Ki's Toy Report: https://www.facebook.com/ki0079.robot.workshops
If only toys were like fine wine, becoming more fragrant and mellow with age. Wouldn't that be wonderful?
Of course, toys aren't wine, but through the baptism of time, you can still see a certain value emerge. Today, let's take a look at one such box of "fine wine"!
When the VF-27 reissue was announced recently, with some slight color changes, I felt quite conflicted. It was first released in 2010, and I didn't get it back then. Then, in 2013, a new version came out, which finally tempted me to buy it. However, I had so many toys at the time, and I was constantly producing reviews (back then, I was still serializing on Yahoo! Blog)... I never had the time to open the box. Before I knew it, 11 years had passed since I bought it and put it away. It wasn't until the reissue was announced that I thought... should I finally open it up and play with it?
What would it feel like to hold and play with a toy that's been in its box for 11 years?
The appearance is still as captivating as ever!
Even though 11 years have passed, a beautiful thing remains beautiful. Since it was never unboxed, the toy's surface is still in pristine condition. The moment I took it out of the box to handle it, it felt like I had traveled back 11 years, right back to that moment of conflict when I first bought it.
I prefer the Fighter and Battroid modes; both forms have their own unique characteristics.
In Fighter mode, because the gun is so long, it extends past the nosecone. It takes a bit of time to get it set up on a display stand.
As for the pilot figures in the cockpit, they are Brera and his sister, Ranka.
The Transformation is Where the Disaster Lies
Taking out a transforming fighter like this, you naturally want to see what's special about it. The Gerwalk mode is a bit disappointing, and the Battroid mode also has its shortcomings.
First, the main problem is the loose joints. The arms and legs are particularly bad. Perhaps this is due to being stored for 11 years; it's also possible it was like this from the start. Since they can't be tightened, I could only pin my hopes on the Fighter mode!
Indeed, upon opening the box, I immediately played with the Fighter mode, and at that time, I didn't feel any issues at all. Everything was fine. Of course, the glossy surface of the mecha no longer meets today's "aesthetic standards." It's quite stable when placed on a display stand. It's just that its signature long rifle requires very careful handling.
As for the transformation system, the VF-27's is relatively simple. To get to Gerwalk mode, you first flip up the lower body, then rotate out the arms hidden in the fuselage, and finally adjust the position of the lower body. However, 11 years have passed, and perhaps the joints have developed quite a few problems. First, the left shoulder is completely limp, in a totally powerless state (I haven't tried adjusting the screw tightness). The right arm is a bit better. Next, the hip area of the lower body is also quite loose. The "reverse angle" of the reverse-jointed legs is insufficient, and with the already loose joints, it's not easy to get it to stand on two feet. Fortunately, the right arm is still strong enough to hold the long rifle.
Once on a display stand, there's more room for dynamic posing, which is fortunate. It's quite secure on the stand, making for a relatively worry-free play experience.
When transforming to Battroid mode, the biggest difficulty is stowing the nosecone on the back. This process requires flipping the nosecone over the chest armor, and the nosecone parts can very easily interfere with and scrape the chest armor. A little bit of damage seems unavoidable. This is just how it is with the VF/YF series mecha. Their charm lies in the compact transformation system, but that same system is also what makes them incredibly frustrating. After completing the nosecone transformation, there might be some minor issues with the thigh section, but they aren't difficult to handle.
Just like the YF-21 from 10 years later, it requires adding a support piece into the crotch area to prop up the back and hip section.
The Battroid mode is truly awesome! If the highlight of the YF-21 from 10 years later is its Gerwalk mode, then the highlight of the VF-27 must be its Battroid mode. It's indeed aesthetically pleasing and fun to play with. Thankfully, the arms are still strong enough to support the long rifle, and the two-handed rifle pose looks great.
Next up is attaching the PARTS.
The PARTS attach quite securely. After equipping the leg and arm PARTS, the mecha feels much bulkier. The backpack is also very stable, so there's no need to worry too much.
My process was to go from Fighter-->Gerwalk-->Battroid, then add the PARTS, and go back from Battroid-->Gerwalk--->Fighter.
During the reverse transformation, removing the arm and backpack PARTS might make things a bit easier.
When transforming back, you need to be careful with the nosecone stowed on the back. It needs to be flipped out cautiously to avoid interference with the head and chest armor. The other parts shouldn't be difficult to handle.
With the PARTS attached, the Gerwalk mode looks even more substantial, and the overall feel is great.
Next is transforming back to Fighter mode. Similarly, you can set aside the arm and backpack PARTS. I've permanently removed the arm PARTS because the arms are completely retracted into the fuselage and aren't visible. I'm not even sure if there's enough space to accommodate these PARTS inside.
After that, I finally managed to smoothly transform it back to Fighter mode and attach the backpack and leg PARTS. The overall feeling is good.
With all this back and forth, I've finally given the mecha I bought 11 years ago a thorough play-through. Here are some of my thoughts:
Honestly, I think the storage of die-cast toys is something that really deserves attention. I kept this figure in what I consider a very safe place... so its appearance is like new. As for the joint condition, I watched some videos from ten years ago, and it seems the joint and lower body issues were already present back then, not problems that developed over the past 11 years. Perhaps.
However, in comparison, when I handle some of my METAL BUILD figures, even though they've been "exposed to the elements" for several years, their joints still have quite a bit of "strength" and haven't become completely loose. Looking at the MB 00 Raiser I bought 10 years ago, it's actually still perfectly playable! Furthermore, painted toys generally stand the test of time better. If it's a toy made of unpainted white plastic, and you display it, you must be mentally prepared for it to yellow. Keeping it in the box... if stored properly, it should be better, right? I hope so.
So, when everyone buys older die-cast or all-white toys, even if they are brand new and sealed, you must be mentally prepared that the condition of the toy inside may not truly be like-new.
Ki's Toy Report: https://www.facebook.com/ki0079.robot.workshops