1/60 Macross Zero VF-0S Phoenix Transformable – Available From HobbyLink Japan
By Cacophanus from Mecha Damashii
Back in 2006, Yamato released its VF-0S from Macross Zero. It was a decent toy and one of the transforming versions of the design available. Well, a decade later Arcadia has decided to revisit the design and they have done a thoroughly excellent job.
Macross Zero acts as a prequel to the original Macross TV series; set in an alternate 2008, it depicts the end of the United Nations Wars and the conflict around a mysterious Protoculture artifact.
In addition both the UN and Anti-UN forces have initial variable fighter prototypes reverse engineered from the technology discovered aboard the crash landed ASS-1, later to be the SDF-1 Macross.
The Anti-UN’s effort is the SV-51 whereas the UN has the VF-0. Both are capable machines but the VF-0 is the basis for the later VF-1 which would appear later on.
As it is a stop gap prototype acting as an extended test bed for the VF-1, there are some things it does a little differently — namely, the engines in the legs are conventional ones and as such the VF-0 is quite a bit taller in battroid mode as a consequence.
This particular VF-0S is the ride of choice by none other than Roy Focker and he is as adept at its usage as he later would be with the VF-1.
To be honest, I love Macross Zero. It merged traditional 2D animation with 3D models for a unique result. My friends in Western animation also rave about the series and call it one of the most impressive works they’ve ever seen; they are not wrong.
It also has a fascinating story and shows that Protoculture were indeed on Earth long before the ASS-1 crash landed.
Considering that Macross Zero was a side story OVA, I was amazed back in 2006 that Yamato would do toys from the series. They were pretty good, too, but were somewhat frail.
This new VF-0S though is an all new toy though, and has been redesigned from the ground up, to the extent that there is a lot more diecast being used now.
On the surface this may just look like another re-release but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Arcadia has really gone all out on this one.
The full review should go up soon, so keep an eye out for that!
