Kit Review

Straight build + Panel lining + Decals

1. Battroid mode

Size comparison with a cigarette pack. It's quite tall.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom (1/2)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom (2/2)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom (1/4)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom (2/4)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom (3/4)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom (4/4)

Upper body, front view. The elaborate sticker markings really stand out.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - The sticker quality is so good that they go on really cleanly. (1/3)

The sticker quality is so good that they go on really cleanly.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - As you can see in the straight build photo on the left, the green on the eyes

As you can see in the straight build photo on the left, the green on the eyes uses a glittery green sticker,
and it looks pretty rough.. ;
Just a light coat of green clear enamel, like on the right, makes it look so much better.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - The waist is incredibly narrow.. ^^; (1/3)

The waist is incredibly narrow.. ^^;

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - If you look at the center of the torso, you can spot a cockpit hidden in ther

If you look at the center of the torso, you can spot a cockpit hidden in there.

The arm detail is a bit simple compared to other parts.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Unlike the original Valkyrie, the wings fold up 90 degrees toward the back. (

Unlike the original Valkyrie, the wings fold up 90 degrees toward the back.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - The wings are an absolute feast of panel lines. There are so many fine lines

The wings are an absolute feast of panel lines.
There are so many fine lines packed in there that the work is pretty intense..

Back of the head.

Slender legs.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - There are actually quite a few panel lines on the legs too. (1/4)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - There are actually quite a few panel lines on the legs too. (2/4)

There are actually quite a few panel lines on the legs too.

The feet. Ground contact is better than expected.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Despite being a transforming kit, the arms and legs do have their own inner f

Despite being a transforming kit, the arms and legs do have their own inner frame.
The torso has no separate frame since the transformation gimmick there is so complex.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - The basic concept of the arm and leg frames is closer to a "skeleton," so the

The basic concept of the arm and leg frames is closer to a "skeleton," so there's not much detail in the hidden areas.
The arms in particular have almost no mechanical detail, and on the legs, mechanical detail only exists on the sides below the thighs.
Mechanical detail exists on both sides below the thighs.
The leg frame detail is pretty fine and nice though.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Much like MG kits, it looks like the inside of the outer armor is packed with

Much like MG kits, it looks like the inside of the outer armor is packed with molds, but...

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Look closer and you'll find that most of the outer armor panels have no inter

Look closer and you'll find that most of the outer armor panels have no internal mold detail at all.
To be precise, molds were only added to armor panels where the interior might be visible through open gimmicks and the like.
It's a part that somehow feels like the craftsmanship fell a little short..

There's quite a variety of weapons and accessories.

The standard loadout includes a rifle, knife, and shield.

The rifle has a barrel-open gimmick. Pretty cool~

Detail of the internal Gatling gun barrels.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - There are 3 types of hands in total: a fist, an open hand, and a fixed hand f

There are 3 types of hands in total: a fist, an open hand, and a fixed hand for transformation.

The open hand detail is really nice. Almost resin-cast quality.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - The tip of the tiny shield (;) — which doesn't really look like a shield — al

The tip of the tiny shield (;) — which doesn't really look like a shield — also recreates the knife storage function.

Landing gear, covers, and other transformation accessories for Fighter mode.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - There are several connection gimmicks that you won't know what to make of at

There are several connection gimmicks that you won't know what to make of at first glance —
they're the stand connector parts and various locking pieces.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Articulation. Look closely and you'll see the legs fold 180 degrees with a do

Articulation. Look closely and you'll see the legs fold 180 degrees with a double joint.
Since there are no front skirts, the thighs can swing all the way up, so at first glance it almost looks like the knees only bend 90 degrees..;

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - By using the shoulder gimmick designed for transformation, you can get a much

By using the shoulder gimmick designed for transformation, you can get a much wider range of forward and backward shoulder movement.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - The hip joints can move slightly forward, backward, and side to side, but the

The hip joints can move slightly forward, backward, and side to side, but the range is pretty narrow..
The photo on the upper right shows about as wide as it gets.
More than that, it's nearly impossible to spread the feet wide in a Katoki Hajime-style stance, so it ends up standing in a rather modest pose all the time..

Whoa.. for a transforming kit, it pulls off a pretty decent crouching pose!

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Rifle action pose. Since it's a transforming kit.. don't expect too much in t

Rifle action pose.
Since it's a transforming kit.. don't expect too much in the way of dynamic poses.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Knife action pose. That's about the best you can do for a pose.. (1/4)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Knife action pose. That's about the best you can do for a pose.. (2/4)

Knife action pose. That's about the best you can do for a pose..

