Update: Pre-ordering seems to have stopped at Over-Drive-Inc.
Update: just found out that you can pre-order the VF-25 Messiah Armored at Over Drive Inc for $110 (shipping not included). You are going to have to pay upfront though then wait for the release in September or even longer if Bandai pushes out the release date.
Just saw this on the Tamashii site, an announcement for the Alto Saotome version of the VF-25 Messiah Armored Pack. Supposed to be that there is no definite date of release, so I'm not sure why the order form says that it will be available by October 2009. It will cost around Y6,500 yen (VF-25 Messiah not included, omochiron!).
Parts include the chest armor, 2 Micro Missile Pods with hatches that open, 2 Arm armor, Groin Armor, Shield armor, 2 Air Engine Intake armor, 2 Leg Armor, a Back Dome and 2 wing boosters.
From my understanding of this is that there is a display stand with 3 configuration modes to hold the VF (Valkyrie, Gerwalk and Battloid)
Previously they had already announced a Ozma Lee version of the armored pack. Which basically means just having the yellow gray color scheme. The Armored pack dates all the way back to Macross Zero in the Macross timeline but was first seen in the original series as the GBP-1S. The difference between those versions and this version is that the VF can transform. Previous versions had the pilot ejecting his armor before he could switch modes. What hasn't changed though is how the VF moves sluggishly when it is wearing the armor. Other than the VF-25, the more recent VF I saw wearing an armored pack was a VF-11B in Macross 7.
Yamato Toys also recently announced a 1/60 Armored VF-1J of Hikaru Ichijo as well as a separate Armored Valkyrie set for the 1/60 series of Valkyries.
There was also an announcement for a Fold-Clear version of a VF-25 Messiah. But no further details on that though on the Tamashii web site. I guess once they display it today at the 48th Shizuoka Hobby Show we'd be able to get more details from other blogs about it.
Bandai will also release by August a 1/60 DX Chogokin VF-25S Armored Messiah piloted by Skull Squadron Leader Ozma Lee. But I guess what everybody is excited to know is when Bandai will release a DX Chogokin 1/60 scale version of Brera Stern's VF-27 Lucifer.
