
Mega Review (updated): Includes Alto, Focker 30th Anniversary, Isamu, Ozma, Rod and Alto Super Gift-Set releases
Packaging & Extras: (4/5)
These toys come in basic boxes (23 x 36 x 11 cm) made of thin cardboard adorned with images of the toys within. There’s no flip-top lid nor original artwork. Inside, you’ll find the toy housed in a Styrofoam tomb covered with a cardboard lid. On top of that lid you’ll find a baggy with:
1) Instructions
Baggies in Styrofoam tray include:
2) 3 pairs of fixed-pose hands (salute, gun grip, fists)
3) Dagger (original Alto version is all gray, all later releases are two-tone)
4) Removable pilot figure
5) Gun (expands, splits, and scope re-situates)
In an additional plastic clam shell you’ll also receive:
6) Display stand (Consisting of a base, an arm, a nosecone holder, a fighter adapter, a GERWALK adapter, and a battroid adapter)
Bandai didn’t paint the SMS logo on the base of the display stand for the 30th Anniversary release, maybe to drive home the fact it’s a non-canon paint scheme that did not appear in Macross Frontier, rrelated movies, or any video games. It’s a bummer that Bandai chose to make the rather insubstantial super parts a separate release instead of making this a bundle set and it would have been nice if they included hard plastic head lasers as an option for each release.
The third release in the line was Isamu’s custom sold as a Tamashii Web Exclusive (TWE). As with other TWE items, this toy came in a brown shipper. While some TWE items come in monochrome boxes, the Isamu box within the shipper looks like a standard retail release with full color. This toy comes with everything from the prior releases and makes these changes:
5) Gun (retains the functionality of regular releases but adds a sliding bayonet)
7) Extra head laser made of hard plastic (there’s a soft plastic head laser on the toy)
8) Gun attachment piece for fighter mode (optional)
All releases receive unique, color instruction booklets.
Rod’s YF-29 is like Isamu’s YF-29 but with a slightly different layout of the parts and, regrettably, no harder plastic replacement head lasers. Rod retains the gun with the bayonet but the extension for fighter mode moves from the display stand tray to the baggy with the fists/dagger/pilot (so Bandai could re-use the tray from the non Isamu releases). Rod should have received a NUNS display stand base (Bandai used it for various other Frontier toys) but included an SMS display stand complete with painted lettering… almost certainly because Bandai didn’t want to create a new tray to accommodate the slightly different shape of the display stand base used for NUNS paint scheme releases.
More than five years after Rod’s release, with the super parts for Alto’s YF-29 being a hot collector’s item, Bandai released a Super YF-29 Alto Gift-Set. The addition of the super parts meant the box dimensions swelled a little bit (24.7 x 37.6 x 15 cm). The box is also made of a sturdier matte cardboard than the thin glossy cardboard of earlier releases. The Styrofoam tray has been ditched, instead the contents come in three plastic trays. Also gone are the plastic baggies Bandai tucked the accessories into previously, they now sit in dedicated spaces in the plastic tray. The head fin is now packaged as a separate part that requires installation and there’s a second head fin… just in case you damage or lose the first one. Also included is the gun adapter previously packaged with the Isamu and Rod versions. This adapter is unnecessary on this toy since the gun lacks the bayonet but if you’re a real stickler for a farther back gun in fighter mode, maybe you’ll get some utility from that. Beyond those exceptions, the contents are unchanged from the original release. Sadly, Bandai reverted back to the unpainted hilt and pommel on the dagger. Curiously, while Rod’s YF-29 came with an SMS display stand and shouldn’t have, the Alto gift-set comes with the NUNS display stand base instead of the proper SMS stand. Since the display stand tray is new (due to the different box dimensions) and contains the same contents as previous releases…. there’s really no good reason Bandai made this change.