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - There's a cleverly placed stand attachment point in the center of the rear en

There's a cleverly placed stand attachment point in the center of the rear end,
but the connection isn't super secure, so you need to make sure it's properly seated..

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Stand on! Even on the stand, don't expect much in the way of dynamic poses..

Stand on!
Even on the stand, don't expect much in the way of dynamic poses.. T_T

2. Gerwalk mode

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - To transform into GERWALK mode, first detach the locking gimmick on the crotc

To transform into GERWALK mode, first detach the locking gimmick on the crotch section that was folded in half,
then extend it fully downward 180 degrees.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - You need to align it in line with the waist line and plug it in. (It really d

You need to align it in line with the waist line and plug it in.
(It really does turn into a proper wasp waist;;)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - This part is the key to the VF-25's new-style transformation. It works a bit

This part is the key to the VF-25's new-style transformation. It works a bit differently from the old Valkyries.
Centered around the waist rotation gimmick, when you pull the center of the body forward,
the canopy and cockpit come into view.

Taking a closer look at the gimmick —

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Lower the nose section and fold the body backward while extending it. Then un

Lower the nose section and fold the body backward while extending it.
Then unfold and lock the folded tip section..

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - And just like that, the nose section transformation is perfectly complete — w

And just like that, the nose section transformation is perfectly complete!
What a fantastic gimmick..

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Rotate the head 180 degrees to face backward, then fold the antennas to the r

Rotate the head 180 degrees to face backward, then fold the antennas to the rear.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Tuck the head down and push it forward, and as you can see, the back of the h

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Push the head down and slide it forward, and as you can see, the back-of-head

Push the head down and slide it forward, and as you can see, the back-of-head structure lines up perfectly with the center groove of the chest armor
perfectly.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Flip the back panel (the one the wings were attached to) all the way up, and

Flip the back panel (the one the wings were attached to) all the way up,
and the head becomes completely hidden with only the "lid"(?) visible.
At this point, fold the antennas on both sides of the head in closer to the body.

And the top section is nicely done!

Spread the wings out wide..

Bend the legs down and stand them up.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - If you look closely at the leg gimmick here, there's a mechanism where the jo

If you look closely at the leg gimmick here, there's a mechanism where the joints above and below the thigh extend.
These are for bending the leg joints in GERWALK mode —
the hip and knee sections each extend and can bend forward.

GERWALK complete! Looks great!

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom (1/8)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom (2/8)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom (3/8)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom (4/8)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom (5/8)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom (6/8)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom (7/8)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom (8/8)

This is the stand attachment part exclusive to GERWALK mode.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - The position is a bit tricky.. You clip it onto the parts that support both h

The position is a bit tricky.. You clip it onto the parts that support both hip joints.
Unfortunately the hold is a little weak.. so you'll need to secure it carefully.

Stand on!

3. Gerwalk mode (folding arm type)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - First, to get the GERWALK with the arms stowed, you need to spread open and s

First, to get the GERWALK with the arms stowed,
you need to spread open and separate the underside of the rear nose section.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Using the shoulder gimmick, rotate the arms 180 degrees horizontally and brin

Using the shoulder gimmick, rotate the arms 180 degrees horizontally and bring them together in the center.

Once the arms are neatly lined up in a row like that, pull the hands out.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Attach the fixed transformation hands, then plug in the shield and the rear s

Attach the fixed transformation hands, then plug in the shield and the rear section is complete.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - At this point, tuck the shoulder armor pieces together neatly, push the leg c

At this point, tuck the shoulder armor pieces together neatly,
push the leg connector sections back flush against the body, and raise the side armor upward
to complete the body puzzle.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - The completed upper body section. It's a total jigsaw puzzle;; Must've been a

The completed upper body section. It's a total jigsaw puzzle;; Must've been a pain to design..

Use the locking parts to secure the rifle to the underside of the body.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Arms-stowed GERWALK mode complete. It's an intermediate stage between Fighter

Arms-stowed GERWALK mode complete.
It's an intermediate stage between Fighter mode and GERWALK mode.

4. Fighter mode

First, bring the feet together neatly to form the verniers shape..

Open the side leg covers, then unfold the small wings hidden inside.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - To tuck the feet inward, first release the pin that locks the foot's sliding

To tuck the feet inward,
first release the pin that locks the foot's sliding gimmick from inside.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Then push the foot in and it slides in nice and deep like that. After tucking

Then push the foot in and it slides in nice and deep like that.
After tucking the foot in, close the locking gimmick you released earlier and it locks into that position.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Now straighten the legs out flat and press them flush against the underside o

Now straighten the legs out flat and press them flush against the underside of the body.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - At this point, you need to push the hip joint connector as close to the body

At this point, you need to push the hip joint connector as close to the body as possible (as shown in the left photo)
in order for the legs to sit completely flush against the body (as shown in the right photo).
If this isn't done properly, the legs will float up and you'll see bad gaps all the way through
the upper body armor connected to the legs, so watch out.

