Observations & Critique: First Toy Rendition EVER!
While Yamato once graced us with a 1/60 scale model of the Fan Racer, Bandai shocked the world by creating the first toy version and including it as a bonus with purchase of their DX VF-1D toy. Why not include it with their (shocking) release of the DX VF-1A Angelbird? I believe there were two reasons:
First, the VF-1D is associated with Hikaru so they could give us one pilot figure for either vehicle.
Second, they were hoping some people would buy multiple Angelbirds toys to create the squadron and figured most people would only buy one VF-1D.
The DX VF-1D comes with the following standard DX VF-1 accessories:
1) Pilot
2) GU-11 gun pod
3) Strap for gun pod
4) 5x pairs of hands (3 DYRL pairs and 2 TV pairs)
5) Intake fan covers
6) 2x GERWALK antennae
7) Display stand arm and battroid adapter
8) Leg removal tool (for waist gimmick)
9) 2x side cavity fillers
10) Display stand base and GERWALK and fighter adapters
11) Instructions
Unique to the DX toy were the following items:
12) Minmay figure
13) Extended pilot seats for battroid mode
14) Fan racer
15) Display stand (base and arm) for fan racer
16) Right hand meant for grasping the Minmay figure
Could we ask for more? Sure, it would have been great if the pilot head was removable and could be replaced with his no helmet look OR as second pilot without the helmet was included. A third pilot with Minmay in his lap would have been another fun bonus. While integrated landing gear are always welcome, plug-in landing gear would have made a nice consolation prize. I would have also loved to see plug in smoke effects for the rocket boosters and an extension to the display stand for better posing with Angelbirds toys.
Bandai charged a 3,000¥ mark-up for their DX VF-1D toy over previous releases so that is the cost of the Fan Racer, the display stand for it, a Minmay figure, and some extra hands. In contrast, Yamato charged 3,000¥ for their model version of the Fan Racer. The idea that 12 years and lots of inflation later you were able to get a TOY version of a vehicle with a display stand for the same price as a model seems like an outrageous bargain to me. The DX VF-1D was released in July 2021 for 21,000¥ as a Tamashii Web Exclusive that sold briskly and has since demanded a premium. While I could imagine fun accessory kits that would include the fan racer, it looks unlikely that it will get its own release or a VF-1D reissue any time soon. As I stated in my article on the Yamato 1/60 Fan Racer model, the creators never published official dimensions. According to the Macross Mecha Manual, Macross Chronicle published a size comparison to the VF-1 that implied the Fan Jet was 5.2 meters long. Reverse engineering the size from the pilot, Macross Mecha Manual felt a size closer to 5.9 meters would be more accurate. The DX Fan Jet is 10.8 cm long putting it between 1/48 and 1/55 scale given the two length estimates. While it may seem off to some people’s eyes, it’s a great size allowing it to work well with both Bandai’s DX line and Yamato’s 1/48 and 1/60 V2 lines. With the pilot, the fan jet weighs only 20 grams.
The DX has softer curves than the Yamato model. The placement of the vertical stabilizer closer to the cockpit is more accurate. The inclusion of the air inlet in the vertical stabilizer (as a thin black stripe) is clear evidence that someone at Bandai did their homework.
The other painted on details such as the fuel door (?), pilot name, ‘ceramic rotary engine’, ‘no step’, and rocket booster warnings are all very nice touches. I had some clearer text on one side of the toy than other but the text is small enough where it’s only noticeable during close-ups. The cockpit mold does an excellent job capturing the line art of the interior controls. The pilot’s seat is brown but there are no other paint applications.
There are two gimmicks:
1) the canopy opens
2) the rocket nozzles are removable
If the toy also came with smoke effect parts that could plug into the removed rocket nozzles, that would have been amazing.
While very simple, the included display stand is excellent. The fan jet connects via a round peg so it can quickly be swiveled in any direction. You also have two pivot points, left/right and up/down so you can easily achieve whatever angle you desire. The connection to the peg is also solid so you’ll have no concern about the fan jet popping free. Since the fan jet weighs next to nothing, there are no issues with stability.
The peg hole in the bottom of the fan racer is common to the Tamashii Act Display Stands so if there’s anything the included display stand isn’t accomplishing for you (like elevating to the height you desire), it can be easily and cheaply swapped out.
So what design element is missing? There are no landing gear nor is there an ability to remove the bay doors and plug in separate landing gear.
Fortunately, there haven’t been any reported issues from a durability or build perspective. The only bit of articulation is the ability to blow into the fan and have the blade spin. So what’s the verdict? As a bonus for a different toy, this thing is fantastic. If it had been released as its own little TWE extension of the DX VF-1 universe, I would have had higher expectations… maybe plug in landing gear and some other pilot options. What I continue to want is a Hi-Metal R version of the Angelbirds with a fan jet. Bandai could use a variation of their trident display stand to give us the Angelbirds breaking formation as Hikaru blasts through. Maybe a TWE three pack that comes with a fan jet and trident display stand as a bonus. I don’t have the time or money to do that in the DX scale but it would be an awesome HMR display.