Charm & Collectability: (4.5/5)
This is a perfect transformation toy, in a common scale (31.5 cm long in fighter mode equates to 1/60 scale), has some metal parts (384 grams makes it heavier than the 354 grams of a classic 1/55 VF-1 or Transformers Jetfire), produced in low quantities, and was featured heroically in Macross media (excluding the Focker paint scheme which was commemorative of Macross’ 30th anniversary). Alto’s YF-29 was feature in the Frontier movie, the others in the Macross 30 video game. The elements are there for this to be a hot collectible. Alto’s version has been available four times and, in all instances, the preorder window was so fleeting, many didn’t realize it had even been made available. Bandai has released Tamashii exclusive super parts for all variants except the R.B. custom, look for my separate review of those parts. See the photo above for a complete list of releases.
Sculpt, Detail, & Paint: (9/10)
Bandai did an excellent job emulating the art and keeping it clean. With a couple minor exceptions, pre-painted detail abounds, and clear plastic inserts were used rather than painted plastic in numerous locations. From a shape and paint perspective, Bandai did an amazing job. There were only a few weaknesses I found. Though this was the first Bandai Macross toy to feature removable intake fan covers, Bandai could have made this more worthwhile by adding a bit of paint to the intake fans to make them pop. The drab cockpit also could have used some details and the missiles, tucked in various silos throughout the toy, aren’t very convincing. Though I have a sentimental affinity toward shiny plastics as they remind me of the toys of my youth, the collecting world prefers matte finishes and Bandai delivered on their gift-set release in 2020.

While the VF-27 pilots were a vast improvement over the original VF-25’s stubby and permanently affixed pilots, the YF-29 pilot improves more with better proportions (although these pilots still fell short of the Yamato/Arcadia pilots of the time). Bandai went the extra mile in making a new pilot mold for the RB custom Perceval since he has a different helmet than the others.
The yellow trim on the Focker scheme looks a bit bright and there are some white details painted on white plastic… as if the factory filled the trim paints with the exact same paints used on Alto without consideration of the canvas they were applying the paints to. Some people love this scheme, others do not. The scheme is simply “inspired by” the original Focker scheme rather than an attempt to recreate it on a new vehicle.
The tan used for the Isamu toy is easily my least favorite Isamu color. The combination of high shine plastic with THAT tan is awful and others must agree with me a this is the least popular Isamu toy. In an homage to his YF-19, Isamu’s YF-29 has a modified, one central laser, style head and the included gun with bayonet is an homage to Isamu’s VF-11B.
Ozma received a unique head that seems to be an homage to Samurai helmets (though there’s also something pirate-y about it). The only negative of this head is that it seems an odd fit in fighter mode where it looks more like a hump than the other heads do. The grays are darker here than they are on his VF-25S. The placement of the skull on top of the swing bar for the integrated cannons on the back of the plane is unfortunate.
Rod’s paint scheme is gorgeous. The orange visor on the head gives the Perceval a truly menacing look. Though his plane has a new name, there are no physical differences between the Perceval toy and the Durandal (in universe, I believe the Perceval was the second phase of the prototype frame with improved avionics).
Bandai made a number of improvements when rolling out the the Alto YF-29 toy included in the gift-set with the most significant visual difference being the move from a gloss finish to a matte one. The canopy is a little less purple this time around. I was surprised to see Bandai went back to an unpainted dagger instead of the two tone one that had been included in several releases.

Design: (9.5/10)
This toy followed Bandai’s original DX VF-25 toys and represents a DRAMATIC improvement over them. Positives include:
1) Ability to attach the gun in fighter mode without extra parts (though an optional part is included with some to allow them to sit flatter in fighter mode)
2) Opening cockpit with removable pilot figure
3) Option to convert the cockpit to a two-seat configuration by removing the second seat cover and lifting the seat up
4) Integrated landing gear with spinning wheels, rubber tires, and an articulated two bar on the lead gear
5) Removable intake fan covers to expose intake fan detail
6) Integrated GERWALK mode support for the back half of the plane
7) Ability to mount the gun to the GERWALK support so the toy can have two free hands and the gun mounted
8) Integrated, articulated hands that can remain on the toy throughout transformation (though the saluting hands do fit better for fighter mode). V1 VF-25 toys needed to swap hands for transformation.
9) Collapsing shield support so the shield sits tighter on the arm than it did on V1 VF-25 toys
10) Integrated dagger storage area in the shield

11) Integrated missile bays in the leg that pivot and open
12) Integrated missile bays in the shoulders
13) Integrated cannons that can be lifted up, extended, and pivot in any mode

14) Articulated thrusters (mid-wing and feet)
15) Ability to pivot the wing-mounted engines
It’s hard to quantify just how tremendous of a leap forward this toy was from the V1 VF-25 toy. Transformation mechanisms at the pelvis and shoulders work much better on the YF-29 and lead to a more satisfying experience. The pelvis on the V1 toy connects via a single plastic peg, the crotch area is too large and it doesn’t achieve the proper angle, on the YF-29 the area is better proportioned, achieves the appropriate angle, and connects via two metal pegs on either side for a much sturdier connection. My biggest complaint in handling was that the shield didn’t lock securely enough in place in fighter mode.