The lower body all neatly sorted. Really clean!!!

Bottom view with the rifle attached

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Make sure the inner edge of the wing section lines up completely flush with t

Make sure the inner edge of the wing section lines up completely flush with the leg line.

Fighter mode complete!
What a nice-looking fighter jet..

Bottom view

From the side it's really slim~.

A fighter jet's gotta be sleek after all..

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Looks great from below too. (1/3)

Looks great from below too.

The landing gear cover on the underside of the nose is movable.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - The rear landing gear covers are removable. The internal molding of the landi

The rear landing gear covers are removable. The internal molding of the landing gear bays is pretty detailed.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Front and rear landing gear attached. The landing gear is a bit chunky, as yo

Front and rear landing gear attached. The landing gear is a bit chunky, as you'd expect from an SF kit.
Comparing it to an aero kit is probably a bit unfair..

Underside with landing gear attached

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - The manual instructs you to attach a middle support piece to the central rifl

The manual instructs you to attach a middle support piece to the central rifle mount..

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - It can support the middle section like that, but it seems like something you'

It can support the middle section like that, but it seems like something you'd almost never need.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Landed configuration with just the landing gear. It holds up just fine withou

Landed configuration with just the landing gear.
It holds up just fine without the middle support.
The middle support seems to be there just in case the rifle droops downward..

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom

Wings fully folded vs. fully spread.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Close-up of the nose section. The molding is nice and dense even at the bend

Close-up of the nose section. The molding is nice and dense even at the bend near the front of the nose.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - The cockpit. Compared to an aero kit it's a bit lacking, and the detail isn't

The cockpit.
Compared to an aero kit it's a bit lacking, and the detail isn't all that great.
Especially that completely bare instrument panel with nothing on it..;; Could've at least given us a sticker for it..

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - The upper center section that cleverly shows only the head lid. Getting all t

The upper center section that cleverly shows only the head lid.
Getting all the jigsaw puzzle-like armor pieces to sit perfectly flush is a little tricky.
The gimmick itself is impressive on its own, but it's just a tiny bit disappointing.

Center/rear body detail in Fighter mode.

The side profile made up of countless pieces.. It's a work of art..

The verniers section

Rear detail.

The wings. Lots of panel lines here too, as expected.

5. Extra

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Alongside the MG First 2.0, which was the big talking point of 2008. The Valk

Alongside the MG First 2.0, which was the big talking point of 2008.
The Valkyrie is pretty sizeable, isn't it? If you like 'em big, this is a good one..
I thought the kit of the year was going to be the First 2.0,
but with the VF-25 coming out so nicely, it looks like it's handing over the crown in terms of popularity and sales..
(Poor First 2.0..)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Alongside non-Gunpla kits Votoms and the MG Ingram. Both are pretty hefty kit

Alongside non-Gunpla kits Votoms and the MG Ingram.
Both are pretty hefty kits in their own right, but the Valkyrie holds its own no problem.

Alongside 1/100 scale EX aircraft kits.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Bonus 1. The "long-waisted" Valkyrie. Wondering what "long-waisted" means? It

Bonus 1. The "long-waisted" Valkyrie.
Wondering what "long-waisted" means? It's a made-up slang combo of 腰 (yo, meaning waist) and "long" — basically means the waist is long. (lol)
Basically means the waist is long. (Which is also another way of saying the legs are short..)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - The long-waisted Valkyrie with wings spread.. Looks like some kind of bug. (1

Wings spread Valkyrie... looks like some kind of bug.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom - Bonus 2. Original type Valkyrie. Or the "well-endowed" (大物) Valkyrie (;;;;) (

Bonus 2. Original type Valkyrie.
Or The "well-endowed" (大物) Valkyrie (;;;;)

Ah... just look at that impressive crotch area... ;;;

6. Straight Building

Battroid mode straight build photos

GERWALK mode straight build photos

Fighter mode straight build photos

Best 10 Photo Zoom Review

● Macross, and the Romance of the Valkyrie

For old-school fans who love Gundam and mecha in general, what would you pick as the most appealing mecha after Gundam? I'd have to say it's probably the Valkyrie from Macross. It debuted a little later than Gundam, but the Valkyrie — freely switching between robot and aircraft form alongside a massive transforming warship — was an enormous cultural shock back in the mid-80s.

