Macross Quarter
Review by Atom
To use the internet vernacular that is so popular with the kids these days... the Macross Quarter by Bandai is a total Fail.
The Quarter is named such as it is 1/4 the size of a normal Macross class ship. Being a purely military ship it doesn't carry a civilian population and being smaller it can move in to engage enemy vessels at close range in melee combat. Please enjoy this clip of the Quarter in all its glory...
As you can see it's all sorts of ass-kicking goodness and fires me up as a mecha/Macross/Robotech fan like nothing has since first seeing Robotech in the 80's. So needless to say I was very interested in checking this out when I heard Bandai was doing one for their DX Chogokin line. Being their DX Chogokin line however, I was apprehensive as their previously released VF-25 Messiah's where woefully lacking in my opinion.
Well, the apprehension was justified … Bandai (once again) thinks this is good enough for your $200 bucks.
No, no it's not Bandai. If folks are spending $200 on a toy (High-end collectible or not) of a flying fortress, we should be able to pick it up without it completely losing it's form and falling in on itself. No excuses...
The box the Quarter comes in is big. Inside the Quarter is stored in a styrofoam tray and the rest of the parts are stored in clear vacuum formed trays. It the usual modern packaging. Included in the set is:
- Macross Quarter
- Beam Cannon (Right Arm)
- Flight Deck (Left Arm)
- Stand (Multiple Parts for reconfiguration)
- 4 VF-25 Messiah's
- 2 Destroid Monsters (in Flight and Destroid mode)
- 1 Vajra
In Fortress mode the Quarter measures 20 inches x 8 inches at it's longest and widest points. It's huge and on the stand it's gorgeous and stable. No denying it's got presence on the shelf and it sure looks pretty.
Also in the box are a bunch of mini-figs. 4 VF-25's , The Destroid Monster (in Flight and Destroid mode) and Vajra. These are nice touches that allow you to decorate the flight deck. They are not in actual scale to the Quarter but any smaller and they would not even be noticeable. So no complaints here.
Paint and sculpt detail is generous. No complaints here it all looks soooo good.
So not only will it not hold it form off the stand in Fortress Mode but it is a pain to transform. Literally...
All this exacting detail creates very sharp corners around areas you need to grip to transform. Leading to sticking yourself, possibly drawing blood and generally pissing you off before you finish. Not to mention that the hinge in the waste is incredibly tight. So you really have to get in there and force it to rotate out. Then once you're in mid-transformation it becomes so unwieldy and awkward as you fight to line things up I gave up on shooting a video of this thing. It's just not worth it...
Transitional Mode or what some folks have been calling Gerwalk mode is obtainable but it looks pretty silly. I doubt many will ever willingly display it this way anyway. It looks way cooler when you see it happen in the show as it just looks a moment of homage as it transitions between modes. Here it just looks silly.
After you have pricked yourself, drawn blood and set your blood pressure rising fighting this thing into “Assault Mode” it's not bad at all. Unlike its Fortress Mode, it has no problem holding it forms off the stand.
It features a nice range of motion in the legs with nice ratchet joints that hold them where you want them.
Arms seem tight enough as of now to hold the Beam Cannon and Flight deck upright but that may change over time.
Mainly because the ratchet joints are in such a useless spot on the shoulders it makes no difference in this mode. The elbows are a tension joint so that is most likely to get loose over time.
An included bracket allows you to mount the Flight deck to it's back so it can fire the beam cannon as seen in the show. Does make me wonder, where does it put the beam cannon when it needs both hands?
The stand included is basic and utilitarian but it gets the job done.
Overall I am incredibly disappointed with this release and it is most certainly not worth the asking $200 it was going for new. Die-cast content is once again low for something under the “Chogokin DX” banner being limited to the feet and some joints. The rest is all plastic.
It looks pretty on the shelf but is Zero fun to handle so I leave it to you to decide if the trade-off is once again worth it but I do not. What do you think? Is this worth $200 bucks to you? Let us know in the comments section.
