The Year in Review

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As year 2016 is coming to an end in one more day, it is a good time to reflect and review on what I have amassed/ built/ collected over the past year. It has been a challenge trying to find time to build kits, let alone go through with full customs complete with modifications, detailing and decals. Oftentimes, I find myself going back to my straight building roots, snapping together kits but actually enjoying the building process. Going forward, I will probably do more straight builds while only focusing the hardcore builds on kits with clear, concrete ideas.  

In 2017, I will try to do what I can, striving to bring quick reviews on kits and collectibles to make it that bit easier for readers to make that purchase decision.

I look forward to your continued support for the coming year and beyond!

Read on to see what has been done the past year!

[Metal Build] Bandai Tamashii Nations Metal Build 1/100 Gundam Astray Blue Frame Full Weapons

As long as Bandai continues to make Metal Builds, people will continue to buy them. 

The Astray Blue Frame was teased sometime back along with a number of other potential releases, but the Blue Frame was more or less confirmed with a definite release date. True to the Metal Build brand, the Astray Blue Frame Full Weapons is exquisite, meticulously crafted with precision and a keen attention to detail. There are various sections on the armor that are painted in off-white, to give it a pseudo-camouflage look befitting of the clandestine Serpent Tail.

[Kit Insight] Bandai HGIBO 1/144 Gundam Flauros [Tekkadan Refurbished Model] (Customised Build)

When the Flauros was first teased after being dug out from a hole on Mars, the fans of the series collectively shrieked. Finally, a new Gundam Frame was to make an appearance and it was to belong to Tekkadan (who already has two Gundam Frames in possession), so naturally there was intense speculation on who will eventually pilot this new machine. Some episodes later, the Flauros officially made its appearance in Shino's ostentatious magneta, dubbed Ryusei-Go the 4th. Yes, it was a killer intro with the firing of the Galaxy Cannon, but the transformation sequence seems shoehorned in to achieve the "Transformable MS" quota and frankly it looks weird, not to mention that such a transformation system will wreak havoc on all of the Flauros' internal systems.

[Kit Insight] Bandai HGIBO 1/144 Gundam Vidar Ver. GPN (Customised Build)

The Vidar is an enigmatic machine. Swift, deadly and armed with more weapons than some colonies' militias, the Vidar's signature move would be the drawing of a new burst blade from the containers by its side. It is an inefficient way of fighting as the huge containers holding the incendiary burst blades will give enemies a larger target, but DAMN does it look cool.

[Accessory Analysis] Anubis Design Studio 1/144 Heavy Combat Weapon Set (H.C.W.S)

Anubis has been doing some great work for 1/144 modelers lately, with their awesome mechanical base forming the basis for many dioramas. Their latest offering is this weapon set, packed with many parts to create various polearm-style weapons. The best part: the weapon shafts are made of METAL.

[Kit Insight] Kotobukiya 1/144 PTX-003-SP1 Alteisen Riese (Straight Build)

Before this, I have never built a Super Robot Wars kit all my life, even if I religiously played the turn-based strategy games on the very first PlayStation when I was but a tyke. Perhaps the more grounded, militaristic look and feel of the Gundam series captured my heart more, relegating the more outlandish and flamboyant Super Robots to a less-accessed corner of my mind. The release of SRW model kits only in Kotobukiya's format turned me away even more, as Kotobukiya kits are priced loftier than Bandai's and make you do so much more work.

An old pal of mine passed me some of his old model kits a few years back as he couldn't find the time to finish kits while juggling ten thousand other hobbies. One of the kits in the mega-haul was this Alteisen Riese, one of the main characters of Super Robot Wars. Coincidentally, a mobile game that I was fooling around with at that time featured the Riese as your first playable character. Naturally, I was stoked to build the kit, but the machinations of life delayed its construction till now.

[WIP] Bandai HGIBO 1/144 UGY-R41-R[O] Man Ronin (Customised Build)

I'll be direct: this customised build is directly based off the Ronin from Titanfall II, the upgraded Stryder-class Titan with a huge mean blade. It's not everyday that you see a spindly, thin mecha wielding a gigantic sword like a ninja, let alone one with a design as striking as the Ronin. Therefore, I decided to attempt to recreate the Ronin in the Post Disaster timeline and universe, thereby resulting in this Man Ronin.

[Kit Insight] Bandai HGUC (Gundam The Origin) 1/144 RXC-76-2 Guncannon First Type (Iron Cavalry Squadron) (Straight Build)

Okay first of all, let me qualify that yes, I know that the Guncannon First Type put up a dismal performance in Gundam The Origin IV: Eve of Destiny and yes, I know that the entire Iron Cavalry Squadron got wiped out by a force significantly smaller in terms of size and firepower. Nevertheless, I have a weak spot for expendable grunt mobile suits, the rank and file soldiers that form the backbone of any military force. The Ace Pilots are game-changers on any battlefield, but the grunts are the ones who face the unrelenting horrors of war day in and day out.

[NEWS] Gundam Front Tokyo to close temporarily from March 2017

The RG 1/1 RX-78-2 Gundam outside Gundam Front Tokyo at Diver City will cease exhibition from 5 March 2017. It has been at the plaza of Diver City since 2012.

In addition, the merchandise area of Gundam Front Tokyo will also be closing its doors - albeit temporarily - from 5 April 2017. Bandai will be holding a LAST SHOOTING event to commemorate the closure before ceasing operations.

However, the Real G Project will return to Diver City in 2019 to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Gunpla.