Shakugan Robot Spirits Big Tony Review

 
 Last post for July and instead of the usual loot post it will be a review this time! One of the long due review for one of the Robot Spirits that I took photoshots back then which is Big Tony from Sakugan series. Perhaps it is due to my disappointment toward Netease with their treatment to SMC which make me forgot this fellow but Sakugan series itself was rather forgettable due to being a mecha anime based on unfinished works.

While I don't really have much things to say about the series, the titular mecha of the series Big Tony do caught my attention which made me bother to get a copy of the Robot Damashii despite having low expectation toward the series. The main reason Big Tony caught my attention is due to this mecha shared heavy resemblance with Gustav from Tron Bonne series, Capcom's Megaman Legend spin off. Not exactly a carbon copy but If you played Tron Bonne you will know what I am trying to convey.

For a mecha action figure from forgotten series, Big Tony has quite good gimmick and playability. Articulation is top tier expected from Tamashi Nation but Big Tony also comes with Cockpit gimmick along with transformation capability, a rarity for Robot Damashi but a big win for me. Due to the lack of popularity of Sakugan, you can probably Roda Big Tony for under 5000 Yen in Japan which I would recommend to get if you do look for a mecha with alternative aesthetics.

Vinland Saga Finale

 
 Another great Seinen manga series has reached its conclusion! Vinland Saga at last managed to accomplish what Berserk unable to do and wrap up its run. With the latest chapter 220 of Vinland Saga, the series has concluded its story. While some fans might not be satisfied how Vinland Saga ended considering the series began in a fashion that seems to be another great contender for Berserk, I would say the series ended just like how the mangaka envisioned.

LOGH Die Neue These 1/3000 Brynhild

 LOGH despite being a legendary Scifi series in Japan are still relatively niche series when it comes to merchandising, However, Kotobukiya being Gigachad as ever do try their chances with LOGH just like with other great but neglected series. Thus before we are even getting the 5th season of Die Neue These, Kotobukiya decide to release Model Kit for Kaiser Reinhard Von Lohengramm Flagship, Brynhild in 1/3000 scale rendition! Scheduled for December 2025 release, Kotobukiya's 1/3000 Brynhild will be sold for 8800 Yen.

Kotobukiya did some PVC Figure for LOGH OVA couple years ago considering the OVA remained to be the GOAT stuff in anime industry. But I never expected they picked interest on Die Neue These considering the series are not exactly performing particularly well as IP. Even so, The model kit looks quite promising as it is quite a big one spanning over 34 cm long and certainly Nendoroid Reinhard will be happy with this.

Despite not living up to the OVA's legacy, I am still willing to put faith with Die Neue These next anime season just I take interest onto this model kit. I don't actually mind getting Barbarossa too if Kotobukiya decided to ever make one because the legendary flagship do deserve its companion.

Gundam Converge Destiny Gundam Spec II & Zeus Silhouette

 
 I haven't talked about Gundam Converge for such a long time since I preferred Gundam Ensemble as my mainstay. But I do always kept a good look with Converge Mobile Armor as they still prove to be overall better value for money. In this instance, as Gundam Seed Freedom got some nice Converge treatment with Destiny Spec 2 being the candidate along with Zeus Silhoutte Pack. Released as P-Bandai, Converge Destiny Spec 2 w/ Zeus Silhouette will be sold for 7250 Yen SRP.

I might be a huge fanboy for Athrun but Seed Destiny Freedom truly give Destiny Gundam the opportunity to shine as MVP. While I didnt have much impression about Destiny Gundam using Zeus Silhouette pack as Destiny Gundam Kagebunshin Multikill scene overshadows everything. But when the dust have settled down, Zeus Silhouette is quite nice addition to Seed series which basically giving the protagonist gundam a boost in Firepower and Mobility making them essentially a Mobile battleship.

Had the Gundam Converge Destiny Spec II doesn't cost as much compared to its HG counterpart, this particular product would have been very appealing. Considering Bandai did make some converge for larger Mobile Armor for lesser SRP which meant they were capable at this particular department. Bandai also could have released the Zeus Pack separately and makes it compatible with Ensemble Destiny Gundam which would have been one of the best Gundam Candy Toys candidate that Bandai had. For now I will just keep a lookout for another promising Gundam Seed collectibles candidate.

