Revoltech VF-1S Strike Valkyrie Part 1

Five years late to the party
I'm hoping not to start on any new plamo work and cause the review to be dragged into the new year, so I close out this year's blogging adventure with another action figure review after Figma BRS2035. ^^

However, unlike Figma BRS2035, this one is quite a vintage item. ^^


This is Revoltech Yamaguchi VF-1S Strike Valkyrie (Roy Focker's unit) from Kaiyodo. As indicated on the box (beneath the paper jacket band), this is the movie ("SDF Macross: Do You Remember Love?") version.

Released in 2007 when Macross celebrated the series' 25th anniversary, the product number of "036" as printed on the top right corner of the box is a testament to the item's age, ^^ especially since Macross is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and Revoltech Yamaguchi is but one of the dozens of sub-series created under the Revoltech banner. ^^

Besides its release date, another reason for this version of VF-1S to be considered old is the release of the tri-form transformable version in May 2010. Transformation being a huge attraction of the Macross fighter series was finally realized in Revoltech format with release number 083, so I supposed many fans would look at it as a total update to this older release.

Personally, I still love this older non-transformable version better. ^^ The emphasis of the Revoltech series is always on articulation, playability/durability and super exaggerated action poses. Transformation is a great gimmick to have, but it's more of an extra feature to me. So, since this older version was designed with no transformation from the get-go, the Battroid mode has a stocky and muscular feel to it which I like very much. ^^ The image is much closer to that in the animation series, which is another plus point. ^^ It may not be very realistic when the transformation design is taken into consideration, but since when is realism important when you're trying to adjust exaggerated action poses on a robot figure? XD

While transformation is out, you can configure the figure into two modes - normal form or with the FAST pack equipped. ^^ The form configuration is a huge attraction of this figure to me, even more so than having it to be transformable, because even with the extra armor and armament parts appended, the figure's articulation isn't affected. Having a heavily armored VF-1S in Battroid mode doing crazy poses sounds really fun to me. ^^

This is another one of my most sought-after items that I managed to cross out on my dreadful wishlist this year. ^^ It was from a local online forum member who was willing to pawn it off to me, along with a few other Revoltech figures. ^^



Front view of the box.


Macross 25th Anniversary emblem. ^^





The figure itself, which occupies the center-most portion of the box, can be seen clearly through the front window.



Paper jacket band showing various new releases in the series, back in 2007 that is. XD



Generic Revoltech design style for the sides, top and bottom. ^^


Front view of the box with the paper jacket band removed.





Introduction of the figure on the back of the box.


Box open.


Instruction on how to configure the gun pod into storage form and mount it onto the forearm of the figure in both modes is shown on the ears of the box.


The usual small promo booklet is included.



Latest releases and series lineup up till item number 033 EVA Proto Type-00 "New Movie Edition", which was released two months before VF-1S.


(Left) Almost like deja-vu, "Yotsuba&!" was huge for Kaiyodo and Revoltech five or six years back; it's huge for the company again lately with many Yotsuba and Danboard releases. ^^
(Right) Introduction of the now "hibernating" Fraulien sub-series. ^^; Ayanami Rei who is shown on the booklet was the pilot release which came out two months after VF-1S.


Top view of the box content.


Rear view of the box content.



With the clear plastic cover taken off.







Closeups on the content.



A straight out of box display of VF-1S Valkyrie in Battroid mode.


Plastic package tape to the back of the content tray holding the display base, stand and option hand units.
A look at the figure and its accessories in the next posting. ^^