UPDATE 6/21/2010 ------------------
Well I have let this thread run on long enough. While it has been highly entertaining to watch the hardcore Macross nerds react as if I had kicked their puppy it certainly wasn't the reaction I was expecting. I will get the last word in and lock this thread because it's gone on long enough and there have been some VERY vocal accusations and personal attacks on me that require addressing. 1)This was MY review and MY opinion. That is why I am here doing what I do, to share MY opinion not report a general consensus of what others think. I am happy many feel it was worth the price tag. I did not. 2) The argument that I was biased in some way because it was a review sample is simply stupid. The only thing someone is "guaranteed" when we get a review sample is, is that we will actually review it on the site. I never see anyone jump on Josh's case when he puts up a sponsored review... To quote Josh from a recent blog post... "It’s no secret that we get a lot of free toys here at CollectionDX. Most of these new High-End items – we don’t pay for. They are often furnished in exchange for a review, but no guarantee is given that it will be a positive review. Sometimes toys are given in lieu of advertising dollars. Regardless of the circumstance of how CDX gets a toy, we pledge to be objective and fair in our reviews." 3) ...which brings me to personal attacks. I am sorry I don't value the same things as you and have a difference of opinion but attacking me on personal levels just discredits anything you will ever say again on this site and is no way to engage someone in conversation.
| Posted 22 March, 2010 - 14:44 by Atom |
Comments
62 comments postedI'm only gonna give a one word comment on this ship: FAIL
My $0.02
It didn't show in the review- can the shield mount on the back-left spire be removed?
------------------------------
CollectionDX Staff
By the shield, do you mean the flight deck?
Sadly, yes, when I say "shield" I mean the flight deck.
------------------------------
CollectionDX Staff
The price is Fail. I own it, it's not so bad. Atom's review I can't stand by... he got the toy from charity but if was his own money I bet he'd be saying different so he didn't feel like sucker in his glorious review. EVA you get props because your a good man when we talk, keep up the reviews. P.S. You need a new pic I can't tell what your EVA looks like, sorry. Be the Mark 5 have you seen it yet? Nerd talk: I think it's Adam reanimated as an EVA like a puppet, watch the end Evangelion 2.0.
So.... did you just admit that someone who paid full price for this would lie to make themselves feel better? Because if sure sounds like you did.
As for you bringing up the subject of it being a sample toy again, well, I am gonna hold my tongue.
"You can't sell it until you get it from him, but you gotta sell it to pay him to get it to sell it".
---Jerilock, talking about me trying to raise the money I need to pay for the toys I already bought....
Atom - if you dislike it that much, I'll take it! I'll even cover the postage cost!
:-)~
"Does make me wonder, where does it put the beam cannon when it needs both hands?"
Throw the gun in the air, punch someone, catch it and shoot.
John Woo style.
Have you watched this series yet? It's XXXX cool...
Alot of places have this thing on discount, but after shipping included $200 sound just about right.
To me, I have and owned (almost) every single one of the Macross frontier when it first came out, since then i have owned nothing. Why? I hated them. The looks, construction, quality and fun factor of them turned me off. (I brought them at the same time with some great discounts, thinking I would be in love as I liked the series)
This macross quarter like rest are great display piece and no fun in handling them. To me a display piece can only last so long with me. Once i get bored, they are sold.
"Does make me wonder, where does it put the beam cannon when it needs both hands?"
What would it even DO with both hands?
It's not like there's another same-size robot out there for it to hold and caress.
"What would it even DO with both hands?"
Ya know, that right there is one of the reasons I hate these next-gen Macross fortresses- they have hands to do... what exactly? With these all-powerful Macross cannons (self-contained rifle WTF), why even bother with hands? Hell, Battle-7 never even used its!
Also, why in thee hell would they use the carrier deck as a shield??? Isn't the pinpoint barrier enough?
------------------------------
CollectionDX Staff
"Hell, Battle-7 never even used its!"
Battle 7 used its hands to push City 7 back when it was falling into a star.
FAIL!
Oh, it did? Guess I forgot that part. (Been a while since I saw it.) My bad.
But still, what are the chances of that ever coming up, or that a battleship would even be capable of pushing something several times its mass away from the grav field of a star?
I'm sorry, but even one scene does not justify the purpose of giant hands on a giant robot warship. In the Macross universe, a ship like the Macross is a mobile gun platform, not an agile fighter. If it must have a punching ability, did they forget their own history in regards to the Daedalus Maneuver?
I could go into a whole rant about the impracticalities of hands on giant fighting robots, but I know I would not be able to defend against all counter-punches. AND I promised not to steal the spotlight in a Macross review away from someone else again.
------------------------------
CollectionDX Staff
I can't pay attention to your rant when the Quarter is being so awesome.
wow Pass/Fail your a tough grader not very 2000's
how about: "great effort, nice job, you can do it!"
D-
lol
lets get with our politically correct age of everyone gets a trophy...:)
details and accessories are quite good for my taste, but for the color and paint apps? man its bad, really bad for my taste...
As a fan of the original 80's show I really wanted to enjoy Macross Frontier. I bought the series on DVD, even some of the toys, but as time has gone on I have sold the toys & DVD's. I finally realised the only good Japanese animation was made back in the 80's (mostly). This new toy looks fabulous, but just like the series, it lacks any soul.