Kingdom Nendoroid Kyokai

 
 Kingdom without a doubt is a reigning champion of Shonen manga genre. But due to lack of its marketability, the series never get much merchandise until now. But with the upcoming new anime season for Kingdom, the Japanese hobby manufacturers consider to chip in with this series once again including Goodsmile Company. Out of many Kingdom major characters, Goodsmile picked Kyokai the flower vice commander of Hi Shin Unit as their first Kingdom Nendoroid, Scheduled for February 2026, Nendoroid Kyokai will be sold for 6900 Yen SRP.

For Kingdom series, I would have thought Shin would be the prime candidate to be the first recipient for Nendoroid treatment. But in the end it turns out to be Kyokai which turns out to be fine nonetheless. Kyokai is a fencer from a legendary tribe who were known for ungodly swordsmanship during their tranced mode. Kyokai served as one of the early member of Hi Shin unit in her quest of vengeance for the killer of her elder sister but eventually formed attachment with this army which will cement its legendary in the Warring states era and become the valued member. At the current point of Kingdom's story, Shin and Kyokai had developed very close bond and fans like myself look forward to the moment where the relations fully bloomed. 

Given that Banpresto getting its share of Kingdom prize figure, I wouldn't be surprised if we will be getting SHF treatment for Shin and Kyokai.

Buddy Complex Moderoid Luxon & Bradyon

 Talk about coincidence! As I finished watching Buddy Complex not too long ago, the flagship mecha of the series protagonist, Luxon and Bradyon got their Moderoid model kit! Buddy Complex might not be particularly successful mecha series but they certainly deserves some merchandise treatment because they got some decent production value including mechanical designs. Scheduled for February 2026 release, Moderoid Bradyon and Luxon are sold for 7900 Yen price tag each and got Box set exclusive on GSC Online sold for 15800 Yen.

 Buddy Complex's Luxon and Bradyon might look like your standard protagonist Real Robot but it comes with particular quirk which sets them apart of its peers. These duo mecha comes with some sort of Synchronization tech that improves mecha performance based on Pilots synchronization level as well as enable less experienced pilot to close the gap of their combat skill mid-battle with their partner's combat data. This particular concept that Buddy complex tried to incorporate did had interesting premise but poorly executed which didnt help to prevent the series fell into obscurity. Should GSC interested enough to expand on Buddy Complex, they could make something for the Heroine mecha or the upgraded version of Luxon and Bradyon. I might get into SRW X to look further into Buddy Complex series in the future.

Gundam Gqux Relink Travelers Machu and Nyan Sekai

 
 Just as Gundam Gqux finished its airing not too long ago, the merchandise started to pour in slow but constant rate. The main characters of Gqux got their relative generous amount of merchandise with SHF and Prize Figure being made since the series aired. But Bandai decided that they might as well add super deformed products for Machu and Nyan set as part of the new Linked Travelers lineup. Sold as P-Bandai, Linked Travelers Machu and Nyan will be sold for 8800 Yen Price tag with December 2025 release schedule.

Joytoy Warhammer 40k 1/18 Imperial Fist Killteam Review

 Another 40k Joytoy Group Review! Actually I should have posted the groupshot for my Ultramarines and Dark Angels first, but since I forgot where I kept my Photo collections, Imperial Fist gotta come first for now. I am not exactly into Imperial Fist faction since I felt they are one of the more bland First Founding chapters. However since I quite liked Rogal Dorns performance in Emperor TTS, I did collect quite a sizable amount of Imperial Fist last year including some Black Templars.

 

In 40k settings, Imperial Fist is a well known Space Marine chapter for their Siege Defense capability as Rogal Dorn honored with the task of building defenses of Terra. This prestige are one of the main reason that created hostile rivalry between Imperial Fists and Iron Warriors with the latter eventually turned traitor during Horus Heresy event.

 

Compared to my other Space Marine chapters collection, My Imperial Fist Killteam collection are predominantly from Horus Heresy settings because MK3 and Cataphractii do fit Imperial Fists quite well for some reason. I never expected what started from an Imperial Fist sergeant ends up snowballed into extensive selections. Also having Tor Garradon and Sigismund being the hero representative of differing era of Imperial Fist end up quite fittingly. While I doubt that I will expand my Imperial Fist collection any further, the collection might still expand on Black Templars side due to Tacticus. I am still waiting for a 2.0 version for Marshall Helbrecht.

