When it comes to model kits of obscure mecha anime or video games, MODEROID kits from Good Smile Company are our usual go-to option. But it looks like Sen-Ti-Nel is entering the same niche space with their GM²I line, which stands for Game Mechanics & Modeling Item.
The GM²I line is a collaboration between mechanical designers Kanetake Ebikawa (Mobile Suit Gundam 00, Full Metal Panic!) and Takayuki Yanase (Mazinger Z: Infinity), along with Takanobu Terada (Super Robot Wars franchise) as producer. They aim to translate mecha designs from classic video games as modern plastic model kits.
And the first kit from this line is the Ixpel from Formation Z, a 1984 side scroller arcade shooter where the player controls a variable form machine. The redesign, which is also the inspiration for the image above, is based on the package of the 1985 console port version, as seen below.
Here’s a closer look at the Ixpel, along with the story of Formation Z.
In 2701 AD, the Earth Forces was nearly annihilated by a full-scale attack by the rebellious Federation Army’s 9th Special Armored Division (later known as the Zavack Army). The multi-purpose, variable-form combat mecha “Ixpel” was developed by the Earth Forces to counter the Zavack Army’s special weapons, and it combines the functions of a conventional fighter jet with those of a close-quarters combat robot. It can switch between ground form (robot) and aerial form (fighter jet) depending on the situation, but it was incomplete at the time of its first sortie. It carries a 105mm beam cannon, from which it can unleash a powerful attack called the Big Bang.
Let’s now check out the model kit itself.
The primary reason this kit has piqued my interest is how it stands 150mm tall, which is very well within my preference for model kit height. Just like most MODEROID releases, Ixpel is a non-scale kit though whether future releases would remain the same is up in the air. It also comes molded in multple colored runners, along with clear parts for the canopy and head optics. Stickers are also included for color correction, though I don’t think these areas would be hard to paint.
The main gimmick of the Ixpel is the transformation from Ground Form to Aerial Form, and just like High Grade Gunpla, this kit replicates this feature via replacement parts.
If you’ve read any of my unsolicited thoughts on this site, then you should be familiar with my preference on using replacement parts instead of engineered transformation for the sake of overall stability. That said, I do have a tolerance with the extent of disassembly needed to facilitate the transformation. As you can see above, the kit comes with a good number of replacement parts.
I’ve been closely looking at this particular photo in attempts to decipher the amount of disassembly needed for the transformation. It looks like in addition to the replacement parts, the main torso block in Ground Form will be removed and the rest will shift around. As of now, I’m inclined to purchase two copies to permanently stay in both modes and eliminate the need to disassemble and reassemble.
I have to say this Ixpel kit looks really good, and reminds me of the Legioss units from Mospeada with the similar looking robot and flight forms. The use of replacement parts for the transformation also meant that aside from overall stability, articulation and poseability can be engineered more effectively.
As seen in these soliciation photos, both the elbows, knees, and hip joints have great range of articulation. These joints can also be extended to provide wider angles of movement. To complement the articulation for various display options, the kit also includes the Ixpel’s main weapon, the 105mm Beam Cannon along with dedicated manipulators to hold it.
As I finish this post, I just remembered that PLUM also did a similar model kit line with their 5inM or 5-Inch Mechanism kits. Most of them were also based on games so I guess there are a lot of manufacturers interested in this space. Sen-Ti-Nel is probably the most expensive among these manufacturers so I’m expecting more from this inagural offering. We do have to wait for ten months though as the kit is slated for an August 2027 release.
GM²I Ixpel
August 2027 / ¥8,000
Order from HobbyLink Japan
