Review: Includes ALL KitzConcept VF-1 Releases
Packaging & Extras: (4/5) Full Packaging Releases
KitzConcept released three VF-1S toys before significantly overhauling the toy. If you purchased one of the first three releases directly from KitzConcept, it came in a thin white shipper box with monochromatic art of the toy within (it’s definitely not CAD since there are several differences between the art and the toy). Unfortunately, it’s not very sturdy as far as shipper boxes go and mine had a huge dent that passed through to the retail box within. The regular release retail box has some custom artwork on the front and a window on the back of the box that shows off the goods. The exclusive “dark” versions of the toy have a slightly simpler retail box; there are no clear windows and no fancy artwork. Instead the interior boxes on these releases re-uses the shipper box art from the first release. The text on the the Dark Red box says “Dark Gold” in a couple places. The retail box is a little bloated for the size of the product (30.2x25x12 cm) and KC would be wise to package the toy in fighter mode to simplify things. Pulling out the contents, you’ll find a first tray that includes the toy as well as:
1) Gun (with light gimmick, vinyl strap, and expanding stock)
2) 4x TV style missiles
3) Heat shield
4) 2x Intake fan covers
5) 3x pairs of fixed posed hands (Fists, saluting/loose grip, gun grip/open palm)
6) 2x side cavity fillers
7) 1x neck cavity filler
8) Removable pilot figure stowed in the cockpit
In a second tray you’ll find:
9) A display stand consisting of a base and arm
10) 5x batteries LR626
Behind everything you’ll find a bag that also contains:
11) Instructions
Everything is covered in plastic wrap to protect it during shipping and those thin strips are taped to the tray. The battloid mode toy has pieces of plastic shoved into every cavity. After you remove all the packing materials, you’ll need to peg the hips in and install the heatshield. I greatly prefer instructions that are books compared to the never-ending piece of paper technique employed here, so I’ve provided a scan I think is more user friendly. I found it a little odd that the instructions did not cover the included display stand.
KitzConcept made a lot of improvements before moving on to the VF-1J Rick toy, even the packaging is upgraded. The retail box is a little more svelte at 30.2×26.3×9.8 cm and the contents, largely unchanged from previous releases, are now laid out horizontally. Changes to the contents from V1.0 toys are:3) Heat shield (now comes installed)7) 1x neck cavity filler (now integrated, no longer a separate part)
10) 5 4x batteries LR626 (one less battery required)
There was such a large overhaul done to the toy that the cavity fillers and intake fan covers are not interchangeable. Please reference these instructions for the later releases:
KitzConcept then quickly shifted from V1.5 to V1.6, making several more tweaks after Rick’s VF-1J, including the toy’s packaging. A new standard format box (30x26x9.2 cm) could contain any VF-1 toy with sleeves and/or stickers used to differentiate them. Some toys, like Roy’s, Rick’s, and the Angelbirds, receive full sleeves in custom art, most other toys receive partial sleeves that only go around the bottom of the box leaving the prominent window visible for you to see the toy within. Contents are unchanged from the V1.5 release though the stand improved from a clear to a colored UN spacy kite base along the way.
