The recent Bandai Spirits Hobby Division reveals for Q1 2026 didn’t include anything from the 30 Minutes Label since they would be doing their own showcase later. So, here’s what I’m interested as far as the non-Gunpla and non-30ML model kits are concerned, and I only have two.
Bandai Spirits has been slowly, but steadily building on their HG 1/100 Macross kits. I don’t see them doing anything from Super Dimensional Fortress Macross soon, but at least we’re getting a good selection from everything else. And since I’m also applying my main character/lead machine collecting scheme here, then getting the HG 1/100 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie [Alto Saotome Use] makes perfect sense.
The only other experience I’ve had with this design is with the old Robot Spirits figure, and it’s very much staying in storage, after the announcement of this kit. Unlike Gundam, which is basically my bread and butter in this hobby, I’m not the most familiar with Macross and the Valkyrie designs. So, let me just plug the Siegfried here just to do some quick comparison.
Following some quick browsing of the Macross Wiki, it’s not incorrect to say both Messiah and Siegfried come from the same lineage, as both apparently stemmed from the YF-24 Evolution, aptly named for the the next generation Variable Fighter. And now that I’ve had a better look at both, they are quite different despite sharing the same slender form factor in Battroid Mode.
The flagship gimmick of this kit, and the rest of the HG 1/100 Macross line up, is the “Shortcut Change” feature. Leveraging the use of replacement parts, the kit strikes the perfect balance between mode conversion, articulation, stability, and great proportions. And yes, it’s far from the disassembly you’d often see in similarly transforming Gunpla, chief being anything with the Zeta Gundam transformation scheme.
For accessories, the Messiah comes with replacement manipulators, a Gun Pod, an Assault Knife which can be stored inside its shield, landing gear in Fighter Mode, and five pilot figures — including one for Sheryl Nome as this is the Alto Saotome version.
Macross Frontier featured several versions of the Messiah, Super Messiah (with the SPS-25S/MF25 Super Pack), and the Armored Messiah (with the APS-25A/MF25 Armor Pack). They should have enough options to fully leverage this mold.
Similar to the HG Siegfried [Hayate Immelman Use], a deluxe version of the Messiah will also be sold to include a newly illustrated character acrylic stand of Sheryl Nome. In addition, a dedicated waterslide decal sheet will also be sold at the same time as the kits, something notable Gunpla releases should also start doing.
HG 1/100 VF-25F Messiah [Alto Saotome Use]
March 2026 / ¥4,300
Order from HobbyLink Japan
HG 1/100 VF-25F Messiah [Alto Saotome Use] Deluxe Set
March 2026 / ¥6,800
Order from HobbyLink Japan
The last kit in this list is something they’ve also revealed previously. In fact, I’ve already made a post about it so I’m not going to repeat my unsolicited thoughts. You can check them out in the link below.
READ: Back to High Grades We Are: HG Ryuohmaru (Mashin Hero Wataru) Revealed
HG Ryuohmaru (Mashin Hero Wataru)
January 2026 / ¥3,300
Order from HobbyLink Japan
While most of these are January releases, another set of wallet-draining solicitations are coming as Tamashii Nations is dropping several items in February, and I just pre-ordered a couple of those. Oh boy.
