Continuing on where we left off.
HELLO! We are back!
In today’s 167th edition of our Let’s Talk Gunpla segment, we will continue where we left off with the Wednesday retail news and talk about all the other 4 Mainline Gunpla latest release announcements.
However, unlike last Wednesday there is one news here that after we take a closer look at it, it kind of killed some of our excitement for its upcoming release…
So without further ado, let us get into it, shall we?
HG 1/144 Gundam Try AGE Magnum (HGBD: R)
Release Date: 2020/06
Estimated price: JPY 1,700* (MYR RM 63.83* / USD $ 15.53* / EUR € 14.05*)
*The price is subject to change, depending on the situation
Back when the Gundam Build Diver series started the Gundam AGE II Magnum is the MS (or Gunpla) Design that we feel at the time, is the best looking MS (or Gunpla) design that came out from that series.
The same couldn’t be said for the start of the 1st season of the followup anime, the Gundam Build Divers: ReRise. Because when the kits were first revealed, there was nothing in the line up that we here found to be likable, they were interesting but not likable. Although the Gunpla line up for the Gundam Build Divers does improve along the way, sadly due to the lackluster releases does help to hurt the series at the start.
However, with the 2nd season of the HGBD: R underway, we do think that this time they do it right and this time have a pretty strong gunpla line-up prepared for the start of this season. One of them is this, the HGBD: R Gundam Try AGE Magnum which is slowly becoming our faviorite MS for this HGBD series.
Which is a quite fitting MS to announce before the airing of the new season. Because we are now quite interested to see what the new season of this series has to offer.
Admittedly we are fans of the HGBD Gundam AGE II Magnum’s design, so it is quite natural for us to as well fall in love with the new Gundam Try AGE Magnum’s design. However, after spending time staring at the HGBD: R Try AGE Magnum, we are starting to think that in terms of looks anyway that this looked to be the better version out of the two. Why? Well, we do find that the overall design of the HGBD: R Try AGE Magnum to be more mature, more elegant in a way.
To put it simply, they designed the Try AGE Magnum to look THICC.
But the chunkiness alone isn’t the only reason why we liked the HGBD: R Try AGE Magnum’s design, there is as well the fact that they managed to make massive subtle changes to the base AGE Design here. You would take one look and you wouldn’t be able to tell what new changes that was made here. Only when you spend some time (like what we did) to stare at this then you will find all the changes that was made to the kit like we did.
Kudos to whoever that came out with this badass design.
We do look forward to seeing more of this kit as soon as it’s out in this coming June, and we do hope that this is one of those good looking kits that is fun to build. If not, well it would be sad if this turns out to be a beautiful mess.
HG 1/144 Unraven Gundam (HGBD: R)
Release Date: 2020/06
Estimated price: JPY 1,360* (MYR RM 50.98* / USD $ 12.36* / EUR € 11.25*)
*The price is subject to change, depending on the situation
The next one of the exciting upcoming HGBD: R line up is this, the kit that has one of the best names and as well is one of the best looking Core Gundam variants that we have seen to date.
Yes, admittedly this is not technically the same ‘Core Gundam’ variant that we have seen with the 1st season variants. Because from what we can gather from the Unraven’s press release, the base is actually an upgraded version of the Core Gundam, which was aptly named the Core Gundam II.
When we all saw this, it is clear to us that they are not just giving it some fancy names, they aswell upped the design game this time, because from what we can see here, it really looks to us that they are really going all out in terms of design for the Unravel Gundam/ Core Gundam II.
If the previous version of the Core Gundam still looked like it was still using existing Gunpla designs, here it does look like they are really giving us an Original Gundam design. We love how the Unravel and the Core Gundam II looked here. Just like the HGBD: R Try AGE Magnum, we do think that the overall design does look alot more mature here.
You can see it too from how they designed the Unravel’s detachable armor parts. If the 1st season Core Gundam has detachable armor bits that looked unfinished, the 2nd Season variant the detachable armor bits looked finished. Which we do think its quite interesting to see because if you do follow the design of the Core Gundam variants from the 1st season to this upcoming one, you can actually see the growth of the character just from the MS (or Gunpla) design.
Regardless, we do think that HGBD: R Unravel Gundam is definitely a design step up from Season 1’s Core Gundam variants. We are genuinely quite interested to see how the HGBD: R Unravel Gundam would turn out to be.
HG 1/144 ZGMF-X19A ∞ Justice Gundam (HGCE)
Release Date: 2020/05
Estimated price: JPY 1,870* (MYR RM 70.10* / USD $ 17.00* / EUR € 15.46*)
*The price is subject to change, depending on the situation
Aaah, yes the HGCE ∞ Justice Gundam.
Another awesome looking HG kit that Bandai announced alongside all the other awesome kits that are slotted together for release.
