on the back of the figure tend to get in the way of such movement. You can still get a bit of it, but nothing terribly expressive. Fortunately, there is another joint on the legs, shortly below the hips, that bends forward about 90 degrees to help compensate for this. There is a swivel above each knee (which you may remember was quite a boon to the look of the GERWALK mode). The figure can also bend quite well at the knees. Finally, the feet can ratchet forward or backwards, and also have a bit of left-to-right wiggle room.
Well, time to add on the FAST Pack and see what this one looks like as a Super Valkyrie!
The armor looks excellent! It may, alas, make the figure slightly back heavy. Especially when standing it on carpet (as in these photos) as opposed to a nice hard surface! But the added weight just means a bit of extra fiddling, and does not make for a figure who is impossible to stand. As for other articulation issues, the armor does very little to get in the way of the joints on the figure. You can still get a plethora of awesome poses out of it!
Do you want missiles on your Valkyrie, even in Battroid mode? Technically, there is nothing stopping you from extending the wings and throwing the missiles on! Of course, this was not something featured much in the animation, although it was seen a few times with the Super Valkyrie. There are some problems with doing this. Having the wings out makes them get in the way of the shoulders something fierce. Also, the forearms with the armor attached extend backwards farther than unarmored forearms, and this causes them to start bumping into the wings (or their attached missiles) as well. Still, once you find a decent pose that takes these issues into account, this configuration can make for a decent (if slightly unorthodox) display option.
I just want to share a couple of cropped close-ups now. Weebly tends to reduce the size of image files a bit when uploading them, and yet I wanted to make sure that you could see the level of detail on this figure's deco.
So that about wraps it up for the Macross Valkyries. Of the two different versions I have looked at, how do they compare? It really comes down to this: The 1/55 mold is a great toy. It was a great toy in the 80's, and it is one of those rare toys that still holds up perfectly today. When compared to the animation model, sure the proportions may be a bit off, and it may be a bit blocky. (This mold hasn't earned the nickname, "Chunky Monkey" for nothing!) Yet, it feels very solid in the hand, it is easy to transform, and it is decently poseable. It is a solid toy that can be played with by even children without worry that it will fall apart n the hands. (As long, that is, that you take care with the shoulders if you are handling an older one. Also, if memory serves, some of the clips to hold on the Super armor if you have it may be prone to cracking if one is careless with them.)
The Yamato version, on the other hand? It is better looking. It has better articulation. It has much better options for accessories to work with it. It is, without a doubt, a better figure. But it is not a better toy. Hand one of these to a child, and it is quite likely they will not be able to figure it out. It is fiddly to transform with plenty of bits that could break if improperly forced. For an adult collector, and as long as you cross reference any purchases against the list linked to in part two of this review so that you can avoid any versions from before they fixed the shoulder issue, this is the best Valkyrie toy out there! But if you have a kid who you are trying to corrupt to follow you into a fandom of Macross and/or Robotech, give them one of the 1/55 ones to play with, instead.
Of course, neither of these will quite do if you are a Transformers fan looking to have a representation of Jetfire / Skyfire in your collection. Shall we move onto the final toy we are looking at today, and see what Hasbro has to offer?
The Yamato version, on the other hand? It is better looking. It has better articulation. It has much better options for accessories to work with it. It is, without a doubt, a better figure. But it is not a better toy. Hand one of these to a child, and it is quite likely they will not be able to figure it out. It is fiddly to transform with plenty of bits that could break if improperly forced. For an adult collector, and as long as you cross reference any purchases against the list linked to in part two of this review so that you can avoid any versions from before they fixed the shoulder issue, this is the best Valkyrie toy out there! But if you have a kid who you are trying to corrupt to follow you into a fandom of Macross and/or Robotech, give them one of the 1/55 ones to play with, instead.
Of course, neither of these will quite do if you are a Transformers fan looking to have a representation of Jetfire / Skyfire in your collection. Shall we move onto the final toy we are looking at today, and see what Hasbro has to offer?
