Dave's Toy Rant: VF-17 Stealth Valkyrie

     The Stealth Valk is a toy from the Macross 7 series, and is only available
in specialty shops here in the US.  The price is $65-75 depending on your area,
about half of which was basically shipping and miscellaneous expenses.

CAPSULE:

     Sturdy plastic construction, joints move like silk yet are tight enough to
stay put, Battroid and jet modes are stable and look magnificent (gerwalk is a 
little weak, but still good), very poseable, complex yet not impossible 
transformations.  I love this toy.  If not for the price, I'd recommend you all
go out and get one immediately.  Easily worth $30-35.

RANT:

     Jet mode: Futuristic stealth fighter, it incorporates many aspects of 
modern low-visibility design and has a minimum of "undercarriage garbage" to 
contend with.  Very smooth lines, very well held together (a few pegs and slots
help here).  My only quibble is that there isn't really a place to put the gun 
in jet mode, but it can fit into a bolt hole in one of the tail fins and line 
up along the centerline.

     Gerwalk: A bit weak and disappointing, especially with all the wing stuff 
hanging off the back.  The official gerwalk transform has no hands, instead 
having stub arms with guns on them, but there's nothing physically preventing 
you from fully deploying the arms.

     Battroid mode: Very nice.  Has a feeling of solidity that the Korean 
knockoff VF-1J utterly lacks.  Knees only really bend in chicken fashion, 
limiting poseability, but the arms are super-poseable.

     Transformation: Has a number of parts that move solely for the sake of 
making the transformation go more smoothly, a definite plus.  Nothing has to be
forced, and it all goes nice and smoothly.

     Instructions: Believe it or not, despite being written in Japanese, 
they're easier to follow than most instruction sets I've found for toys 
(especially the ExoSquad stuff).  Part of this, I think, is due to an 
assumption that the buyers might not be able to read Japanese, so everything is
diagrammed out in more than one angle of view.  Very clear, very helpful.

     Stickers: Nothing to write home about.  A dozen foil-backed stickers, 
mostly trim.

     Gimmicks: None.  Just a really good, solid toy.

     Dave Van Domelen, couldn't find Cheetor, but thinks Stealth Valk makes a 
good consolation, yes?