07.21.06
Bandai 1/72 Hi-Complete Model Valkyrie
Review: The best of the old breed
Packaging & Extras (5/5)
Let me begin by stating I will be referring to this item as a “toy” mostly out of habit more than as an actual description of what it is. Clearly it is meant to be a completed model, or nearly completed model as the case may be, so it does have to be judged a bit differently. For example, it comes with an immense amount of valkyrie accoutrements that are on sprues. If this were a toy, that would suck. Since it’s not a toy though it’s easily overlooked. You receive a pilot, heat shield, missiles, guns, a figurine, decals, supplementary documentation, and all packaged extremely securely in an under-stated, window-free box. How could you possibly go wrong with all that? Here’s a picture of the nifty inserts that also accompany the toy:
Charm & Collectibility (3.5/5)
At one point in time these toys were quite the collector’s item and seen as a more grown-up and sophisticated alternative to the Takatoku “chunky monkey” valkyrie toys. A lot of time has passed since those days though and the HCM star has faded considerably. That said, it still has more than a little sentimental appeal for many older fans and is the only mass-produced 1/72 scale VF-1. Toynami took many of the design cues from the HCM in developing their 1/55 MPC (see my comparison article for greater details) and the release of that product was nearly simultaneous with Yamato’s 1/60 VF-1 and Bandai’s reissue of the chunky 1/55 VF-1 resulting in a crash in the collectibility of vintage VF-1 toys. Still, the HCM marks a high point in the vintage history of VF-1 toys and as such it will always be revered by some and sought by more.
Sculpt, Detail, & Paint (6.5/10)
The lasers on the heads of these things are ridiculously large and the heads themselves tend to have less than ideal sculpts. The paint application, by modern standards, could have been more generous but decals were provided as compensation. The fighter mode of these toys is less than ideal aft of the auburn cockpit with an over all loose fit that leaves gaps. The shoulders in battloid mode are slightly miss-shaped but the overall look is very nice. Unfortunately there really is a lack of detail and GERWALK mode looks off more here than it does in other vintage toys (although it is clearly a weakpoint for all early toys).
Design (7/10)
The major flaw in the design of the HCM is how it comes together for fighter mode. If the legs attached to the body of the vehicle, or if the legs, backpack, and arms all attached to each other like on the Yamato 1/60, the look would have likely been much better. In GERWALK mode it’s especially clear that something in the design is clearly missing. The HCM does have a few interesting little perks. First, it has hooks in the rear landing gears to grab the aircraft carrier cable and the hooks are well-executed and never a nuisance. Second, the missiles can be left on the wings when this toy is transformed into battloid mode. Third, once in battloid mode, the legs can be angled slightly outward to achieve a natural look. Finally, the manner in which the hands of the toy are drawn in and extended is rather neat, a clip slides out from within the arm and thus hides what may otherwise be an unsightly mechanism (like the sliders you see on the MPC and the chunky monkey toys). One more thing worth noting is how great the hands of this toy are. The hands are incredibly easy to manipulate, well detailed, and do their job very well.
Durability & Build (8/10)
This is very tough to judge since this is, after all, a completed variable model that is so durable it actually feels a bit like a toy (although it doesn’t have much weight to it). Basically, it’s either an incredibly durable model or a somewhat durable toy. It does have giant head lasers which are a bit scary to manipulate and proned to snapping if transforming were done carelessly. It seems like the paint application on these toys is generally done quite well and the joints are usually nice and tight but it does seem like they’d be prone to looseness from wear. Really though, there’s nothing here a collector would have to be apprehensive about but it is something you would probably want to think twice about before letting someone actually go “play” with it.
Articulation (7/10)
This toy sorely is missing a knee swivel joint, if it had one it would be really wonderful. It gets part way there with the ability to assume a wide stance but that’s where the fun ends. Still, there are some great poses that can be had with just that feature alone.
Total Score (37/50)
There was a time when this model represented the very best effort in Macross design. We have been fortunate since then to see many new creations. Some creations seem directly related to the design employed here, other have gone far beyond the scope of what Bandai ever imagined. Even with all the new advents in the Macross toy market this still remains an excellent product and a must have for all vintage collectors.
