Kit Review

Straight build

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version (1/6)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version (2/6)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version (3/6)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version (4/6)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version (5/6)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version (6/6)

Marble-like upper body.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version - Head. The eyes are done with a coating agent rather th

Head.
The eyes are done with a coating agent rather than clear parts, so they have an even shinier finish.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version - Back wing section. The panel lines show up nicely even

Back wing section.
The panel lines show up nicely even without panel lining.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version - Sleek legs (1/3)

Sleek legs

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version - Gun Pod action (1/6)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version - Gun Pod action (2/6)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version - Gun Pod action (3/6)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version - Gun Pod action (4/6)

Gun Pod action

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version - Knife action (1/4)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version - Knife action (2/4)

Knife action

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version - GERWALK mode (1/5)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version - GERWALK mode (2/5)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version - GERWALK mode (3/5)

GERWALK mode

Fighter mode

Fighter mode close-up shots

Underside

Underside detail shots

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version - Fighter mode on the dedicated stand (1/6)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version - Fighter mode on the dedicated stand (2/6)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version - Fighter mode on the dedicated stand (3/6)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version - Fighter mode on the dedicated stand (4/6)

Fighter mode on the dedicated stand

Together with the normal version Alto unit.

Wing comparison

Comparison with the normal version GERWALK mode

Comparison with the normal version Fighter mode

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version - All Alto units together. Being the main character's ma

All Alto units together. Being the main character's machine, there sure are a lot of variants out there.

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version - Side story versions all together. The main series itse

Side story versions all together.
The main series itself is already milked to death, and there's no shortage of side story versions either..;

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version - Together with the MG Unicorn Titanium Finish. The Mira

Together with the MG Unicorn Titanium Finish.
The Mirage Coating version uses pretty much the exact same process as the Titanium Finish.

This kit is a pre-order limited release from Bandai's online shop, p-bandai.jp, sold under the name "Mirage Coating." It essentially uses the same technique as the Titanium Finish, which was originally developed to achieve a white color — giving the entire kit a lustrous, white-jade marble-like sheen. It's an incredibly gorgeous kit... though that glossy marble finish all over the body does make you want to sprint to the fridge and grab some pickled radish.. (?)

Overall the coating quality is solid, and thanks to the nature of the gloss coating, paint tends to settle nicely into the panel lines — so one quirky advantage of this kit is that the panel lines are already clearly visible straight from a straight build. Maybe they figured you shouldn't be sticking seals on such a premium surface, because this kit notably (written as "notably," read as "cheaply") comes with waterslide decals only — no seals included. The problem is that since this is a transforming kit, a topcoat is pretty much mandatory after applying the waterslide decals, and the thought of spraying a topcoat over this premium plated surface is... a lot to process. Especially if you prefer a matte finish — that's going to be a real headache. So after much deliberation, I had no choice but to review it in its original coated state, without any decals or seals applied. (Not that I can admit it was because I couldn't be bothered.. ^^;)

Generally speaking, when a transforming kit meets a coating treatment, one benefit is improved joint strength. This kit is no exception — the coating layer has tightened up the tolerances in several places, giving it a noticeably firm and stable hold overall. The normal version wasn't bad either, but the Mirage Coating version lets you lock in poses with even more confidence. (Though with the articulation being what it is, there aren't exactly a ton of poses to strike in the first place..)

The kit itself is undeniably premium and gorgeous, but between the price tag and its rarity as a limited release, it's not exactly an easy kit to get your hands on. It would've been nice if they'd released it as a regular retail version — that's my one regret. :-)

1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie Alto Custom Mirage Coating version | 2009.2

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.