Kit Review

Straight build + Panel lining + Stickers

Size comparison with a cigarette pack.

1. Battroid mode

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Battroid from various angles (1/7)

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Battroid from various angles (2/7)

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Battroid from various angles (3/7)

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Battroid from various angles (4/7)

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Battroid from various angles (5/7)

Battroid from various angles

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Battroid mode detail shots (1/4)

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Battroid mode detail shots (2/4)

Battroid mode detail shots

Weapons included are a gunpod, shield, and knife.

The knife can be stored inside the shield.

A total of 6 hands are included, covering 5 different types.

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - A simple black stand is included, but since I personally prefer a clear

A simple black stand is included, but
since I personally prefer a clear stand, I didn't use it in the review.

Fighter mode stand joint parts included in the box

Transformation-specific parts

Missile hatch open gimmick on the shoulders and legs

Leftover parts

Limb articulation

The shoulders move quite flexibly up, down, left, and right.

Salute pose

Pose using the "I Love You" hand sign in sign language

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Gunpod firing pose (1/3)

Gunpod firing pose

Knife action pose

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Full missile hatch open attack pose (1/3)

Full missile hatch open attack pose

2. Gerwalk mode

To transform into Gerwalk mode, disassemble the body as shown above.

Spread the wings out as shown above, then

Shorten the gun barrel in two steps, then fold it down to the rear.

Extend and bend the thighs of the lower body as shown above, then

Reassemble the three separated body sections back together.

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Attach the separately provided transformation nose and head along with t

Attach the separately provided transformation nose and head along with the chest armor to complete Gerwalk mode.

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Gerwalk mode from various angles (1/5)

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Gerwalk mode from various angles (2/5)

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Gerwalk mode from various angles (3/5)

Gerwalk mode from various angles

Battroid mode-exclusive parts left over after assembling Gerwalk mode.

The Booster attached to the wings can also rotate as shown above.

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Gerwalk mode aerial pose (1/3)

Gerwalk mode aerial pose

3. Fighter mode

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - To transform into Fighter mode, disassemble the Gerwalk mode again as sh

To transform into Fighter mode, disassemble the Gerwalk mode again as shown above.

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Insert the separately provided Fighter mode-exclusive parts into the rea

Insert the separately provided Fighter mode-exclusive parts into the rear of the nose, then attach the shield.

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Move the side skirts that were attached to the sides of the thighs into

Move the side skirts that were attached to the sides of the thighs into position as shown above,
then reattach the existing wings, head, and chest armor.

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Before completing Fighter mode, you can also recreate a Gerwalk mode for

Before completing Fighter mode, you can also recreate a Gerwalk mode form with the arms stowed.

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - To convert back to Fighter mode, lift the rear calf parts upward, fold t

To convert back to Fighter mode, lift the rear calf parts upward, fold the feet, and tuck them neatly inside.

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - You can lock the leg position by inserting the fixing pin of the transfo

You can lock the leg position by inserting the fixing pin of the transformation body into the groove on the inside of the leg.

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Disassemble the gunpod, then configure it into the stowed form as shown

Disassemble the gunpod, then configure it into the stowed form as shown on the right.

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Attach the gunpod to the underside and the Fighter mode transformation i

Attach the gunpod to the underside and the Fighter mode transformation is complete.

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Viewed from below at this point, a gap appears in the thigh armor. I tho

Viewed from below at this point, a gap appears in the thigh armor.
I thought I'd made a mistake, but looking closely at the manual, it actually states outright that this is how it's supposed to be structurally..

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - When mounting on the stand, you need to add a joint part in the middle o

When mounting on the stand, you need to add a joint part in the middle of the gunpod.

With landing gear attached

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Fighter mode from various angles (1/6)

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Fighter mode from various angles (2/6)

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Fighter mode from various angles (3/6)

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Fighter mode from various angles (4/6)

Fighter mode from various angles

After completing Fighter mode, the original arm parts are left over.

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - The pointed tips at the ends of the wings are very fragile and prone to

The pointed tips at the ends of the wings are very fragile and prone to snapping or warping, so be careful.

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Fighter mode with gun barrel deployed and mounted on the stand (1/3)

Fighter mode with gun barrel deployed and mounted on the stand

Together with the HG YF-19.

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Together with the 1/100 YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) relea

Together with the 1/100 YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) released in 2011.
That one was a fixed Fighter mode kit, and the transformed Fighter mode here comes out looking pretty much the same.

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Straight builds by mode (1/6)

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Straight builds by mode (2/6)

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Straight builds by mode (3/6)

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) - Straight builds by mode (4/6)

Straight builds by mode

Following the Macross Plus HG YF-19, the YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) from the Macross Frontier theatrical film "The Wings of Goodbye" has been released as a 1/100 HG. A fixed Fighter mode 1/100 YF-29was released back in 2011, and this time it's come out as a transformable kit. Like the YF-19, it uses a parts-swap transformation, but the transformation process is simpler and easier, and it delivers a more stable overall proportions.

First off, it features excellent color separation and detail throughout, with a large number of stickers faithfully reproducing the design. The sticker quality is good with very little sense of disconnect, and they're thick enough to cover the molded color well. The parts-swap transformation process is relatively straightforward with no major difficulties, and it's taller and more slender than the YF-19, giving it a noticeably better look overall.

In Battroid mode, the missile hatch open gimmick on the shoulders and sides of the legs is reproduced, and the gun barrel that stows on the back faithfully implements a two-stage extend/retract gimmick as well. The overall joint strength in Battroid mode isn't bad at all, so posing and stability after transformation are both pretty solid. Limb articulation is average, but the shoulders move quite flexibly in all directions, which is a big help for posing.

The main downside is that the pointed tips at the wing ends are weak and tend to warp easily, so you'll need to be careful not to break them during posing or transformation. There's also the issue of the thigh armor gaping open on the underside after transforming to Fighter mode, though the manual explains this is normal.

All in all, as an HG Valkyrie kit following the YF-19, this is the first kit to offer a transformable YF-29. If you're a fan of transformable Valkyries, this is a high-quality HG kit that's definitely worth building. :-)

HG YF-29 Durandal Valkyrie (Alto Saotome Use) | 2023.8 | ¥4,000

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.