Like many mecha enthusiasts, I have a weakness for the words "transform" and "convert." The functionality of being able to transform is just an incredible draw. The Valkyrie is a bundle of charm, showing us the familiar robot form, an aircraft form, and as a bonus, a brand-new transformation style in the form of GERWALK. What really matters is that the transformation process, the gimmicks, and the mechanical design all feel incredibly convincing and just plain cool.

In the past, Bandai released several transforming Valkyrie kits, but since they were so old, the transformation quality and proportions couldn't quite escape that old-kit feel. Later, Hasegawa released fixed-form kits in fighter mode and Battroid mode — no transformation — but since Hasegawa's bread and butter was aircraft rather than SF kits, the general consensus was that they were SF fighter jet kits made for space aliens (-_-)...

Honestly, with Bandai's technology having advanced so dramatically in recent years, they could easily have recreated the Valkyrie as a perfect transforming kit. Unfortunately, the rights situation for Macross is incredibly tangled, and even if Bandai wanted to make a new kit, they simply couldn't — it's a real mess.

In the midst of all that, with the broadcast of "Macross Frontier" — a new TV Macross anime series after a long absence — Bandai managed to acquire the plastic model rights for this new anime. It wasn't the old Valkyrie, but they were able to get in on this new Valkyrie from the very beginning. And then in 2008, the "perfect" Valkyrie that mecha fans had been waiting so long for was finally born...

● Per.fect.Trans.for.ma.tion.

First of all, the Valkyrie from Macross F has been reborn with a very sleek, modern design compared to the old Valkyrie. It retains the overall twin-tail vertical stabilizer structure and twin engine layout of the old Tomcat-style design, but the lines have been completely refined. The design also had plastic model production in mind from the very start, and the transformation method for the nose section is a complete 180 from the old Valkyrie.

The transformation structure of this new Valkyrie is mostly similar to the old one, but the level of transformation completion is dramatically different. When MG Zeta 2.0 came out, there was a lot of praise for its slimmer Waverider compared to the 1.0... but this new Valkyrie blows even the Zeta 2.0's gimmicks out of the water. In a word — when you look at it from the side, it genuinely transforms into a properly slim fighter jet shape!

At first glance the transformation might look a bit tricky, but as long as you handle the nose section properly, it's not that difficult. The middle of the upper body armor does get in the way a bit when rotating the nose, but after a few practice runs, you can get it to rotate without any trouble.

In particular, the upper armor section — where five parts covering the chest, shoulders, back, wings, and side armor all cleverly interlock like a jigsaw puzzle — is genuinely impressive. Unlike the old kit where the head goes under the body, here the head gets buried in the center of the body, which makes fitting all the armor pieces together no easy task, yet it's been brilliantly engineered so that all those little pieces mesh together perfectly.

That said, because you're gathering so many little armor pieces together, getting them all fully flush can be a bit of a struggle. To do it right, you need to pull the body, arms, and legs in tightly, and it's especially important to push the rotating U-shaped hip joints as far inward toward the body as possible.

Anyway, the thrill you feel when you've finished transforming it into that ultra-slim fighter mode... is absolutely the best T_T)b

And finally, the fact that all the joints remain nice and stiff even after transformation — holding everything in place without falling apart — is what really completes the feeling of a "perfect transformation." Good stuff!

● Consideration for Earthlings

One of the key points I noticed while building this kit is the decals/stickers situation. Given the aerodynamic nature of the kit, there are all sorts of various markings and icons to apply, and with a typical aero-style kit you'd normally expect waterslide decals. (Like Hasegawa does...) But waterslide decals are a bit tricky for beginners, and critically, waterslide decals are absolutely terrible for transforming kits.

If you apply waterslide decals and then start transforming the kit, the weak adhesion will probably cause decals to fall off left and right, and to prevent that you'd need to spray a topcoat... but for Earthlings who aren't even familiar with topcoats, that's a real headache. And whether or not to apply a topcoat is pretty much a matter of personal preference, so it's a tricky situation all around.

To solve this problem, Bandai included both a clean, high-quality waterslide decal sheet and a set of clear sticker seals in the exact same designs. There's a general perception that sticker seals look messier than decals, but... the stickers included with this new Valkyrie kit are a bit different.

The print quality on the stickers is excellent, and they're made so well that there's absolutely no awkward look when you just peel and stick them — you barely feel the need for waterslide decals at all. On top of that, the adhesion is incredibly strong, so they won't come off even if you rub them around a fair bit, which really shows the thoughtfulness that went into designing them for a transforming kit. Of course, because the adhesion is so strong, you do need to be careful when applying them. I messed up one spot myself — tried to peel it off and reapply it, and it ended up looking messy T_T (see if you can find which part!)

