Tag: Battroid Valkyrie

Macross VF-1J ST 1/100 scale Hikaru Battroid Valkyrie by Takatoku Toys 1983 from anime Super Dimension Fortress Macross( 超時空要塞マクロス)

The Takatoku 1/100 scale Valkyries as a whole are a lot harder to come by than the 1/55 scale version. Except for the Hikaru VF-1J ST. This appears to be the only one that keeps coming up on the sites I usually buy from. I hope to add a few more of these to my collection next year. This is actually my first Takatoku Valkyrie. I actually added the brown cannon fodder 1/55 scale this year as well from David’s trip to Japan. Before this I only had the 1984 Bandai VF-1A, so it is nice to have one of the original Takatoku toys that started it all. I consider the these the gold standard of  robots from the 1980’s.

The toy captures the robots from the anime in great detail. The VF-1J looks fantastic both as a robot and a plane! The toy is solid with a great design and fun to transform. Normally when the robot looks good the form suffers. But  this is definitely not in this case.  The Valkyries easily outclass any transforming robots from the 1980’s with their perfect transformations(kanzen henkei). Plus it helps that the anime was one of the better ones to watch in 80’s. I like this particular color scheme as I can imagine an actual combat jet with these colors.

Macross VF-1J ST 1/100 scale Ichijō Hikaru Battroid Valkyrie by Takatoku Toys 1983 from anime Chōjikū Yōsai Makurosu( 超時空要塞マクロス)

Macross VF-1J ST 1/100 scale Hikaru Ichijyo Battroid Valkyrie by Takatoku Toys 1983 from anime Choujikuu Yousai Macross( 超時空要塞マクロス)

Macross VF-1J DX and ST, the DX 1/55 scale & ST 1/100 scale Takatoku Toys 1983

Here are two VF-1J’s “Hikaru Ichijyo” versions from the Macross series.  One is the Takatoku deluxe version, while the other is the smaller, ST version.  I cannot remember where I purchased the big one – I’m going to guess Japan, 1985.  The ST one, on the other hand, I vividly remember purchasing it at Longs Drugs in Burlingame (of all places). I remember when there was this big robot craze in the 80’s, you could find these toys in the most unlikely of places.  I think my cousin mentioned that he bought some Transformers from a carwash.

Anyway, the cartoon still is a picture of the VF-1J with the add-on armor. When has this armor, however, he cannot transform into a plane.

Macross VF-1J Armored Valkyrie

Variable Fighter VF-1J Valkyrie Miria Jenius 1-55 scale 2002 Bandai from anime Super Dimension Fortress Macross 1983-1984

Here’s another Bandai re-issue that I couldn’t get as a kid – this time the red “Miria” model VF-1J.  Basically, the background story behind her was that she was originally sent by the Zentradi’s to kill Maximillian Sterling – the ace pilot of the Earth Forces.  She grew to fall in love with him and they eventually got married, had a child and she ended up fighting along side the Earth forces against her motherland – the Zentradi Empire.  This red VF-1J depicts her plane.

What’s fascinating about this (especially in the context of a cartoon) was the very adult idea that love could conquer all.  You never saw such depth and meaning in U.S. cartoons and that’s why I grew to love Japanese anime – they were so much more sophisticated in story and plot line and overall, animation quality.

VF-1J Valkyrie Miria Jenius from Super Dimension Fortress Macross

Variable Fighter VF-1J Valkyrie Max Jenius Sterling – 1/55 scale 2002 Bandai from Super Dimension Fortress Macross

This one’s a Bandai re-issue of the blue VF-1J “Max” model from the Macross series.  I never could find the Takatoku versions as a child but I was able to find the Bandai re-issues from the early 2000’s. Bandai and Yamato has since made tons of re-issues.

Max’s VF-1J Valkyrie from Super Dimension Fortress Macross in action

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

Below are the two variants of the VF-1S – the “Strike Valkyrie” and the “Roy Fokker” model from the Macross series.  The Roy Fokker model skull and crossbones insignia is actually modeled from an actual U.S. Navy squadron – VFA-103 “The Jolly Rogers.” The VF-1S “Strike Valkyrie” is from Bandai while the VF-1S “Roy Fokker” is from Takatoku Toys.  I believe I purchased the “Roy Fokker” model in Hong Kong in 1983.  During my last trip to Hong Kong in 2011, I tried to look for toy stores in the malls but there just didn’t seem to be same amount of volume that I remembered.  It’s also possible that these stores are now for adults like me and maybe in less traveled/less touristy areas. Both VF-1S and the Strike Valkyrie, I purchased in Japan 1985 for 20 dollars each.

Variable Fighter VF-1S Valkyrie 1/55 scale – Strike Valkyrie Hi Metal Hikaru Type 1984 With Fast Pack Bandai & Roy Fokker Takatoku Toys 1983 from Super Dimension Fortress Macross

Here’s the VE-1 Elint (Electronic Intelligence) Seeker model from the “Do You Remember Love?” Macross movie of 1985.  This model is designed to find and gather signals intelligence from the enemy. This robot had a limited release in Japan and they are relatively rare and really expensive!

As mentioned in the previous post, I purchased this from a small, mom and pop toy store in Kyoto Japan.  I really had a lot of fun on my trips because my parents gave me so much leeway to explore and do things on my own (most likely because Japan is so safe).  Anyway, I stumbled upon this little toy store and I saw this one, the VF-1T and the VF-1S Strike Valkyrie.  I purchased all three at the same time because I wasn’t sure if I would ever see them again and as well, I wasn’t sure if I might make it back to that toy store.

Macross VE-1 Elintseeker Hi-Metal Variable Electric DX 1/55 scale Bandai 1985 Super Real Model-S – Heavy Version Japan

VE-1J Elintseeker in action from “Do You Remember Love?” Macross movie 1984