Berserk SHF Casca

 
 As Guts and Griffith got their Golden Age rendition of SHF, Casca obviously going to follow suit! I think it has been quite some time since Figma Casca got released and Bandai provided the much needed update. Scheduled for January 2026 release, SHF Casca will be sold for 11000 Yen Price tag.

Compared to other SHF lineup released in the same batch with, SHF Casca fall on the higher range of price tag likely due to the licensing cost. I don't think the incorporation of fabric parts in SHF Casca would inflate the price tag considering Casca's accesories in SHF rendition are rather modest. Compared to her old Figma counterpart, SHF Casca looks closer to her anime rendition. The only thing that is a slight miss is her battle expression which can look rather derpy. SHF Casca definitely will complement well with SHF Guts or Griffith for Berserk fans to relive the Band of the Hawks day. Considering Bandai is quite extensive in creating their Berserk Library, I am quite sure that God Hands will likely be getting some SHF/Figuarts rendition considering it has been quite some time since the Figma came up. 

Uma Musume Pretty Derby SHF Oguri Cap

 
 My return to Uma Musume Pretty Derby made me look back into notable Uma Musume products once again including the ones that I overlooked and turns out I did miss a big one. Oguri Cap being a legendary racehorse of course get really awesome treatment in Uma Musume Pretty Derby and she did become recipient of many merchandise whether PVC Figure or Nendoroid. However back in 2023, she did get SHF by Bandai albeit P-Bandai. Released for July 2023, SHF Oguri Cap was sold for 6500 Yen SRP along with Tamamo Cross who also sold for the same price. 

 In Uma Musume, Oguri Cap is one of those Uma Musume who possess Immense Main Heroine aura being a goofball glutton in daily life but an overwhelming presence in race. In the main season of Uma Musume, Oguri mainly relegated as supporting character known for her Mukbang antics. But given her popularity both in real-life and Uma Musume, Oguri become the main character in Cinderella Gray which also get anime treatment in 2025.

 The SHF rendition of Oguri Cap offers relatively standard accessory for Uma Musume action figure. But a physical action figure for 6500 Yen value for a Legendary Uma Musume is more than enough already. If it were not for P-Bandai treatment, I would have highly likely consider getting Oguri Cap back then despite I had quit Uma JP at the time. Personally I would consider to double dip SHF Oguri along with Tamamo Cross if they both ever got regular re-release, though I wouldn't mind Figma rendition either. Given Uma Musume recent resurgence with its Global Debut, I think it is a great opportunity for Bandai to push Uma Musume merchandise once again considering Japan consumption ability might not be satisfactory with their aging population.

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuux

 
 Finally gave this latest Gundam iterations a watch after it finished original airing recently. At first I thought this series called Gundam Gqux will be another "miss" due to unusual approach in visual direction to appeal younger audience. This might have been a consecutive failure after Witch from Mercury if executed poorly but it proves to be otherwise! Deep down, Gundam Gqux is a Legacy Project that involved legendary figure, Hideaki Anno which results in a Gundam series from the joint effort of Studio Sunrise and Khara. It is truly an honor for outsiders to be bestowed an opportunity to work on Gundam series considering Studio Sunrise tend to be very protective with their IP and Anno and studio Khara production team decide to make a Love letter to Yoshiyuki Tomino and Universal century which UC fans will appreciate.

Arknights Apex 1/7 Skadi Alter Pilgrim Ver

 
 The beloved Orca waifu of Arknights, Skadi got another PVC Figure! This time it is on courtesy by Apex Toys featuring Skadi the Corrupting Heart returns as Premium 1/7 Scale Figure based on Ambient Synesthesia theme simply called The Pilgrim. Scheduled for September 2026 release, Apex 1/7 Skadi Alter the Pilgrim will be sold for 26000 Yen Price tag.

Cyberpunk Edgerunners Buzzmod 1/12 Lucy

 
 Sometime before Cyberpunk Edgerunner sequel was announced recently, the main heroine of the first season, Lucy got an action figure by Aniplex through Buzzmod Lineup! Whether it is a coincidence or not, this one certainly a good news for Cyberpunks fans. Scheduled for April 2026 release, Buzzmod Lucy will be sold for 12000 Yen SRP.

Being a popular character from recent series, Lucy got many merchandise treatment including 1/12 scale action figure. But of the recent Buzzmod rendition is certainly the best one for Lucy. While Buzzmod are not as prevalent compared to Figma, the lineup is decent enough as the Kimetsu no Yaiba products under this lineup are quite decent. Not sure if David Martinez is folllowing up but Lucy will still make a good pair with V from Cyberpunk 2077 released several years ago.