After the first Alto release, Bandai made three improvements to the toy:
1) V1.1+ toys have a more shallow slot and wider GERWALK support arm. The GERWALK support part on the first run Alto toy proved inadequate when Bandai released the super parts and would lead to sagging. This revised version eliminated that issue.

2) Though the landing gear are all improvements over the V1 toys, the front landing gear on the first Alto version can swing back too far instead of stopping perpendicular. Bandai solved this by squaring off the top of the landing gear which prevents it from rolling so far back.

3) The rear landing gear did not have a lock to keep them out in fighter mode. This meant that rolling the toy on the landing gear might cause the landing gear to collapse back into the leg. On all toys after the first issue, a stopper has been added that keeps the rear landing gear out.

The Isamu and Rod toys come with guns that have bayonets and an extra extension for attaching that gun in fighter mode. The traditional attachment works but angles the gun downward a bit. With the extension, the gun moves a little farther back and achieves more clearance to be flatter. On the Isamu toy, the head laser interferes with the range of movement of the cannons in fighter mode as they can’t be swung all the way forward. The issue created by Isamu’s head laser is easily overcome by not pulling the guns all the way forward and leaving them standing taller away from the plane.

When Bandai rolled out the Alto YF-29 Full Set Pack, they introduced a number of improvements. Superficially, the toy had a new matte finish. Design element changes included:
1) A new head sculpt that has a removable fin and now has ABS lasers. Both of these improvements are in response to durability issues. Previously, a damaged fin ruined the entire head and the PVC lasers could be curved or otherwise misshapen. Unfortunately, the new ABS lasers don’t fit properly into the channels on the back of fighter mode.

2) The structure of the hip has been modified to be stronger, presumably to make the joint stiffer and easier to tighten if it does loosen over time.

3) Ratchets have been added to the wing engine pivots so that they keep their position, even when super parts are on, something that sometimes proved difficult on previous versions.

4) A new ratcheting chest mechanism has been added. In theory, this will give the toy a more solid feel in battroid mode. In execution, I found the ratchets to be too far apart and didn’t feel much more solid than the ratchet-less versions as a result.
The display stand included with these toys is very reminiscent of the original V1 VF-25 display stand… which is to say it’s nothing special. There are no adjustments in regards to height, angle, or direction the toy is pointing. Fun fact: the Isamu/Rod display stand differs from the other display stands; the screw that connected the fighter mode front attachment piece has been removed by a peg/slot as to avoid conflicting with the gun’s bayonet.
Durability & Build: (7.5/10)
There’s one thing that is proving to be a concern for the early adopters: the wings attach via hinges to the main body and they lack a stopper mechanism. Anyone who tries to sweep the wings further back than they naturally go will quickly break or stress those hinges. This is more problematic than it may at first sound because it seems like the wings should pull back further behind the battroid. The common paint-chipping issues that have plagued all DX toys are still present but these problems as expected on any line of complex toys with a fair quantity of paint. Like the V1 VF-25 ball joints in the hips, the hips on the Durandal/Perceval do get loose even with gentle handling. Generally, a twist of a screw or the application of a touch of white glue will help resolve problems with loose joints. However, most these tightening fixes are temporary so it can be annoying to constantly tighten the toy after finding it fell down in your display case. One very difficult to tighten joint is the hinge at that holds the shoulder mechanism up. It looks like you’d have to remove the mechanism and then remove a pin to get at the area that needs additional tension. On my Isamu toy, this area got loose quickly due to some flash on the pieces of plastic that are supposed to be pressed firmly together.

