Update: Translated Manual for the 1/60 Perfect Transformation YF-19 can be found here.
Well its finally here, the Yamato 1/60 Perfect Transformation YF-19 from Macross Plus that I got from HobbyLink Japan. According to the literature at the site, this is a re-release of the original 2006 1/60 YF-19 by Yamato Toys. The difference between this and the original 1/60 YF-19 is the box packaging.
As a backgrounder, the YF-19 was a prototype plane flown by protagonist Isamu Dyson in the Macross Plus Movie/OVA. Macross Plus is the sequel to the orginal Macross SDF1 anime series and takes place 30 years after. If you're not fond of the flesh colored YF-19 of Isamu Dyson, there is also the 1/60 YF-19 Bird of Prey and 1/60 YF-19 Double Nuts released by Yamato Toys to choose from.
With regards to the quality of the YF-19 from Yamato, the horror stories are indeed true. This toy has a lot of quality issues that will pop out if you pore through this with a fine tooth comb. QC issues that came out in this kit didn't seem to be visible in the 1/60 VF-1 ver 2 series that superseded it. For me though, its really not that big an issue and something that I'm willing to overlook, but that's also because I'm a sucker for all things Macross and all things from Yamato Toys... hehehe
If you ask me if I'm happy that I have this, I would definitely answer "yes!" Ever since I laid my eyes on this kit I've wanted it with a fervor. When I see the YF-19 I can look past its deficiencies because of the warm fuzzy feeling I get. To reprise a post on this site, I'm not buying a toy, I'm buying nostalgia.
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When I see this toy I get transported back to my college days when my friend told me that there was a sequel to the original Macross and that he would lend me his VHS copy. I remember the hardships that I went through with my very difficult course, the sacrifices I had to make in order to finish. I also remember the happy times with my ex-girlfriend, that although we didn't work out we still remain good friends. Toys, because of their connection to a movie/tv series, are bookmarks for me to remember events in my life.
I remember in the movie, With Honors, Joe Pesci's character used stones to bookmark his life, everytime something monumental happened (like when his son rejected him) he picked up a stone and put it in his bag of memories. I guess what I have is a display case of memories filled with toys and DVD's.
Anyway, back to the review. The 1/60 Perfect Transformation YF-19 by Yamato Toys is not a toy. Judging from its design, Yamato Toys sacrificed toughness in order to stay true to the design of the YF-19 in the movie. An example of this would be the elbows, they could have been made thicker in order to not break easily but because they were designed this way it would be difficult to do this. This is no easy toy to execute into reailty either, considering that aside from staying true to the design in the anime, Yamato Toys had to ensure that it would be able to transform into its three states of Fighter, Gerwalk and Battroid.
With this, I also don't recommend playing with this and moreso transforming it all the time. Why this is so is because there are plastic nubs that fit in holes that hold the form of the YF-19 in place during each mode of transformation (Fighter, Battroid, Gerwalk), transforming it all the time could wear them out.
1/60 Perfect Transformation YF-19 Box Shots
Top box shot
Side of the box opened showing the inner box where the plastic casing is housed.
Side & Top box shots
Back box shot
Back of the inner box container is where the manual & sticker sheet is taped.
Comparisson of the box of the 1/60 YF-19 with the 1/60 VF-1S of Hikaru Ichijo from Macross DYRL (also made by Yamato Toys)
Despite having a new box design, the new YF-19 box still lacks a flip top cover similar to the 1/60 VF-1 series of Yamato Toys
Comparisson of the 1/60 YF-19 Box with the 1/60 Super & Strike parts of the VF-1S, also by Yamato Toys
The tail and leg wings have tape on them, not sure what this is for. Probably to protect it from scratching or from falling off during handling?
YF-19 in its plastic inner casing
Not sure how the figure plopped out of its casing. Beside the figure is the gunpod and two spare canards.
Shot of the stand attachment parts still mounted on the plastic casing
I had a hard time removing the YF-19 from its plastic casing. It was only upon looking closely did I realize that the plastic container was designed to snugly fit the YF-19 to prevent it from moving around. To release it from the casing I just had to press down slightly on the plastic parts that held it in place.
1/60 Perfect Transformation YF-19 Accessories
Manual & Stickers are packed together in one clear plastic bag that is taped shut. Tape sticks quite well on the bag so you might rip & accidentally tear the manual if you pull it too hard.
Shot of the Manual
Close-up shot of the stickers
Close-up shot of the Isamu Dyson figure. Herein lies one of the quality issues of the YF-19. The figure is quite big and it will have a hard time going into the cockpit of the YF-19. In my attempt to put the figure in that the cockpit will close properly I ended up scratching the white paint off of the knees. I actually believe that the paint didn't stick to well to the figure. In the end I decided to not put the figure in anymore. Aside from the figure not fitting in the cockpit, you will notice that the head/helmet is not proportionate with one side bigger than the other. You can't help but think that the pilot figure was a last minute addition that they forgot during production hence the ugly job in design.
Shot of the stand attachments
Spare Canards that come with the kit.
With regards to the Gunpod, I can't find any fault. It really was exquisitely designed with extreme attention to detail paid
Close-up of the finely detailed pistol grip
Gunpod with magazine detached.
Magazine detached from the gunpod
Backshot of the magazine and stock
Business end of the Gunpod
Shot of the Cockpit accessories that gets detached from the cockpit. The seat can be removed along with the front windshield and the block behind the pilot seat.
