[Soul Review] "Hi-Metal R VF-4 Lightning III".Variable toy latest work that is easy to deform and consider evolution from VF-1

[Writer: Tetsuya Katsuta]

A writer who loves superalloys and Western games. The author has been enthusiastically talking about the "DX Chogokin Macross" series since before the serialization, but there are still many products that he regrets not buying. I still think that I should have gotten a standard version of the YF-27 and a standard version of the VF-171. I would like to expect new developments in the Macross series (picture: Azuno Tachibana)

My favorite is the "DX Chogokin" series of BANDAI SPIRITS "Macross" series products. In addition, the small-scale "HI-METAL R" series also collects "Macross" related items. What I would like to take up this time is "HI-METAL R VF-4 Lightning III".

``VF-4 Lightning III (hereinafter referred to as VF-4)'' can be said to be a minor machine among Macross' variable fighter Valkyrie. The video exhibition only appeared in the 1987 OVA "Super Dimension Fortress Macross Flash Back 2012". At this time, it was only in flight mode, and when it appeared in the game later, three transformed forms and a transformation system were released. As a toy, the completely transformable model released by Yamato was particularly popular with fans, but I have not obtained it. This is the first VF-4 three-dimensional object.

For this reason, although I can't compare it with the previous product, I felt that the "HI-METAL R VF-4 Lightning III" was a cool, playful and very fun product. In terms of design, fun ideas are included as an “evolution of VF-1”. Valkyrie has undergone various evolutions based on VF-1. I felt a different direction from VF-11, VF-19, VF-25, etc. This time, I would like to talk about the fun of the design, and the charm of the product with the transformation system.