Unique to the dark plastic of the Ozma toy were issues with stress marks on the wing hinges. MacrossWorld member Saburo was able to reduce stress mark issues on his toy using a hairdryer, see pic below. Not all toys come with these stress marks but it’s definitely something to be concerned about and if you’re buying one second hand you should ask for a photo of this potential problem spot. Another issue to be on the lookout for is bent head lasers. Particularly my RB custom had very curved lasers right out of the box. Similar to Saburo’s stress mark fix, heating up the head lasers (not to the point of melting them) seems to go a long way in straightening them back out.
Articulation: (9.5/10)
Ball joints are placed in all the right spots. The hips, head, and ankles use ball joints. The knees offer a wide range of motion and have a swivel. The shoulders rotate around and there’s another rotation point at the bicep. The elbows have a double-joint allowing the toy to reach up toward it’s shoulders. The waist joint has limited mobility but it’s there. The YF-29 design is a little gangly which makes getting some poses a little difficult but it’s not for lack of points of articulation.
Total Score: (44/50)
The Alto toy came out just after Yamato’s phenomenal VF-19Kai toy leaving many people to have to decide between one or the other. Both toys are fantastic so there was no wrong decision to be made. The VF-19Kai toy has a level of refinement the DX toy lacks. Maybe because it was a little cheaper, maybe it was just because I prefer the design, but I found the YF-29 to be more fun to handle. The new Tornado-pack-esque guns add to the fun, GERWALK stays together and poses nicely, and battroid is very dynamic. The YF-29 showed us that the DX line had a very bright future despite a rocky start (the V1 VF-25 toys). The subsequent releases have not disappointed. I mentioned MacrossWorld member Saburo earlier, below are a few more pictures he snapped of the YF-29 Ozma Custom. Check out his flickr account here for lots more great shots.
Original post date: August 2011
November 11, 2013: included HD battroid to fighter transformation guide.
February 25, 2013: included Focker release, added HD video review, and HD transformation guide.
July 9, 2014: included Ozma release.
January 17, 2014: included Isamu release.
September 21, 2015: included RB custom release.
May 14, 2020: added 4K images and updated content.
Great review as usual! Thanks a lot!
Thanks for the review!
I’m not much a fan of this Valkyrie (I feel they kinda failed to make a redesign of the VF-19), but, still, the hints it gives for the new VF-25 are very good. I’m really looking forward to it!
Dear readers: please don’t be afraid to point out grammatical or typographical errors. The first draft of my durability section was a trainwreck… I apologize.
I REALLY want one of these bad boys but I cant for the life of me find one for sale anywhere. Where did you get yours?
I preordered mine when it was announced. They seem to have sold out quickly. Bandai is releasing super parts for this toy in November (I will review those here) so you might be able to hold out hope for a bundle YF-29 + Super Parts further down the line.
I have the vf-25 armoured messiah ozma custom actually and i was thinking to getting the vf-29 durandal. I am just asking if u experienced the leg joints of the unit being rather unable to hold in place? My vf-25 have that problem and i am afraid that i might meet the same problem for the vf-29.
I haven’t experienced looseness at the hips but that’s probably because I’m a fighter mode displayer. Generally speaking these toys will get loose hips if displayed in battroid mode. Usually you can find fairly unobtrusive ways to fix loose hips though by either tightening a screw somewhere or adding resistance to the ball joint (try a dot of white glue… you could always scrape it off if it doesn’t work).
Why is this so expensive (over $400) on ebay? It is that rare?
They were seemingly sold out before they were even released so yeah, they’re demanding a big premium now because they’re so hard to come by.
FYI – these are being reissued later this year… hold off on selling a kidney.
Too late. Maybe I get the kidney back…
the only problem with this is, the small inverted canard, that seems like drawn by an amateur, its like an inverted tailwing……
if the canard is like YF-19/VF-19, then its like perfect!
but the roy focker color scheme!!!! a must buy!
You are obviously ignoring how much backwards canards help maneuverability… in space.
I assume there’s some experimental fighter somewhere that had the flipped around canards and Kawamori saw that once and was like “sure, why not? I’ve done everything else in transforming airplanes.”
Hi great reviews
Do you know where I can get the red super parts? They seems to be much more expensive than the roy focker super parts. How much are they?
Hi jenius.
Comparing this to V1 vf-25. Which one do u think is better? V2 vf25 is out of the question :)
The yf29 is on par with the v2 toys so definitely vastly superior to the v1.
I wish that Lockheed or McDonald Douglas would make a deal with the Macross creators and create a 1:1 scale of VF-25 and YF-29 fighter jet. It doesn’t need to be anything other than a fighter jet, which is achievable. No transformation needed. Do you agree? Much better than the reality crap that the defense contractors are coming out with.
