UPDATE, Mar. 18: Added packaging art for upcoming kits of interest released days ahead of this post.
We are back with another round of new packaging art, and we are starting things off with something released way to early to build hype.
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM is still in Japanese theaters, and is now starting to trickle across international screens. Despite this, most international audiences are already aware of what will happen and the mobile suits that will appear. Capitalizing on its hype, Bandai Spirits has released the packaging art of the HGCE Mighty Strike Freedom Gundam, a kit slated to be released in May.
I have seen several images of the straight-built kit on socials and one key takeaway is how the gold parts don’t exactly look like the metallic gloss injection they advertsed. I’m also on the fence on whether to get another copy of this kit and connect the Super DRAGOON backpack of the vanilla Strike Freedom to create my own Strike Freedom Gundam Type II. They’ll probably do a Premium Bandai exclusive kit but if they don’t, then I’ll go ahead with the kitbash.
HGCE 1/144 Mighty Strike Freedom Gundam
May 2024 / ¥2,700
Order via HobbyLink Japan
Speaking of the Strike Freedom, Good Smile Company also released packaging arts for the MODEROID Villkiss, in both its standard and final battle specifications.
To those unaware, Villkiss is the main protagonist machine from CROSS ANGE: Rondo of Angels and Dragons which includes Mitsuo Fukuda as the main creative producer. This results with many similarities from ‘SEED‘, including the designs of the Villkiss and the Strike Freedom with its white, blue, and gold colors. As for the kit itself, I won’t be buying these since I already have the Robot Spirits version.
MODEROID Villkiss
February 2024 / ¥6,900
Order via HobbyLink Japan
MODEROID Villkiss [Final Battle Specification]
February 2024 / ¥7,900
Good Smile Online Shop Exclusive
The last packaging art for this update makes me want to rethink getting those 80s mecha kits getting modern HG releases.
Prolific illustrator Naochika Morishita has released the packaging for the recently released HG Xabungle Type kit, and it also sports the same retro design as the originals released in the 80s. This is a continuation Bandai Spirits’ current trend of producing modern HG kits for these older mecha series.
Unlike the Super Minipla/SMP release, this kit has a better implementation of the transformation and combination features of the Xabungle Type, allowing me to just purchase a single copy instead of multiples. The other thing is that while I got this one and the HG Dragonar-1 Plus Lifter-1, I am also now considering getting the HG VIfam and Dunbine kits just for the retro packaging design.
HG 1/144 Xabungle Type
March 2024 / ¥3,800
Premium Bandai Exclusive
UPDATE, Mar. 11: Added packaging art for Bandai Spirits kits of interest released during the week of March 16th.
As mentioned in the original post, there’s only one notable Gunpla release this month, and I cancelled my pre-order for it. But I do have another kit that I believe is a long time coming, like a couple of years following its anime debut.
If I remember correctly, the “Jack Suit” was introduced during season 2 of ULTRAMAN, along with the “Taro Suit.” But for some reason, Bandai Spirits just decided to release the Figure-rise Standard of the Taro Suit, and it did shelf-warm for a good while. Between that and the Jack Suit, I am definitely leaning towards the latter, especially since it gives me Hulkbuster vibes, though it is significantly smaller than the Hulkbuster. It’s still larger than the rest of the other Ultraman Suits and I am definitely building mine once I have it.
I also need to catch up on the other kits since I only have the Zoffy Suit at the moment. I’m hoping they’ll do a reissue of the other suits, otherwise, it’s going to be yet another Buyee spree.
Figure-rise Standard 1/12 Ultraman Suit Jack -Action-
March 16, 2024 / ¥6,500
Order via HobbyLink Japan
There’s also another kit I’d want to note, I’m not buying one but I bet many would appreciate its existence.
Mecha horses are always awesome and we don’t get enough kits of them, especially with more mecha knight kits being released. I’m not sure if this is the first release of this mold or it’s already a recolor, but I bet a good number would be getting this just for the idea of your favorite mecha riding a mecha horse.
30MM 1/144 Extended Armament Vehicle (Horse Mecha Ver.) [Dark Gray]
March 16, 2024 / ¥1,080
Order via HobbyLink Japan
Original post follows
I’m not expecting many notable Gunpla releases this month, not counting any Premium Bandai exclusives. Because there is only one notable Gunpla release for March, and that’s the gigantic HGCE Destroy Gundam from Gundam SEED DESTINY.
With its release later this week, the folks over at Bandai Spirits have released the packaging design and it looks imposing as it’s supposed to. And on that note, I wanted to mention how I’m completely wrong with my speculation on the different packaging design of the Gundam SEED FREEDOM kits. What I thought to be a brand-wide redesign is just something special for the movie tie-in HGCE kits. Oh well, at least we’re back to the more standard packaging layout. I also hope the series logos aren’t plastered all over the place, now that these package layouts were designed considering the Bandai-Namco logo on the upper right.
In any case, that’s too much rambling for a box, and I haven’t even mentioned the kit inside. By the way, I decided to cancel my pre-order of this guy following some introspection and realizing that the Destroy Gundam doesn’t really fit my collection. I might regret that decision someday but right now, I’m good without it. Buf if you want to get yours, then head over to the affiliate link below to get yours from HobbyLink Japan!
HGCE 1/144 Destroy Gundam
March 9, 2024 / ¥13,000
Order via HobbyLink Japan
