12.24.07
Bandai 1/55 VE-1 Elintseeker
Review(updated): You need lots of sensors to see in space
Packaging & Extras (4/5)
Just like the VT-1, the VE-1 comes in a smooth box with windows and beautiful art. Inside two styrofoam trays coddle the goods securely. The VE-1 comes with a LOT of armor goods and all the normal “chunky monkey” accessories. The VE-1 also came with Bandai’s clipping heatshield which is a really nice touch.
Charm & Collectibility (5/5)
This toy is perhaps even more sought after than the VT-1 and understandably so. It comes with a ton of armor and has the most unique look of all valkyrie toys ever produced. It’s hard to imagine the recon unit would be a popular toy so it’s also very likely only a small number of these were produced (although certainly several thousand). Just like the other valks it’s perfectly transformable with high diecast content and a ruggedness to last the years. Both the VT-1 and VE-1 might see their collectibility decrease in the future if Bandai should ever decide to reissue them or Yamato gets around to making a superior 1/48 version. UPDATE 12/2007 – Yamato has announced a NEW line of 1/60 VF-1 toys and Graham at MacrossWorld has indicated that these new perfect transformation 1/60 toys are being designed to accomodate two-seat versions. Expect a new Elintseeker but also note that the release of Yamato’s first 1/60 Elintseeker didn’t destroy collectibility of the original.
Sculpt, Detail, & Paint (7/10)
No other valkyrie had so much to try to emulate as the VE-1 and Bandai deserves major kudos for doing as well as they did even if it does leave substantial room for improvement. The incorporation of so many elements to transform what would be just a gray 2-seat plane into a flying node of sensors is truly impressive. The VE-1 carries over the 2-seat cockpit, blunted nose, and rounded wings of the VT-1. There is almost no paint to speak of, just some yellow on the nose. The black armor looks truly impressive even if its not entirely anime-accurate.
Design (7.5/10)
As I mentioned in my VT-1 review, it would have been nice to see Bandai incorporate some upgrades to the Takatoku design in their 2-seater releases. One area that I think showed the easiest room for improvement was the attachment of the armor to the legs. Modern valk offerings have corrected this but Bandai had the chance to take care of this long ago. The clip that wraps around the leg is unsightly and can easily be eliminated by having the armor attach to the leg itself. Just the same, credit should be given to the manner in which the VE-1’s arm armor attaches. Rather than using the tiny clips, like those used on the VT-1, the armor here clips into the slider mechanism used to extend the fists from the arms. More credit is also necessary in the radome attachment and the entire backpack region; there’s a lot of armor and sensors up there and this toy handles them all well. The vehicle underneath the armor is nice and I appreciate the fact the armor can be stripped away leaving a standard plane (unlike Yamato’s 1/60 where stripping the armor away reveals a plane with a giant bar hanging from its rear).
Durability & Build (9/10)
As with all chunky monkies, this toy gets a near perfect score. The only area of concern to collectors would likely be the armor. Some parts, like the arm armor, can not be handled gently if you expect them to attach completely. Other parts, such as the leg armor, needs to be handled in a manner as to ensure that no tabs are broken and no paint is scraped from the diecast legs. If the toy has been played with you might see some of the yellow paint on the nose worn away, the wings will probably be loose, and the landing gear doors may not want to stay upright. While there is a lot of armor on the vehicle’s backpack it’s actually fairly stable.
Articulation (6/10)
The chunky monkey is still incapable of dynamic posing. Expect mild running poses… and not much more. This toy does deserve an honorable mention though in how the radome adjust positions for each mode (but it can not be rotated which is a bit of a bummer). The forward facing sensor array underneath the vehicle in fighter mode also deserves a nod for being able to rotate.
Total Score (38.5/50)
In the Macross world this toy just looks way too unique to pass up even if it doesn’t respresent a vehicle with the cool factor of being able to blow stuff up. Are you a Robotech fan looking at this toy with no comprehension of how or why it exists? The Elintseeker is similar to the Cats-Eye recon that you’d recognize from the original Macross series. The movie version of Macross, Do You remember Love?, abandoned the Cats Eye in favor of this far more stylish transformable vehicle. I’m certain the differences could be further expounded upon, there is probably RPG information somewhere documenting how much more impressive the Elintseeker is compared to a Cats Eye or how both vehicles could be used for different purposes but they’re similar enough for you to get the gyst. In DYRL this vehicle appears for something like 4 seconds on screen so it’s pretty impressive that a toy of it got made… especially when one considers how much different this toy is from the standard toys made for this series. If you’re a diehard Macross collector you should own this toy… unfortunately you’ll have to save up quite a bit of money to get one.
NOTE – This review has been updated
Original Post Date: September 2006
peter said,
September 12, 2006 at 4:40 pm
Cool post.
Alex said,
September 14, 2006 at 5:34 am
The backpack boosters are supposed to lie flush with the body. These parts are not meant to attach like the VT-1 SuperOstrich.
micronian said,
September 16, 2006 at 7:52 am
Upon further review, I think it’s pretty debatable as to the proper configuration of the tail fins. I checked out some art on a few RPG sites and they all show the VE-1 configured as I do here but in the original art the tail fins are much smaller so everything sits far more flush. The Yamato definitely has everything configured as I do here… it just looks a heck of a lot better because of the better sculpt of the backpack/tail fins section. It *should* lay flat but the tailfins should also be out so it’s up to the owner what look they want to go for.