The block behind the pilot can be removed so that an auxilliary seat can be attached. This is where the Yang Neumann figure will be positioned if in case you purchase the optional 1/60 Fold Booster & Fast Pack for the YF-19 & YF-21
YF-19 in Fighter Mode pose
Front landing gear. One of the quality issues that comes up for me with regards to this toy are the rubber tires. The rubbers are not properly formed and look flimsy. I worry that it could be easily torn off the wheel.
Front wheel in the "wheels up" position. One thing I've always loved about the Variable Fighter designs of Shoji Kawamori is his attention to detail. Case is point is the presence of a towbar on the nose wheel which is attached to the shuttle on an aircraft carrier for assisted take-off.
Rear wheel in the "wheels up" position.
Rear wheel
Wheels down on both rear wheels. Love how the wheel doors realistically operate to open and close.
The rear wheels don't really come down 90 degrees in its down position. In its natural down position it is slightly angled.
Shot of the closed landing gear bay.
Rear landing gear inside its landing gear bay. A closer shot of the malformed wheel during casting, it goes for the rear wheels as well and not just the front. I wonder why this is so considering that the wheels of the 1/60 VF-1's look quite ok.
Here's a picture of the rear wheels of a 1/60 VF-1S so you'll understand where I'm coming from.
Rear main thruster with vectored thrust.
Shot of the two main thrusters. Inbetween them are the arms. When the hands are folded in the arm, the back part are these two vent like squares. They actually can be detached, so take care that they don't get lost.
Underside of the YF-19 in Fighter mode. This is the arms and the gunpod can be attached inbetween both arms similar to the VF-1 Valkyrie
Underplate that folds up into the crotch parts of the YF-19 in Battroid mode.
Close-up of the underside of the nose
Close-up of the side of the nose
Shot of the top part of the air intake.
Shot of the cockpit with its accessories removed (windshield, seat and block)
Shot of the side cockpit
Shot of the detailed cockpit controls
Main wing of the YF-19
Unlike the VF-1, the head of the YF-19 is on the top side with the head guns pointed to the rear instead of to the front.
At the back of the head is the shield of the YF-19
Very detailed verniers found on the sides of the main leg thruster.
Top front view of the YF-19 in Fighter mode
Top rear view of the YF-19 in Fighter mode
Underbelly of the YF-19 in Fighter mode and "wheels up" position
YF-19 next to a metal ruler to give you a perspective as to how big it is.
This is the right tail wing of the YF-19. This one always gets easily loosed from its fixed position even without touching it. The other side doesn't have this problem though. This part will be moved often as its part of the procedure when transforming to gerwalk or battroid mode, so expect that it will come loose if you "play" with it all the time *snicker*
Transformation to Gerwalk mode is pretty straightforward. In fact I found it easier to transform the YF-19 over the VF-1S. Now I'm not really sure if its because the YF-19 design permits easy transformation or its because my familiarity with transforming the VF-1S has morphed into easier understanding of the transformation sequence of the VF-19.
In gerwalk mode its actually best to spread out the legs in order to easily balance the YF-19 in Gerwalk mode.
Another key to allowing the YF-19 to stand in Gerwalk mode is to adjust the position of the main thrusters.
Probably the ugliest part of the YF-19 are the hands. Aside from the fact that they look like they came from an old person, there are left over sprues that tell alot of the quality of assembly at the Chinese factory that Yamato Toys outsourced their production to.
And let me save you some grief by saying: don't bother trying to hold the Gunpod in the hands because it falls off easily no matter how you place it. The best place for the Gunpod in either Battroid or Gerwalk mode is in its plastic container inside the box of the YF-19. In fighter mode, feel free to stick it in the underbelly between the arms as it was designed to be.
The intake covers can be removed to expose the fans according to the manual. I didn't bother to check this out anymore for fear of wearing out the nubs in the intake covers that allow it to stick on to the air intakes.
At the shoulder part, there is a small flesh-colored flap folded up in the inside of the shoulder. You are supposed to bring this flap down in Gerwalk mode.
Except for the part where the upper torso easily separated from the lower torso, transforming the YF-19 from Gerwalk mode to Battroid mode was quite easy. So thats a little heads up to you when transforming the YF-19 to Battroid mode so that you don't accidentally drop it. This happened in the step where I was folding in the nose of the plane to the inner part of the torso where the back underside of the plane kinda swallows the cockpit.
The YF-19 really looks cool with the Gunpod in its hands.
One of the first few steps of the transformation to Battroid mode is to fold the canards in the down position. I was kinda scared at first because of the presence of the spare canards in the kit which had me thinking that this part must break off so easily for Yamato to include some spares with it. The trick I did on how to find out if it is in the correct folded position is to look at the reverse side of the canard where the nub exists. They should look like this.
One of the cool gimmiks of the 1/60 YF-19 is that the helmet and visor can be removed to expose the inner mecha of the head. This will allow you to recreate the scene in Macross Plus where the YF-19 was in the hangar and maintenance was being performed on its head
Head cannon of the YF-19
Just how far forward you can move the head cannon of the YF-19
1/60 YF-19 beside the 1/60 VF-1S made also by Yamato Toys
1/60 YF-19 beside the 1/60 GN-001 Gundam Exia from Bandai
