BLOG: 52nd Shizuoka Hobby Show – 1/144 Scale Gunpla
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The 52nd annual Shizuoka Hobby Show is currently ongoing from May 16 to 19 at Twin Messe Shizouka and features spring and summer hobby merchandise displays from various manufacturers. [HobbyLink Japan]
Aside from the big elephant in the room that is the MG RX-78-2 Gundam Ver.3.0, there are other Gunpla-related reveals in this year’s show. Following the announcements of new Blue Frame and Red Frame High Grade kits, Bandai is set to complete the lineup by releasing a proper Gold Frame Amatsu (or Amatu Mina as seen here) in 1/144 scale. Based on the sample seen on the show, it won’t use any gold-plated plastic and would instead use that swirly gold plastic seen in the PG Strike Freedom Gundam release.
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BLOG: MG RX-78-2 Gundam Ver.3.0 Announced
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Just days before Shizuoka Hobby Show 2013 starts, Bandai announces the next evolution of the MG line, or the RX-78-2 Gundam for that matter.
As the aptly named MG RX-78-Gundam Ver.3.0 suggests, this will be the fourth iteration (Ver.1.5 happened) of the mobile suit in the Master Grade line, not counting color variations, remolds or the One Year War version. For aesthetics, it will be based on the Real Grade — a complete departure from the anime-accurate Ver.2.0. While there are a lot of model kits deserving the 2.0 treatment, here’s another RX-78-2 Gundam. Will this set the standard of Master Grades in the future? Everyone will find out in the aforementioned hobby show.
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BLOG: threeA Portal 2 1/6 ATLAS & P-body
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The threeA x Valve collaboration kicks into high gear following their Halo releases as ATLAS and P-body, the pair of androids appearing in Portal 2 finally makes it to figure form.
These two were first teased in last year’s Re-Venture event and many were equally thrilled with that reveal. And after a year of waiting, threeA is now ready to accept pre-orders for this set. Yes, a set as these two will come in a special 2-figure box set exclusive form their Bambaland Store. No pricing or exact pre-order dates have been revealed so stay tuned for updates on these awesome figures.
1/12 scale anyone? >:( |
BLOG: ROBOT Damashii <Side MS> Shenlong Gundam
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There was quite a fuss yesterday after the pre-orders for S.H.Figuarts Sailor Moon & Masked Rider Blade went up. That said, here’s another figure open for pre-order though it’s the Tamashii Web Exclusive kind. Hassle.
As to why they made this guy a web exclusive is baffling, but what’s funny is that apparently, many are waiting for a Deathscythe or Deathscythe Hell release… disappointment. Either Bandai is saving the best for last with that figure or they’ll release it next with the original Wing Gundam being the last. Seriously, if they made the Wing Gundam a web exclusive… darn!
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BLOG: Transformazing Toys Trailer for FoC Optimus Prime & Ultra Magnus
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The rise of production costs has definitely taken a toll on the recent Transformers figures, from smaller sizes to hollow pieces. Such is the case of the Fall of Cybertron Optimus Prime/Ultra Magnus mold, often described as tiny.
Once more, another third-party group comes to the rescue as a new player going by the name Transformazing Toys (Not just for this Planet!) has revealed that they’ll release an add-on trailer for figure that will double as an armor upgrade similar to the City Commander and Battle Tanker. Other than the prototypes shown, no name or release information has been revealed for this set.
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BLOG: Today’s Robits – April 2013
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This is Today’s Robits – posts that showcase CATALOGUE-related acquisitions for the entire duration of the covered period. In other words, it’s all about this month’s hobby loot.
So here are today’s ROBOT Damashii Gundams or those ‘Gundams that don’t have a proper 1/144 High Grade model’. Possible reasons? Gundam Formula 91 – The HGUC line is still focused on Mobile Suit Gundam UC and thus, no HGUC Gundam Formula 91 in the foreseeable future.
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BLOG: Hot Toys Power Pose Collectible 1/6 Iron Man Mark XXXV (Red Snapper)
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This post will most likely come off as a rant more than anything.
Anyway, of all the armors that went flying around in Iron Man 3, the Mark XXXV (Red Snapper) armor appealed to this collector the most. And while it will come out in the 1/6 scale thanks to the guys at Hot Toys, it seems that those collecting the smaller 6" 1/12 scale aren’t as lucky. So unless Super Alloy or some other company does a 1/12 release, getting this guy would very well fall under the #wishfulthinking category.
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BLOG: threeA x Marvel Collaboration – The Invincible Iron Man
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Their blog post sums it up pretty much:
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BLOG: Super Robot Chogokin Shin Getter 1 OVA Version
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Bandai is totally on a roll with these Go Nagai Super Robot Chogokin releases as following the yet-to-be-released Grendizer is Shin Getter 1 as it appeared in the 1998 OVA Getter Robo Armageddon.
It will stand at 150mm and is quite taller than the Shin Mazinger Z release (‘Shin’ Mazinger Z & ‘Shin’ Getter 1, get it?). Anyway, it will include the iconic bat-like wings as attachable pieces as well as the Getter Scythe for accessories. Not sure on the Getter Tomahawk though, unfortunately.
