Macross 7 Tiny Session VF-19 Kai Basara Review

With my recent return to SRW Alpha 3, I thought it was the perfect time to share my photo collection of the Tiny Session VF-19 Kai Basara. These are some of the most extensive photos I took before moving to a new place. Among all the Macross series I’ve watched, I have a special admiration for Macross 7, largely because of Nekki Basara, who remains one of the most remarkable anomalies in the franchise. Out of respect for the series, this review will be more elaborate than usual—a small homage to Macross 7.

The VF-19 Excalibur is one of the high-end Variable Fighters in the Macross universe, typically reserved for elite UN Spacy pilots. How a civilian like Nekki Basara came to personally pilot such a high-performance mecha remains a mystery and as far as I can recall, it’s never fully explained explained either in the main series.

Despite some design limitations shared with the YF-19 in the Tiny Session lineup, the VF-19 Kai Basara remains one of the better Tiny Session releases, thanks to the extra details dedicated to Nekki Basara. The miniature Basara figure is undoubtedly the biggest selling point. Personally, I’d love to see the complete Fire Bomber team or Diamond Force in this format, but I doubt we’ll get a continuation anytime soon, given the lack of updates in this lineup.

I would also like to share some reflections on Nekki Basara based on my recent SRW Alpha 3 playthrough. Revisiting the game reminded me why Basara is my favorite Macross protagonist and why he’s one of the MVPs that make Alpha 3 such a standout SRW experience.

Nekki Basara is a true anomaly, not just within his own series, but within the entire Macross franchise. He is the only male singer protagonist, and many of his Fire Bomber songs are top-tier entries in the series’ music library—a key part of what makes Macross unique amongst mecha series. The series has always balanced the trifecta of love triangles, high-speed mecha battles, and music shaping humanity’s fate. Macross 7 reshapes that formula through Basara: a hero slightly eccentric by Macross standards, yet larger-than-life, capable of literally shaping reality with his songs.

While the Macross franchise will surely continue beyond Kawamori’s era, I doubt we’ll see another protagonist quite like Basara—someone so extravagantly heroic and iconic.

Given that I already have a Tiny Session YF-19 in my collection, I naturally did some group shots with the VF-19 Kai. While the Battroid mode of Tiny Session figures has its quirks, the fighter mode is always visually impressive. While Basara and Isamu might not make good pair because of their inherently different combat role, Isamu being free spirited fellow is more than capable to accomodate the larger than life attitude of Basara as shown in SRW Alpha 3.

During my trip to Japan in 2023, I picked up an acrylic stand of Nekki Basara, which I’ll continue using for any Macross 7 related reviews. I’m also open to adding more collectibles to my collection if the right pieces come along. After my positive experience with Macross 7 in SRW Alpha 3, I’m planning a rerun of the anime, as I remember it delivering very satisfying payoffs, even if it shares some early pacing issues reminiscent of Gaogaigar.