So, we are getting a new model kit line with the HG Amplified IMGN Ryujinmaru, which is slated to be available starting this Saturday. To recall, the HG Amplified IMGN line takes the same concept of the Figure-rise Standard Amplified line of putting a different spin to existing designs, only this time applied to mecha and robots. And with a new line comes new curiosity of how its packaging would look, because.
If you think the packaging style looks familiar, it’s because the previously released HG Cho Mashin Ryujinmaru also had similar box art:
I do with Bandai Spirits continue to release these Mashin Hero Wataru kits as it would be a shame if these would be one-offs. This would heavily rely on the audience’s reception of the kit. So, to give that final push, Bandai Spirits also released a post on their hobby staff blog showing a straight build preview of the kit and highlighting some of its gimmicks.
Straight out of the box, this kit looks great, with a mixture of different plastics of different finishes. Being an ornamented design, one thing that puts me off from building such kits is the amount of work you’ll probably need to do just to get it looking as accurate as possible. So, I really appreciate the parts separation used for this kit.
They mention how the white and red parts will be molded with gloss injection, with the red parts in more of a translucent jewel-like hue. In addition, the gold parts are then plated with a matte finish, which I like much better than the shiny chrome gold they usually do for plated parts. And based on these images, the gold parts do appear to be under-gated so those nub marks shouldn’t be that visible.
Here are some close ups of the various parts that emphasize how good this kit really looks. While I haven’t pre-ordered a copy myself, I’ll probably leave the white, gold, and red parts out of the box and just give the usual flat topcoat treatment to the blue and gray ones. They also mention that the green jewel pieces would be 3D stickers, similar to what they used with the optics of the HG Big Tony.
Speaking of stickers, the only color-correcting ones they mention are the long ones for the sword. They are supposed to be PET seals, which I assume are the same thicker, plastic-like ones used in the HG Pale Rider Cavalry kit. I’m not the most confident when it comes to applying long stickers like these, but we’ll see.
If you want more previews, then Bandai Namco Korea has you covered with this video that also demonstrates the articulation.
HG Amplified IMGN Ryujinmaru
July 30, 2022 / ¥5,000
Order via HobbyLink Japan
