Red's the new Meh... Pt. II

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote here about how underwhelmed I was with the MG Red Warrior going so far as to question the kits unimpressive coloration and ability to stand on what seemed to be tiny baby feet. Well thanks to the great folks over at Gundam Kits Collection we now know that the latest Build Fighters kit can at least assume a standing pose, even if they aren't the most exciting.

Still got nothing good to say about the coloration of this kit, probably going to need to refer to my Sazabi ver Ka color guide whenever this kit ends up in my hands. Anyways that's enough on this topic for this guy, click the link above and check out the rest of the magazine scans.

Red's the new Meh...

Thanks to Gundam Guy blog - love those guys/gals/robots/space aliens - the Gunpla-sphere now knows Bandai will be blessing us with a new Master Grade from the extremely rare Build Fighters line (sarcasm). All chiding aside I'm not against BF kits, but I am against underwhelming kits and based on the images presented to the world the Amazing Red Warrior is angling to be a major disappointment. Seriously have a look at that pose and tell me this kit isn't asking, "well whaddya want from me?"

My what small feet you have? The better to float here confusedly my dear!

Looking over this kit a couple of things immediately jump out at me, 1) why isn't this kit in any standing poses and 2) is this really the same company that produced the wondrous Sazabi Ver Ka? Those feet seem disproportionately small and I can't help but wonder if they'll be up to the challenge of supporting interesting action poses?

Regarding that color separation, I'm hoping the lights at Shazuka are to blame for what can only be described as an unimpressive color scheme. You see a suit such as the Amazing Red Warrior, comprised of geometric shapes cannot survive being painted in one solid color unless those colors reduce the impact of it's rectangular form - think black, white or pink. The reason why the red of the Sinanju works is because of the various curves that create natural shadows and contrast. This particular kit needs a Sazabi Ver Ka style paint job, a tomato red complemented by a strategically placed burgundy or wine, in the above image it looks like that may be the case but one cannot be sure just yet.

One final complaint that has nothing at all to do with the look of the suit itself, but probably speaks more to the popularity of a largely unimpressive show, is of all the designs in your stable dear Bandai why in the hell is it the Red Warrior? Why not a Rozen Zula, Gerbera Tetra, Gundam Kyrios, Gundam Virtue, Leo, Taurus, Jegan, Bawoo, Juaggu, Palace Athene, hell even Ms. Sazabi would've made for a more interesting release? Is this suit really that popular in Asia? Somebody tell me I genuinely want to know.

Before I go let me just say this, I've seen enough HG's done up in various magazines to know that this kit can shine in the right hands, my problem lies with the potential that modelers will be required to bring out the shine which is not the Master Grade way. In any case this kit will still - in some far flung future - find it's way into my collection, maybe by then I'll understand why the Meijin chose this kit over the far superior Amazing versions of the Zaku, Kampfer and Exia?

eL Out

Model Kit Musings - Fenice Rinascita

Not Ricardo Fenice sold separately.

5184 yen. 5,184 yen. Five Thousand One Hundred and Eighty Four Yen!

Wing Gundam is my favorite mobile suit of them all and anything resembling it is right up my alley, so it goes without saying the Fenice Rinascita is definitely on my radar but what's up with that price! There's no way translucent plastic costs that much, right? I doubt it true but perhaps this price means the inclusion of the Meteor Hopper (which actually belongs to the Wing Gundam Fenice). I'd pay 5,184 yen for  an MG version of the Honoo any day but I'm going to have to wait on a sale for this kit, I simply don't see the value for what's largely little more than a re-skin.

Surely these aren't worth the extra yen?

I know times are hard at Bandai (not really) with the taxation increase and whatnot but is this kit really worth more than the Exia Dark Matter (5,000 yen), Wing Zero Proto Zero (4,800) or the Astray Blue Frames (4,800 and 5,000 yen respectively)? I can't help but think this is a by-product of the popularity of Build Fighters, the cost of these kits has risen with each release from the 4,200 yen of the Build Strike Full Package to 5,000 yen for Sengoku Astray and Exia Dark Matter. Regardless of the reason I'm not pleased with this price, that said it's still possible there's more material not being shown that more than makes up for the price. Here's hoping, till next time peeps.

All images courtesy of Gundam Guy Blogspot.

Alright I'm Joining the Dark Side

Back when Gundam Build Fighters was nearing the end of it's run the Exia Dark Matter made it's appearance and I found myself quite underwhelmed (by the design not the action). Then the first prototypes surfaced and I became slightly interested. Then the colored version surfaced and I raised an eyebrow (the left one) slightly.