Toy #3: Transformers Generations Leader Class Jetfire
With the 2006 toy, Hasbro attempted to blend both the Jetfire and Skyfire designs together in both modes with mixed results. With this toy, they took a different approach. In Fighter mode, it was clearly more inspired by the G1 Jetfire toy. But in robot mode, his design is clearly more inspired by the cartoon's Skyfire.
To some people, this has not been the most popular choice. They would have rather seen it be more like one version of the character or the other in both modes. But me? I actually quite like this! |
He does have a bit of a back kibble, mainly the jet mode's cockpit just hanging on his back, but it isn't too obtrusive. Well, and the outer sides of his lower legs make me once again wish that his jet mode's rear wheels had been retractable, because oh look, there they are!
Overall, the deco is pretty good! Although it does have a lot of plain white... something I suspect Reprolabels might eventually leap on with some G1-inspred stickers. But really, the only complaint I'd have is about the Autobot symbol on his chest. It is a red embossed symbol against a red background, making it very difficult to pick out. Without looking closely, it just comes off as a faction symbol shaped red blob. It would have looked awesome if they'd thrown some silver paint on the recessed portions to really make the embossed emblem pop!
Speaking of the faction symbol, I'm not usually one for excessive gimmicky stuff, but you know what would have been cool? If the logo was somehow able to rotate, with a Decepticon logo on the opposite side. This could have been a fun nod to the fact that in the first episode Jetfire appeared in, he was actually a Decepticon! But before the episode ended, he realized that the Autobot cause more closely lined up with his morals, and so he switched sides. But oh well, enough about lamenting what this toy doesn't have, and let us get back to what it does have.
It does have some awfully hollow parts! This is something else many people were quick to complain about with this toy. And yes, I will agree, it would have been nicer if this wasn't the case. Most noticeable are the insides of his thighs, and the outer sides of his forearms! The thighs at least you kind of have to go looking for. But the forearms? Really, Hasbro? Really? On a Leader Class figure, this is what you give us? I've also seen complaints elsewhere about the undersides of the wings having some hollow bits, but they are shallow enough that I am able to see that more as textured detail rather then big gaping holes.
You know what? Honestly, it isn't that bad. Yes, there's just a few unfortunate decisions on the mold as to where they could save a bit of plastic in this figure. But overall, it is still a good looking figure.
Overall, the deco is pretty good! Although it does have a lot of plain white... something I suspect Reprolabels might eventually leap on with some G1-inspred stickers. But really, the only complaint I'd have is about the Autobot symbol on his chest. It is a red embossed symbol against a red background, making it very difficult to pick out. Without looking closely, it just comes off as a faction symbol shaped red blob. It would have looked awesome if they'd thrown some silver paint on the recessed portions to really make the embossed emblem pop!
Speaking of the faction symbol, I'm not usually one for excessive gimmicky stuff, but you know what would have been cool? If the logo was somehow able to rotate, with a Decepticon logo on the opposite side. This could have been a fun nod to the fact that in the first episode Jetfire appeared in, he was actually a Decepticon! But before the episode ended, he realized that the Autobot cause more closely lined up with his morals, and so he switched sides. But oh well, enough about lamenting what this toy doesn't have, and let us get back to what it does have.
It does have some awfully hollow parts! This is something else many people were quick to complain about with this toy. And yes, I will agree, it would have been nicer if this wasn't the case. Most noticeable are the insides of his thighs, and the outer sides of his forearms! The thighs at least you kind of have to go looking for. But the forearms? Really, Hasbro? Really? On a Leader Class figure, this is what you give us? I've also seen complaints elsewhere about the undersides of the wings having some hollow bits, but they are shallow enough that I am able to see that more as textured detail rather then big gaping holes.
You know what? Honestly, it isn't that bad. Yes, there's just a few unfortunate decisions on the mold as to where they could save a bit of plastic in this figure. But overall, it is still a good looking figure.
