Dune Saga : Journey Complete

 

In early September, I embarked on a reading project centred on one of the most legendary science fiction series ever written. Over the course of six weeks, I worked my way through all six novels of Frank Herbert's original Dune saga. Initially, I intended this project as groundwork for the upcoming Dune Messiah film, but the rabbit hole I ventured into turned out to be much deeper than I had anticipated. It was also an immensely rewarding experience. Having completed the series, I can confidently say that Frank Herbert deserves his reputation as one of the greatest science fiction writers in his time.

Arknights Alter 1/7 Ines Gala Night Version

The gorgeous 6-star Agent Vanguard operator Ines is getting yet another gorgeous PVC figure from Alter. This one is part of the Gala Night series, which began in late 2025 with Schwarz and W as the first batch. Scheduled for release in August 2027, the Alter 1/7 Ines Gala Night Version will be sold for 950 RMB.

To be honest, this Ines figure sits toward the more affordable end of Alter's lineup, especially considering the company is better known for its premium figures. I can't quite pinpoint the exact illustration this Ines figure is based on, but it appears to come from a specific group of operator anniversary illustrations dating back to 2020 which I will leave reference below. Ines happens to be the second-to-last operator to receive a figure based on this particular edition, with Lin Yuhsia likely to follow soon.

I've always considered Ines one of the more beautiful Arknights waifus. There is a particular allure to her femme fatale charm, and I still feel that pairing her with Hoederer doesn't quite do her character justice. Perhaps Endfield can fix that at some point.

What makes the Gala Night version particularly appealing to me is how it moves away from her usual assassin façade and gives us a glimpse of a more innocent, maiden-like side of this Vanguard operator, despite her extensive experience on the frontline. It is a refreshing interpretation of her character and probably one of my favorite Ines figures so far.

I'm still waiting for Good Smile to release her Nendoroid at some point, though.

Psikyo Superduck SET095 1/6 Koyori Togashi

Despite Psikyo's immense popularity during the 1990s, the company has more or less disappeared from the broader pop culture scene, with its legacy largely being preserved by dedicated shmup fans. That makes it quite surprising to see one of its characters still getting merchandise in 2026, especially from a third-party manufacturer.

This particular release is dedicated to Psikyo's poster girl, the iconic and gorgeous miko Koyori Togashi from Sengoku Blade, also known as Tengai. Scheduled for Q2 2027, this is a 1/6-scale action figure in the style of a Hot Toys release, produced by a studio called Superduck. Some distributors are listing it for around US$145.

Koyori is easily one of the most recognizable waifu characters from the shmup scene and one of the key characters responsible for keeping Psikyo's legacy alive. She originally debuted in Sengoku Ace, but it was her transformation into a bombshell beauty in Sengoku Blade that most fans remember. Back during the 1990s arcade era, you could easily get captivated by her cutscene demo when you happened to walk past a Sengoku Blade arcade cabinet.

As one of the main heroines of Psikyo's flagship shmup series, Koyori is a skilled miko who can be rather ill-tempered and has a penchant for gold-digging, but she still has an altruistic side when it comes to helping people in need. I still fondly remember her co-op ending with Sho in Sengoku Blade, which naturally ends in the kind of hilarious shenanigans you'd expect from these characters.

As for the Superduck 1/6 action figure itself, it is about as good as you can reasonably expect from a third-party product. In fact, it might be the best Koyori figure we've gotten in the past 20 years. Most importantly, they managed to nail her face sculpt surprisingly well, capturing the combination of her pilot goggles, long hair, and sexy miko aesthetic.

I wasn't particularly exposed to the Psikyo series myself, but I wouldn't mind seeing a 1/12 or 1/18 action figure lineup based on Sengoku Blade or Gunbird characters someday, purely for the sake of 1990s nostalgia. Given how obscure Psikyo has become, though, the chances of that happening are probably pretty slim.

Bitlot Gundam Vol. 3

I am honestly surprised that this particular Gundam candy toy lineup has made it all the way to a third volume, especially considering that it only seems to get one release per year. In August 2026, Bandai revealed yet another entry in the Bitlot Gundam series, bringing the lineup to Volume 3. This wave will be sold as a box of 10 for 7,800 yen, with a scheduled release in January 2027.

What caught my attention about Bitlot Gundam is undoubtedly the roster, which features late-war Zeon mobile suits such as the Dom, Gelgoog, and Gyan, alongside Lalah and a spacesuit-wearing Char as the human characters. There is a particular charm to this candy toy series, which depicts Gundam mobile suits with goofy, almost human-like proportions.

