Observations & Critique: PEW PEW!
Inside the Tamashii limited brown shipper box, this is yet another Hi-Metal R (HMR) release that comes in a box beautifully adorned with Tenjin art. Inside the box you get two plastic trays that include the following:
1) 2x Missile Firing Effects for UUM-7 Micro Missile Pods (the box missiles from DYRL)
2) 6x Individual reaction missiles
3) 6x Individual thrust trails for reaction missiles
4) 4x accessory display arms
5) 4x adjustable supports (4x connectors to the display stand arms and 4 sets of 2 fingers)
6) Display stand (3x pieces that form the base, 1 arm)
7) 4x spent hardpoint connectors (2x large, 2x small)
8) Instructions
If the display stand looks familiar, that’s because it’s exactly the same display stand that came with the HMR Glaug toy. Other parts will be familiar from Tamashii Stage Act Display Stand releases. The “spent” hardpoint connectors are a thoughtful touch… after all, it’s not like the missiles took their mounting equipment with them when they were launched. Two of the adjustable supports are gratuitous as you only need the supports for use with the UUM-7 missiles. There are lots of better things that could have been included like a standard fighter mode display stand adapter (since several HMR releases only come with the super fighter adapter), extension rod(s) and connector(s), missiles for the top super parts, missiles for GBP parts, standard TV style missiles, or two more sets of UUM-7 missiles so you could have all four firing.
Released as a Tamashii exclusive in April 2017, the MSRP of 4,320 Yen inclusive of tax. There would have needed to be domestic shipping and then international shipping for those of us hoping to purchase it from abroad. Considering it’s a very cheap super mass produced display stand with a few missile effects, it’d be easy to complain that these things are expensive for what you get. That said, since they were a Tamashii exclusive and can be used on numerous VF-1 toys, or other toys with a bit of tac, it’s a safe bet that there will be those eager to pay more than retail to secure a set.
The reaction missiles here look spot-on to the ones included with toys. The smaller missiles launched from the DYRL style boxes aren’t very impressive. The exhaust from the missiles is also very pronounced, cast in white with blue highlights. It seems like it would have been better to cast the exhaust trails in a translucent material and then add a light spray to add effect but that wouldn’t have had the same dramatic effect or resemble anime missiles. The display stand itself is unobtrusive as it is nearly completely transparent .
This is the same basic stand that was included with glaug toys though this one includes a few more arms and requires a bit more assembly (the adjustable supports were pre-assembled with the Glaug). The display stand base is three pieces that easily connect and the arm plugs right in. The three-pronged approach allows some flexibility with posing other toys nearby. My toy did fine with the UUM-7 missiles without using the included supports but the weight of the missiles would cause them to droop downward and the missiles would pivot on their hardpoint s if the toy was displayed at an angle. The reaction missile trails peg into each other to allow you to support six missiles using only 4 accessory arms.
Tamashii stands are generally cheap, insubstantial, and disposable, and that’s not too different here. The base is a bit more hearty than a Trident or Stage Act stand but not remarkably so. All the connectors are the same thin plastic bits that are definitely prone to breakage either from gradual stress in a display cabinet or forceful application. The missile parts seem very sturdy which is great since those are the only bits here that would be very difficult to replace.
The central display stand arm can rotate in a circle, pivot forward/back at the base, and has a peg on top that can pivot forward/back. The accessory display stand arms can also rotate in their housings and pivot forward back at the base, elbow, and top. The way the reaction missiles peg into their trails requires that they be jutting straight out from the trail.
Do you have a sweet HMR display? If so, I would definitely support grabbing a set of missile effects. It seems like Bandai originally intended to include 4x sets of UUM-7 missiles and they absolutely should have. This theory would explain why they included 4x sets of adjustable supports. The extra set would have helped with the value allowing you to have missiles on three or more different valks or two valks going full Itano Circus (though the lack of missiles for the super parts is a bit of a bummer there). So, overall this is a cool accessory but not one quite worth raving about or paying a huge premium for.