Articulation is somewhat of a mixed bag. The head is pretty good. He can look up quite a bit and down a little, and his head can turn from side to side. The turning of the head is a bit odd, though. The base of the neck is quite thick, and the point upon which the head turns is not in the neck's exact center. Rather, it is forward of the center. Thus, when you turn the head the back of the neck becomes displaced quite a bit. It honestly isn't too bad, but once you have it pointed out to you it can become slightly distracting. (You're welcome.)
Moving on to the arms. The shoulders can theoretically rotate 360 degrees on soft ratcheting joints, but of course the wings prevent that from being fully exploitable. There's an additional joint at the shoulder on which you can raise the arms outward. Below the shoulder there is a rotational joint. The elbows bend slightly more than 90 degrees on a tight ratchet. Then we come to the wrists.
Oh dear, the wrists.
There is no articulation in the wrists. Normally, I am not one to scream, "Oh my god, no wrist articulation? The end of the world is neigh! Save yourselves! Aaaaargh!" But in this case? Well, still not the end of the world, to be sure. But I cannot help but be underwhelmed. This is a Leader class figure. In the past, that had some pretty big expectations. Larger size, more intricate transformation, maybe some light and sound gimmicks... And it leaves one with some expectation that a figure will have superior articulation. Unless there is a good reason for omitting it, such as something about how a figure transforms would make implementing it problematic, on a figure this size I want it!
On the subject of the wrists, I also don't like that they are molded at an angle. It can make the arms look more dynamic when they are not holding anything, but when you stick anything in his hands then if you look closely it seems a bit awkward.
Continuing on with the articulation, there is none in the waist. This time, however, it is because of how the figure transforms. So I can forgive this.
Finally, we come to the legs. At the hips, very clickity ratcheting joints allow for movement forward, backwards, or outwards. Just below that is a rotational joint that allows for 90 degrees of movement in either direction from neutral. The knees bend on a ratchet quite sufficiently. The ankles can bend forward a little bit or backwards quite a good amount. The feet are molded with an angled bottom for a wide stance, and frankly such a thing would be fine on a smaller figure, but on a figure of this size? Just give me some articulated ankle tilt! Otherwise, I am again a bit underwhelmed.
I may have sounded rather nitpicky with some points of the articulation... and yes, these things I have mentioned do annoy me a bit. But is it enough to make me hate this figure? No. The articulation is a bit lacking, yes. It is a bit disappointing, yes. But it isn't enough to take away from what the figure as a whole presents.
Moving on to the arms. The shoulders can theoretically rotate 360 degrees on soft ratcheting joints, but of course the wings prevent that from being fully exploitable. There's an additional joint at the shoulder on which you can raise the arms outward. Below the shoulder there is a rotational joint. The elbows bend slightly more than 90 degrees on a tight ratchet. Then we come to the wrists.
Oh dear, the wrists.
There is no articulation in the wrists. Normally, I am not one to scream, "Oh my god, no wrist articulation? The end of the world is neigh! Save yourselves! Aaaaargh!" But in this case? Well, still not the end of the world, to be sure. But I cannot help but be underwhelmed. This is a Leader class figure. In the past, that had some pretty big expectations. Larger size, more intricate transformation, maybe some light and sound gimmicks... And it leaves one with some expectation that a figure will have superior articulation. Unless there is a good reason for omitting it, such as something about how a figure transforms would make implementing it problematic, on a figure this size I want it!
On the subject of the wrists, I also don't like that they are molded at an angle. It can make the arms look more dynamic when they are not holding anything, but when you stick anything in his hands then if you look closely it seems a bit awkward.
Continuing on with the articulation, there is none in the waist. This time, however, it is because of how the figure transforms. So I can forgive this.
Finally, we come to the legs. At the hips, very clickity ratcheting joints allow for movement forward, backwards, or outwards. Just below that is a rotational joint that allows for 90 degrees of movement in either direction from neutral. The knees bend on a ratchet quite sufficiently. The ankles can bend forward a little bit or backwards quite a good amount. The feet are molded with an angled bottom for a wide stance, and frankly such a thing would be fine on a smaller figure, but on a figure of this size? Just give me some articulated ankle tilt! Otherwise, I am again a bit underwhelmed.
