So, Bandai Spirits Hobby Division is doing their Hobby Next Phase 2022 Winter of upcoming model kit announcements, and I didn’t want to make a post to mark the whole thing as I don’t think there would be significant announcements for this round. Though for the day one stuff, something caught me by surprise, and hopefully gives a better direction on a certain franchise.
I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this anywhere on the site, but I’m frustrated with the way Bandai Spirits (both hobby and collector divisions) has been handling the Wataru franchise. They are basically making things confusing by releasing several products into one brand, then moving into another, and into another. Case in point Tamashii Nations first introducing Wataru figures in The Robot Spirits line, then shifting them into the NXEdge Style line, then again into the Metal Build Dragon Scale line. If you started with The Robot Spirits line and intend to complete all these figures, then it will be frustrating to find out that they shifted the figures into NXEdge Style, etc.
Things are much clearer over on the model kit side as there were just the HG Amplified IMGN Ryujinmaru and HG Cho Mashin Ryujinmaru. But we don’t know if they are going to pick up any further kits from either approach, so it’s a surprise when they announced they’re doing the HG Ryuseimaru from Mashin Hero Wataru 2.
Do note that Ryuseimaru over here is from Wataru 2, which is a separate continuity from Chou Mashin Hero Wataru where HG Cho Mashin Ryujinmaru comes from. Regardless, this kit looks great with a good chunk of details made from actual plastic pieces, like the dragon crests on each shoulder armor.
Despite the stubby and SD-looking proportions, this kit still has ample articulation that allows a myriad of poses, especially with Ryuseimaru being primarily a sword-wielding Mashin. Speaking of its sword, the Kouryu Sword is also made from actual plastic pieces, with the central jewel piece being one of their newer “plastic seals” and that small red dot on the bottom of the hilt being a standard foil seal.
A unique feature of Ryuseimaru is its transformation into Hiryu which is a bird-dragon like form and is achieved by a Gundam Epyon-esque transformation. You can clearly see Ryuseimaru’s head on the bottom of this mode.
These are everything that comes with kit outside of Ryuseimaru itself. It’s good whenever Bandai Spirits includes a dedicated Action Base on their kits, especially for this guy that has a flight mode transformation.
If I understood my Google search correctly, Ryuseimaru is the upgraded form of New Ryujinmaru from Wataru 2, and it seems Bandai Spirits is doing kits of the final forms first — just like Cho Mashin Ryujinmaru previously. I’m okay with this approach as they will eventually get onto the base Ryujinmaru forms from each series. And while I don’t expect them to go gung-ho and do each kit like with the NXEdge Style figures, those wanting proper kits of these machines now have something to look forward to.
HG Ryuseimaru
February 2023 / ¥4,000