In Cyberpunk Edgerunners, Lucy is a skilled Netrunner whom the protagonist David Martinez had a fateful encounter in Night City which led him a slippery slope journey to become the Legend Edgerunners. While Lucy talent lies in her hacking capability, she is still skilled enough to defend herself with Monowire for element of Surprise. Given how her story end up in the first season, Lucy might have a good shot at making reappearance in Edgerunners sequel likely as supporting character but lets look forward to the earliest trailer of this sequel in near future.

Buddy Complex

 Another Mecha anime backlog that I finished recently and turns out it is another Sunrise anime. Buddy Complex is one of those Mecha anime that had overall interesting Props and settings but end up getting mediocre education and the vibe kinda reminds me of Aldnoah Zero for some reason. 

Buddy Complex is your usual Evil Empire vs Federation mecha trope that use Time Travel and Twin Mechs as the centrepiece of its theme. Basically the main protagonist is a High School kid who somehow ended up thrown into 70 years ahead of his original timeline after a fateful encounter with mysterious girl and found himself piloting a Mecha against evil empire. The protagonist somehow possess unusual affinity with an experimental technology that requires high synchronization between two pilots which unleash high capability of particular prototype mecha,

Overall the animation is top quality as expected by Sunrise but story wise, it is rather mediocre due to strict deadline imposed on the production. It is rather difficult to have a decent mecha series with 13+2 episodes and Buddy Complex apparently didn't have the luxury of choice.  Personally I quite like Buddy Complex mecha whether it is the protagonist mech Luxon & Bradyon or the enemy mechs. It is just that the story format of Buddy complex does not allow the series to tap its full potential. I quite like the main villain archetype being a vengeful individual who turned insane and hellbent on quest of vengeance upon the protagonist due to being rejected by the main heroine and a good mecha anime could really make use of this trope. I might get SRW X to see the worth of Buddy Complex and wouldn't mind if the series somehow got merchandise in the future.

Warhammer 40k Joytoy Arjac Rockfist Review

 
 Trying to catch up the gap for my Joytoy 40k series reviews for single items and I try with Arjac Rockfist from Space Wolves this time! I have been playing Warhammer Tacticus for 2 years now and my experience do affect my purchase decisions in Joytoy 40k, including Arjac Rockfist. In 40k lore Arjac Rockfist is one of the elite Wolf Guard retinue of Logan Grimnar who also has particular affinity in Smithing. 

In Warhammer Tacticus, Arjac is one of the tankier Hero unit belonging to Imperium faction having Terminator Armor trait and Passive in debuffing enemy that attacked him. Arjac is not exactly Meta material since Snowprint didnt bother to update his kit, performing poorly in Raid and PVP. But he has served me well in Onslaught by tarpitting pesky poorly optimized Tyranid creeps, dispatching them reliably by fighting with Papa Smurf side by side. Therefore he gets the honor of being the candidate for early 40k Joytoy review in this blog. 

Joytoy's rendition of Arjac Rockfist had great sculpt as expected as you got yourself a Terminator Space Marine unit but the playability still needs improvements. For instance the Cable parts for Arjac Shield totally melded into the backpack which made it non removable unless the collector want to break their copy in irreversible manner. Interestingly Joytoy's Arjac Foehammer length are longer compared to Tacticus rendition as they physical rendition makes it effectively 2-Handed weapon which does have its share of cool factor. Regardless of some flaws, Joytoy Arjac is a good addition for any 40k Fans wish to collect Space Wolves and actually fared better compared to Ragnar who suffer from early Joytoy 40k proportion issues.

Shurato Yolopark AMK Pro Ryu O Ryoma

 I think it is almost one year since Yolopark released their first Shurato action figure. This July, Yolopark announced the second AMK Pro action figure for Shurato which is the Dragon Lord, Ryoma! I already thought Gai or Hyuga had the good shot for 2nd Shurato AMK PRO, but Ryoma is a good choice nonetheless. Scheduled for Q3 2025 release, AMK Pro Ryu O Ryoma will be sold for 65 USD Price Tag.

I had the opportunity of sampling Shurato's AMK Pro from winning giveaway last year and I would say it has superior playability compared to Bandai's SCM or Armor Plus as Yolopark went on pragmatic route to make a product with good articulation by eschewing wearable armor gimmick. Just like Shura O Shurato, I am expecting Ryoma will be fun to pose as well, It is just that the Dragon head piece doesn't seem to be openable to replicate the fire breath gimmick.

