VF-2SS Valkyrie II   -Transform Line Art-

In 1982, I was shocked by the first appearance of the Valkyrie on TV animation. It was stunning that an F-14ish aircraft instantly changed its shape to a humanoid robot. I couldn't really understand what's happening inside the TV screen. I tried my best to catch the story going by just watching vaguely, but I am still remembering my excitement and views then vividly. That amazing transform system of the first Valkyrie has been succeeded straight-ahead by that of Valkyrie II.

As you know, a mecha-genre Valkyrie has been established by Shoji Kawamori thanking for his excellent idea and talented creativity, regardless of strange plots of animation story. It is a great achievement in the mecha-design history that everybody can admire. However, his later Valkyries are too much weighted in aircraft design. In simple terms, "Cool Fighter, Ugly Battroid".

I understand that reality in shape is important. For example, Bandai designers have been trying to make Z Gundam's Wave Rider vertically thinner to look more like an aircraft. In the same manner, Kawamori's Valkyries since the first to the latest are always conscious for Fighter mode. On the other hand styling of Battroid mode tends to sacrifice. Worse than that, Kawamori abandoned his created marvelous transform system itself.

The advantage of transform system of the first Valkyrie is that total deformation can be done by only movement of each block part. However, other Kawamori's Valkyries abandoned this way and they cut some block parts into smaller pieces to transform in complicated sequence. It doesn't count strength and safety as a weapon. It is like different anime series "The Transformers" putting priority to only form the shape of aircrafts and vehicles. Valkyrie shouldn't be such "Origami" transformation. Unfortunately, Kawamori's Valkyries after VF-2SS don't have the fire and excitement of his first Valkyrie any longer.

As the name shows, Valkyrie II is the official 2nd successor of the first Kawamori's Valkyrie and have maintained its smart mechanism of transformation. Regardless of anime stories and personal intention of creators, main Valkyrie pedigree should be the line from the first to II (VF-2SS) form the viewpoint of mecha-design and the theory of model fans. I am worrying about too much influence of the theory of anime fans and Kawamori's authority over Macross series.

Once products and arts are released, their "Brand" is open for anybody and no longer possessed by manufactures and creators because they will be owned and nurtured by users. So called "Brand Image" is what fans and users think about them inside their mind. Many Japanese manufacturers and creators are very unconcerned about this important fact. 

As a model fan, I really wish VF-2SS Valkyrie II is duly recognised as the greatest mecha-design ever and known by as many model fans as possible.