Super bundles were available in two styles of packaging. The first style was a thin, outer box that contained within it the standard V1.6 VF-1 box and a box of super parts. Later super bundles came in KitzConcept’s packaging that was shoe-box style (31.2x27x24.8 cm) and worked for a variety of products from the advanced series VF-1 Rick figure with tuna head, to the battlepod, and these Super VF-1 toys. Super bundles include everything from the original release and add:
12) FAST Packs
13) 6x reaction missiles (2 pairs and 2 individual)
14) Additional 8x LR626 batteries for use in the FAST packs
KitzConcept later introduced small packaging versions of certain VF-1 reissues. The smaller packaging was achieved by reducing the accessories. Note the strikethroughs below from the list of V1.5+ accessories:
1) Gun (with light gimmick, vinyl strap, and expanding stock)2) 4x TV style missiles
3) 2x Intake fan covers
4) 3x pairs of fixed posed hands (Fists, saluting/loose grip, gun grip/open palm)
5) 2x side cavity fillers
6) Removable pilot figure stowed in the cockpit7) A display stand consisting of a base and arm8) 4x batteries LR626
9) Instructions
Charm & Collectability: (2.5/5)
For those of you opposed to anything labeled “ROBOTECH”, it’s worth noting that this is cross-branded as an SDF Macross figure, but Harmony Gold is involved. This is a smaller scale, affordable, perfect transformation VF-1 toy with some metal. It is smaller (21.5cm long in fighter, 18.7 cm tall in battloid) and lighter (162 grams) than a Yamato 1/60 V2 toy (24 cm long in fighter, 21 cm tall, 190 grams). Comparing to other 1/72 toys, it is much heftier than the old Bandai 1/72 scale Hi-Complete Model (110 grams). The dimensions changed for later releases (V1.5-1.6) which are 22.3 cm long in fighter and stand 19.7 cm tall in battloid at a slightly heavier 172 grams), a nice size but 2 cm too large for true 1/72 scale. Here’s the info graphic KitzConcept provided to explain the differences from V1.5 to V1.6:
The VF-1 market is saturated with existing Yamato/Arcadia, Bandai DX & Hi-Metal R, and ThreeZero products. While 1/72 is a great scale for Macross, where the VF-1 is the smallest popular vehicle, in the Robotech universe the VF-1 is one of the larger popular vehicles. A 1/72 scale Alpha or Hover Tank would be so small it’d be like playing with a 4″ action figure so don’t expect to see this become a generation spanning toy line at a common scale. KC has supported the line with their Battlepod release and has been teasing a GBP (heavy armor) release for some time. See the info graphic above for detail on existing releases.
Sculpt, Detail, & Paint: (8.5/10)
To KitzConcept’s credit, they were very responsive to feedback and have made several changes to the toy. Version 1.0 toys suffered from a backpack that sits VERY high and doesn’t tuck tightly enough against the toy’s back. The vents at the bottom edge of the chest were too large. Those issues were addressed when version 1.5 was released. Continuing minor nits include the spotlights near the shoulders being painted details instead of translucent plastic. The integrated hands, while impressive in their functionality, look a little scary. Moving on to the positives, the included fixed-posed hands look tremendous. The paint work is superb. This toy is what Arcadia considers a “premium finish” and then some with panel lining and seemingly more paint applications. There are plenty of nearly microscopic but legible “No Step” signs, “DANGER”, and even the white “VF” right above the foot which is done wonderfully subtly on white schemes.
Guardian mode has some design issues and it’s also the first place you’ll see that the head hangs a little low when not in battloid. If you’re comfortable with the old Takatoku/Bandia chunky toys, then this shouldn’t be an issue for you. Like battloid mode, the backpack also doesn’t tuck in as tight as you would want it to and there’s no antenna; optional part or otherwise. Various design issues also hinder the overall look of guardian but we’ll address that later.
If you didn’t already think this toy had crazy amounts of painted detail, you will when you remove the nosecone to install the batteries and find more painted detail underneath. Clear plastic inserts were used on the leading door for the rear landing gear and the lights nearest the body on the wings and look great. Weaknesses include: ugly landing gear, a pink hue to the missiles, and a big lip around the feet/thrusters. The lip around the feet was addressed in V1.5 and later. While fighter mode of the version 1.0 toy is attractive, there is a slight angle upward on the legs and a bit too much downward angle on the backpack. You can bend the knees a bit to lessen the effect of thrust pointing up but this makes the backpack point down harder (and be careful as you massage this angles as the legs are pegged into the backpack).
The display stand for the first release Fokker is an awful neon green contraption with a UN spacy kite molded into the base. Mercifully, subsequent releases come with a clear display stand and later V1.6 toys added a painted UN Spacy kite.
Before moving on to Version 1.5, Kitz Concept released V1.0 Dark Gold and Red versions (which were later reissued as super part bundles after the change to V1.6). Despite the dark schemes, these toys have just as much painted on detail as the regular release toy. Though the dark panel lining is reduced, as it wouldn’t be seen, there are some light silver lines on the back of the toy. The Dark versions also include missiles that are color-matched and have a clear display stand eliminating two big visual negatives from the regular release toy.
