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Post by xiombarg on Jan 30, 2011 15:31:04 GMT -5
More and more I'm feeling like Yamato is really doing a great job. Their quality seems quite consistent, they've been expanding their product offerings into some very cool areas, and upping their game with great engineering. Their last few noteworthy products like the Zoids Shield Liger, the 1:24 Ingram, and their SDF-1 are all stellar productions. As some companies have started to pull back and lose some presence in the market place, Yamato seems to really be kicking butt. I for one and am really glad to see them moving forward like this. It's good for their company and it's great for us collectors. Good job Yamato!
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Post by Chen on Jan 30, 2011 17:39:22 GMT -5
I agree Yamato has put out some incredible pieces and it seems that they finally have the whole fragile 1/60 Macross Valk thing behind them. If things were a bit more consistent and if they would clean up some of their brands and streamline it I think they could give Bandai a run in some of the higher end stuff. For me I see Yamato as the "line art" or Real Mecha company, in that if you want a 100% accurate line art figure or as close as one Yamato is your company while Bandai will make a little tweak here or there to make the toy look better. It's a shame they can't/won't release more Super robot stuff, their Danguard is an amazing piece.
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Post by Lanmandragoran on Jan 30, 2011 17:51:20 GMT -5
I have both the 1/24 Patlabor and the SDF-1 and they are both some of the best pieces in my collection.
I am glad to hear the Zoid follows the same track, I might pick one up then.
But I wonder what has caused this change< I mean, I bought some stuff from them in the past but it was merely ok, scopedog, valkyrie, groizer, and so on and so forth, and now they have tremendously increased quality.
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Post by Chen on Jan 30, 2011 18:08:15 GMT -5
Not sure, I'm thinking they might be switching over from being a Macross heavy company and start exploring other brands. Let's face it they've pretty much released every Valk they have a license to with a few here and there plus I have a feeling that the 1/3000 Macross was probably the last big Macross related item they'll make (unless they make a tv version). They probably realize that the Marcoss shows they have a license too, the bubble is probably starting to shrink especially with Macross Frontier which they don't have the license for.
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Post by lurkerx on Jan 31, 2011 9:02:10 GMT -5
Actually Yamato's been spitting out great product for quite some time, and they have been consistent for quite some time now. I think the turning point was the 1/48 Valks which followed the dissappointing initial 1/60s VF-1.
Votoms, Giant Robo, Escaflowne (IMHO) were other examples of "old" greats.
I think their product quality is often overshadowed by the product defects of 1st releases which they end up fixing a few months down the road, kind of futile to those who took the plunge and bought their fresh of the line initially released products.
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Post by xiombarg on Feb 1, 2011 12:24:54 GMT -5
It seems Yamato has really gone through a learning process with their engineering. But after having to deal with the issues they've faced with the earlier Valkyries, Yamato has the experience under their belt to make excellent renditions of moderately complex figures.
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Post by repairtechjon on Feb 1, 2011 13:27:49 GMT -5
Funny how I'm nodding along with you guys, ....then realize I actually don't have much Yammie stuff in my possession! haha. I've enjoyed looking at tons of stuff online, I feel like I know all about 'em, but obviously not. Have to get one of the 1/48s still, just to have a huge valk fig. I like the Brutish Dog 1/12 I have, and the Giant Robo. Keep meaning to pick up one of the Dangard diecasts next. I've seen them at a couple dealers in person, and very cool.
The "model accurate" description seems to indeed be their aim as a mfg. They do it well.
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Post by KingboyD on Feb 1, 2011 15:01:11 GMT -5
Yeah, I can't say I have too much of their stuff such that I can comment on the progression of the toy line. But the Giant Robo is one of the finest and least appreciated toys out there. A truly great buy, especially since this toy commands such a low price. And the large Scopedogs are nice, though I remember having some issues with mine (was it the thumb keeps falling off when holding weapons?). Was it JUST the Valks that had issues? What other toys of theirs had problems?
