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Valkyrie is a transforming fighter that appeared in "The Super Dimension Fortress MACROSS". In 1982, when the TV series was broadcast, there was a finished model that perfectly reproduced its transformation mechanism. This is the 1/55 scale Battroid Valkyrie, currently on sale as "Origin of Valkyrie". How was the perfect transformation ver. A.N.I.M.E. of Valkyrie, which has never faded, created?
In this section, I want to follow the pace.

■ launch of planning

--In 1982, Takeo Mitsui was the manager of the planning department at Takatoku Toys. First, I would like to ask Mitsui about the launch of product planning for "The Super Dimension Fortress MACROSS."

MitsuiWhen the project was brought in by Mr. BigWest, my boss at the time asked me to think about what kind of product I could make with this work. However, the top of Takatoku Toys wanted to compete with the MACROSS ship instead of Valkyrie. It seems that you were attracted to the fun of transforming a super-dreadnought into a robot. However, we wanted to focus on Valkyrie as the Planning Division. I don't know what the show is yet, but I thought Valkyrie would be more fun as a toy than MACROSS. So, when I submitted a plan for the lineup centered on Valkyrie, I was angry from above saying "What are you thinking!". After spending a week or two exchanging opinions with other sections in the company, the manager of the Planning Division understood our feelings. In this way, we were finally able to bring Valkyrie to the center of product planning.

■ beginning of create products

--Without the efforts of Mitsui and his planning team at this time, the possibility that 1/55 Valkyrie would be born would have been as close to zero as possible. If Takatoku Toys had been developing products centered on MACROSS ships instead of Valkyrie, the history of transforming robots might have changed ...
Where the product planning has been established, the next step is let's attention to the site of the specific product making.

MitsuiThe design of Valkyrie was wonderful, but I had doubts about whether it could really transform completely. When I presented this idea to Kawamori (Masaharu), he brought me a paper model he had made from paper and toothpicks. After that, Kawamori suggested that he (Studio Nue) make a prototype. In order to complete ver. A.N.I.M.E. he had in mind, he wanted to ask a prototype maker he could trust. Less than two months later, the wooden model of Valkyrie was ready. It was a very high-quality model, and when I showed it to the managing director, we finally got the approval for Valkyrie.

■ Attention to detail in transformation ver. A.N.I.M.E.

- A wooden model of Kawamori's intimacy in the reference, so that the prototype is made. 1/55 Valkyrie prototype that was responsible for the production of was Matsushiro, known for such radio Tron (the so-called radio-controlled) and toy gun manufacturing. Mitsui Mr. If it had not been for the design part of Matsushiro, says 1/55 Valkyrie did not become a so good commodity.

MitsuiMatsushiro's design department was packed with talented people. The person who wrote the design drawings was especially amazing. Usually, blueprints use many sheets of paper, such as parts drawings and development drawings, but this person wrote all the blueprints on one large piece of graph paper. Moreover, they were drawn with solid and dotted lines, and if you look closely, you can see three lines in a 1mm grid, so it was really precise. Moreover, there are people in the company who can read the pattern drawings and parts drawings properly, so they come up with wonderful things. I trusted that and asked Matsushiro to make Valkyrie as well. So they came up with a prototype, but it felt a little more angular than the Valkyrie in the animation. Matsushiro's technical person said that "this fits better," so I trusted him and left it to him. It's true that transforming a robot of this size into another shape puts a lot of strain on the hinges and joints. I was convinced that this shape was born from that calculation. Each transformation ver. A.N.I.M.E. is well-defined, and there are ratchets all over the body, so it's clear that they made it without considering profitability. I think some products will sell because they're close to the shape in the anime, but with Valkyrie, we decided to prioritize the completeness of the transformation model.

■ fame to blockbuster

- In this way, VF-1J (Hikaru Ichijyo type) is released in November 1982. The same year of the end of the year shipped 20 million units or more in the season, grew suddenly into a hit product. Then, (February 1983) 1/55 Valkyrie series VF-1S of Takatoku Toys, VF-1J Max type (April 1983), VF-1J Miria type (April 1983), VF-1A (1983 all five will be released in July). Furthermore Armored Valkyrie (May 1983), option parts have also been commercialized, such as Super Valkyrie (February 1984). These 1/55 Valkyrie shipments of the series, has topped a total of 100 million units at the time of the 1983 year-end. It should be noted that, with respect to VF-1D of recovery seat type for production line was filled with other products, that the release has been postponed.

MitsuiValkyrie's products mean that we were doing a project for high targets more than 20 years ago. At that time, Takatoku Toys had "Time Bokan" and combined robot routes, but I wanted to try high-targeted ones as well. I think "MACROSS" came there at just the right time.

■ bankruptcy of Takatoku Toys

-- Unfortunately, Takatokutois went bankrupt on May 25, 1984. It was a time when the release of the The Movie "Do you remember love?" After the bankruptcy of Takatokutois, the 1/55 Valkyrie was produced for overseas by Matsushiro, who managed the molds. However, when Matsushiro fell into a financial crisis, Valkyrie's mold was transferred to Bandai (Matsushiro continued to produce it).

Looking for the origin of the origin-of-Valkyrie continues to (Part II)

Origin Of Valkyrie
Super Valkyrie VF-1A (Hikaru Hikaru)


Price: 9,450 yen(tax included)
Release Date: August 30, 2008
Target: 15-year-old -


Product Details page, click here

 

Takeo Mitsui(Takeo Mitsui)
1950 October 27, / Born in Tokyo.

1974 Takatoku joined. "Time Bokan series," "adventure family here planet address 0" at the company was responsible for product planning of mainly TV characters such as. Established Bee craft in 1984.
Now also in action around the industrial design.

 

Koji Igarashi(Koji Igarashi)
Born in 1968. / Aomori Prefecture born

- The first time 1/55 Valkyrie in hand VF-1S Roy Focker Special
- As an editor, other hobby magazine various, involved various books, to the manual of the DVD and CD