We all here are quite excited for this one at first, because we do here feel that the SEED’S HGCE line up wasn’t complete without the release of the ∞ Justice Gundam. Although it is quite sad that we have yet gotten the normal HGCE Justice yet. But we do hope that with the release of the ∞ Justice Gundam it might spur Bandai to finally give us the normal Justice.
So what do we think of the kit after we have taken our time to stare at it?
Well, eventhough it does look quite good overall, but we can’t help to feel that there is something that is a bit odd here. Although before we get to that, I do want to first say that we do think that they did a pretty good job with the overall design and look of the HGCE ∞ Justice Gundam here. we are quite impressed by how well the HGCE ∞ Justice Gundam is able to pull off all the same awesome gimmicks that we see in the anime and they as well made the HGCE ∞ Justice Gundam to be highly poseable as well.
Which is an indication that they really went all out in designing the HGCE ∞ Justice Gundam’s joints system. ‘
So you might be wondering, why do we feel there is something amiss here?
Well, even despite the fact that the HGCE ∞ Justice Gundam is a well-designed kit. But unfortunately the same cannot be said for the materials that was used on the HGCE ∞ Justice Gundam. Because from what we can see here the plastic that was used on the HGUC ∞ Justice Gundam looked cheap.
Admittedly, we know why they decided to use this kind of plastic here because it was the same kind of plastic that was used on the MG version. But unlike the MG version, which does look awesome, we do find that in HG form it doesn’t really translate well, unfortunately.
The material used here makes the HGCE ∞ Justice Gundam looked like it was a kit released back in 2004-2005. Well albeit a well designed old kit, but yes it does look old and cheap.
We are a bit disappointed with what was presented to us here, however, we still hold on to hope that the actual kit will not look as bad. Maybe the finished product will look better? Because back when it was revealed it doesn’t look as bad, so maybe this could maybe the result of bad photos?
We really do hope that is the case here, because if it wasn’t, well that would be really freakking sucks.
HG 1/144 GAT-04 Windam (HGCE)
Release Date: 2020/05
Estimated price: JPY 1,190* (MYR RM 44.61* / USD $ 10.82* / EUR € 9.84*)
*The price is subject to change, depending on the situation
This was another HGCE kit that was announced alongside the HGCE ∞ Justice Gundam that was as well an HGCE kit that was actually revealed together with the HGCE ∞ Justice Gundam during the Gunpla Next Expo.
But unlike the HGCE ∞ Justice Gundam;s disappointing looks, the HGCE Windam actually looked good overall. This is quite surprising since we kind of expected to be drooling over the HGCE ∞ Justice Gundam more than this.
Especially considering, that this is the first time that we get the Windam as an HG kit.
The fact that they really try to recreate the look of the anime Windam into the gunpla form is really something that we here find to be quite commendable. We like that they kept the ridiculous Windam V fin look because that is how the Windam looked in the anime, says alot about how the design team of the HGCE Windam cares about making sure that the Windam nail the Anime look well here.
We are generally quite excited for this one, yes eventhough it might not be what people are expecting to see Bandai release, since that we have yet seen Bandai gave the same treatment to the ZAFT other grunts MS’s. But we do think that if this does well enough it may be a good first step in eventually seeing an expending SEED MS HGCE Repertoire.
But there is one thing that bothers me when I take a look at this kit, its the HGCE Windam’s backpack. Because looking at it makes us wonder if there is a possibility that the HGCE Windam’s backpack system can be used on the HGCE Strike Gundam. Since there are indications of this being a possibility. If it is possible I do admit that it would be quite interesting to see the two kits backpack system swapped, which does mean that we could make awesome variants of both the Strike Gundam and the Windam by swapping its backpacks.
This is definitely a prospect that we are all here really looking forward to discovering as soon as the kit is out in this coming May.
With that concludes today’s 167th edition of our Let’s Talk Gunpla segment! What do you think of all of these awesome retail release announcements? Are you looking forward to these retail gunpla releases? Finally, we managed to cover all the new upcoming Gunpla releases, and not all is left is to cover all the smaller gunpla releases which we will talk about in the next week’s segment.
But seeing that P-Bandai as well have a few VERY interesting announcements, we may be covering the P-Bandai ones first before talking about the smaller Gunpla releases.
Anyways, we will be back again with more Let’s Talk Gunpla segment next week on the same day, next Wednesday and Friday! Kimi as well will be back again this Monday with a new Unboxing or a Review or a WIP blog post. So do look forward to that!
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We hope by sharing our love and passion for gunplas here, it’ll inspire you to pick up the hobby or reignite your love for gunpla!
Anyways, we shall see all of you again on Friday, and we hope that you all have an awesome day and week ahead! Oh as well please do have an awesome Gunpla building time there as well and until next time!
Ciao!
Kimi The Builder 