While many of the improvements introduced with Rick’s VF-1J more heavily impact design attributes, there are some improvements that are purely aesthetic. Battloid mode benefits from a smaller lip around the feet and metallic paint on the lights on either side of the head. The hips and thighs have grown larger, making the toy a centimeter taller, without any additional girth in the torso. If you thought the version 1.0 toys looked stocky, this may be a welcome change; if you thought they looked great, you may now feel the toy looks lanky. Most dynamic poses will make the leg length less obvious and you can see in my comparison above, the proportions don’t stray far from previous VF-1 toys. All modes also benefit from a shrinking of the black trapezoids on the chest.
As you move to Guardian mode you’ll appreciate that the missiles have less of a pink hue than the 1.0 Fokker toy. Guardian mode also benefits from a better ability of the vertical stabilizers to lay across each other but there’s still room for improvement as they aren’t totally flat. As you whoosh the guardian mode toy around your room you may also notice that the thruster detail in the feet no longer separates when the foot is entirely open. Version 1.5 toys also achieve a better sweep of the legs due to the enhanced thighs allowing the toy to get into more aggressive poses. The newly hinged shoulder joints also allow the shoulders to tuck naturally below the wings.
While the larger thighs/hips are helpful in battloid and guardian, they look bulky in fighter mode. The landing gear remain basic and unattractive. The increased leg size adds to the overall length in fighter mode without adding any visual issues. If you feel like the legs still cant upward, the new feet have some play so you can angle them down to flatten things out. Though not as tightly recessed as it is on Bandai DX or Arcadia toys, the head now tucks tighter to the bottom of the nosecone. While the large intakes are clunky in this mode, it’s still an overall attractive presentation.
I’ve included the KitzConcept provided description of the move from version 1.5 to 1.6 in the collectibility section, the changes are minor. 1.6 began with another Roy release. KitzConcept uses a very light gray in comparsion to ThreeZero.
I commend KitzConcept’s thorough painting of the details on these vehicles, however there were some paint mishaps. When the Ben and Max versions were first released, the paint on the small leg fins was reversed with the trim color being applied to the area that should be white and vice-versa. The later reissue fixed this but added upside down modex numbers on those same fins.
One eagle-eyed owner pointed at that the LowVis release, which comes with a head for either a VF-1A or VF-1S presentation, contains a painted detail identifying it as a “VF-1J”. The LowVis toy uses the same gray that KitzConcept introduced on their VF-1S Roy Fokker “Special Color Version” which allows for some fun swapping heads.
Design: (7/10) + 1 for V1.5 toys
Version 1.0 toys try to bring together everything you like about the Yamato 1/60 Version 2 toy (now sold by Arcadia) and the Bandai Hi-Metal R, Version 1.5 toys add some elements from Bandai’s DX line. You’ll get the features you like from the Yamato design including:
1) Opening canopy with removable pilot figure
2) Removable covers that expose intake fan detail and additional cavity filler parts for battloid mode
3) Integrated landing gear (all gear retain three door bays and the front gear also includes an articulated tow bar)
4) Perfect transformation (including the heatshield)
5) Hard points for weapons ordinance on the wings
6) Ability to stow the gun in fighter mode (and on the arm in other modes)
The implementation of the side cavity fillers is an improvement over the Yamato as the parts peg securely into place.
KC did add some features of their own:
7) Light-up gun
8) Light-up cockpit
Version 1.0 toys had several issues that KC addressed later:
1) The cockpit light button was in an awkward location under a sheath on the nosecone making it difficult to access. Version 1.5 toys created a door under the nose that swung open and made changing batteries and engaging the light switch much easier.
2) Version 1.0 toys have a shoulder/wing conflict in Guardian mode. You can squeeze the shoulder just under the wing but it inhibits articulation and feels awkward. This was best resolved by leaving the wings behind the shoulder. Version 1.5 toys add a hinge to the shoulder which allows it to pivot beneath the wing line so that the arm can still function naturally even when the wings are in a wider flight position. Unfortunately, the additional hinge in the shoulder mechanism makes the assembly feel fragile.
