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When I heard the DX Chogokin YF-21 was shipping, I was incredibly excited. I rushed out to buy the YF-19 just so I could photograph them together. As it turns out, the YF-21 is indeed more outstanding than the YF-19. After all, it was produced several years later, so it's natural for it to be a bit better. However, it's not without its flaws. Some aspects are exceptional, but there are still areas that could be improved.
The Appearance of FIGHTER MODE—Some of My Thoughts
Due to the mecha's design, its arms and legs are essentially add-on equipment, not part of the main aircraft body, so they need to be stored in the underbelly. For the transformation to look good, the limbs can't be too small. However, if the limbs aren't small, the underbelly must have a certain thickness to contain them. If you want the aircraft to look sleeker, the limbs could be smaller. But after transformation, smaller limbs would look rather strange.
Since this series aims for "perfect transformation," some compromises are inevitable. The result of these trade-offs is a thicker fuselage in exchange for larger arms and legs. So, when you handle the YF-21, the first impression is that it's a bit thick and heavy. Indeed, in the original work, the YF-21 is also slightly heavier than the YF-19.
Therefore, when displayed in FIGHTER MODE, it might feel a little thick. However, I find it to be moderate and not excessive. When you photograph the YF-21 and YF-19 together, the YF-21 doesn't look that much bigger. So, personally, I think this design is quite good. Of course, the nose does feel a tiny bit short, but it's within an acceptable range.
The paint application and markings are also outstanding, which I really love. In the past, I would have insisted on attaching all the external equipment, but this time I'm not so particular. Because the FAST packs have no markings, attaching them actually hides the beauty of the original craft, so I just took a few quick photos and left it at that.
GERWALK MODE—A Beautiful Presentation!
With its larger arms and legs, the moment the legs extend from the underbelly, it's hard not to fall in love with it. Thanks to the larger leg design, the shorter nose section, and the retractable underbelly, the overall proportions are excellent. This is my favorite mode; the design is just fantastic! However, it still has some issues.
As for an A-stance, it can still pull it off. However, unlike typical VF units, the legs don't feel entirely solid. While the ankles and knees are relatively firm, the thigh area is not. The connection point where the thigh meets the fuselage is not easy to secure; there's only a single die-cast latch, which is difficult to adjust. Additionally, the thigh swivel is not a ratchet joint, making it hard to hold its position. So, when trying to pose it in an A-stance, it can easily become wobbly if you're not careful.
Fortunately, the die-cast ankles are quite good—large and strong. As long as you position the feet properly, finding the center of balance isn't too difficult, so there's no need to worry too much.
BATTROID MODE—Also Aesthetically Pleasing
BATTROID MODE's appearance is equally impressive. However, there is a point of contention: the backpack. Indeed, because the design needed to leave space to store the limbs, the underbelly is quite large. As a result, during the complete transformation, even though it can fold and shorten, it still looks a bit thick, almost like it's wearing a school backpack.
Admittedly, it might be a little less than perfect. However, if this is the price for well-proportioned arms and legs, I think it's worth it.
Frankly, it's hard to have the best of both worlds—a slim backpack with robust limbs. Perhaps that could only be achieved through parts-swapping, or would it require an even more complex design? I'm not entirely sure.
The articulation range in BATTROID MODE is not as good as the YF-19's. The arm joints are very tight, and I didn't dare to force them. As for the legs, because the thigh assembly point isn't executed perfectly, it's easy for them to shift out of place. Furthermore, there's frequent interference between the thighs, the main body, the back, and the back connector piece, all of which limit the range of motion.
That back connector piece I just mentioned... it might be a minor design flaw. Without this connector, the transformation to BATTROID MODE isn't truly complete. You need to attach a connector piece to the back to link the front half of the aircraft's back with the underbelly section. Once it's attached, the entire BATTROID MODE becomes rock-solid. Conversely, if you don't attach it, the back will collapse due to insufficient support. So... does this count as a 95% perfect transformation?
The above are some issues with the transformation system; there is certainly room for improvement. However, overall, BATTROID MODE is still quite outstanding. Whether holding the gunpod or playing with the effect parts, it feels great.
Limit Release Mode—Truly Awesome!
This is a special feature of the YF-21. In "Macross Plus," because the Ghost X-9 was too powerful, the YF-21 jettisoned its limbs to reduce weight and gain higher flight speed. After evading the Ghost's missile barrage, it successfully shot it down, but the pilot couldn't withstand the G-forces and died in battle. It's a truly tragic and heroic scene... absolutely heartbreaking.
Getting back to the toy, the method for detaching the arms and legs is very simple, which is excellent! Personally, I feel the best time to enjoy this mode is during the transformation from BATTROID back to FIGHTER MODE.
With the limbs jettisoned, only the nose, fuselage, and tail section remain, but that's enough to form a high-speed aircraft. Add the cover plates, and it's all set!
Compared to the normal FIGHTER MODE, this state lacks the side wings, and the underbelly is much slimmer, making the craft feel incredibly light. The interesting thing is, even in this state, the aircraft still looks remarkably complete.
Overall, the YF-21's transformation system is unique and well worth experiencing. I'm the "weakest of the weak" when it comes to transformations, but even I could handle it. I managed to go from FIGHTER MODE to BATTROID MODE and back again, which was fantastic. The process took a lot of time watching videos and reading the manual, but I finally managed it on my own.
For the DX Chogokin series, I feel the display stand is what most needs improvement. That unchanging stand no longer meets collectors' expectations. It can only hold the craft in a static, flat position and doesn't allow for angle adjustments, which is definitely not the dynamic effect that today's collectors want to achieve.
Furthermore, the articulation in BATTROID MODE is a bit weak. Of course, as a transforming figure, its primary focus isn't "articulation," so treating it like a standard action figure and trying to pose it extensively might be unrealistic. However, limited by the stand's posing options and the BATTROID MODE's articulation, you still run into quite a few difficulties when playing with it. For example, trying to create more interactive poses with the YF-19 is genuinely not easy; it's quite a challenge.
It seems this issue is difficult to resolve at the DX Chogokin scale. Perhaps it would be better in the HI-METAL R line?