Over the weeks leading up to the release of this kit folks like Gundam Guy have bombarded my eye-holes with images and gradually caused my interest to percolate more severely. Well folks, thanks to Syd at HobbyLink TV I'm all! Straight up this thing is bad@ss! It looks menacing and strangely heavy, which is appropriate since the kit is loaded with sharp pointy weapons! Of course you don't have to take my word for it, have a look at the shiny video below and become a believer.

So yeah I'll soon be buying yet another kit I don't have the time to build, oh well Dark Matter will have plenty of company in the Gundam closet while it waits for me to complete my Geara Doga painted build. 

Sometimes I Worry About Japan

Perhaps I'm missing something but isn't Fumina Hoshino a high-school aged student, under the care of her mother and still harboring childish crushes? She is right? I knew it! Surely I am not the only one who finds it odd that this PVC statue of high school aged Fumina features a more seductive pose than that of old enough to be married with kid, Rinko Iori?

SMDH

I rather like this statue.

Megahouse is on one here. I mean wouldn't it be infinitely more appropriate for the sexy mother of one to be thrusting forth her lady bits, while the child observes the more chaste pose? Oh and for those wondering if this post is sarcasm, no. No it is not.

The full Gundam Guy galleries can be found here and here. Also here's a bikini shot of the lady Iori to help wash the pedophilia from your eyes.

It's Like Vampire Hunter D the Mecha!

It's not often that I get excited about High Grade kits the upcoming Gundam The End certainly has my attention. While it may be professional modeler magic, the detail on this 1/144 scale kit is absolutely delightful. I do have questions about pose-ability and structural integrity that can't really be answered by promotional images. Unless something changes for the worse I very much expect to pick this kit up when it releases in May of this year. What's your opinion intrepid web surfers, any of you plan on picking this up?

All images courtesy of Gundam Kits Collection. 

Destroy the Darn Castle!

The midget triumpherant from Gundam Build Fighters Try makes it's way to the Build Fighters line in a cool SD triple pack. According to these images scanned from GunJap, these brothers green can even combine to form Snibal + Drabo + Gira. This is a cute little set but I have a concern, I've seen a few different images of this mobile suit pack and none of them have had very many quality images of it's dragon form. This fact makes me wonder about the stability of that form, will it be able to stand? Will the three SD Gundams stay connected? Maybe it's nothing and I'm simply over-analyzing things but here's hoping all turns out well for those into the Build Fighters and SD lines.

Caw Caw!!!

I realize that while I regularly profess my love for the Master Grade line, I very rarely show love to the HG line beloved as it is by many a modeler. I'd apologize but I don't wanna. Instead I'll simply treat you to a super sexy custom Gundam Fenice Rinascita dubbed "Apollo" by it's creator, modeler Nerav.

 
Additonal HG sexiness can be witnesses at Gundam Kits Collection. 

HG Try Burning Gundam

So far I'm mostly enjoying Gundam Build Fighters Try, though not nearly as much as the previous Gundam Build Fighters series, but enough to anticipate the new episodes which air every Wednesday on Youtube. That said I've been largely unimpressed by most of the Gunpla in this show. While I understand the Build Fighters franchise largely exists for the same reasons Transformers existed in the days before it became Michael Bay explosion-fests (I can't that's too subtle I dislike the Transformers films), it still seems weird that there would be so few interesting Gundam design and few if any would belong to the heroes.

A bit of housekeeping before we go any further, this is not a review of the model kit which I do not own. Rather it is the inspired opinion of the design based on internet pictures, which continues after the break.

Eye Spy the 1st

Eye Spy peers at... Master Grade Sengoku Astray.

Cheers for:

• Awesome Red Frame mod
• Cool swords
• Even cooler shield 
• Great pose-ability

Jeers for:

• Parts that fly off
• Boring default colors
• Few accessories
• Wimpy joints/joint connections

Click the jump for more the full review.

HG Transient Gundam

First images of the Gundam Transient, from Gundam Build Fighters Try,  in plastic model form. I loved the look of this suit in the anime but the model kit gets a definite, "meh" from this blogger. Perhaps it the dullness of contrasts that inspire my indifference, that does seem tot be the primary difference between the illustration and the model? What say you dear readers, are you moved to cheers, jeers or meh's?

More images available at Gundam Guy and Gundam Model Kits.