3) Version 1.0 toys don’t do a good job tucking the head in for Guardian or fighter modes (particularly when viewed from a side profile). Though not quite as streamlined as the Bandai DX toys, Version 1.5 adjusts the geometry for the head to recess much better.
4) Though Version 1.0 toys have an extension gimmick at the knees, there isn’t enough forward bend leaving guardian mode too vertical. Version 1.5 toys feel less awkward throughout the leg and have additional range of movement allowing the toy to sweep forward more aggressively. The feet don’t extend as far from the leg and have a smaller range of movement than many competing toys.
5) Version 1.0 toys do a poor job of locking the intakes in position in fighter/guardian modes. Version 1.5 toys redesigned the tabbing of the intakes to make them more secure. While the locking of the intakes isn’t as crisp as some other toys, the version 1.5 toys are a huge improvement in guardian mode.
6) On Version 1.0 toys, the backpack doesn’t tuck tight to the back of the toy, the stabilizers can’t lay flat against each other. Though not entirely resolved, this is reduced on version 1.5 toys.
As you can see, version 1.5 addressed many of the problems encountered on version 1.0 toys and is a huge overall improvement. There were still some issues that could be addressed on later releases:
1) The gun is not ‘perfect transformation’, it has a grip that must be removed to be stowed in fighter mode. The strap must be removed as well but its an entirely optional part so that’s fine by me. On V1.5 toys, the front of the gun was made a hair smaller but it has no discernible impact. The switch for the light is inaccessible in fighter mode.
2) While reduced on V1.5 toys, the vertical stabilizers have an annoying habit of getting skewed when folded.
3) The biggest remaining issue is the length of the landing gear. While the gun can be stowed in fighter mode, the toy will then sit on the gun as much as it will sit on the landing gear. Fortunately, it still lies flat and isn’t so tall the landing gear won’t touch the ground.
4) The included display stand is intended for fighter mode only and is awkward. The front tab doesn’t seem to be the right shape to plug securely in and applying any pressure slides the nosecone forward. The shape of the part that slides behind the head was altered very slightly for V1.5 toys but it’s still funky. The stand allows you to adjust the horizontal angle of the toy. You can use the display stand as a prop in Guardian and Battloid modes but it doesn’t really connect to the toy.
Version 1.5 toys have the same backpack, forearms, and calves as version 1.0 toys so the super parts remain interchangeable. See separate review for more on the super parts.
Durability & Build: (4/10) +1 for V1.5+ toys
1) General build quality issues: Out of the box, some joints were incredibly tight. This can be dangerous as the joints connect via thin pieces of plastic that could be broken when torqued. Be very careful freeing the joints and try to put them all through their range of movement a few times before you start handling more casually. Some joints have also been loose. My V1.0 Fokker toy has a hand that seems to lack any friction in the joints. The peg that connects the nosecone to the chest in guardian/fighter also didn’t have sufficient resistance on my 1.0 Fokker but is very secure on my 1.5 Hunter. There are also potential glue issues, my V1.0 Fokker lost the clear insert on one wing (probably pressed too firmly against the shoulder in Guardian mode and popped off).
2) Paint scratches: I did find some minor paint scuffs and this will be more frequent as the toy is handled enjoyed. There’s a particularly vexing paint scratch right on the tip of my toy’s nose which you would think would be bare plastic so it seems the whole toy has a thin coat of paint to get the metal bits to match with the plastic bits. Of particular concern is the paint on the vertical stabilizers that rub against the nub on the toy’s back in battloid and guardian modes.
3) V1.5 toys resolved the nosecone battery compartment issues by eliminating the screw, including 2 batteries for the compartment, and stating 2 batteries in the instructions. On V1.0 toys, the instructions say to put three batteries in the nose for the cockpit light up gimmick but only two fit (it works with just two). I heard that KC switched to only wanting two batteries in that compartment at the last minute but didn’t have time to update the instructions or box contents… but they kept making the mistake through the runs of black gold/red toys. On my Dark Gold version I can’t open any of the battery bays because the screws were stripped.
4) Not universal, but my V1.0 Fokker and V1.5 Hunter toys have canopies that open too easily and allow the pilot to fall out. This is more pronounced on my 1.0 Fokker toy where the canopy tooth doesn’t line up properly and leaves it always fractionally ajar. My black gold/red toys do better here.