Back when I was a Kid, Ryoma is probably my favorite Hachibushu due to his Dragon motifs before my preference end up with Hyuga. Among the Hachibushu, Ryoma is one of the most bro tier member of the elite warriors, possessing a Big heart. Among the Loyalist Hachibushu, Ryoma probably is the tankiest one sporting heavier armor configuration and armed with Trident and Shield which enables better defensive combat style. AMK Pro Ryu O Ryoma is certainly a worthy addition for Shurato Fans as Yolopark do try their best to deliver a product from their skillset. 

Revisiting Shingeki no Kyojin theme

 Recently I have been watching some Gnostic documentary series and there are some interesting Ideas that I came across which resonated with Shingeki no Kyojin core themes. Attack on Titan is no doubt one of the most popular manga in the present and I believe I found one of the good reasons why this series manage to reach its mainstream popularity.

Some popular Japanese pop culture works can be immensely successful in Japan, but home country advantage does not always translate into worldwide success. But Shingeki no Kyojin have something special that enables it to reach its stardom and, in this regard, it shares some similarities with Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Transformers x Macross 7 Takara Tomy Basara Prime

 Not stopping after Diaclone x Zoids collab, Takara make another kickass Transformers crossover product and it is collaboration product with Macross 7! Out of this collaboration we got ourselves Optimus Prime hybrid with VF-19 Kai Fire Bomber dubbed Basara Prime. Scheduled for March 2026 release, Takara's Basara Prime will be sold for 20000 Yen.

Vocaloid Soskill Snow Miku - Frostbite

 

 A really cool Vocaloid product by Chinese manufacturers that is even eyecatching than Blokees Hatsune Miku! Created by the same Manufacturer that made B-Duck Mechas, Soskill present their Snow Miku model kit and this is no ordinary one! Dubbed as Frostbite, Soskill Snow Miku is scheduled for Q3 2025 release with 199 RMB.

JAKI Fruity Robo Brick Model

The recent Fruity Robo model kit did caught my attention and obviously I take a deep look when there are existing substitute! The Model kit lineup is currently on the 4th Fruity Robo. however apparently there is a licensed Brick Model series made by JAKI models which have complete set of 6 Variants.

Compared to the Model Kit lineup, JAKI Fruity Robo Brick Model are sold for 85 RMB SRP but apparently you can get it for Half on wholesale from certain Chinese sellers. For a 15% cheaper SRP compared to the Model Kit, JAKI Fruity Robo Brick Model offer available Complete set for any collectors who doesn't wish to wait Yilichuangwan to complete the run with the lack of combination gimmick as trade-off . So far Yilichuangwan still need to make two more Fruity Robo which is the Purple and the Pink mecha and I am willing to patiently wait so that I can obtain Fruity Wargod. If things went smoothly, Yilichuangwan will probably complete their Fruity Robo production within 6 months.

Honkai Star Rail x Fate Collab

 This has to be one of most highlighted event in Gacha game industry since Mihoyo's announcement last year and Fate collab event for Honkai Star Rail is here! In the celebration of the event landing, I am writing this post to pay a homage to the milestones achieved by Fate series. Personally, I am not particularly fond of Mihoyo due to their treatment on Genshin Impact but it is certainly a noteworthy achievement to score a collab with Japanese IP on the level of Fate/Stay Night considering the latter are very well known to be elusive in scoring a collab. Through the Fate x HSR collab event, we got ourselves Saber Artoria and Archer Emiya as playable characters in Honkai Star Rail. Saber Artoria is available as SSR character whereas Mihoyo is generous enough to make Emiya as welfare character.

 

Because my mistrust toward Mihoyo, I will never bother to install Honkai Star Rail for Fate collab. However as Type Moon series fans, this Fate collab event gives out the glimpse what Fate/Grand Order would look like if it got long due makeover treatment which didn't happen due to Sony and Aniplex greed to constantly milk FGO without allocating proper resources to get QoL Updates. Mihoyo probably spent a sum for this collab stunt around the anniversary period of FGO and try to show that Chinese developer does have what it takes to properly make use Popular Japanese IP like Fate instead of relying on Japanese constantly aging talent pool. I do hope Lasengle will learn something from this particular move by Mihoyo to strive on giving better experience with FGO. 

