Mecha musume kits are currently the craze in the Japanese mecha modeling scene. While it started with Konami’s Busou Shinki line of customizable action figures, it really picked up when Kotobukiya started its Frame Arms Girl line which was followed by the Megami Device line. Most of these kits capitalize the fusion of the mechanical and cute girl aesthetic that very much appeals to its target demographic. That said, most of these hover on the cute and more tamed side of the spectrum, until some time in 2019.
That is when Alphamax, who makes anime figurines and robot action figures, collaborated with SkyTube, who’s mostly known for their NSFW figures. Together with designs from illustrator Saitom and sculpts from Masaki Aspy comes the Dark Advent line of kits. These kits stretch the boundaries of the mecha musume genre with their more fantasy-oriented aesthetic. But their main selling point is basically the partial nudity and adult-oriented gimmicks.
These kits are targeted to more mature audiences but if you still want them because of the designs, Alphamax offers two versions for each kit. One is the standard or STD version that still comes with partial nudity but that’s about it. Then there’s the DX releases where they come with very suggestive parts. At the moment, two kits have been released so far with another currently on pre-order.
Dark Advent Dragondress Sophia (ver. 1.1) DX
September 2021 / ¥7,300
Order from HobbyLink Japan
Originally released in 2019, Dragondress Sophia gets a reissue and upgrades, this September. It will feature newly designed facial expressions.
Dark Advent Krakendress Rania DX
August 2020 / ¥8,800
The second kit, Krakendress Rania raises the gimmicks but including two LED units that can be inserted inside the mace parts, which then can be mounted on Rania’s… chest. It also has much more plastic parts which is reflected in the price bump.
Dark Advent Undeaddress Isis DX
March 2022 / ¥8,800
Order from HobbyLink Japan
The third kit in the line, Undeaddress Isis, is also as expensive as Krakendress Rania and features a more traditional mecha musume play pattern. You build a figure of Isis in her golden robe along with her undead husband Ravuses XII which can take the form of a stand-alone kit, or transform into a cross-shaped form, or can be mounted on Isis as large arm units. Oh and yes, the DX set will come with more suggestive parts.
Among these three, I actually prefer Rania visually, but as a mecha fan, I like the play pattern of Isis more. So I gave in and preordered a copy. That said I haven’t built any of the mecha musume kits I have in the backlog. Maybe I should finally get into doing those.