Wow this is unexpected. I own this toy and love it. It's miles better than all the VF-25's out there and has details unparalleled by other toys out there. None of your main complaints merit such a negative review.
I personally don't find it that hard to transform, and think that the design of the quarter itself (not the toy) has caused some of your main problems such as difficulty to hold form on its own in fortress mode. It's just physics that when you have arms / guns / deck that long you're going to have difficult holding it with just a joint. I'm not sure a ratchet joint will be strong enough to hold either. You can just remove the base from the stand and still fly your quarter across the room with the upper part of the stand still holding the quarter up nicely. I have not had problems with falling gun / deck as your picture depict. Metals content is high compare to other Frontier mechs, and the thing is heavy.
I mean, with its high detail, nice paintjob, great articulation for such large bot, even the mini figures (which is a big plus), it's a more than decent figure. It is totally worth its $200 price tag. You compare it with any other macross product out there (Vf-25, VF-1, VF-19, VF-11, VF-21, etc), you rarely get this much / this big / this quality for your money. Sure all toys have room to improve, but no way does it deserve anywhere near a failing grade.
I care because I'm happy to see a quarter ship being made and to a decent standard, and want to see manufacturer continue to release these toys, but hate to see it being trashed when it doesn't deserve it.
I don't have this toy. I'd like to get it, and beyond "It can't stay in cruiser mode without a stand", I didn't really see anything to warrant the hate. I read the review, read the criticisms, and really went "Huh?", when it came to the verdict. The only other review I found online adores this piece, so I'm happy to hear you do too.
Because no matter how crappy the products are, we keep buying them. Companies won't fix these issues if they know that collectors will buy it, and spend too much money to do so, because we're accepting of broken toys if they are the only representations of the robot we want. If we stop buying toys that are broken and/or defective (crappy), the companies that make them will get the idea and make their products better. I don't care if you paid $5 or $500 for a toy/collectible, if it's defective when you open the box, you got ripped off. $200 for something that can only sit on a stand and look good, flops and falls apart if you touch it, in my opinion, is too much. I've ranted about this before. I'll stop now.
" What do you think? Is this worth $200 bucks to you?"
No, it's not worth the money to add w/ my Metroplex. My interest faded out anyway because G1 Metroplex will always be my Macross-1.
Generally, It's not worth $200 for a schlocky fortress-starbot in this line from Bandai which proved itself to be questionable. This is why the outcome for this Quarter's performance was grimly preordained from the moment the pics & source texts became available to the public net & I think deep-down inside your intuitive feelings projected it's failure. We've hoped the DX Quarter would proved our instincts wrong & sadly... it didn't. Your review was appreciative & it was brave.
In the next Macross,Robotech,Mospeada, or(you say Tomato, & I say Tomaatoe...whatever) odyssey you venture out, I wish you braver.
-R78
Hold it in person, and you'll agree with this review. It's ridiculous for the price.
The shop owner this past weekend was nice enough to let me hold this thing, and as he picked it up to hand it to me it flopped around and got a nice scratch along the bottom. After we both let out a simultaneous "oh!" he laughed and said "I guess you're not going to be buying one, huh?"
You really have to have one in your hands to make up your mind. While it will just sit on its stand on a shelf, the arms joints are so weak, and the ship-mode flop is so much of an issue that it just makes this thing a big disappointment. Throw in the size and those ugly screw holes (which a SOC which is half the price of this comes with screw hole covers!) and you have to be a serious Macross F apologist to get this one. Hopefully they'll make another someday, because this is a cool design if you like the show. If you don't like the show you're probably won't be reading the review and hating on this anyway.
Honestly, hold it in person, and you'll see what I mean.
"You really have to have one in your hands to make up your mind. While it will just sit on its stand on a shelf, the arms joints are so weak, and the ship-mode flop is so much of an issue that it just makes this thing a big disappointment. Throw in the size and those ugly screw holes (which a SOC which is half the price of this comes with screw hole covers!) and you have to be a serious Macross F apologist to get this one."
Macross F apologist for a high-end toy convicted of sinking down a seedy low?
In other words, an apologist equals the squealing pig who lies in the mud of shame.
-R78
To clarify, sometimes people will buy stuff like this, feel bad that it sucks and they spent $$$, and they swear up and down "it's not that bad", or make some other excuse to feel better for buying it.
When I was at the shop this kid behind me kept saying that he bought one and it wasn't so bad. I let it flop again in my hand and gave him a "really?" look. That's what made me think of it.