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Post by pinoy78 on Feb 1, 2011 22:02:49 GMT -5
Not sure, I'm thinking they might be switching over from being a Macross heavy company and start exploring other brands. Let's face it they've pretty much released every Valk they have a license to with a few here and there plus I have a feeling that the 1/3000 Macross was probably the last big Macross related item they'll make (unless they make a tv version). They probably realize that the Marcoss shows they have a license too, the bubble is probably starting to shrink especially with Macross Frontier which they don't have the license for. I dunno about you guys...but I'm getting ready for the VF-19 and VF-17 variants. ...and yes the SDF-1 and Ingram are AMAZING. Both of them captured Toy of the Year awards from CDX. I'm kinda miffed I missed out on the 1/24 Ingram when it was on sale at HLJ in December.
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Post by Lejam on Feb 2, 2011 3:53:37 GMT -5
Yamato is doing great job and produce toys with great quality and design. (my Queadluun-Rau Miria and my Koening monster are beautifull) Do you know how much people are in this company ?...
... 3 people !
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Post by lurkerx on Feb 2, 2011 8:04:44 GMT -5
Was it JUST the Valks that had issues? What other toys of theirs had problems? Well there was the Garland release that just crumbled in my hands as I tried to transform it the 2nd time from mecha to bike, I was pretty peeve-ed with that. Valks almost always have initial release issues even with their newer ones. the 1st 1/60 was really a piece of crap. That being said their 1st macross plus products were not "that" great as well....but forgivable given its die-cast content.
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Post by Chen on Feb 2, 2011 16:23:02 GMT -5
Not sure, I'm thinking they might be switching over from being a Macross heavy company and start exploring other brands. Let's face it they've pretty much released every Valk they have a license to with a few here and there plus I have a feeling that the 1/3000 Macross was probably the last big Macross related item they'll make (unless they make a tv version). They probably realize that the Marcoss shows they have a license too, the bubble is probably starting to shrink especially with Macross Frontier which they don't have the license for. I dunno about you guys...but I'm getting ready for the VF-19 and VF-17 variants. ...and yes the SDF-1 and Ingram are AMAZING. Both of them captured Toy of the Year awards from CDX. I'm kinda miffed I missed out on the 1/24 Ingram when it was on sale at HLJ in December. Well they did make the two YF-19's already but I can easily see a VF-19S, VF-19F, and a VF-19A. Not sure about the VF-17 since we've heard nothing from Yamato yet but even then I'm sure they will, it will pretty much be one of the last few they have a license for which also means they can't make the VF-171 from Macross Frontier, I'm not sure but I think there was three versions of the VF-17. After that I guess they could make VAB-2 or a VF-14 but there getting pretty close to the end unless they decide to go back to 1/48 scale and have a version 2 of that, but Yamato would never do anything like that would they ;D Personally though I wish they would come out with more VF-11 varietals I think that's one of the best look Valks ever.
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Post by kaeruze on Feb 2, 2011 17:26:10 GMT -5
Yamato is doing great job and produce toys with great quality and design. (my Queadluun-Rau Miria and my Koening monster are beautifull) Do you know how much people are in this company ?... ... 3 people ! Really?! Considering all the excellent work Yamato has put out recently I find it surprising that they wouldn't have been drafting more talents in the anime toy industry. When I look at the scuplt/quality/complexity of the toys I've collected so far, Yamato comes first and unrivaled, except for Beagle's (R.I.P) Mospeada bikes. Their other Garlands - not the first issue - were great, I only got the factory version and everything is still fine with it. I've heard some people had problems with the torso on the first Patlabor Ingram, but Yamato provided an instruction manual to the users in order to take apart the figure and fix the problem themselves.
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Post by tanrover on Feb 3, 2011 3:23:28 GMT -5
I have quite a few yamato macross toys, the detail work that they have is outstanding.
they should just bite the bullet and release new packaging for toys that have been fixed/improved rather than keeping us guessing which one is a first release or not.
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Post by xiombarg on Feb 3, 2011 12:00:15 GMT -5
Yamato is doing great job and produce toys with great quality and design. (my Queadluun-Rau Miria and my Koening monster are beautifull) Do you know how much people are in this company ?... ... 3 people ! I would guess they probably sub contract out almost everything they do, and probably have their regulars they work with.
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