I may have sounded rather nitpicky with some points of the articulation... and yes, these things I have mentioned do annoy me a bit. But is it enough to make me hate this figure? No. The articulation is a bit lacking, yes. It is a bit disappointing, yes. But it isn't enough to take away from what the figure as a whole presents.
One of the things I have mentioned as a common expectation with Leader Class figures is light and sound gimmicks. Having mentioned that, I suppose I should mention that no such gimmicks exist in this figure. Personally, I am fine with this. I don't really use such gimmicks myself. The gimmick that this figure does have is all of the attachable armor pieces!
One of the pieces is a mask to go over the figure's face. The use of a mask gives you a similar option to the helmet that came with the 2006 Voyager Class Jetfire, in that you can have heads reminiscent of both the G1 Jetfire toy and the Skyfire animation model. In 2006, however, the Skyfire head seemed a bit small on the body. This time, by using just a mask rather than a whole helmet, it allows for both versions of the head to have a good proportion in relation to the body. |
Before we take a look at the mask on the figure's head, however, there is another option for incorporating it (and most of the other armor pieces). Remember back when we were looking at jet mode, how one of the photos showed a bunch of the armor pieced attached to the gun? Well, nothing is stopping you from doing this in robot mode as well.
Frankly, while still a bit excessive, it is not nearly as absolutely ridiculous looking as it was in jet mode. (Of course, it didn't help that just the gun alone looked ridiculous where it is supposed to attach in jet mode.) The mask can be a part of this, too, as there is a spot on the gun designed for it to slide on to. There isn't a way, of course, for the large boosters to incorporate into this... So I suppose in the pair of photos to the right you can have a sneak preview of them before we move onto the fully armored mode. |
But enough of that. Let us take that behemoth of a combined gun back apart, and put the armor pieces onto Jetfire as nature intended, shall we?
One nice thing (that is also true for the Macross Valkyrie toys looked at in this series of reviews) is that if you have the figure in Fighter mode with the armor already attached, and you want to transform it, you can leave it all in place as you do so! The large thrusters have a rotational joint in their base to accomidate this, so you can swing them around to orient them for how they are supposed to sit on Jetfire in robot mode. The result is this:
One nice thing (that is also true for the Macross Valkyrie toys looked at in this series of reviews) is that if you have the figure in Fighter mode with the armor already attached, and you want to transform it, you can leave it all in place as you do so! The large thrusters have a rotational joint in their base to accomidate this, so you can swing them around to orient them for how they are supposed to sit on Jetfire in robot mode. The result is this:
Well, obviously we've seen this armor twice before now in Fighter and (attempted) GERWALK modes. So no great need for me to go on once again about the chromey chromeness of all of the chrome. It is what it is. Rather then gripe about it more, the big question is, how well does he wear it in his robot mode?
Frankly, the smallest piece makes the biggest difference: the mask. It fits on very nicely and looks great on the figure. And this alone is enough to change the vibe of the figure from one that really recalls the G1 animation model to one that really recalls the G1 toy.
The armor on the arms fixes one of the great problems discussed earlier. Remember that awful hollowness on the forearms? Well, ya' can't see it anymore! It still sucks to know that the hollowness is there, but since I am more likely to display the figure with the armor on, this really helps to blunt any disappointment that may have resulted.
The leg armor also helps cover up a disappointment, albeit a much less bothersome one. But those landing gear jutting out from the sides of the legs? Well, those are obviously much less prominent now!
Frankly, the smallest piece makes the biggest difference: the mask. It fits on very nicely and looks great on the figure. And this alone is enough to change the vibe of the figure from one that really recalls the G1 animation model to one that really recalls the G1 toy.
The armor on the arms fixes one of the great problems discussed earlier. Remember that awful hollowness on the forearms? Well, ya' can't see it anymore! It still sucks to know that the hollowness is there, but since I am more likely to display the figure with the armor on, this really helps to blunt any disappointment that may have resulted.
