{"id":414,"date":"2012-09-22T05:39:26","date_gmt":"2012-09-22T05:39:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/anymoon.com\/blog\/2006\/09\/29\/bandai-165-vf-17ds-including-17s-reissue\/"},"modified":"2014-07-11T05:47:02","modified_gmt":"2014-07-11T05:47:02","slug":"bandai-165-vf-17ds-including-17s-reissue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/anymoon.com\/blog\/?p=414","title":{"rendered":"Bandai 1\/65 VF-17 Toys"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Mega Review: Includes original releases, reissue, and limited editions<\/p>\n

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Packaging & Extras:<\/strong> (2\/5)
\nJust like Bandai’s original 1\/65 VF-19 releases, the original release of the 17 toys come in appropriately-sized boxes packaged in battroid mode. \u00a0Unlike the VF-19 toys, the 17 toys come with the gun already assembled. \u00a0Also unlike the 19, the 17 does not appear to have a huge problem with being bootlegged. \u00a0Stickers are included with the original releases as are straight-forward instructions but nothing else. \u00a0The 17 toys are secured a little less defensively within their boxes than the 19 toys as they do not have a big pointy protrusion on the chest so there’s no need for a clear plastic shield or additional Styrofoam inserts to cover the torso. \u00a0The reissue is more of the same except it’s packaged in fighter mode. \u00a0The limited edition toys do not include any stickers and feature what appears to be the world’s cheapest packaging. \u00a0The LEs come in plain cardboard boxes with cardboard inserts. \u00a0Inside you get a nice shiny gun and a little card giving you a production number for your limited toy.<\/p>\n

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Charm & Collectability:<\/strong> (1.5\/5) Reissue, (2\/5) Original 17S, (2.5\/5) 17D, (3\/5) LEs
\nThe VF-17S has been reissued once effectively reducing its collectability. \u00a0It benefits from being a large perfectly transformable toy but there’s no metal here and it’s not a particularly good toy. \u00a0The VF-17 in general also doesn’t have a particularly strong following. \u00a0As a result, these toys, especially the reissues, can typically be found dirt cheap.<\/p>\n

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Sculpt, Detail, & Paint:<\/strong> (5.5\/10)
\nBandai certainly kept up the chunky tradition with the 17. \u00a0This is especially evident in fighter mode. \u00a0The front end of the plane is stubby, the mid-section is thick, and overall it looks only slightly more aero-dynamic than a brick. \u00a0I have never been a fan of the VF-17’s GERWALK mode which eschews one of the primary benefits of GERWALK mode (arms and the ability to point your weapon away from the direction the craft is facing) but I think, of all the modes, that is the one mode this toy pulls off most faithfully. \u00a0Battroid mode isn’t horrendous from a sculpt and proportion standpoint although the crotch hangs far too low. \u00a0There’s practically no paint on the original releases of this toy and the panel lines provided are thick. \u00a0The gun doesn’t really have anywhere to go except in battroid mode as the toy does not attempt to emulate the storage system in the vehicle’s leg. \u00a0Also note that the landing gears for this toy are hideous and non-functional. \u00a0The reissue could score higher as there are a few added accents painted on. \u00a0There are pictures of a customized reissue in this review.<\/p>\n

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Design:<\/strong> (6\/10)
\nDesigned with simplicity and durability in mind, this toy transforms to each mode quickly and efficiently. \u00a0One terrible design flaw is the knee joint of the figure in battroid mode: it only bends in the wrong direction (which is necessary to accomplish GERWALK mode). \u00a0The kicker is, there is only a very thin piece of plastic on the leg that is limiting the range of motion and could easily have been removed at the expense of only a minor detriment to the already compromised aesthetics. \u00a0Had the knees offered better range of movement this toy would be much, much more fun. \u00a0To demonstrate this, I took a reissue of the VF-17S (they’re available quite cheap) and hacked off some plastic in a few areas to make the toy more fun. \u00a0Now, this is a completely unprofessional hack job done by someone experimenting with snips but the result was a toy whose range of movement improved drastically with extremely minimal. \u00a0Bandai should have incorporated these slight changes into their design. \u00a0The toy’s inability to accommodate the gun in fighter and GERWALK modes is also a bit of a letdown but even Yamato swung and missed when they tried to incorporate fighter mode gun storage. \u00a0The landing gears not only look atrocious but they’re overly simplistic in their implementation. \u00a0As was par for the era, don’t expect an opening canopy and\/or a pilot figure.<\/p>\n

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Durability & Build:<\/strong> (9\/10) original and reissue, (6\/10) LEs
\nWhile it is light the VF-17 doesn’t lack structural rigidity. \u00a0In fact, the lack of bulk probably enhances durability. \u00a0My VF-17D hasn’t been played with in any way, although it has been transformed and posed a few times, and it does feel a bit loose. \u00a0The beauty of this toy is that it is entirely assembled with screws so if it does start getting a little sloppy it only takes a few seconds with a screwdriver to correct it. \u00a0Overall, this thing is super solid without any clear indications that any particular part may be susceptible to accidental breaking. \u00a0The LE versions are scoring quite a bit less here because the faux metal finish is very prone to scratching. \u00a0The “metal” plastic will look dull at any spot that rubs if these toys are handled. \u00a0Obviously this is a big bummer since the luster of the metal-looking finish is the only draw of the LEs.
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