5) V1.0 hard points are easily sheered off when removing the missiles. The missiles lock on so securely that removing them, or even installing them, can sometimes cause the hard point to be sheered off. On my Dark Gold release, all four sheered off. The hard points are easily glued back on but it seems popping them off and gluing them back on will be an endless cycle.
V1.5+ toys addressed by having the missiles peg into a tube. While it’s nice the hard points no longer shear off, the fit and experience is poor.
6) The included rubber gun strap pegs in a little too securely. After putting it on and taking it off a few times during my photo shoot of the Dark Red VF-1S, the front of the strap broke off.
Articulation: V1.0 (8/10)
Starting at the top, the head is on a ball joint. The shoulders allow full rotation but, as mentioned previously, they can’t get out of the way of the wings in Guardian mode. There’s the familiar twist at the bicep and a double-jointed elbow that offers a truly impressive range of movement. The hands peg in so they can rotate and the integrated hands are nicely articulated and do a great job holding the gun. You won’t get a waist and there’s no gimmick to get a wider stance but the hips do attach on firm ball joints which allow the leg to rock and/or pivot in/out as well as rotating forward and back (assuming your wings don’t get in the way). The guardian joint is present and offers a standard range of movement. The knees, when extended, allow you to go 90 degrees back but, as mentioned previously, they do a poor job bending forward for guardian mode. The ankles do a great job extending and allowing the toe to move up or down but you won’t get much rocking left/right or twisting like you would on something like Bandai’s 1/48 DX toy or a toe that simulates that ability like the Hi-Metal figures.
Articulation: Version 1.5+ toys (9/10)
Nearly every joint was upgraded when moving from version 1.0 to 1.5 with the exception of the head. The head doesn’t have much of an angle to look downward but offers plenty of mobility in all other directions. The shoulders now have a second hinge that allows it to move away from the body for greater range of movement. Where the arm attaches to the shoulder has been upgraded to a rotating pivot (from a traditional ball joint) and the shoulder housing has been reduced to allow unprecedented arm mobility. This combination of improvements allow you to lift the arm straight up without first rotating the top of the shoulder to point to the ground. While a waist joint has been added, there’s no ability to disconnect the swing bar like there is on Bandai’s DX toy so it functions more like the Yamato 1/48 VF-1, which is to say you only get a couple degrees of rotation. The hips and thighs borrow improvements Bandai incorporated to the DX line of toys. An outward slant joint is now housed in the base of the intake. It doesn’t offer quite the range of movement as the DX toy manages it does allow a very impressive wide stance. Below the thigh, a pivot has been added making the knee a two pivot system which allows nearly 180 of bend. The ankles have a little rock left/right but lack the ability to point the toe down far enough to make guardian mode fun. While the foot and thigh articulation isn’t as strong as the Bandai DX VF-1, the shoulders and knees compete with the best of any transformable VF-1 toy.
Total Score: (34.5/50) + 3 for V1.5+ toys
The three version 1.0 releases had some rough edges and should be avoided unless you’re a diehard collector. KC went back to the drawing board before producing their 4th toy in the line. Rick’s VF-1J is such an improvement I seriously debated creating a new article and calling them “Version 2”. The improvements to V1.6 are minor but show a willingness to keep improving the line. When I reviewed the V1.0 Fokker I wrote: “If KC can get the vertical stabilizers to lay flatter, the intakes to peg-in securely, the missiles to be removable without damaging the hard points, and get one more click of forward sweep from the knee then they’ll be in really good shape for future releases.” and they’ve done all of those things! I love to see a company react so robustly to feedback. The only glaring issue that remains is the need to increase the length of the landing gear to get that gun off the ground. This toy can’t compete with Arcadia, Bandai, or ThreeZero in fit or finish but it’s doing an admirable job in all respects and should be a consideration if it’s a better fit for your budget.
Original Post date: February 3, 2019
February 10, 2019 – Added 4K review and a few additional pictures.
August 25, 2019 – Added Dark Gold VF-1S content
October 6, 2019 – Added Dark Red VF-1S content
October 27, 2020 – Added VF-1J Rick content