Author: Dave

Below are the “Max” and “Meria” VF-1J’s from the Macross series.  I vividly remember wanting to have these as a kid to complete the collection but I didn’t see them on my various trips to Japan.  I didn’t realize until later that the original maker (Takatoku) went out of business in the early 80’s and the molds were purchased by Bandai.  I’m going to guess that Bandai hadn’t yet gotten around to re-doing these two until later.  Anyway, these are Bandai re-issues that I purchased in the early 2000’s.  I’m glad I have them as I now have a complete Macross collection.

Variable Fighter VF-1J Valkyries Max & Miria Jenius – 1/55 scale 2002 Bandai from Super Dimension Fortress Macross

Here’s two variants of the VF-1A model – the red/black version from the “Do You Remember Love?” Macross movie and the brown version from the Macross series.  I purchased the red/black version on a trip to Japan in 1985 and the brown version (the first one I received for my Macross collection) I received as a Christmas present in 1984. The brown version was 70 dollars back in Dec 84.  The red/black version was purchased for about 20 dollars back in 1985.

Variable Fighter VF-1A Valkyrie 1/55 scale – Brown Takatoku Toys Mass Production version 1983 & Bandai Hi Metal Hikaru Type 1984 from Super Dimension Fortress Macross

Here’s the Bandai VF-1S Strike Valkyrie as piloted by Hikaru Ichijyo in “Do You Remember Love?” Macross movie in 1984.  I purchased him in Kyoto, Japan 1985. You don’t see this one until the climatic ending of the movie.

VF-1S Strike Valkyrie 1/55 scale Bandai 1985 Hikaru Ichijyo from anime movie Do You Remember Love?

Another robot from the “Do You Remember Love?” Macross movie from 1985.  This time, the VT-1J trainer. Again, this one didn’t have a large role in the movie.  Here he is in toy form and the cartoon still.

Macross VT-1 Super Ostrich Hi-Metal Variable Trainer DX 1-55 scale Bandai 1985 Super Real Model- S-Heavy Version Japan

VT-1 Super Ostrich from the anime The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love?

Below are the VT-1J Trainer (orange) and the VE-1J Elint Seeker from the “Do You Remember Love?” Macross movie from 1985.  I vividly remember purchasing these from a small mom and pop toy store in Kyoto, Japan.  I hadn’t seen the movie (yet) but realized it was a new release as these were entirely different robots and color schemes. The VT-1J and VE-1J didn’t play big roles in the movies – you only see them in bit parts.  I included the cartoon stills as well.

I purchased these two as well as the VF-1S Strike Valkyrie from the same store.  I’m trying to remember what I paid but I think I paid about 40 dollars each. These are fairly rare as they were never released in the U.S.  I have seen the Strike Valkyrie in box go for a couple hundred to a thousand dollars in box. Sometimes, I wish I could have kept the box, but it just wasn’t possible since I easily purchased 15-20 robots a time on each trip and back then, suitcases weren’t that big. I ended up having to special freight my toys on JAL.

VT-1 Trainer and VE-1 ElintSeeker Macross 1985 Bandai 1-55 scale

Here are the anime stills of the Elintseeker and Super Ostrich. You better catch them quick or you might miss them. Both have very little screen time on the anime movie The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love?.

I’ve finally gotten around to my Macross box and I took a group picture.  Pictured is the entire collection from the Macross series (except for the few Destroid Defenders that I wasn’t particularly in to).  These are probably my most favorite of all my entire collection.  I don’t think I could ever part with these as these were such a big part of my child hood.  I grew up with the cartoons and I purchased the toys while on various trips to Japan.  I also received the brown VF-1A from my mom for Christmas in 1983.  I remember it was almost a hundred dollars back then and I was VERY surprised she went all the way to Japantown to get it for me.  I’ll never forget that.

Macross Collection includes the VF-1A, VF-1J, VF-1S, VT-1, VE-1, SDF-1, GBP-1S Fast Pack 1/55 Takatoku Toys and Bandai releases

Here’s another new one I just got and another one I never had as a kid – Perceptor – the Autobot scientist. I picked him up for 30 dollars and I’m quite happy with him as he’s mostly complete and he has very little wear. I would have picked him up as a kid but they just kept pumping out Transformers and I couldn’t keep up!

Perceptor Transformers 1985 – Hasbro Generation 1 Autobot G1

Perceptor from the Transformers Generation 1 cartoon