See seraph2011's comment above too...
Maybe it's not apologist in the dictionary definition of the word but hopefully you get my meaning.
Seraph2011's comment is highly agreeable & I got what you said before The Big R--which is why that kid you've confronted in the store justified my statement of an apologist. You've caught a haughty pig off-guard by addressing the fact of guilt that he was covering & squealed away.
This is why the Bandai Macross F Staff continues to produce these flaws for a questionable price because people keep looking the other way, so they buy them anyway just to make themselves feel secure,& making false hopes for the next collectible to be flawless.
I've find it mystifying & frustrating that the people who overly complains in forums about these quality issues the company's keep making when they themselves are accessories to these issues by covering up by being apologetic about it.
This is the kind of problem that's plaguing the fan market for a long time & The DX Quarter is a testament of that problem. How long are most collectors(but not all mind you) gonna keep lying to themselves for the guilty to prevail? Is consumer bankruptcy the answer? You better damn well hope it isn't.
From a personal experience, I think apologism is the one of the deadliest type of lies in this world right next to statistics.
-R78
Not to steal the spotlight, but I agree with a lot of that, and can't entirely claim innocence either.
I've got an order right now for the DX Gosei Great from "Goseiger". Really the only reason I'm getting it is to cover it for CDX, but I wonder if, in buying it, I'm reinforcing to Bandai that it's a "good" product? Now I feel guilty and ashamed for promoting a crap toy.
Were it up to me, I don't think I would get much of anything that's in "Goseiger" right now. I have intentional gaps in my Super Sentai collection, but it often takes a lot to make me turn away completely.
------------------------------
CollectionDX Staff
Please keep in mind EVA that everything that I've just said here doesn't mean that I'm pointing fingers at anybody in this website. I'm speaking out against an anonymous public reference here.
To be fair, I too take some blame at this b/c I've paid Bandai a Macross F VF25S 1/60 Ozma Valk for a hundred-some smackers, & I'm not gonna cover it's faults about it(I'm bummed that there's no beam sword + retractable hands), so I'm taking heed w/ the 'Caveat Emptor' advice given to me by Lt. Dirk Niblick.
If I really want another one just b/c it looks cool & I can live with the QC, I rather buy it for 50% off than to pay a higher tag that's unjustified.
If you're just buying or getting a sample/discount/whatever of a DX Gosei Great from Bandai for public critique, I don't see how's that harboring the manufacturer's fault if you're laying out all it's deck of cards to the public.
Whether it 'passes' or 'fails' you'll be helping the viewers in deciding if they want to invest in a model based on your honest, professional viewpoints of it as Atom just did.
-R78
Transformers Galaxy Force Primus or Universe Unicron... What you say? These toys have nothing to do with this post?! But yet they're wicked cool!
Macross Frontier is a great show,no doubt. That doesn't mean I "owe it to them" to buy shitty merchandise. Unfortunately it seems like many anime fans feel like they are obligated to spend a thousand dollars on bullshit,then defend the companies who made it,since "well,I like the show,and it's not that bad......"
You guys don't see what he's like at home! He really does love me,and he promised he'll go to therapy and never hit me again,and everything will be great from now on!
---------------------------------------------
A master of mind control who hides inside a Ford Pickup
Exactly, man. Collectors keep going back for another black eye.
I love how the comments and content of this review have turned anyone who legitimately likes this toy for being a large, extremely detailed, poseable, solid (in robot), and visually striking figure into an "apologist" who supports *lousy* products like some sort of abused toy-line housewife.
Bravo!
EDIT: Just removed the swear. Ben.
This has happened with every large and expensive figure review lately for one reason or another.
http://prometheusrising.wordpress.com
Bit of a one sided review if you ask me. Kind'a like you made up your mind and skewed your review to match it. I mean come on no picture of the it holding the flight deck? Thats one of its best poses. And you could have shown that the elevator caps come off (did you even know?). Could gone into the detail of how all the cannon are posable, how the 'feet' work. I can get mine to stand on one leg holding both the Cannon and Flight Deck, you could have explored the possibility of Attach Mode a lot further (or did you not try to see what it was capable of).
Does this toy have problems (so does every toy I have). Yep, Cruiser Mode is a floppy mess but Attack Mode more then makes up to it in its possibility. I have this toy, I LIKE IT (their a said it). Worth $200, maybe, maybe not. Not really your decision too make for us the audience. Honestly I didn't expect much when I bought it but when I got it home and started to fiddle with it I was pleasantly surprised how much you could do with it an Attach Mode (so much so that you don't even need the crappy stand that comes with it). Surprised enough that I can got over the floppy Cruiser Mode (mine can hold the gun and flight deck without dropping it in Cruiser Mode so I don't know what your doing wrong). And I didn't have any problem transforming it. None. No blood loss. No swearing. No crying out to the Gods. Just a little patience was needed and it all came together. Shrug. Don't know what your issue was but like anything it gets easier once you do it a couple of time.
