{"id":282,"date":"2012-01-05T00:09:35","date_gmt":"2012-01-05T00:09:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/anymoon.com\/blog\/2006\/07\/21\/bandai-172-hi-complete-model-valkyrie\/"},"modified":"2019-01-03T06:20:07","modified_gmt":"2019-01-03T06:20:07","slug":"bandai-172-hi-complete-model-valkyrie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/anymoon.com\/blog\/?p=282","title":{"rendered":"Bandai 1\/72 Hi-Complete Model VF-1"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Review(updated): The best of the old breed<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"HCM<\/a><\/p>\n

Packaging & Extras (5\/5)<\/strong>
\nLet me begin by stating I will be referring to this item as a “toy” mostly out of habit more than as an actual description of what it is.\u00a0 Clearly it is meant to be a completed model, or nearly completed model as the case may be, so it does have to be judged a bit differently.\u00a0 For example, it comes with an immense amount of valkyrie accoutrements that are on sprues.\u00a0 If this were a toy, that would suck.\u00a0 Since it’s not a toy though it’s easily overlooked.\u00a0 You receive a pilot, heat shield, missiles, guns, a figurine, stickers, supplementary documentation, and all packaged extremely securely in an under-stated, window-free box.\u00a0 How could you possibly go wrong with all that?\u00a0 Sure, if it was a modern release and an actual toy I would have loved for a 1\/100 Hi-Metal style magnetic collector’s lid but for what it is it’s hard not to be pleased.\u00a0 Here’s a picture of the nifty inserts that also accompany the toy:<\/p>\n

\"HCM<\/a>\"HCM<\/a>\"HCM<\/a><\/p>\n

Charm & Collectability (2.5\/5)<\/strong>
\nAt one point in time these toys were quite the collector’s item and seen as a more grown-up and sophisticated alternative to the Takatoku “chunky monkey” valkyrie toys (and their many subsequent Bandai re-releases).\u00a0 A lot of time has passed since those days though and the HCM star has faded considerably.\u00a0\u00a0It still has more than a little sentimental appeal for many older fans and is the only mass-produced 1\/72 scale VF-1 toy-type product.\u00a0 Toynami took many of the design cues from the HCM in developing their 1\/55 MPC\u00a0and the release of that product was nearly simultaneous with Yamato’s V1\u00a01\/60 VF-1 and Bandai’s reissue of the chunky 1\/55 VF-1 resulting in a crash in the collectability of vintage VF-1 toys.\u00a0 Still, the HCM marks a high point in the vintage history of VF-1 toys and as such it will always be revered by\u00a0many and sought by some.\u00a0 There were three HCM releases, a DYRL VF-1S Hikaru, a cannon fodder VF-1A, and this Hikaru VF-1J.\u00a0 I have absolutely no idea why those three were chosen.\u00a0 If you have any solid info on whether or not some\u00a0are more plentiful than others please leave a comment.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"HCM<\/a><\/p>\n

Sculpt, Detail, & Paint (5.5\/10)<\/strong>
\nThe lasers on the heads of these things are ridiculously large and the heads themselves tend to have less than ideal sculpts and perhaps seem a little small.\u00a0 The paint application, by modern standards, could have been more generous but decals were provided as compensation.\u00a0 The fighter mode of these toys\u00a0feature a\u00a0number of compromises\u00a0aft of the auburn cockpit with an overall loose fit that leaves gaps and simply can’t compete with modern releases.\u00a0 The shoulders in battroid mode are slightly miss-shaped but the overall look is nice.\u00a0 Unfortunately there really is a lack of detail and GERWALK mode looks off more here than it does in other vintage toys (although it is clearly a weakpoint for all early toys).\u00a0 These days with Yamato’s 1\/48 VF-1 and 1\/60 V2 VF-1 and Bandai’s 1\/100 Hi-Metal line classics like this toy just can’t keep up.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"HCM<\/a><\/p>\n

Design (6.5\/10)<\/strong>
\nThe major flaw in the design of the HCM is how it comes together for fighter mode.\u00a0 If the legs attached to the body of the vehicle, or if the legs, backpack, and arms all attached to each other like on the Yamato 1\/60, the look would have likely been much better.\u00a0 In GERWALK mode it’s especially clear that something\u00a0is missing.\u00a0 The HCM does have a few interesting little perks.\u00a0 First, it has hooks in the rear landing gears to grab the aircraft carrier cable and the hooks are well-executed and never a nuisance.\u00a0 Second, the missiles can be left on the wings when this toy is transformed into battroid mode.\u00a0 Third, once in battroid mode, the legs can be angled slightly outward to achieve a natural looking A-stance.\u00a0 Finally, the manner in which the hands of the toy are drawn in and extended is rather neat, a clip slides out from within the arm and thus hides what may otherwise be an unsightly mechanism (like the sliders you see on the MPC and the chunky monkey toys).\u00a0 One more thing worth noting is how great the hands of this toy are.\u00a0 The hands are incredibly easy to manipulate, well detailed,\u00a0and do their job very well.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Durability & Build (7\/10)
\n<\/strong>This is very tough to judge since this is, after all, a completed variable model that is so durable it actually feels a bit like a toy (although it doesn’t have much weight to it).\u00a0 Basically, it’s either a durable model or a somewhat durable toy.\u00a0 It does have giant head lasers which are a bit scary to manipulate and proned to snapping if transformation were done carelessly.\u00a0 A new HCM owner should also be careful with the tailfins during transformation as they look like a potential weak spot… which is why they’re not splayed out very far in myVF-1J pictures.\u00a0 It seems like the paint application on these toys is generally done quite well and the joints start nice and tight but are prone to looseness from wear.\u00a0 On the VF-1A sample I had the front landing gear bay doors had become loose and would hang freely down which wasn’t usually a problem in fighter mode since the toy sits on its landing gears in that mode but it did cause some issues with GERWALK.\u00a0 A simple piece of clear tape along the edge of one of the doors would have easily resolved this.\u00a0 Really though, there’s nothing here a collector would have to be apprehensive about but it is something you would probably want to think twice about before letting someone actually go “play” with it.\u00a0 When buying second-hand be sure to ask for high resolution photos or see the toy in person as these toys are now very old and may show signs of yellowing.<\/p>\n