I’ll just put this under the All Japan Model & Hobby Show because not much was revealed regarding these, and they’re all exclusives in some fashion. Yes, several exclusives were also revealed around this time, one of which is something I really wanted ever since they put out the design.
HGUC RX-78 MS00Z Gundam Development Test Unit 0 (Engage Zero)
It would’ve been almost a year since the first reveal of Mobile Suit Gundam U.C. Engage, a Universal Century war simulator that is also technically a smartphone gatcha game. It’s supposedly canon to UC with the inclusion of works like Mobile Suit Moon Gundam and game-original content, the latter including one of the main protagonist mobile suits, the RX-78 MS00Z Gundam Development Test Unit 0 (Engage Zero). I really liked the design and thought it would make perfect sense to create a model kit out of it.
And looks like we are finally getting one! The Engage Zero shares the same design lineage as the Gundam Development Project (GP) units but treated with modern HGUC engineering. I’m hoping they’ll do a ‘revive’ of the GP01 and the rest but until then, this kit should be great be its own merit. Pre-orders should open in early October for this Premium Bandai exclusive.
HGUC 1/144 Gundam Development Test Unit 0 (Engage Zero)
TBA
HG 1/144 Vifam [Sling Pannier Unit]
I’m not entirely sure what’s the reason behind creating new Round Vernian Vifam kits but we’re getting one in the form of a new HG Vifam [Sling Pannier Unit] kit. It looks good, as modern High Grades should, but I don’t exactly have a reason to get it.
You see, this is similar to what they did earlier this year with the HG Dragonar-1 with Lifter-1 release. The new HG is a Premium Bandai exclusive while they also reissued the old 80’s kits as a couple of regular retail sets. This is because they are also reissuing the old Vifam kits as a couple of regular retail sets.
The difference here, for me, is that I already have The Robot Spirits version of the Vifam, while I don’t have one for Dragonar-1 — because they didn’t make one. That’s why I got the new HG for that kit, and I’m on the fence on this one. Still, if you’re a fan of the series and would want to build new kits, at least for the Vifam itself, then this one should be right at your alley.
HG 1/144 Vifam [Sling Pannier Unit]
¥3,800
HG 1/144 Gundam Astray Red Dragon
The Gundam Base is releasing an exclusive HG Gundam Astray Red Dragon kit based on the HG Gundam Astray Red Frame [Flight Unit] kit released in 2013. It’s basically the same kit with three Caletvwlch units, adaptor pieces to connect them to the original backpack, and a beam blade antenna. The Caletvwlch units are the same magazine exclusives so they will need paint to look good.
HG 1/144 Gundam Astray Red Dragon
October 8, 2022 / ¥3,400
Okay, now I can start covering the non-Bandai Spirits stuff!