Fission Craftsman Soul 1/100 Yanmie Review

 
 Finally releasing the review for the last Chinese Diecast Modelkit that I built early of this year and compared to Bailu or Oracle, I don't really have much good things to see on Yanmie. Fission Craftsman Yanmie is supposed to be a heavy firepower Mecha but the aesthetics feels to be hodgepodge. On the surface, Yanmie looks aesthetically pleasing enough. But upon closer look, I do feel that it is quite an incomplete work that are shelved out prematurely for some reasons by manufacturers.

 In short, Yanmie is a medium build Mecha that tried to fill in the purpose of Heavy Duty mecha like Gundam Virtue which in turn does not translate perfectly due to being unfinished design in my opinion. The only thing noteworthy from Yanmie is its Backpack that can turn into mobile weapon platform but otherwise it is a subpar design overall. If you have the choice between Bailu, Oracle and Yanmie, Yanmie will be your least priority.

Fate/Stay Night 1/7 Saber Artoria - Garden of Avalon -

 
 By this time, there are tons of quality PVC Figure for the Eternal Heroine of Fate series, but this is another great new addition for Saber Artoria! Released by Goodsmile Company, this one is 1/7 Scale featuring Saber in her servant form without her combat armor in sitting down position and dubbed Garden of Avalon. Scheduled for August 2026 release this 1/7 Saber Artoria - Garden of Avalon will be sold for 23000 Yen price tag.

 Most Saber Artoria PVC Figure usually have Stoic face expression in her combat getup, but this one is unusually very serene. Artoria's untied hair and the veil really amplify the particular pure maiden quality that Artoria possess. On top of that, this is one of the few Saber PVC Figure that use Calibarn for Artoria's sword instead of the usual Excalibur. For 1/7 Scale figure standard, 1/7 Saber Artoria Garden of Avalon is not exactly too expensive and definitely a worthy addition whether for Seiba's Enthusiasts who still desire new addition for their Collection or a casual Fate Fans looking for their first PVC figure Candidate for this eternal heroine.

Uma Musume Pretty Derby Global Server - Starter Quick Guide

Even after pledging myself not to touch Uma Musume anymore, turns out curiosity got the best of me! As Uma Musume feed kept flooding into my personal Social Media, I decided to wear my Torena badge once again and give Uma Musume Global version a try. Turns out I still have what it takes to be an Uma Musume Trainer!

Long story short, I picked Oguri Cap as my starter Uma Musume and managed to clear URA Finals within 2 Runs with subpar Support Deck. Back then It took me about 10+ runs just to clear URA, probably due to language limitation but the muscle memory really does carry over which let me to breeze through the game and even clear Urara route in 1 try.

Given the gameplay nature of Uma Musume which will present immense roadblock unless the player understands the rules to properly to raise Uma Musume, I am making a quick short guide to help new players acclimated to Uma Musume in the best and efficient manner. Therefore In this Article, I will try to provide an advice for some Fundamentals of Uma Musume core gameplay along with SSR Char and Support card to look after as Uma Musume JP server player for one year.

Joytoy 1/25 APOC series Storm Tempestus Fire Support

 
 From time to time Joytoy make some 1/25 Titanfall-esque mecha when they not making some 40k Action figure and now it is the turn! This time is slightly different as Joytoy dubbed new lineup Called APOC series which feature more modular Mecha design compared to their previous 1/25 mecha. Scheduled for September 2025, this APOC Mecha series are sold for 60 USD Price tag.

Transformers Age of the Primes Titan Class Star Optimus Prime

 
 Usually Hasbro Transformers related stuff is out of my radar but this one certainly caught my attention. This one is apparently released as part of Age of Primes lineup which I will dig up later. Dubbed as Star Optimus Prime, this is one appears as one of the larger Optimus Prime variant available for collectors that still come with transformations gimmick and a cool one with that. Apparently open for preorder last year, Age of Prime Star Optimus Prime is available for 150 USD SRP.

Around Thirty OL Haman-sama

 
 One of the Gundam manga spin-off series that I decided to give a read recently after frequently appearing in my social media feed. Around Thirty OL(Office Lady) Haman-sama is a Slice of Life manga with a dash of Romcom featuring Haman Karn from Gundam series as main character. In this manga, Haman Karn lived in a peaceful modern life setting as a prominent corporate executive in Apparel industry with many casts from Zeta/ZZ Gundam serving as characters in this manga. 