I've actually grown quite fond of these Zeon mobile suits despite never being particularly amused by their overrepresentation in Gundam merchandise. I think the appeal here is that, once you have a sizable collection, Bitlot Gundam starts to feel like you could build an Animal Crossing-like ecosystem out of it, with all these weird little mobile suits and characters populating the same space.

While I doubt making it to a fourth volume will be easy, I am still looking forward to seeing whether Bandai can keep the lineup going and give Bitlot Gundam another release in the future.

Persona 3 Cerevo 1/1 SEES Evoker

 

From the makers known for highly realistic props such as the Dominator from Psycho-Pass, Cerevo has made a surprising entry into Persona 3 collectibles with a full-scale rendition of the iconic Evoker. Drawing on their expertise in functional prop design, they have produced what is arguably the most faithful recreation of the SEES weapon to date. Much like the Dominator, this is not a budget-friendly release—it quite literally costs a kidney. Released in April 2025, the 1/1 Evoker was priced at around 90,000 yen.

Given the steep price tag, the Evoker comes with an impressive set of accessories to justify its premium positioning. It includes a dedicated attaché case, SEES armband, and holster belt, along with integrated voice and LED gimmicks built into the prop itself. The result is a highly immersive piece that feels tailor-made for those looking to elevate their SEES cosplay to an elite level.

While I’m admittedly too old to convincingly play a high school special task force member and this Cerevo release is well beyond my budget, I wouldn’t mind a more affordable Proplica-style version of the Evoker in the 10,000–20,000 yen range. Though, realistically, that feels like a long shot, as props like this tend to appear only during peak franchise hype.

Break Blade

After finishing Kurogane no Linebarrel, I finally managed to clear another long-standing mecha manga from my backlog: Break Blade. Break Blade was one of the mecha manga that rose to prominence in the early 2010s before settling into a long, slow serialization. It eventually reached its conclusion a few years ago, though in a rather unsatisfying manner. Still, the series at least received a proper ending instead of being left unfinished.

Break Blade is a fantasy manga with a relatively low-magic setting that tells a story of war, survival, and forbidden love. Set in a world where humanity has developed giant humanoid machines known as Golems as its primary weapons of war, the story follows a man born without the magical ability that everyone else possesses. Despite this handicap, he somehow becomes the only person capable of piloting an ancient machine called Delphine, a weapon vastly superior to any Golem. He uses this power to help his childhood friend, now a king, defend his nation while struggling with his unresolved feelings for the king's wife, a woman with whom he shares a complicated past and mutual affection.

On paper, Break Blade had plenty of potential to grow into a truly remarkable fantasy mecha manga. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, the author seemed to lose the drive to develop the story in a meaningful direction. Although the series ended after 104 chapters, it easily could have benefited from another 50 chapters to properly explore its remaining mysteries. Major questions; such as the true origin of Delphine and the ultimate fate of the protagonist's former friend turned enemy were left largely unresolved.

Given how abruptly the story was wrapped up, I doubt the author has any intention of revisiting the series. Even so, I would gladly welcome a continuation if it ever happened.

Treasure X Dino Gold Armored Egg Review

 

A combo breaker after several heavyweight toy reviews in a row. For something a little more lightweight, I am taking a look at Treasure X Dino. This is one of the random Treasure X toys I picked up cheaply earlier this year, along with Treasure X Island and TMNT.

For the price I paid for this Treasure X, I really cannot complain much, as it was essentially a great bargain. This particular product is the smaller variant of the Treasure X blind-box line, containing a miniature Treasure X figure. However, I think Treasure X Dino manages to stand apart from the other variants because of its more elaborate packaging, with the figure coming inside a golden egg.

While I probably would not go for the larger version of Treasure X Dino, I would not mind picking up another armored egg. The one I got is far from my preferred choice, as I was really hoping to get a variant other than the mutant dinosaurs.

Dune (Frank Herbert Novel)

A year after watching the newest adaptation of Dune, I finally picked up Frank Herbert’s original novel, which had been sitting in my e-book reader for nearly a decade. As expected, the experience turned out to be quite different from watching the movie, but it was also much more rewarding in many ways. I decided to read it partly as personal preparation for the upcoming Dune movie and partly as my first step toward exploring the complete six-book series, which is widely regarded as one of the most influential science-fiction series of the 20th century.

