Gong Xi! Gong Xi Fa Chai!

HELLO!

We back again this week with the 90th edition of our Let’s Talk Gunpla segment and since this week is the Chinese / Lunar New Year Celebrations, we do want to take the time to wish all of our Chinese readers to have an awesome holiday week! We here, as well want to take the time here to wish all of you here may all of you have a prosperous year ahead and may the year of the pig be one an awesome one for all of you here!

Last week we were graced with a pretty significant and awesome release announcement from the P-Bandai side, this week we are seeing the retail side not to be outdone by the P-Bandai, as well had a huge announcement of kits coming to all of our shores soon!

So yes, since we’ve covered the huge P-Bandai side of the releases last week, this week we would be taking the time to talk about all the latest retail’s kit announcement, one that we shall find out if these weeks line up would be as awesome as the P-Bandai’s last week…

Regardless we are going to so, without further ado, let us get into it shall we?

HG 1/144 MS-06C-6/R6 Zaku II (HG Gundam the Origins)

Release Date: 2019/05

Estimated price: JPY 1,530* (MYR RM 56.82* / USD $ 13.90*)

*The price is subject to change, depending on the situation

We were a bit confused when we saw this kit for the first time, we thought to ourselves… This kit looked too awfully familiar… Like the previously released C-5 variant of the HG Zaku II. When we saw this kit, we all went, why did Bandai do a release the same HG origins Zaku II kit? Didn’t they actually realize that they have already released the C type variant Zaku before? However, after a much more thorough inspection of this version of the HG Origins Zaku II, we realized that this kit is a totally different animal altogether when compared to the previous version.

Though, if we were, to be brutally honest, the changes that we made in between the two versions is not…really that significant….

Because the only thing was added to the C-6 version, was some new sweet decals, a new spiky shoulder Armor unit and a singular chest Vulcan cannon on the chest unit of the C-6 Zaku II, yes that’s about it. Though it should be said that this version might be the one that is the closest thing to what we see in the Gundam the Origins Manga.

But since it looked too much alike the C-5 models I fear that; this kit might cause some confusion on to which version of the HG Origins Zaku II that you get for yourself.

However this isn’t the only thing that was announced for the HG Gundam the Origins line up that we found to be a bit confusing….there is another kit that was announced at the same time that kind of left all of us here scratching our heads when we all saw that kit.

and that would be the…..

HG 1/144 MS-06S Zaku II Char Aznable’s Custom (HG Gundam the Origins)

Release Date: 2019/04

Estimated price: JPY 1,530* (MYR RM 56.82* / USD $ 13.90*)

*The price is subject to change, depending on the situation

OH YES BOIS, IT SEEMS LIKE WE ARE GETTING ANOTHER VERSION OF THE ORIGINS CHAR ZAKU II HERE and OH MAH GAWD, I DON’T KNOW WHY THEY ARE RELEASING ANOTHER ONE.

But it is not to say that there nothing here that is worth talking about…there is. For an instance, the kit does come with a new decal set and it as well comes with the HG Origins version of the Zaku machine Guns, yes, the exact same one that you get on the previously released C-5 Zaku II and the same one that we are seeing on the upcoming C-6.

Which does makes us think, why didn’t they just release an expansion/conversion parts, for us to convert our existing HG Origins Char’s Zaku to this version?

But then again….

Seeing on how quickly this version of the HG Origins Zaku would be gone off the shelves and as well seeing on how hard it is for one to get a new one nowadays…it does somewhat make sense on why Bandai would feel a need to release another version of this legendary MS for the HG Origins line up. Plus, as we were looking at this, we do feel like this version is good for those that are looking to have another version of the HG Chars Zaku II and especially to Char Aznable fans, this kit is definitely one to get.

Plus it is not to say that the Char’s Zaku is not a fun kit to make, so in a way getting it another version of the awesome red Zaku II isn’t really something that I would take as a bad prospect.

Despite this being more less the same Zaku II kit and to be frank, we do like on how it looked overall, but honestly…we feel like we would be more likely be getting the HG Origins Zaku II C-6 then the Char’s version…since that would make more sense to get than getting another same-ish Char’s Zaku II.

HG 1/144 WMS-03 Maganac (HGAC)

Release Date: 2019/04

Estimated price: JPY 1,020* (MYR RM 37.88* / USD $ 9.27*)

*The price is subject to change, depending on the situation

We started with talking about a few HG monoeye disappointments before but as we progress down this week’s Retail release announcements we finally came across one HG Monoeye news that isn’t a disappointment and one that we admit when we read and go through it, it got us pretty much getting quite riled up with excitement!

Why?

Well, Because after so many years of waiting for an official release of this, now we finally get it! Yes, we finally have The badass HGAC Maganac set for an April release!

The HGAC Maganac is really one of those grunt unit kits that wasn’t really getting a lot of love from Bandai, which to be really frank…we don’t understand why since, we were to be really frank they looked as good as the rest of the other Wing MS’s that was released.

Really, just look at it.

Aren’t they just simply stunning?