Through this manga, you will see the Universal Century gundam casts living a peaceful life instead of facing the tragedy in the conflicts of their original timeline. OL Haman-Sama is certainly something that a Gundam fans will appreciate as the recurring joke of this series will require some knowledge of the original series that this manga based on especially Zeta/ZZ Gundam. My favorite part in this manga is Haman's interaction with Char which still Love-Hate relationship with Char depicted as Haman's Ex who still actively present in her life and perhaps it will have some kind of proper closure which I look forward to unlike the original series. If you are a Universal Century gundam fans, Around Thirty OL Haman-Sama is certainly a recommendation for more wholesome experince from Gundam series.

Dungeon Meshi Figma Senshi

 
 It has been almost one year has passed since the Dungeon Meshi Figma lineup began and the whole circle is completed within this year as the last of Laios Party member, Senshi made it as Figma! The hearty Dwarf Chef, Senshi made it as the Dungeon Meshi Figma released after Laios, Marcille and Chilchuck got their turn. Scheduled for April 2026 release, Figma Senshi will be sold for 15800 Yen Price tag.

 Compared to other Dungeon Meshi Figma, Senshi appears to be the most expensive for some reason. Probably it is a mix of Accessory size and unusual Figma Body type mold. For the accessory, Figma Senshi come with his Battle Axe, cooking Pot and Knife which makes him perfect for combat and cooking pose. In Dungeon Meshi, Senshi is definitely one of the primary reasons for Laios Party able to survive long in the labyrinth with minimum Provisions as Senshi's cooking skill combined with Laios extensive monster knowledge enable the party to survive many perilous situation. With Senshi's release, Dungeon Meshi figma is pretty much finished but the series could go abit longer along with the hype of 2nd Cour as Farlin, Shuro and Izutsumi are some of the prime candidates to join the Figma. Even Izutsumi got some revoltech release announcement not too long ago.

SEMBO Blocks Type 99 Tank Mecha Brick Model Review

 Another Sembo 30 cm Review and this time it is for Type 99 MBT of the 30cm Mecha Brick Model series. By far, this gotta be the best specimen among Sembo's 30 cm Military Vehicle mecha considering MBT have overall easier time to be made as robust mecha toy. At first I would expect a Frontline heavy suppression type out of a tank Mecha, but Sembo Type-99 is actually a Fire Support type with High Caliber Sniper rifle. Out of the 4 Models of Sembo's 30 cm Mecha, Type 99 is easily the best pick being a robust model and decent gimmick. Just like J-20, this one also comes with the brick model for the vehicle.

Overall I am very pleased with Sembo Type-99 and time will tell if I will get the Battleship and Space vessel in the future.

Eddas Technology 1/100 Valkyrie

 
 After the heavy gunner mecha Asgard early this year, Eddas Technology followed up with another Diecast Frame Model kit! This time it is a close combat monster dubbed Valkyrie which is armed to the teeth with Blades. Scheduled for Q3 2025 release, Eddas Technology 1/100 Valkyrie will be sold for 188 RMB.

Da Capo 1/7 Shirakawa Kotori

 Da Capo maybe a very popular VN series in its heyday to the extent having 2 Full Season anime and the Glory day series has long gone just like many of its popular peers. But even so, Kotobukiya did a nice thing to bring back pleasant memory for this classic VN series by releasing a Scale Figure for Da Capo popular School Idol, Kotori Shirakawa. Released in 1/7 Scale, Kotobukiya's Kotori Shirakawa will be scheduled for December 2025 release with 21000 Yen price tag.

 For those who are not familiar with Da Capo, it is one of the popular early 2000s Slice of Life VN series that are on par with series like Clannad, Shuffle, To Heart and many others. While I didn't get into Da Capo series for many reasons, I did read the manga and did develop a liking toward this particular Kotori during my secondary school years. Da Capo series also have some very nice Anime songs particularly Coorie's Sonzai which is still Top tier for me.

Kotori is easily the best waifu from the first Da Capo series despite Nemu Asakura being the main heroine, possibly surpassing the latter in Popularity. Kotobukiya do make the correct choice by making Kotori as the first pick to celebrate Da Capo series anniversary. Despite it is unfortunate that Kotori didn't win in the Da Capo main timeline, players could always pick Kotori as the main heroine in the VN and her Granddaughter is also available as main heroine in Da Capo 2nd VN who inherits her singing talent. In fact, perhaps I might give Da Capo VN series a try someday just for her route.