Nikke Hyperbody Scarlet Black Shadow

One of the long-awaited Nikke action figures has finally arrived! It has been quite some time since Figma Scarlet was released, and at long last, her alter ego, Scarlet: Black Shadow, is getting a Hyper Body release. I think Nikke’s momentum in 2026 has slowed down quite a bit, which may explain the delay in Scarlet: Black Shadow’s release. This is quite a contrast to the breakneck momentum the franchise had in 2024 and 2025, when it was even starting to leave Mihoyo behind in terms of figure releases. Scheduled for September 2027 release, Hyper Body Scarlet: Black Shadow will be sold for 16,900 Yen.

Scarlet: Black Shadow represents Scarlet’s original persona in the Nikke series and one of the five legendary Nikkes of the Goddess Squad. In her original incarnation, Scarlet was a ruthless and highly efficient machine dedicated to taking down Raptures, wielding her signature blades with enough power to bring down even massive enemies. Seeing this version of Scarlet alongside her carefree, drunken personality in the current Nikke setting can certainly be quite amusing.

As a premium Nikke collectible, however, Hyper Body Scarlet: Black Shadow does not seem to fully capture the dynamic nature of her original incarnation. The articulation appears somewhat limited, making it difficult to recreate some of the more fluid and aggressive poses that the legendary Nikke is known for.

Interestingly, there is apparently also a Chinese model kit of Scarlet: Black Shadow in development. That could become a major point of comparison once both products are available, particularly in terms of articulation, sculpt, and overall value.

Gundam Seed Freedom Metal Robot Spirits Z’Gok

As part of the Gundam SEED campaign, Athrun Zala’s Zgok from the SEED Freedom movie is finally getting another release in the form of Metal Robot Spirits. As expected, it will be a P-Bandai exclusive and comes with additional accessories to recreate several memorable moments from the movie’s underrated MVP. Scheduled for December 2026 release, Metal Robot Spirits Zgok will be sold for 19,000 Yen.

For a 19,000 Yen P-Bandai Robot Spirits release, SEED Freedom Zgok certainly has plenty to offer. The articulation is superb, as expected from Bandai, while the effect parts are also quite well done. However, the apparent lack of modularity with Infinite Justice Gundam could be a major turn-off for some SEED fans like me, considering one of the Zgok’s biggest selling points is its modular armor concealing a Gundam underneath.

Interestingly, Bandai is also releasing the Cavalier Ifrit support unit around the same time as the MRS Zgok, priced at 17,000 Yen. This means fans who want the complete setup will have to spend 36,000 Yen in total, which puts the combination in the same general price range as some Soul of Chogokin releases.

I suppose Bandai is confident that the SEED franchise still has enough dedicated fans willing to spend that much to make the set commercially viable. Given the renewed attention toward SEED Freedom, I would not be surprised if another iteration of SEED Freedom Infinite Justice follows in the near future.

Gaogaigar Plamatea Gai Shishioh

Gaogaigar, being the most popular and final commercially released Yuusha series, has received a generous number of mecha products over the years. However, this marks the first time in a long while that the main protagonist, Gai Shishioh, has received a noteworthy product. Of all the possible product lines, Gai Shishioh has ended up being released as Plamatea. Scheduled for April 2027 release, Plamatea Gai Shishioh will be sold for 8,900 Yen.

Naturally, for the first Gai Shishioh figure in such a long time, it makes sense to start with his Cyborg Guy form from the main TV series. I suppose Evoluder Guy could follow if this product proves successful enough. I originally expected Tamashii Nations to be the first to release Gai Shishioh as an S.H.Figuarts, but Goodsmile got there first, and the end result looks quite satisfying even if the accessories are relatively limited.

Plamatea Gai Shishioh is certainly worth considering for Yuusha fans looking for a physical representation of the King of Braves protagonist to display alongside their Gaogaigar mecha, whether model kits or die-cast figures.

September-October 2026 Loot

 

Quite a wallet-busting haul this time, as I had the bad timing of several heavyweight collectibles arriving right in the middle of an unfortunate transition period for me. There were plenty of high-quality hauls across these two months, and the overall pattern remains the same: a combination of mecha model kits and plamo, with a side of waifu figures.

If I had to point out several noteworthy things from this haul, I think it is finally time for me to rein in my Kotobukiya model kit acquisitions. My backlog has piled up considerably, no matter how appealing their products continue to be, and at this point I really need to start clearing some of them before adding more.

The best of the lot is no doubt the SAMG Rex Kaiser D7, which proved to be worth far more than its price would suggest. It is also an interesting contrast to the MRS EX-S Gundam, whose SRP is only slightly lower. I think this is also my first time getting two JoyToy Primarchs in a single batch, with Jaghatai and Corax making a significant dent in my wallet.

