When the Retail side offers something that looks better than the Premium side

HELLO! We are back!

In today’s 182nd edition of our Let’s Talk Gunpla segment, we will be taking a look at some of the new recently (well, somewhat recent) announced retail Mecha figurines. Interestingly enough this week we do find ourselves in a position where we are going to talk about 2 of our favorite MS designs that are FINALLY will be getting the robot spirits treatment.

One from the Stardust Memory series, and another from the MSG MSV line-up.

So without further ado, let us get into it, shall we?

Robot Spirits <SIDE MS> RGM-79N GM Custom Ver.A.N.I.M.E

Release Date: 2020/07

Estimated price: JPY 5,100* (MYR RM 203.71* / USD $ 47.16* / EUR € 43.00*)

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

After seeing the P-Bandai’s offerings last week, we are quite keen to see what their retail offerings and surprisingly, after taking the time to see what the retail sides’s Robot Spirits GM Custom we think that the retail side probably has the better release then the P-Bandai one.

Why? Well, the one thing that this Robot Spirits figurine had done right is probably on the GM Custom’s looks department. Because even though they claimed that the design cues of this particular GM variant was taken from the anime, but truth to be told, we here don’t remember the anime version of the GM Custom looking this badass.

Then again, this is something that I have been finding it to be something of a trend, because from what we have seen so far they have been doing quite a good job in designing almost all the Robot Spirits <SIDE MS> Stardust Memory series Mecha figures, this one included. That is one feat that we all here find to be quite impressive.

The attention that was given by the designers of this Robot Spirits Figurine into creating the details seen on the parts, really a very joyful thing for us to experience. We really love seeing all the things that they did here with the Robot Spirits GM Custom figurine. But what we here do find the most impressive is the fact that they did all of that while maintaining the looks that are reminiscent of the anime’s design of the MS.

But that is not the only thing that they do here, because they as well made sure that this Mecha Figure has an articulation system which enables you to pose the Robot Spirits GM Custom to pose it just like in all the anime action scenes. Yes, you heard me right, you can use this Robot Spirits Figurine to pose it exactly just like how you saw this in the anime.

Which is a really good selling point for this particular Robot Spirits Figurine.

What’s more, you as well get a pretty impressive line up of accessories and effect parts that enable you to re-create all of those awesome scenes. This is really looking to us to be quite a deal here. Which brings us to the last bit of the conversation concerning this particular release, the price. This is obviously is alot cheaper to get when compared to the P-Bandai’s Robot Spirits <SIDE MS> GM Cannon II but seeing that the retail version wouldn’t be slapped by the dreaded P-Bandai tax, does immediately made the retail version more appealing to us all when compared to the premium’s offering.

Frankly, we really can’t wait to get our hands on it a have it pose just like how I see it on the anime.

Robot Spirits <SIDE MS> MS-06-R2 Johnny Ridden’s Custom Zaku II

Release Date: 2020/07

Estimated price: JPY 5,100* (MYR RM 203.71* / USD $ 47.16* / EUR € 43.00*)

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

If we have seen something badass that was designed in the 90s being made into a Robot Spirits figure, this time we would be seeing something badass that was designed in the ’80s being made into a Robot Spirits figure.

Yes, my dear readers, this is another one Robot Spirits Mecha Figure that we all here find to be quite amazing. Why? Well, that is because we absolutely think that out of all the Robot Spirits 80 anime-inspired Zaku II designs that we have seen, this, the Robot Spirits <SIDE MS> Johnny Ridden’s Zaku II R-2 is by far the best looking one out of all that we have seen.

So you might be wondering, what exactly that they have done here that made us think as such? Well, strangely enough, not much. To be honest all they really did is just made a few changes on the design of the leg and give it a new color makeover.

But those changes was enough to make us all fall in love with this Robot Spirits Figurine. But truth to be told, the only reason why we all here have fallen in love with it is really due to the fact that the changes made to this version are really done well. This can be seen on the color scheme of this Robot Spirits Figurine. The combination of the crimson red, gold and chrome color scheme that was used here fits well to the overall look of the Robot Spirits <SIDE MS> Johnny Ridden’s Zaku II R-2. We here are HUGE fans of the chrome that is used on Johnny Zaku R-2’s verniers and hoses. It really makes here feel like this Robot Spirits figurine looked like it was really taken from that ’80s MSV boxart, which is something that we here find to be quite amazing.

Although we do admit that, looking back at the time we talked about the pain of not being able to get the Shin Matsunaga’s version of the Robot Spirits Zaku R-1. After taking the time to take a much closer look at the Retail’s version of the Robot Spirits <SIDE MS> Johnny’s Zaku II R-2 does make the pain feels a bit less now.

Since we now have a cheaper, better-looking substitute for it.

With that concludes today’s 182nd edition of our Let’s Talk Gunpla segment! What do you think of these Retail Mecha Figurines release announcements? Are you looking forward to these P-Bandai Mecha figurines releases? To be really honest, after going through the upcoming releases that the retail side has for the Robot Spirits line up it does make me feel alot better now. Why? Well because finally after a long time it looks like the retail side has new releases that looked alot better then what the Premium side has to offer.

Somehow the thought of that makes me smile.

Anyways, we will be back again with more Let’s Talk Gunpla segment this coming 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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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!