10.22.06
Yamato 1/48 Super/Strike Parts (Standard & Stealth)
REVIEW (Updated): Two words: Micro Missiles
Packaging & Extras (5/5)
It’s tough to give a score to extras packaged separately but I feel pretty secure in giving this a perfect score. Truth be known, I do see some room for improvement. The boxes could be sturdier and somewhat smaller but those are my only gripes. They do feature some decent “art” and a fold-up flap that reveals a window to see the greatness that is this accessory. It also comes with full instructions and decals as well as individual missiles on a sprue (it’d be nicer if they were pre-painted not on a sprue types). There’s also one accessory included but it’s a pretty vital one, a little white clip that fills the gap between the battloid’s head and back and locks the rear flap into place. The Stealth Super/Strike packs are available individually or in a single white box that accompanies the Stealth VF-1J “Special Set.”
Charm & Collectibility (3.5/5)
Yamato has already re-released the standard Strike/Super Parts once and there’s no reason to believe they won’t do it again. The addition of the Stealth/Strike parts to the market will only help saturate it and those too will likely be re-released should the market ever dictate they should. The dramatic visual impact they command when attached to certain valkyries ensures that they will always have quite a bit of charm.
Sculpt, Detail, & Paint (9/10)
Why not a perfect score? The only way I feel this toy could have been better here was more printed on detail. I really dislike stickers and these fastpacks look just a bit plain without them. A perfect example of this is the reflex weaponry missiles. The Yamato 1/60 features missiles with the reflex emblem adorning the sides but the 1/48 version is a step back from this. The mixed paint of the Stealth parts is nice but they’re still missing an element of flash without the additional detail the stickers would provide. See the pics below for close-ups of the detail of these parts (micro-missiles unapplied).
Design (9/10)
There are a couple issues that cause some problems here. First, the missile design isn’t sturdy enough in either the big reflex wing missiles or the missile booms on the fast packs. The mini missiles have the potential for popping out and off the vehicle while the big missiles are similarly impaired. It might have also been nice if the removeable portions of the armor were easier to get on and off but the fact there are three removable sections of armor plate says a lot about how cool this product really is. Pictures of the Angelbirds VF-1A adorning both standard and stealth parts are provided below, to see more please view the Angelbirds gallery.
Durability & Build (8.5/10)
The most disconcerting problem these parts have is the potential to remove a booster nozzle when attempting to remove the armor aft of the missile boom. If that booster does pop off it doesn’t seem to be too big of a deal, it comes ever-so-lightly glued into place and can definitely be re-glued right back where you found it… or you could just choose to leave it removeable if you plan on popping the armor on and off frequently. The largest weakness here stems from the missiles mentioned in the design section. The method attempted to secure the missiles on these fastpacks, or the wings, requires a perfect fit and it’s not likely you’ll achieve this. The missiles would have to both fit into each other perfectly and then attach to the wing perfectly. Usually something along the way will fit a little loose and the missiles will then drop from the plane with moderate contact. Most everything else here fits nice and snug and if it does pop off (which parts might during transformation) everything is resillient enough to handle a fall.
Articulation (8/10)
Huge props in this department for having each missile be its own individual unit. Want to make it look like your super valk has already fired a few of its missiles? That won’t be a problem here. Diorama buffs might even be able to have fun with the mini missiles but I can’t see anyone else really utilizing them. The only place this product falls short is in the mobility of the individual nozzles on the fast packs. The Toynami versions feature a couple adjustable nozzles, it would have been nice to see Yamato incorporate that feature into this otherwise completely superior product. Kudos here for the fastpacks not hampering the mobility of the original toy at all, the Yamato 1/60 product was unable to accomplish this. Pictured below is the Strike Stealth, to see more pictures please see the Strike Stealth’s separate review.
Total Score (43/50)
It’s just an accessory but it’s a darn good one and certainly one worth owning. Personally, I hate spending a lot of money on accessories but Yamato does make it a lot easier by delivering such a quality product. The visual impact of this kit applied to a 1/48 toy is truly astonishing. There are differences between these sold separately pieces and the “TV-Style” fast packs that were delivered with the VF-1J Hikaru, Max, and Miria. Those differences are shown below (TV is always on the RIGHT). The two major differences are the forearm armor and the shade of blue used (it’s a little paler on the TV parts). As you can see in most these pics, the parts other than the arm armors are identical except for color.
NOTE: This entry has been revised
Original Posting Date: June 10, 2006