Getting Klukai’s 1/7 Summer Figure in this batch was also pretty nice timing, since I had only recently obtained her summer skin in Exilium as well. Last but not least, I also picked up some Sluban Robot brick models, which caught my interest because they have some really cool designs, especially considering they were released long after the SMC series.

My primary worry with this haul, however, is what comes next. There is another batch of heavy hitters incoming, which is rather inconvenient considering that I am currently in the middle of transitioning to another job. Needless to say, the timing could hardly be worse for my wallet.

Fate/Grand Order Plamatea Mash Kyrielight Ortinax Black Barrel Ver

After years of Fate/Grand Order, the eggplant kouhai Mash Kyrielight has received plenty of merchandise, including several based on her Ortinax equipment. As part of the game's 11th anniversary celebration, however, Good Smile Company has unveiled what may be the definitive version of her upgraded loadout. Joining the Plamatea model kit lineup, Mash Kyrielight finally receives her Ortinax equipped with the formidable Black Barrel. Scheduled for release in April 2027, the Plamatea Mash Kyrielight Ortinax Black Barrel Ver. will be sold for 17,800 yen.

This is not the first time Mash has been depicted with the Black Barrel. Earlier in 2026, Aniplex released a ConoFig based on the same appearance. Even so, I think the Plamatea kit offers better overall value. Despite being in a similar price range, it provides full articulation and customization options that a fixed-pose figure simply cannot match.

The Ortinax Black Barrel is one of Mash's most impressive loadouts, making a memorable debut during Lostbelt No. 6 before largely fading into the background afterward. The Ortinax armor itself is also a solid mecha musume design with a nice balance of mechanical detail and character aesthetics. That said, I have mixed feelings about it because of my overwhelmingly negative gameplay experience. Mash's mandatory deployment in several Lostbelt battles often forced me to field of my strongest DPS Servants in severely gimped setup, and I never really enjoyed using her Ortinax kit due to its restrictive and self-centered playstyle.

Putting gameplay aside, this is easily one of the best Mash Kyrielight Ortinax collectibles currently available in terms of value. Considering a comparable figma release would likely be around 30,000 yen if it is ever released.

Warhammer 40k Joytoy 1/18 Master Lazarus Review

 

Given my sizable collection of JoyToy Warhammer 40K figures, I have been trying to do monthly reviews to work through my backlog. However, due to one thing or another, I somehow overlooked this commitment for the past two months. Regardless, I am making amends by ensuring I do not miss this month's slot, and the figure who happens to get the turn is Master Lazarus of the Dark Angels.

For a named Dark Angels character action figure, I managed to get Master Lazarus quite cheaply back then. These days, I would imagine spending around $50 to get a copy, given the drastic effects of inflation and price adjustments. Overall, JoyToy's Master Lazarus represents the company's mid-period Warhammer 40K releases, when they had begun refining the proportions of their Space Marines to better live up to their price point. Master Lazarus benefited from this upgraded body sculpt while still retaining a relatively affordable price.

I do not know as much about Master Lazarus compared to some of the other Dark Angels characters, but he is one of the notable Primaris representatives of this First Founding Chapter and a character who is steadily rising in prominence. I look forward to seeing this guy make another appearance when I eventually review Chapter Master Azrael.

Monster Hunter Nendoroid Rathalos

Goodsmile Company is finally returning to the Monster Hunter series after years of a dry spell. After releasing a series of Hunters in various armor sets, they have now decided to shift their focus toward the iconic monsters from the franchise, starting with none other than Rathalos. Scheduled for release in March 2027, Nendoroid Rathalos will sold for 8,900 yen.

I suppose this is partly a consequence of inflation, but this first Monster Hunter release after such a long break feels slightly pricey, especially since it is even more expensive than the DX version of the Rathalos Hunter. That said, the sculpt looks excellent, as expected from Goodsmile, and it comes with surprisingly similar gimmicks to its S.H.MonsterArts counterpart, including the ability to recreate the tail-cutting gimmick.Personally, I’ll probably skip this one since I already own the S.H.MonsterArts Rathalos. However, I wouldn’t mind picking up an Azure Rathalos version if Goodsmile ever releases one.

More importantly, I’m curious whether Rathalos is simply a one-off return to the Monster Hunter franchise or the beginning of a broader monster-focused lineup. If Goodsmile decides to expand this niche, there are certainly plenty of monsters that could make for interesting Nendoroid releases.