Having the Revoltech Getter Dragon/Neo Getter Robo/Getter Go releases doesn’t help in the dilemma of whether getting this one or not. |
BLOG: Toyworld TW-02 – IDW Optimus Prime
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When Hasbro announced that they were doing the IDW version of Optimus Prime, many were thrilled. When Hasbro announced that it will be in the Legends class, many were disappointed. And when there’s disappointment in Hasbro, there’s always a third-party company to take on the challenge. Such is the case of this one.
Following their TW-01 Hegemon (G1 Megatron) release, Toyworld revealed that they’ll also be doing Optimus Prime as he appeared in the IDW comics. The figure will stand with the same height as Hegemon and will feature the superb detail work as seen here. No pricing has been announced, but this is definitely something to look forward to.
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BLOG: G Gundam Manga “Mid-Season Upgrades”
 Gundam Versailles · Gundam Max Revolver · Gundam Bolt Crash · Gundam Double Dragon |
Ever watched Mobile Fighter G Gundam to the point where the Shining Gundam was upgraded to the God Gundam and found it unfair that the other ones in the Shuffle Alliance didn’t get theirs?
The Super Class! Mobile Fighter G Gundam manga, a retelling of the original series, changes that by introducing the "mid-season upgrades" of the other Shuffle Alliance Gundams. And while these don’t look that different from their predecessors units, the exaggerated stereotypical aesthetics surely benefit the overall designs. After seeing these, everyone is probably asking if these would get represented in plastic as model kits or figures or something? This particular collector doesn’t think so, but then again, the Katoki Gundam Wing redesigns got Master Grades; but then again, those were from Gundam Wing.
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BLOG: RIOBOT Orgun Release Date Confirmed
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Seems like the middle of 2013 will be a pretty busy time for Sen-Ti-Nel as they’ll be releasing quite a number of products than they normally do, one of which is this guy.
Appearing in the 1991 OVA Detonator Orgun and teased multiple times before in hobby shows is RIOBOT Orgun. As expected from any figure in the RIOBOT line, this release feature top notch sculpt and detail with animation-accurate gimmicks and accessories. While the release date was revealed, there wasn’t information given regarding the price of the figure.
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BLOG: Sci-Fi Revoltech Iron Man Mark I
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As much as Kaiyodo were the first with their Sci-Fi Revoltech Iron Man figures, many were turned off because of the paint quality (to which these robotic armors should have top notch) and just the fact that the Revoltech system felt ‘old’.
But this might be the exception. After reaching Mark 42 in the latest movie, Kaiyodo decided to go back and release the Iron Man Mark I. By design, it ‘benefits’ from the inconsistent paint quality of the line due to its entire nature. The figure also has a ton of detail in the rear section where most of the clockwork takes place. So in a franchise where S.H.Figuarts, Figma, and Super Alloy figures dominate the 1/12 (6 inch) scale, looks like Revoltech still has a spot.
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BLOG: “TRANSFORMERS Go!” Series Confirmed
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It’s been known for a while that the Japanese counterpart for the TRANSFORMERS Prime – Beast Hunters line is labelled as TRANSFORMERS Go!. And here’s the reason why.
There will be a TRANSFORMERS Go! So where will this fall in terms of continuity? Will it be in the same Prime universe with different characters or just something else altogether? More information will be provided in the July issue of Terebi-kun magazine so stay tuned.
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BLOG: Super Alloy 1/12 IRON MAN 3 Figure Lineup Revealed
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Just saw IRON MAN 3 earlier and it was freaking awesome! Makes you wanna get a piece of the action… in a more desktop-friendly way!
Play Imaginative has finally revealed in their ongoing Iron Man Preview Showcase event the 1/12 scale Super Alloy IRON MAN 3 Collectible Figure lineup. Outside of the expected Iron Man Mark XLII and Iron Patriot figures are three more upcoming releases (L to R): War Machine, Shotgun and Night Club. Unfortunately, Heartbreaker, Red Snapper or even Igor aren’t in the smaller scale lineup but those included are still great nonetheless. No pricing or release information are known at the moment.
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BLOG: Max Factory x Dougram – 1/72 Model Kit Details
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Max Factory got to showcase some more information regarding their upcoming 1/72 Dougram model kits. As of the moment, they have (L to R) Roundfacer, Blockhead and the titular Combat Armor Dougram.
From these prototype shots, they look really clean — with no visible seam lines and sharp sculpting. Furthermore, it’s shown that these models, at least the Blockhead, could accommodate in-scale pilot figures. Whether these would have Master Grade-like inner frames or any other gimmicks are still unknown. Despite no release information given, this collector is definitely looking forward to getting one of these kits.
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BLOG: ROBOT Damashii <Side MS> Gundam Mk-V
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Before anything else, yes, they didn’t stop after the Gundam Mk-II and went on to make this thing. What happened to the Mk-III and Mk-IV is another story though.
