03.28.08
Yamato 1/72 YF-19 Second Edition
Review(updated): If at first you don’t succeed
Packaging & Extras (3/5)
The box here is the same as the First Edition but they’ve slapped a tiny “Second Edition” sticker on it. The tray inside has been altered in a vain attempt to keep the toy from chipping and otherwise being damaged in transit (pictured below) but it’s clear from the VF-19A packaging that Yamato quickly learned there efforts here weren’t enough. The gun hand has a slightly bigger hole making it easier to plug the gun into it and remove it. The decals have been improved, they are pre-cut on the second editions. Since there’s still a good chance you’ll get a toy showing some paint wear the first time you open it I’m going to keep the score a bit below average.
Charm & Collectability (3/5)
I would still guess the first edition, having slightly more diecast and being extremely easy to break, is the more collectable of the two YF-19 1/72 scale Yamato toys. Since the 1/60 is such a leap ahead in all respects (except metal content) there’s little doubt that the market for these original toys has dissipated more than a little. The first pic below shows a second edition in fighter next to a Yamato 1/60. The second and third pics are from the first edition review showing a first edition 1/72 next to the 1/60.
Sculpt, Detail, & Paint (6.5/10)
The biggest complaints from the first editions still remain: 1) The plastic and the painted diecast clash, 2) There are big gaps in fighter mode (see picture below), 3) The knees look strange at best. It’s impressive Yamato got as close as they did but it’s still not a great representation of the craft.
Design (7/10)
As mentioned in the review of the first edition, Yamato strengthened the Tab B, replaced the diecast shoulders with plastic ones (allegedly to prevent chipping paint), and removed the paint from the wing root also to prevent chipping (first picture below). The second picture below also shows that the second edition features tailfins that fold in the proper direction (inward). There was still plenty of room for improvement and Yamato proved this with their 1/60 toy.
Durability & Build (6/10)
Note the red arrow on the picture above, my toy came missing the plastic clip that runs the back of the leg. Yamato fixed the Tab B problem that rendered the first toy not even worth owning if you ever wanted to transform it but, despite their best efforts, this toy is still going to flake paint if handled.
Articulation (6/10)
The articulation here is exactly the same as it was on the first edition, here’s what I wrote in that review: As one might expect, this toy has the usual valkyrie shortcomings. Sadly, no effort was made to get the legs to swivel adequatley which should have been deemed absolutely necessary somewhere in the mid 90s when the engineering of such joints became pretty standard fair. One of the biggest problem area for many poses is the lack of articulation in the feet but with a figure of this scale that really has to be expected. There’s no ability for the waist to swivel and many of the joints seem to want to rest at positions just off from where you might like them to be for certain poses. The arms do have great mobility (as required for transformation) but that’s about the one bright spot. It is a neat looking toy though and it’s pretty easy to get it into a static position that looks good enough on a shelf even if it’s far from dynamic.
Total Score (31.5/50)
While this is still far from a good score it is a significant improvement over the first edition (which scored a 27.5). If you want a really good YF-19 toy keep saving your pennies for a 1/60 Yamato. If you want just any YF-19 you might be able to find one of these pretty cheap now that so many collectors are migrating with Yamato to 1/60 only collections.