Of course, on curved areas like the shoulders and wings, they can lift a little, but at least on the body sections, this is honestly the best sticker quality I've ever seen. If you're someone who's scared of or just doesn't like decals, you really don't need to worry at all. If anything, this is a kit where the sticker quality actually looks better than the decals :-)

● Dazzling Panel Lines

The word "dazzling" is truly fitting — the panel lines on this kit are among the finest of any Bandai kit out there. The old benchmark for panel line mecha used to be the MG Gundam Ver. O.Y.W. 0079... but the lines on that kit are nothing compared to this new Valkyrie.

Not only is there a sheer volume of lines, but true to its aero-style kit nature, the panel lines are thin and shallow, which makes panel lining a real workout. Whether you use a panel lining pen or do an enamel wash, it's a structure that demands a lot of attention. And there are just so many panel lines crammed into every corner of the body that it can get a bit exhausting...

But... as you can see from the straight build photos, without panel lining this kit looks a bit plain. Sure, you can bring out some visual flair with stickers, but you still can't quite shake that flat feeling. Flip that around, and it also means this is a kit where the detail enhancement from panel lining is very noticeable.

In my case, I gave up on double panel lining from the start, thought it over, and just went ahead with a reasonably dark panel lining using a basic black Gundam Marker. The method for thin panel lining with a marker pen is simple — just swipe it on and then rub it out with your finger or an eraser to get a thin, clean line. (Only possible on an unpainted straight build, of course.)

If you master the finger-wiping technique (mainly the thumb), you can get really clean panel lines, but there are so many lines to do that you'll probably have to rub until your fingerprints wear off (-_-)... Using an eraser gives a cleaner result, but erasers tend to eat into the lines a bit, so the lines might not stay as crisp.

On the other hand, if you only use your finger, the ink won't come off completely and the white plastic surface can end up looking a bit grimy — in that case, gently rubbing with an eraser will strip off just the dark residue and bring it back to white. So my recommended panel lining method is a 3-step process: panel lining pen + finger-wiping technique + eraser finish. (The choice is yours, of course.)

Anyway, even though it's a lot of work, this is definitely a kit where the satisfaction and payoff of panel lining is very real — so if you have the time, I'd strongly recommend giving it a go.

● Overall Assessment

Since it's a transforming kit, I've focused a lot of my evaluation on the transformation itself — and that's because outside of the transformation gimmick, it's better not to expect too much. It does have an inner frame in the arms and legs as you'd expect from a modern kit, but it's pretty bare-bones, so it feels a bit plain. In Battroid mode, the transformation gimmicks make it hard to pull off a wide-legged Katoki Hajime-style stance, so you're pretty much limited to standing it in a modest, upright pose. Articulation isn't bad, but again, the transformation gimmicks mean you can't really get dynamic poses out of it.

In particular, the green clear section for the eyes is handled with just a sticker, which looks a bit cheap... Even a quick swipe of clear green enamel paint would make it look so much better, and if they'd just included a separate clear green part for it, this would've been a truly luxurious kit. Anyway, there are a few disappointing points, but the near-perfect transformation gimmick and solid joints more than make up for everything.

But.. while the kit's quality is excellent.. as an old-school fan, maybe because it's not the original Valkyrie, the emotional impact falls a bit short. To give an analogy — the old-type Rover Mini that Saeba Ryo drove in City Hunter was really beautiful.. Then over a decade later, after BMW acquired Rover and the Mini was reborn, it kept that design concept while getting a massive upgrade in performance and functionality. It's really nice, really desirable, a genuinely great car.. but it somehow feels further away from the nostalgia and feeling that the old-type Mini had.

This kit gives me exactly that feeling. They say it was a massive hit with rave reviews — selling out the moment it launched — but actually building it, you can really feel how much care went into the design, yet something about it just doesn't quite hit the same way emotionally. Maybe it's just an old fan grumbling? ^^; If Bandai could sort out the licensing issues and release the original Valkyrie series one after another at this level of quality, I think that feeling might come back a little.

Anyway, one way or another, the kit quality is definitely solid. For mecha fans and Macross fans — especially those who have a weakness for "transformation" — this is a landmark mecha model kit that you absolutely have to try at least once. If you want to experience a transformation on a completely different level from what you see in Gundam kits, this is a must-build.

Thanks for bringing the Valkyrie back to life with full transformation, Bandai. :-)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom | 2008.9 | ¥4,500

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.