While I wasn’t able to make posts in the last couple of weeks, I am still keeping tabs on key hobby news and updates. For this round, let’s take a look at some MODEROID announcements that really got my interest, and were successfully translated to actual pre-orders.
MODEROID Delphine 2nd & 3rd Forms (Broken Blade)
When Sen-Ti-Nel launched the RIOBOT line, one of the first figures released was Delphine from Broken Blade. I would highly recommend checking it out with how it depicts mecha combat and I’d even say Gundam IRON-BLOODED ORPHANS may have been inspired by Broken Blade. Anyway, I passed up getting RIOBOT Delphine and it had become a hard figure to track ever since. So, I really appreciate getting another shot at this design as a model kit.
Delphine takes on multiple forms during the entirety of the anime film series, and Good Smile Company is releasing two at the same time. First is MODEROID Delphine 2nd Form, and no, I don’t think we got to see the actual 1st form in the films. Standing at 130mm, this kit is perfect for my collection. Delphine has a simple design with gunmetal and a very light shade of gray as primary colors, with a bit of red for highlights in the vents.
The IRON-BLOODED ORPHANS inspiration is more apparent with the weapons Delphine wields, especially with its melee combat style. These includea Prototype Heavy Sword, Heavy Lance Type 4, Gande Type 2 and a spear with a flag. If you order from the Good Smile Company online shop, the kit will include parts for the damaged Prototype Heavy Sword as bonus.
MODEROID Delphine Second Form
December 2025 / ¥6,500
Order from HobbyLink Japan
With the name “Second Form,” you know there are other forms, and no, we’re not getting a “First Form” kit. But we are getting the heavily armored “Third Form.”
Delphine Third Form makes its debut appearance as a heavily armored machine, or golems as they’re called, with most mounted on the front for direct attacks. Despite this, the Delphine is still able to maneuver at high speeds, making this form comparable to a very mobile fortress.
Once the heavy frontal armor is purged, the core golem is revealed and it is very similar to the second form, barring some new armor parts in red.
The fully armored configuration provides more display options to an otherwise very similar kit to the Second Form. Articulation is also the same although I don’t expect much movement with all those armor panels attached. But once all the armor parts are purged, then it should gain back the degrees of articulation.
For weapons, the damaged Prototype Heavy Sword, which is a Good Smile Company online store exclusive bonus for the Second Form kit, is actually included in the standard retail release for the Third Form. For this kit, the exclusive parts are the same forearm-mounted shield parts, this time molded in red to match the rest of the armor panels.
MODEROID Delphine Third Form
December 2025 / ¥8,500
Order from HobbyLink Japan
The Good Smile Company online shop is also offering an exclusive combined MODEROID Delphine Second & Third Form set. I believe this is similar to the MODEROID Bang Bravern set which combines the individual Bravern and Bang Dragon kits. So if you want both as a single purchase, then head on to the Good Smile Company online shop down below.
MODEROID Delphine Second & Third Form Set
December 2025 / ¥16,000
Good Smile Company Online Shop Exclusive
MODEROID Zark (Argento Soma)
Going for a bit of a tangent, Good Smile Company is once again diving into the depths of the mecha genre with MODEROID Zark, the main mobile weapon of the organization FUNERAL from the 2000 Sunrise anime Argento Soma. I have zero idea of what the series is about, but it does feature a humans-versus-aliens storyline with a revenge subplot.
Overall, these Zark units are generally unattractive, but very utilitarian with its stealth bomber-derivative aesthetic. It doesn’t even have a head unit despite the humanoid design. The colors are also minimalistic so I would expect minimal painting needed to get this kit accurate to the animation model.
It also has a transformation, but we’ll look into that later.
Now that I’m looking at this kit, the triangular design and digitigrade legs are actually reminding me of the live action Starscream design from the Michael Bay Transformers movies. Anywho, while I don’t expect Zark units to perform dynamic poses, they should have great articulation coupled with its rifle and Excalibur mace (?) for several display options.
Speaking of display options, Zarks have a flight mode and the kit can replicate this with interchangeable parts. The transformation basically looks like the Zark is sitting down with its arms tucked into the legs. I guess that works with the stealth bomber-looking upper body. The plane aesthetic carries over to the cockpit, or canopy though it’s oddly located on the left shoulder. But then again, putting it in where the nosecone should be is worse idea.
The kit also comes with two cockpit options, a single and double-seater configuration, with the latter having an extended fin on the antenna-looking bit.
Compared to Gundam and similarly-themed mecha series where there’s a distinct hero machine amongst all the grunt units, there are others that lean heavily on the grounded storytelling by having our main protagonist(s) use the same grunt unit as the rest. This introduces a dynamic that translates to me wanting to purchase these grunt kits in contrast to Gunpla where I just want the leads. Not to mention the Zark just looking unorthodox.
MODEROID Zark
December 2025 / ¥6,900
Order from HobbyLink Japan
