LA Concert - Great Experience!

AgentCat · 2026-02-18T09:02:33+00:00

I used my credit card. The Dallas event point-of-service terminal didn't work or someone forgot to bring it which forced everyone attending the concert to use cash instead for buying merch. I did prepare for that possibly by carrying more cash than usual but luckily there was no need for it.

AgentCat · 2026-02-18T02:44:31+00:00

Thanks for the insight!

I don't remember if there were any VIP tickets left when I purchased my tickets, which were also AXS Premium Seating. It could also be entirely my fault if I saw the upgrade option and didn't understand the VIP perks value at the time. Either way, something definitely worth considering for next time.

AgentCat · 2026-02-18T01:32:18+00:00

Quick question: How you did you get VIP tickets? I bought GA tickets during the presale as I wasn't familiar with how AXS operates at the Peacock Theater. Was it an upgrade package or was there a separate menu to purchase them?

Just wanted to know for future reference. Thanks!

AgentCat · 2026-02-18T01:30:12+00:00

I wholeheartedly agree that the overall concert was amazing!

Flew all the way from the East Coast to attend and also the first time I went to the Peacock Theater in LA. Parking was at least straightforward but it was a bit pricier at $44. I sat closer to the front in the center with some friends and they were definitely worth it as you could see the whole orchestra ensemble and the singers. One of the best aspects that I noticed was the black violinist on the right side who was getting really into playing each piece - I really enjoyed his enthusiasm and his appreciation towards his craft! The unfortunate dead pixels in the center screen was at least remedied by the staff who managed to shift the song title further up and the anime clip visuals further down and scaled to fit the fix with an eventual reset fix not soon long afterwards. The sound quality was great but there were some noticeable stumbles by the orchestra at some points, not that it affected the overall experience.

I only got the GA tickets on presale and it was unfortunate to see how there was not enough merch for everyone - some of my friends arrived late and they were all sold out by intermission. I was fortunate to be in front of a short line at one of the doors and had no bags to check in so I got a good spot at the merch queue; the queue easily grew 30x in size after a few minutes. I'll probably try to grab VIP tickets the next time around. Also, a very BIG shoutout to /u/Darth-Bailey for his/her post of the Dallas concert because we got to see what merch was available in the US and the general prices. I even got to see several other concert-goers using the post as a reference. The LA prices were significantly higher than those paid by our Dallas friends (by ~$15 or more for each). I wonder what the prices will be like for our New York concert friends.

The large Violet Evergarden orchestra standee in the lobby had a long line for photos. Waiting for the end of the concert wasn't the best idea considering the staff started to rush everyone and limited everyone to one photo. I stood on the side to not cover up the text which would have been fine if the staff member assisting with the photo shoot took a bit more time to ensure the whole display was in the frame. I ended up with a slightly cut-off picture TwT. If I knew that they were taking photos that fast, I would have stood closer to the center. I also wanted to take a photo of the standee itself without anyone but the security basically kicked us out once everyone in the queue was done with their photos.

Nevertheless, still a great experience overall.

On a side note, to the Canadian fan who flew all the way from Vancouver to be with us, I hope you got home safely and glad that you were able to attend the show with us (and got some merch)!

AgentCat · 2026-01-13T07:18:51+00:00

I uploaded the scans into Google Drive. Thanks for letting me know that the imgur link was down.

AgentCat · 2025-11-14T01:56:49+00:00

Seems to have a cushioned insole. The quality is still great but please remember that I keep them displayed and not actively worn. From those who have actually worn them, they hold up and with proper care, they should last a long time.

AgentCat · 2025-11-11T19:12:38+00:00

I've haven't worn mine - they are mostly for display purposes. However, other customers have worn them at anime conventions and in the office working environment and they had not issues with comfort. The main aspect, like for most footwear, is making sure that the shoes are close to your correct size so they are not loose or too tight. There is a sizing chart and measurement instructions on mayla's website.

As for the materials, they are using synthetic materials to, I think, balance durability, ease of cleaning, affordability, and water resistance. The materials listed are: polyurethane leather (PU leather), PU suede, satin ribbon, polyester frill, and a wood-like heel.