From what we are seeing here, we can safely deduce that the HGAC Maganac will be sharing many traits of the last year’s HGAC Leo. Because we are seeing a lot of bits from the HGAC Leo’s Joints being used here in the kit and we are seeing some bits of the leg unit being used here as well. The rest of the Maganac’s parts though, well, as you can see here it is unlike what we have seen to date.

Though some of you here might not find the appeal of the HGAC Maganac’s looks, but all of us here in the blog do adore the awesome badass look of this Desert bred MS. That chunky, bulky body of the Maganac, not to mention as well that slim beautiful beam rifle, that huge ass shield and not to mention that handsome head unit, does makes this kit one of the sexy-est HG kits that have come out for the retail side. To be honest, we are rating this as high as the other upcoming releases that we are excited for, like the MG Dynames and the upcoming P-Bandai’s HGUC TR-06 [Hazel II]!

This is definitely one HGAC kit that we are really looking forward to seeing more of and definitely the one that we would be definitely getting as soon as it’s out. As well, we do hope to see more Grunt units making its way to the mainline HG line up. Its nice to see more and more obscure MS design making its way for release,

MG 1/100 MSA-0011 [EXT] EX-S Gundam / MSA-0011 S Gundam Ver.1.5(MG)

Release Date: 2019/04

Estimated price: JPY 10,200* (MYR RM 378.81* / USD $ 92.69*)

*The price is subject to change, depending on the situation

This was probably one announcement that we were quite surprised to see being made. With the release of the MG Deep Striker earlier last year we thought, there is no way that we would be seeing more of the EX-Gundam or its ilk any time soon.

But here we are with another MG EX-S Gundam / S-Gundam that is set for release in this coming April.

Though to be perfectly frank with you guys, we can somehow imagine why they decided to release the slightly improved version of the EX-S Gundam now. One of the reasons that we could think of, is that despite its badass look, that old manipulator design of the EX-S Gundam has been something of a pain in the ass, especially when they released the MG Deep Striker and decided to not fix this blaring issue and to see people coming back to bite Bandai back at its ass.

In which was what Bandai obviously made changes of for this version of the MG EX-S Gundam, gone is the pretty outdated Ver.1.0 manipulators, in with the current gen fixed manipulator system. As well we noticed that they revamped the look of the smart beam rifle for this version, with giving it a new cover set for the sensor unit on the beam smart rifle and using a matte plastic base for the beam rifle. Though the changes made here isn’t THAT significant, but we admit that we do appreciate the subtle changes made to it.

They as well added a few new gimmicks to the kit, with giving this version some pretty sweet extensions for you to fully make use of the INCOM funnels that came together with the kit (FINALLY!). It’s REALLY nice to FINALLY see Bandai coming to their senses and added a feature that all of here were been asking to see being made more of.

Though, in essence, the kit itself doesn’t really see any MAJOR changes made to its inner or its outer frame. Yes, basically despite Bandai trying their hardest make this kit look fresh, it is obvious to most of us here from what we are seeing here that this particular MG kit is still pretty much the same MG kit that was released well back 16 years ago. Hence why they used the Ver.1.5 designation instead using the Ver.2.0 designation, it does somewhat makes sense to us now on why this is such.

But then again we all can’t help to think of another reason why Bandai decided to update the MG EX-S Gundam now…. because of the sweet lure of that sweet cash. With how well the MG Deep Striker was sold last year, it makes sense on why Bandai would update this kit. Since they know that people are still pretty keen on getting this bad boi.

It may be true if one didn’t take a much closer look at it like we did, Because right after we took a closer look at this… we have to say that we are starting to feel a bit unsure about this MG kit if we were, to be honest. Don’t get us wrong, we do adore the MG EX-S Gundam but, since from what we are seeing here that there isn’t anything particularly new about this MG kit, we suddenly finding ourselves not as interested this version of the EX-S Gundam.

Maybe we might be more inspired to get this version as soon as we see more of it in the wild, but for now, however… We’ll skip this one up this time.

This is definitely one expensive MG kit that we are not looking forward to getting.

With that ends our 90th edition of our Let’s Talk Gunpla segment! What do you think of this week’s retail announcement? Is there any kit that you see here that is of interest? This week isn’t really the best week for the retail side, even with them announcing a huge line up of kits but the only thing that we are all genuinely excited for is the HGAC Meganac.

Honestly, we were quite livid when we saw the huge announcement for the retail side but after doing a much closer look to each one of them…we really can’t help to feel disappointed. Especially when we all take a look at the MG EX-S Gundam, a kit that has so much promise attached to it just to have it not live it…kind of disappointing to say the least…..

Anyways, we will be back again with more Let’s Talk Gunpla Segment on the next coming Wednesday and this Sunday KIMI will be back with the review for the HG 1/144 SF-01 Super Fumina A.E.U.G Maid Ver (HGBF). 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 next week, and we hope that you all have an awesome week and weekend ahead! Have an awesome Gunpla building time there as well and until next time!

Ciao!