The leg armor also helps cover up a disappointment, albeit a much less bothersome one. But those landing gear jutting out from the sides of the legs? Well, those are obviously much less prominent now!
When it comes to the large thrusters on his back, I have seen quite a few people who don't like how this looks. They seem to feel that the pylons just raise too high up above the figure's head. To me, this isn't a problem. This is how these should look! What is a bit of a problem, however, is the connecting piece between the pylons. When rotated so that the pylons point up, the connecting piece just really fills in the space behind Jetfire's head with a black void. Not my favorite choice! I wish they had made it so that this connecting piece did not come so far above the head.
You can solve both of these issues by rotating the whole piece back around! Then for those who don't like such large pylons over the head, they are shrunken down considerably. And that connecting piece now vanishes completely behind Jetfire's back. |
Personally, however, I want my tall pylons! And I will begrudgingly put up with the aforementioned black void behind the character's head to get them. Really, it isn't all that bad, and hardly a problem at all if looking at the figure from angles other than head on from the front.
The 2006 figure did have the extra functionality with the backpack in that the pylons had those large guns they could deploy from within, and then they could fold down so that these guns could point forward. This figure has no such functionality, and the pylons do just kind of sit there. It could have been fun if they had been designed to be able to do a bit more, but I am fine with them the way they are.
The armor does almost nothing to hinder articulation. The biggest issue I could find is that if the head is facing directly forward and you try and tilt it to look up, the antennae do bump into things and he cannot look up quite as far. But this "biggest issue" is small enough to be of little bother. |
Well, that about wraps things up for Jetfire, so I shall share a few final group photos, this time including a DVD case for size comparison, and then we shall have some final thoughts! Here is the first, unarmored photo:
And then the three of them that I have FAST Packs for:
Well, I have already gone over my thoughts of the Bandai 1/55 vs. the Yamato 1/60. How about now that Jetfire is in the equation?
First of all, when comparing the 2014 Jetfire to his 2006 figure, I feel it is no contest. I quite like the 2006 figure, and it has some things that it does better then the newer one, but overall I like the 2014 figure better. It looks better in both modes, even with the hollow plastic and the excessive chrome. Even though the 2006 one does have wrist swivels, overall the 2014 one does have better articulation. If you have room in your collection for both, have both! They're both fun toys. But if you have to choose one or the other, go with the 2014 figure!
But how does that figure compare with the Macross Valkyries? Well, it depends on what you're looking for. They may have a lot of history in common, but a Macross Valkyrie is a Macross Valkyrie. Jetfire is Jetfire. If you are specifically a Transformer collector looking to have a Jetfire in your collection, a Macross Valkyrie just isn't going to cut it.
Unless, of course, you have awesome customizing skills! Yamato even released their 1/60 VF-1S in an unassembled, all white version to make it easier for customizers to go to town! And, of course, Jetfire was an obvious custom for people to make. Thanks to the magic of Google Image Search, I shall share a few examples with you. First up, an awesome custom made by KenjaminLinus on the TFW2005.com forums:
First of all, when comparing the 2014 Jetfire to his 2006 figure, I feel it is no contest. I quite like the 2006 figure, and it has some things that it does better then the newer one, but overall I like the 2014 figure better. It looks better in both modes, even with the hollow plastic and the excessive chrome. Even though the 2006 one does have wrist swivels, overall the 2014 one does have better articulation. If you have room in your collection for both, have both! They're both fun toys. But if you have to choose one or the other, go with the 2014 figure!
But how does that figure compare with the Macross Valkyries? Well, it depends on what you're looking for. They may have a lot of history in common, but a Macross Valkyrie is a Macross Valkyrie. Jetfire is Jetfire. If you are specifically a Transformer collector looking to have a Jetfire in your collection, a Macross Valkyrie just isn't going to cut it.