Following up on the massive release that is the ROBOT Damashii Xi Gundam, the next figure with the Ka. Signature label is the ROBOT Damashii Gundam Mk-V from the photonovel Gundam Sentinel. The Gundam Mk-V is a derivative of the Psyco Gundam and it shows, towering at 16cm — with the ‘standard’ Gundam height is around 12.5cm at 1/144 scale. So yeah, probably getting this one as well.
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BLOG: EVANGELION 4.0 Final – Preview
| As the Blu-rays and DVDs of EVANGELION 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo has come out, the preview for the final movie in the Rebuild of Evangelion tetralogy is included as expected.
What’s unexpected is this Kamen Rider W-like thing that’s comprised of one-half EVA 02 and one-half that pink one from the last movie. As for the actual content, it seems like this ‘thing’ is battling grunt EVA units. Seems like this is somewhat the reinterpretation of that iconic battle between EVA 02 and the Mass Produced EVA from End of Evangelion, could also be a totally different thing though. Anywho, will probably have to watch the latest movie in the coming days to see what’s up with these guys.
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BLOG: HG Gundam Astray Red Frame [Flight Equipment]
![HG Gundam Astray Red Frame [Flight Equipment]](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8125/8673819689_7e67c659be_z.jpg) |
Amidst the other major announcements on the latest hobby magazines, including the HGUC Gerbera Tetra and MG Geara Doga, is this guy. This is the Gundam Astray Red Frame seen in the Mobile Suit Gundam SEED ASTRAY shorts that has both the flight equipment and the arm-mounted BuCUE head double beam sabers.
Some remolds were probably done to the base model kit to accommodate the flight equipment. Also noticeable are the red front skirt pieces that were just seals in the original release. Will have to see better shots to decide on getting this one or not.
Still waiting for that Delta Astray, Bandai! |
BLOG: Box Art Extravaganza Zwei
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[UPDATE] 1/144 Valvrave I now included.
It’s unfortunate that the Master Grade and High Grade labels are used exclusively for Gundam model kits as this definitely deserves one of those, at least based on the promotional images released. From the recently started Valvrave the Liberator comes the titular machine, and apparently first of five, in the series. Aside from the gorgeous art, those who paid attention to the earlier trailers should notice that the Valvrave animation model used earlier was dominantly white as compared to the black one seen here. Color choices aside, this is one of those kits that you shouldn’t even think twice of whether getting or not.
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BLOG: Oh Gundam… – An Introspect
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Watching the Spring 2013 mecha series, primarily Valvrave the Liberator, brings up this notion about the current predicament of the Gundam franchise.
For this mecha junkie, Valvrave seems to be a representation of what a Gundam series could’ve been if it weren’t for all the expectations everyone has with the franchise. Take this image as an example. Yes, there are that many ‘Char clones’ that have appeared in various Gundam productions — that should tell something. Going back to Valvrave, one won’t see such concepts as body transfers on a Gundam series just because it’s so ‘not-Gundam’. But then again, since Gundam is such an established franchise, everyone’s afraid of breaking out of the mold. This might fall into the #wishfulthinking category, but if only there’s a way to take more creative liberties in a Gundam series while not alienating it’s current fan base, then that would be great… |
BLOG: Plastic Crack – Titanium Series Star Wars (Ultra Vehicles) AT-AT
| This is Plastic Crack – posts, usually of video reviews, that continuously stimulate the collector desire through gorgeous demonstration of a figure’s features. More importantly, these mainly comprise of items in the CATALOGUE wishlist.
Mention the Titanium Series line to a Transformers collector and you will probably get a cringe as reaction. However, this particular figure is probably one of the better ones from the infamous line. Was initially thinking of contacting Armament Factory, the one behind this guy, to commission a custom AT-AT but this might actually do the job. While only the main body is made from diecast metal, the figure itself looks quite good.
Now to hunt one on the after market as always… |
BLOG: RIO:Bone Canti Green/Red Reissue
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Still debating as to why Canti was released under the RIO:Bone line while Jushin Liger will be released as a RIOBOT figure, but I digress.
Those who were unable to get Canti — that robot with a TV as its head in FLCL — during its initial run, this collector included, gets another chance to have this great release as Sen-Ti-Nel is doing a second production run of the figure.
Those who just wanted the mold and doesn’t really care for the accessories might want to get the red version as it’s a lot cheaper than the green one. |
BLOG: ARMARAUDERS Cam Full Gear Bellerophon – Extensive Preview
Those following the site may have seen a couple of entries from Don Figueroa’s ARMARAUDERS. To the unfamiliar, Don Figueroa has previously worked with several Transformers comics so he has all the credentials for this project. They have already released a couple of volumes, in both digital and motion comic format so it’s pretty much accessible to everyone. And of course, any mecha-based fiction won’t be complete without an accompanying figure line, and here’s a sample of what they have to offer. Mecha Workshop, together with Japanese toy design company T-REX and Action Toys, known for the EX/EM/ES Gokin lines, have collaborated to bring these excellent designs in plastic form.
Continue Reading: ARMARAUDERS Cam Full Gear Bellerophon – Extensive Preview