...Now now don't get me wrong. I glad you took the time to post a review (I could have done one but lets face it. I'm a lazy lurker) But a review should be a guide to an opinion and not the other way around. So maybe a little more on the features and a little less of a rant? Just a suggestion.
...
thank you very much. I agree that this review does not provide the proper insight into the quality of this toy but jumps into a one-sided conclusion based on its few shortcomings. It's unfortunate because some prospective buyers may actually miss out on a great toy after reading a biased review.
I appreciate Atom for the review but also feel that reviews should be factual, detail-oriented, and less opinionated. A one word "FAIL" title without proper backup is a bit over the top.
Atom's review is hardly one sided when you handle it in person.
Go pick one up, and let us know what you think, once you've shelled out the cash, and handled it for a while.
Chogojin already has it. His impressions are further up.
Edit: So, your response to the two people that own it and have said that they like it is "Handle it in person".
...
whoops, I missed that sentence.
Well to each his own. That's why this place is fun, we have differing opinions, and you can use a review and it's comments to judge for yourself...
Me, I like to spend my money on something that is worth it, without having to make excuses to myself about it. Why spend so much money on something mediocre when you can spend your money on something good and classic? I think your $200 is better spent towards the old Takatoku Macross or the Matchbox SDF-1 - but that's me. There's so much out there that is great that I just can't see spending money on something that really isn't worth it. Am I crying in my beer because the Quarter isn't that cool? No, because my $200 can be spent now on something cool and vintage, or that vinyl I always wanted, or maybe that BPX Yamato I've been sleeping on for years now... or 1,000 other things more worth it.
I thought CMs Legioss set sucked, so I didn't buy it, and behold, my waiting was worth it, my "enemy" Toynami came out with one of their own that was very nice for the money.
Maybe I have pretty high standards, but I can't justify spending big money on new transforming toys that suck. I've noticed a trend to diss on the more expensive stuff lately and maybe it's because it's no good? I'm a Macross nut and have had almost every version of the big ship you can imagine at one point or another, so this is one I would have bought sight unseen, and I'm glad I stopped by that shop on a whim to check it out in person. But I don't get my panties in a bunch when someone disses on something I like.
When you give a company a lot of money for a toy, and it sucks, and you still buy it, you're sending the message with your wallet that says "this is ok and I will buy more similar." Spin that however you want, but it's the truth; there's no incentive to innovate or better yourself with complacency without critique.
That's how we get so many bad products over the last five to ten years, because fans are willing to shell out big money for mediocre stuff, so that's what companies will give us, over and over again.
But please, please show me where I can find a Takatoku Macross for 200 dollars. If you're selling one, I have $200 for you.
It's in your dreams, 1st shelf on the right ;)
At least it's a start towards saving for one. I bought mine in the 90's for $300- and sold it 7 years ago for enough to buy a Matchbox one and then some.
I respect your opinion but my way of doing things is clearly better.
So glad you could offer your intelligent insight.
Between the two of you, there's another 50 posts to this thread.
Ready? Go!
I just feel like your suggestions are detrimental to this review thread. We already had an article about toy value and bringing it up further always leads to the same endless debate.
And I just feel like yours are just as detrimental. "I can't pay attention to your rant when the Quarter is being so awesome." isn't funny or useful. By the same token that I bring up value, you are always trying to bait others into an argument.
You have your percieved value and opinion and so do I.
We agree to disagree.
Well that was directed at Eva's dumb "why does a battleship need hands" tangent not so much this toy.
I'm merely asking you for some posting discretion. Telling people to go buy a completely just baits more pointless value bickering.
"I respect your opinion but my way of doing things is clearly better."
That's because your state of intel's inorganic. It's as cold as diecast metal. A lost art in America but nevertheless a masterpiece.
-R78
Done it. Love it. Don't see his beefs. And I actually PAID for it.
Sussed, I totally agree this toy is very cool I didn't care about the price but wanted it and am very satisfied. It's not so bad. I feel "Atom" had it in for this toy before it was out of the box. I've seen his reviews of lesser toys... nuff said.
"Does make me wonder, where does it put the beam cannon when it needs both hands?"
Vector trap.
Watch the Anime... It's really good stuff.