{"id":1032,"date":"2012-06-09T01:30:35","date_gmt":"2012-06-09T01:30:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/anymoon.com\/blog\/2007\/01\/07\/toynami-155-vf-1-appendices-a-b-c\/"},"modified":"2014-07-11T05:52:51","modified_gmt":"2014-07-11T05:52:51","slug":"toynami-155-vf-1-appendices-a-b-c","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/anymoon.com\/blog\/?p=1032","title":{"rendered":"Toynami 1\/55 VF-1 Appendices A, B, & C"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Observations & Critique: Mo\u2019 Missiles, Mo\u2019 Boosters, Mo\u2019 Armor<\/p>\n

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I used to review accessories just like toys and back in those days\u00a0I gave this toy a perfect score since the box is so darned nice.\u00a0 Today I’d probably drop that score down a little bit.\u00a0 Everything here is great but it’s not like Toynami included anything not absolutely necessary to the fast packs and a perfect score should be reserved for companies that do manage to throw in some bonus items. That said, this toy’s packaging is still a good bit above average as it comes in an only slightly smaller bookcase (width-wise only) than the MPC VF-1 toys.\u00a0 The Rick Hunter appendix A has been reissued once in 2004.\u00a0 You can tell the difference from an original and a reissue in that the original has the picture of Rick on the outter white box (see picture above).\u00a0 Reissues came in a box that was completely devoid of that picture.<\/p>\n

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I think we’ve gotten to the point where we can be reasonably reassured there will be no more MPC VF-1 Super Part appendix reissues.\u00a0 It really seemed like Toynami missed a golden opportunity to make some money on a Max & Miriya reissue but since the appendices initially warmed shelves only to be sold at steep discounts before mounting a dramatic comeback in popularity it might have been hard for Toynami to get retailers interested in ordering more.\u00a0 When Toynami’s only competition was the Bandai reissue of the Takatoku toys and Yamato’s version 1 toys the Toynami Super Parts did have some allure despite their many quirks.\u00a0 These days we all have better options in the form of Yamato’s 1\/48 and 1\/60 V2 lines.<\/p>\n

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There was a point in time where the Toynami MPC Appendix was arguably the best representation of super parts in toy form.\u00a0 Even upon release it was clear that these Super Parts did have some shortcomings.\u00a0 First,\u00a0the missile booms ride too high above the vehicle and don\u2019t follow its natural slope well enough.\u00a0 Second, the missile booms look a bit slender and long.\u00a0 Third, the intrictate detail pieces also could have been painted a bit to bring out all the detail better if Toynami was really striving for perfection.\u00a0\u00a0Below are some close-ups to give you a better idea of the level of detail.\u00a0 Fourth, Toynami should have included both gray outer leg armor covers for the Max & Miriya toys as well as the color-matched leg armor covers as the anime often shows the armors being the same primary color on the M&M valkyries\/veritechs.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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First, I want to penalize this product for the way the missile booms attach to the backpack but I think that flaw is equally to blame on the original design of the MPC vehicle it attaches to.\u00a0 Yamato\u2019s method of attachment is clearly superior with tabs on the booms fitting in slots on the backpack.\u00a0 Toynami took another route that involves attaching pieces around the backpack.\u00a0 Once again, Toynami has made a slight improvement on the original Takatoku design but hasn\u2019t taken the giant stride that was certainly possible.\u00a0\u00a0The most major flaw here comes with the leg armors.\u00a0 Some credit is due Toynami in their excellent use of magnets but, unfortunately, they came up short of what is necessary.\u00a0 The magnets just aren\u2019t strong enough to really keep the parts together through any movement that isn\u2019t very gentle.\u00a0 Also, the pegs that hold the base of the leg armor to the back of the leg armor appear to not be long enough or strong enough as it\u2019s not unusual for the entire assembly on the outside of the leg to pop right off.\u00a0 It would have also been nice to see Toynami implement some sort of fix that would have allowed the hands to be slid forward with the arm armor attached.\u00a0 In its current form a user must remove the armors during the transformation from fighter mode and replace them once the fists are out.\u00a0 Add that to the fact the missile booms must be removed so that their locking contraption doesn’t prohibit\u00a0transformation from Guardian to Battloid and the experience can get a bit time-consuming.\u00a0 The final negative I found was the tops of the missile booms.\u00a0 These peices don\u2019t seem to lock into place as well as they should and can easily be knocked off, especially during transformation.\u00a0 On the positive side, the removable parts with detail underneath is quite nice and the adjustable booster nozzles are an excellent touch.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Nothing here seems particularly fragile but the fit of some of the pieces occasionally seems a bit off.\u00a0 For example, the two removable covers on the missile booms can sometimes snap so well into place they involve a tremendous amount of force to remove.\u00a0 If a little adjustable booster nozzle gets in the way it can also be knocked off while trying to force that cover free.\u00a0 Don\u2019t fear, should a booster be knocked off it seems to clip right back in.\u00a0 The biggest problem with fit appears to be the missiles that attach to the wing.\u00a0 As with most peg and hole parts, occasionally you will get parts that either have too big of a peg or too big of a hole.\u00a0 Be careful how hard you press when trying to get the legs to keep from drooping down (it’s a lost cause anyway) in fighter mode or you might find your armor with these gashes.\u00a0 Overall the sloppy fit of these parts combined with the lack of rigidty of the underlying toy can lead to a frustrating experience.<\/p>\n

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Back when I gave full reviews to accessories I said this toy had average articulation based on the fact\u00a0it\u00a0features nozzles that can be repositioned and some removable armor bits.\u00a0\u00a0You get some individually removable reflex weaponry, removable armor parts, and, for the most part, the armor does not impede the articulation of the original toy (with the exception of the backpack).
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