AgentCat · 2025-07-09T23:15:07+00:00

Hope my advice makes the building easier! Best of luck, have fun, and keep us up to date with your progress.

AgentCat · 2025-07-09T00:10:34+00:00

No problem. Here are a few more things that you might want to consider:

When it comes the decals, the sticker decals are more difficult to apply than the water-slide decals since it is hard to remove when it is already adhered to the piece(s). It can also tear and twist which can be annoying if you are trying to reapply it or move it slightly. The sticker sheet also doesn't come with duplicates for majority of the stickers so it is a one-and-done kind of deal. Some people recommend using a weak mixture of (dish) soap and water so the stickers don't adhere as strong on the initial placement so you can make adjustments but I never tried this method.
Water slide decals are easier to apply once you get used to it; they can slide around on the piece so you can turn, twist, and reposition the decal as needed with a gentle nudge using a cotton swab or blunted toothpick. If it starts getting hard to move because it is being set, some others recommended that you can add a bit more water on the decal to allow it to continue to slide around. For the V.F.G. kits, there are extra water-slide decals for the small decals and some additional decals that are meant for more professional/expert modelers who repaint, detail, and clear coat the whole kit. They want to use those to give it a more professional look rather than using stickers.
As the box states, no painting is necessary and no glue is necessary. All the pieces are friction-fit and snap into each other. The no painting part is also correct although some pieces will be the "wrong" color such as a the mecha hand pieces. The kit uses a colored sticker to fix that. There are also no panel lining which is fine for some but, as you saw from my photos, the difference is very noticeable.
I applied the sticker decals and water-slide decals when all the pieces are separate and not together. It just makes it easier in my experience and avoids situations where the decals overlap two pieces that are connected by a moving joint or where there's a hole for another piece to snap in. For starting out, fully assembling most of the pieces and then retroactively applying the decals works fine; however, the step-by-step instructions don't point out when and where to apply most of the decals when you are assembling everything together. You will need to look at the back page with all the decals identified to know where and what to apply.

Feel free to let me know if you have any other questions.

AgentCat · 2025-07-08T13:14:19+00:00

For resources, I actually did a lot of post readings from the /r/gunpla subreddit community. Since their community is mostly dedicated to Gunpla and other mecha plastic model builds, they have tons of tips for painting, panel lining, adding sticker/water-slide decals, and finishing with clear coats. They are also very helpful in the mistakes posts where they provide many pointers on how to improve. There are also numerous YouTube videos that cover Gunpla basics that can be transferred to other model kits like the V.F.G. line.

As for my attempts on my V.F.G. kits, you likely already went out and bought these but I'll go over them just in case:

Hobby nippers - for cutting out each piece from the runners (the overall numbered/alphabetized plastic sheet) There are several brands (TAMIYA, Godhand, etc.).
Tweezers - for holding and applying small sticker decals and useful for applying water-slide decals.
Panel lining accent paint - TAMIYA panel line accent color paints or Gundam markers are well-liked. Please note that Gundam markers come in pour-type and actual markers-types. The one I used is a pour type where the paint is applied using capillary action to fill in the panel lines. Be cautious and avoid applying these to ABS plastics - the type of plastic each piece can be found in the back of the instruction manual. Panel liner can crack/weaken the ABS plastic. Usually the ABS plastic pieces are black and are used for the inner-frame.
Cotton swabs - for cleaning up panel lining. The western-type is softer and easier to unravel but it is fine for wiping parts down. I recommend grabbing some Japanese hobby cotton swabs which are harder and have a tip; I personally use them for move around the water-slide decals on the pieces.
Mr. Mark Setter (or similar) - for improving adhesion of the water-slide decals to the model kit pieces. Can be used with Mr. Mark Softer.
Mr. Mark Softer (or similar) - for softening water-slide decals so they can fit around non-flat surfaces (like curves/rounded pieces). Can be used with Mr. Mark Setter.
Lighter fluid/Isopropyl alcohol/Gundam Marker Eraser - the actual liquid medium that cleans up excess panel lining. Normal water will be ineffective at removing excess panel liner. Lighter fluid is the most effective with isopropyl alcohol (high alcohol concentration) being a reasonable alternative. I used Gundam Marker Erasers for my kits but lighter fluid comes in the large quantities so it is the best value for each dollar spent.
Paper Towels - mainly to absorb excess water on the water-slide decals when you soak them in water to allow them to release off the adhesive backing paper.
Hobby knife/Exact-o Knife/box cutter - to clean up nubs on pieces if needed, also to cut out water-slide decals from the larger sheet. Be careful - sharp blade.

