Observations & Critique: Finally making that Hi-Metal VF-19Kai Complete
This set of extras comes packaged in the standard brown Tamashii shipper box with a very limited color box inside. Cutting the tape on the shipper box, then the standard box, then the plastic trays inside gave me access to what you thought should have been included with the the original VF-19Kai toy:
1) A display stand base
2) A left/right pair of closed fixed-posed fists
3) 3x landing gear (that plug into the stand)
4) 3 x display stand adapters for connecting the toy to the stand (one for each mode)
5) a bracket to attach the gun to the toy in fighter mode (also works on VF-19S)
6) Optional shoulders which have the shoulder speakers exposed.
A baggy behind the tray includes:
7) an extra display stand post for attaching the sound booster (sold separately)
8) the arm that plugs into the display stand base
and beneath it all is:
9) Instructions in black & white on matte paper
These parts were released as Tamashii exclusives in August 2010 for an MSRP of 2100¥. The VF-19S Blazer Valkyrie, released around the same time as this accessory bundle, includes similar accessories and maintains the 7000¥ price, making this accessory kit feel like a money grab. Bandai later created a brand new VF-19 toy under the Hi-Metal R brand which was far superior to the original release and a much more complete package (albeit at a higher price tag). More deluxe, 1/60 scale toys, were also released by Yamato, then Arcadia, and Bandai as part of the DX line, further limiting the appeal of these original Hi-Metal toys and accessories.
This kit is sorely lacking in paint applications. While the mold of the base is great, without paint it’s just a big black slab of plastic. The base is not weighted but it is large. The VF-19 the stand supports is very light (110 grams), so the lack of heft in the base is not a problem. At the rear of the display stand base is a section for holding the speaker pod launcher but it looks unfinished in comparison to the rest of the base; it could have been much better incorporated into the overall design. If you’re supposed to use the area for storage, I would have preferred it to have a hinged lid. Bandai re-used the mold for the base as part of the Hi-Metal R line, switching to a matte finish and adding gold to the FIRE BOMBER text.
The display stand arm is a bit more sophisticated than the Tamashii Stage Act display stand that became Bandai’s standard for the Hi-Metal and Hi-Metal R lines. A left/right pivot at the top of the arm connects directly to a front/back pivot allowing you to angle the toy in either direction quickly and easily. This makes banking and soaring/diving poses simultaneously a little easier than on the Tamashii Stage Act which only has a forward/back pivot that it combines with a round attachment allowing you to swivel the toy to achieve a similar look. The left/right pivot at the top of the display stand doesn’t have a screw or friction adjustment and is fairly loose on my example so anything past a slight bank can cause the toy to flop fully vertical. Another front/back pivot at the base of the arm allows you to adjust the height of the toy and its position over the base. Though the arm attaches to the base via a round peg that should allow the arm to swivel in any direction, Bandai added tabs that lock the arm in place. The base has four slots so the arm can be installed pointing forward, back, left, or right. Why not just let the owner swivel it around?
The stand includes seven mounting points for the included additional Tamashii Stage Act arm; three in a diagonal arrangement to the left of center, three in the same arrangement to the right, and one in the rear. Though the instructions specifically tout the ability to use this arm with the sold separately sound booster, this is a standard Tamashii Stage Act arm and can be used for various other Hi-Metal and Hi-Metal R toys, and likely many more from other Bandai model lines.
The display stand adapter for fighter mode is unfortunate in that it occupies the space that should be used by the speaker pod launcher. It’s confusing that Bandai finally gave us the ability to stow the speaker pod launcher via the included attachment part in the same accessory kit with a display stand and the two accessories are mutually exclusive.
The GERWALK mode adapter is terribly implemented. The adapter connects to the back of the toy, which is the torso section that doesn’t lock into the lower body of GERWALK. All of the weight is in front of the adapter and the toy wants to pull itself apart. I found any elevated GERWALK pose to be a short-term proposition.
The battroid adapter is the best implemented but, like the other adapters, it connects to the stand via a hexagonal peg that keeps the toy from spinning. Since the display stand arm has only four possible angles, this means you may have to rotate the base to get the toy pointed in exactly the direction you were hoping.
The fighter gun connector connector is compact enough to not be viewable from side or above angles. It mounts firmly to the toy by two nubs that peg into slots in front of the arms and won’t allow the gun to move during swooshing. The connector is also compatible with the GU-15 (included with the Blazer Valkyrie) and the VF-19S toy. While the 19S contains nearly all the other accessories, this part is only available with the purchase of the 19Kai accessory bundle.
Like the display stand base, the speakers in the shoulders could have used more paint applications. They’re rendered in a muted, dark plastic color, and look dull. The sculpt is good enough. Utilizing the shoulder parts is a little clunky. First, you yank the shoulder and arm off the toy. Then you yank the arm off the toy below the shoulder. Then, you install the arm on the new shoulder before installing the new shoulder on the toy.
The extra pair of fists are appropriately sized and look good on the toy. The ball joint on the fist plugs into the wrist sockets exactly the same way the open hands did that come with the VF-19Kai.
Though the landing gear are an after thought, this is the one accessory that is painted well. The exterior side matches the red of the VF-19Kai while the interior side is white. The landing gear are rendered in silver to look like metal (some would have preferred they be white also) and the wheel hub is white surrounded by the black tire. Everything is plastic, there are no spinning parts, and there are neither pegs nor magnets to connect the landing gear to the toy. Instead, the landing gear are plugged into the display stand base and the toy is gently rested on top. A small bump to your shelf will cause the toy to spill off the landing gear. While the toy is on the landing gear there is sufficient clearance to use the gun pod connector.
I have concerns about the long-term durability of several of these accessories. The need to pull off the existing shoulders and arms and reconnect them seems like a tough chore for small pieces of plastic to endure over a long period of time. I had a wheel break off the landing gear on my 19S toy (same system as these accessories). It glued right back on, which I believe mimics the original assembly, but be careful when putting the gear into the base and removing them.
While the original Hi-Metal toy was a fun VF-19 toy, it was an incomplete package containing neither a display stand nor landing gear. The lack of foresight to implement a better landing gear system shows that Bandai didn’t understand their audience or was desperate to nickel and dime them. Fortunately, the accessories have remained relatively easy to track down alnd were ultimately rendered a historical curiosity by the later release of Bandai’s all new Hi-Metal R toy or any of the more deluxe, more expensive offerings. If you are for some reason determined to own the original Hi-Metal VF-19Kai, then seek out these accessories to get the full experience.
May 2015 – Updated to HD
November 2025 – Updated to 4K