Unless, of course, you have awesome customizing skills! Yamato even released their 1/60 VF-1S in an unassembled, all white version to make it easier for customizers to go to town! And, of course, Jetfire was an obvious custom for people to make. Thanks to the magic of Google Image Search, I shall share a few examples with you. First up, an awesome custom made by KenjaminLinus on the TFW2005.com forums:
That is, quite simply, an awesome job that takes the essence of the G1 Jetfire toy and brings it alive with modern engineering. Only drawback I can see is that apparently KenjaminLinus didn't have the armor parts to also customize. I have found another example, courtesy of this website, that while a bit less refined and a lot less slavish to the G1 deco, does include the armor:
But if you are like me, you don't have such skills! So you're stuck with figures in the color they come! So, alas, using a customized Yamato Valkyrie as your collection's Jetfire won't be an option.
Personally, I am quite enjoying the new 2014 Leader Class toy, and even with any flaws I may have griped about, I am very happy to have it. That isn't to say I don't enjoy the other toys I have reviewed here, too. But they serve different purposes to me.
The Bandai Valkyrie is a fun vintage toy that feeds into both my Macross fandom, and fond memories of the G1 Jetfire toy. The Yamato Valkyrie is just one of nine such figures I own that are a fun collection as a Macross fan. (I'd love to own more of them! Alas, a combination of a weaker dollar to yen exchange rate plus a general lack of funds on my part has made that a bit personally prohibitive for the past few years, but maybe someday.)
But anyway, these are all excellent toys! Examine them all for what they are, and get the one(s) that best suits your needs! I'll happily recommend them all!
(One footnote on the Yamato Valkyries: since the last time I bought one, apparently Yamato has restructured, and the name of their company has changed to Arcadia. So if you are looking to buy this figure and see it for sale under this name, don't worry! It is the same thing!)
Anyway, here's one last photo to close things out... Both my Jetfires and all my Valkyries!
Personally, I am quite enjoying the new 2014 Leader Class toy, and even with any flaws I may have griped about, I am very happy to have it. That isn't to say I don't enjoy the other toys I have reviewed here, too. But they serve different purposes to me.
The Bandai Valkyrie is a fun vintage toy that feeds into both my Macross fandom, and fond memories of the G1 Jetfire toy. The Yamato Valkyrie is just one of nine such figures I own that are a fun collection as a Macross fan. (I'd love to own more of them! Alas, a combination of a weaker dollar to yen exchange rate plus a general lack of funds on my part has made that a bit personally prohibitive for the past few years, but maybe someday.)
But anyway, these are all excellent toys! Examine them all for what they are, and get the one(s) that best suits your needs! I'll happily recommend them all!
(One footnote on the Yamato Valkyries: since the last time I bought one, apparently Yamato has restructured, and the name of their company has changed to Arcadia. So if you are looking to buy this figure and see it for sale under this name, don't worry! It is the same thing!)
Anyway, here's one last photo to close things out... Both my Jetfires and all my Valkyries!
From left to right, in Battroid (robot) mode: Yamato 1/60 VE-1 "Super Ostrich", Yamato 1/60 VF-1J (Hikaru / Rick Type) with GBP-1S Armor, Bandai 1/55 VF-1S (Focker Type), Yamato 1/48 VF-1J (Miria Type) with Super Armor, Yamato 1/60 VF-1D, 2014 Leader Class Jetfire, 2006 Voyger Class Jetfire, Yamato 1/60 VF-1S (Focker Type) with Super Armor, and Yamato 1/60 VF-1 "Elintseeker."
In Fighter mode, Yamato 1/60 VF-1A (Max Type) and Yamato 1/60 VF-1A (Kakizaki/Ben Type).
Well, that finally wraps up this epic, three part review! Hope you enjoyed it! I have a few other toys I am looking forward to sharing with you in the near future, but first I shall have to tend to the long neglected next part in Rated X's Hercules review. So see you (hopefully) soonish with that!
Review added 27 October 2014 by Yotsuya. Comments are welcomed.
Review added 27 October 2014 by Yotsuya. Comments are welcomed.