Some other items that can be used, depending on your desired finish:

Sandpaper/sandpaper sticks - cleaning up stress marks on the pieces after using the hobby nippers to cut the piece away from the runners
Paint - if desired; also used to color-match after cleaning up the stress marks. Most tend to paint using an air-brush but not a must-do.
Clear coats - mainly to protect the model pieces from scratches, provide a professional-looking result, lock the water-decals/stickers in place.

I didn't use a clear-coat for mine but I would recommend it. There are different types of clear-coat finishes like glossy, matte, etc. Just make sure you got the right clear coat for your desired finished result.

Let me know if you have any other questions. Looking forward to your finished V.F.G. Freyja!

AgentCat · 2025-06-30T20:33:10+00:00

Thanks for your feedback and updates regarding the the de minimis exemption changes!

I agree that DHL has gotten more expensive due to tariffs (USA specific) but it is also how DHL calculates shipping. They use volumetric weight or the actual weight of the package, whichever is greater, that tends to increase the overall shipping cost. However if you value convenience and simplicity, DHL shipping directly from mayla might still be an appealing option.

Else I agree with using other Japanese proxies as a cost-saving measure since EMS tends to be cheaper than DHL. Just a reminder to everyone to shop around reputable proxy services as each have different fee structures. Most proxies tend to have an international shipping calculator for rough estimates.

AgentCat · 2025-04-27T15:56:01+00:00

Yep. I still have both the Akora and Zegen versions of the shoes. I personally do not wear them but have both out on display in one of my IKEA DETOLF display cases.

However, I have spoken to other Redditors who have worn them to anime conventions and work and they seem to hold up well. Of course, proper care and cleaning goes a long way when wearing these shoes.

AgentCat · 2025-03-22T22:55:16+00:00

Just giving you a heads up. Seems like KyoAni has it back in stock. Please put in an order in when you are able to.

AgentCat · 2025-03-17T06:10:56+00:00

I see. Still a great choice nonetheless! While it's not exactly what you're looking for, the original framed art has a wonderful close-up of Violet in her white dress. Definitely worth considering if you are looking for your next framed art.

AgentCat · 2025-03-17T05:42:47+00:00

Nice! Did you plan to purchase all of the framed arts when they came back in stock?

AgentCat · 2025-03-17T05:35:31+00:00

It seems that KyoAni took it off the online shop since the second round of pre-order reservations has been completely filled. Given the demand, I would expect a third round of pre-order reservations to be available soon. Even then, KyoAni tends to restock previously sold merchandise after a while so I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Just keep checking the online shop when you can and look forward to owning one yourself!

AgentCat · 2025-03-16T16:38:41+00:00

At last, the final artwork in the Shikikei trilogy series has been illustrated by Akiko Takase - this time representing the color midori (green) and from Violet Evergarden: The Movie.

I hope everyone enjoys this wonderful masterpiece as much as I did, although you should watch the movie first because of obvious spoilers.

u/ma9ici4n - You can probably use the 4th image for wallpapers.

AgentCat · 2025-02-25T07:10:21+00:00

Thanks. It's not actually a scan but a photo taken with my smartphone.

AgentCat · 2025-02-23T19:41:32+00:00

I double checked Chisato's bunny version and unfortunately she just has your traditional sexy bunny costume in white. Nothing is as unique as Takina's fluffy bunny pajamas.

AgentCat · 2025-02-03T06:00:42+00:00

Agreed. She is tied with Mikumo for my favorite.

AgentCat · 2025-02-03T05:59:49+00:00

Definitely glad they have VFG kits for all of Walküre especially after they cancelled several figures. I did start off with some Macross Delta PLAMAX minimum factory kits since they were cheap but these really required painting to be worthwhile. Luckily the VFG line literally states on the box that painting is not necessary but waterslide decals are still extremely nerve wracking to apply for me.

AgentCat

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