I just got my yf-29 ozma today, the videos really help ,and still almost had a heartattack when I was transforming it .
I see the Isamu version selling for less than SRP on Mandarake, which surprised me since it’s an exclusive. The standard release ones cost more by comparison. Is it because of their popularity? Or does the Isamu version have issues that are not present in other versions?
Hello ! I finally bought the YF-29 Percival but it arrived with it’s right canard missing. After a terrible battle with the seller (ebay) I decided to keep it and made with left over plastic from some old model kit a new one. Couldnt find the exact shade of purple but it’s not too sore on my eye.
Ps; I asked you last year about this toy and thanks for your info, got one. It’s a great piece and thanks again for your help!
Charles
Super bummed to hear you got one with a part missing Charles but I’m glad you otherwise like the toy. Maybe keep an eye out for someone trying to sell a broken one cheap in the future that will let you buy that part. Stranger things have happened.
Invader Zig, I think it’s just a popularity thing. The Isamu version doesn’t appear in any animation (or maybe anywhere else for that matter). Also, the first couple releases sold out with a quickness so speculators might have thought Isamu was going to be a big hit so they bought too many of them.
Hey! Just wanted to say I picked up the Alto variant last weekend at a anime convention but it looks like a renewal version!?!? HUGE thanks to your guide I was able to deduce that because of a couple of things…
1. It has a 30th anniversary sticker on the box on the right side, under the logo (otherwise the box looks identical to what you have above)
2. It has the upgraded support arm for GERWALK mode like the Ozuma one has, definitely no mistaking it
I feel like I’m forgetting one other minor thing I noticed but otherwise, I haven’t found anything online of anyone posting up a Alto box with a 30th anniversary sticker on it. I’m not sure if this is the 2012 version release or they decided to rerelease it again in 2016, but I’ve got it. Happy to take pictures as well!
Thanks again for the awesome guide!
-Marc
@micronian: hmm, thanks for the reply. In any case I bought it and some super parts, and overall pleased with my purchase. I just have an issue with one of the wing extensions being quite loose. Loose enough that with the super parts on, any light nudge will make it point down. Is there a recommended way to tighten it safely?
Greetings friend. I recently stumbled into this rabbit hole, and have a serious itch that need scratching. I’m a huge scfi fan and remember these Varitek fighters from my adolescence. I admit that I had lost track of this Universe and being overwhelmed by this serendipitous awakening. I watched most of the Bandai Macros toy reviews, and my financial inadequacies are causing somewhat of a unstable infatuation. All joking aside, dig all your reviews and red much of the info in this fabulous website. I’ve been able to narrow my must have list down to 7 toys, thanks to your reviews and general information.Not sure when the first purchase will happen, but it will DX YF-29 30TH Anniversary version. Just love the look of that fighter and the 30th Anniversary color scheme adds a nice nostalgic bonus. VF-25F Alto renewal version will be second.
Ebay and Amazon both have availability and prices seem comparable. I’ve rambled alittle,😆 I appreciate all the info you’ve provided.
This review right here made me want to get back into Macross collecting after a decade-long hiatus. After an SV-262 Drakken, a VF-31J, and a Vf-25 Renewal, I FINALLY have this figure in my display! Totally worth the wait! Thanks for the great review and thanks for getting me back into Macross!
Hi guys,
So are there any differences on the reissue YF-29 Alto from the 1st 2011 released? Were there some tweaks or improvements made? Ta!
The only change made from the very first issue to later YF-29 toys was the thickening of the GERWALK support joint, everything else was superficial.
Awesome review! This made me choose my first DX. YF-29 Alto custom :D
I feel the durability rating on these is a little high. When you first get them right out of the box they’re great but after a bit of time they quickly become a floppy mess, especially in the hips.
This applies to both the Alto and Roy customs I have.
Isn’t there a screw on the back of the hip that you can tighten to get the hips stiffer? I feel like the really frustrating joint on the VF-25 renewal toys is the shoulders, there’s no good way to tighten them back up, not sure if the 29 has the same issue as mine is currently tucked away.
Thanks for the review, I picked up a YF-29 pretty cheap, but the feet can’t hold its own wait in gerwalk or battloid mode, I have tightened all the screws but it is still really bad, any suggestion on fixing, it is front of the foot and the heel, and in the middle of the metal parts.
Hi,
Got quick question for you :) I have had a YF-29 for awhile and unfortunately lost the gun. Do you know of anywhere i could get a replacement?
Thanks