Fate/Grand Order Pop Up Parade Saber Lily

 Goodsmile's promising new budget figure lineup, Pop Up Parade now officially have the popular series Fate/Grand Order join under their wing! For the first choice of character from the salty gacha hell game, GSC picked Saber Lily in her second ascension form. Pop Up Parade Saber Lily will be scheduled for April 2020 release for 3900 Yen Price tag. It appears to be a strange choice for GSC to pick Saber Lily out of many popular characters from FGO for the first figure of Pop Up Parade, but i suppose the adolescent youth of Saber Lily can represent this budding figure lineup. The only gripe for me is the Saber Lily figure doesn't come with Caliburn even though i think it is still doable for GSC to pull it off. Though probably GSC tried not to overlap with Aquamarine's Saber Lily which was up for Preorder early this year. While i am content with my Figma Saber Lily, i will get this one to support the Pop Up Parade lineup.

 I am always excited when i see a product lineup with good potential and Pop Up Parade is one of them.  Pop Up Parade is Goodsmile's answer to Bandai's Banpresto Ichiban Kuji and Prize Figures. While it might lose in terms of size and weight compared to Bandai's, from my impression with the lineup's version of Hatsune Miku and Kizuna Ai the product has decent sculpt for its price with acrylic packaging which only Premium PVC Figure usually have. I am hoping the best for GSC and Pop Up Parade because this lineup is worth supporting for.

Persona 3 D-Arts Elizabeth Review

 Here comes the number 1 Elevator Attendant!

Moderoid Escaflowne

 It has been a long time we see any toy products from Escaflowne and with the courtesy of Goodsmile company, the fantasy dragon mecha had an opportunity for a comeback in Moderoid lineup! Moderoid Escaflowne will be scheduled for March 2020 release with 4300 Yen price tag. With that kind of price we will be getting a non transformable 14 cm tall Escaflowne Model Kit. Even if the anime was a downhill experience, Escaflowne is still a very good fantasy mecha design; a Testament of Shoji Kawamori's talent who is famed for Macross series. So i hoped the series could have more products but should Moderoid Escaflowne sells well, another rendition for Guymelef is a given. I won't be getting this one since i prefer finished product nowadays. Therefore i am still waiting for Bandai getting triggered and makes Robot Damashii out of this fellow. For a classic fantasy mecha genre, Escaflowne together with Dunbine and Rayearth makes the holy trinity so these three series worth a visit even i considered two of them to be wasted potential. Also Maaya Sakamoto did an amazing job for her debut in Escaflowne considering her age at that time.

Yuru Camp

 As usual i steered away from moe anime in general but there is another one that make it into exception. Cute girls doing camping stuffs appears to be unlikely combination but Yuru Camp managed to prove it works. While i really doubt that average Highschool Kids are capable of camping independently or even bother to sleeping outdoors during winter, there is one thing that this anime aced. I suppose moe genre works so well in Japan because people need something to unwind through stressful life and cute girls doing cute things provide an avenue for that. Yuru Camp managed to provide a very relaxing experience by showing the joy of camping, something that can be considered a luxury that most city dwellers unable to afford. This kind of relaxing experience is something that i can appreciate after having a full time job which degrades mind no matter how you like yours. While i have no interest in camping, i could appreciate an opportunity to enjoy nature relatively untouched by civilization. In the end Yuru Camp is worth a try if you want to watch some anime to relieve from your life stress even if you don't like Moe Genre because it is one of the more tolerable of its kind.

Sakura Taisen 1/20 Koubu Kai Ichiro Ogami

 It took more than a decade for Sakura Taisen to get any model kit again but finally Bandai decided to pick up this legendary JRPG series and made the model kit out of it! While Bandai has made some Koubu toys through its Megahouse division back then, this is the first time they attempted Model kit which could have more coverage in target market. The Koubu Model Kit will be scheduled for January 2020 release with 3500 Yen price tag. If Megahouse went with Sakura Taisen 1 Remake for the Koubu design, the Bandai model kit goes with Sakura Taisen 2 version, in particular the version used for the final showdown after the Shinbu malfunctioned. The initial model kit release will feature Shinguji Sakura and Ogami as available variant which Sumire will follow up later on. Hopefully the rest of Teikoku Kagekidan Koubus will follow up which i may get Maria and Kohran version at very least. If this lineup goes well, hopefully it will pave up the way for Sakura Taisen 3 Model Kit.

 You can check my review for Megahouse Variable Action Koubu here

Danball Senki Hyper Function Odin

 It has been ages since i posted anything related to Danball Senki but the recent product revivals by Bandai do piqued my interest to the series again. While Bandai mostly re-release the previous Model Kit they do make some new products out of Danball Senki. The recent one is the transformable LBX Odin and it made it into the deluxe LBX Model Kit, Hyper Function. The Model kit will scheduled for January 2020 release with 3500 Yen Price tag. With the price that easily triples an average LBX Model Kit, Hyper Function Odin offer a solid inner frame which should make the model kit more robust and provide better articulation at the same time. Unfortunately for a pricetag that closes to a Master Grade, Hyper Function Odin doesn't appear to come with a lot of accessory since it is only equipped with Retaliator Lance as its armament and doesn't come with a Shield. I had the regular Odin Model Kit back then which unfortunately the review didn't come through and its articulation and transformation wasn't really good. I think the Hyper Function will definitely address the issue that the previous model kit had which makes me considering to get this kit. At very least i will try revisit Danball Senki W again

Fate/Apocrypha 1/8 Assassin of Red Semiramis

 Around last year there was this particular Semiramis figure got released by Aoshima which looked gorgeous but fleeted away really fast. Generally a popular PVC figure will get a rerun production and this Majestic Assassin class servant got her 2nd run which is quite a rarity for PVC figure outside Goodsmile which meant there is a significant demand. Aoshima actually the distributor as a company called Funnyknight is the one that manufacture this particular Semiramis Figure. The second run of 1/8 Semiramis will be scheduled for December release with 14000 Yen price tag which will further inflated once it reached Indonesia unfortunately.

  I quite like Semiramis design since the first time i watched Fate/Apocrypha due to her simply beautiful and elegant design. Performance-Wise i heard Semiramis is mediocre but it doesn't matter to me because you prioritize waifu over meta in this salt mine. Her FGO ascension is a miss unfortunately so if i somehow able to get her with my saved SQ, i will just stick to her First Ascension. For 1/8 Scale Figure, Semiramis is rather pricey but if i managed to get her in FGO Valentine Banner next year, i might just get her figure. Because as a rule of thumb, i only acquire the Premium PVC character of the servant that visited my Chaldea. Therefore i will just stick with Semiramis Toysworks SD Figure for now.

Mobile Suit Gundam Senshi Forte 9 Review

 Up until now I only cover the 500 Yen Variants for Gundam Candy Toys, but the 300 Yen option are quite good as well. For the 300 Yen Price tag, Gundam Candy Toys is represented by Gundam Senshi Forte nowadays which is the continuation and step up from Gundam Senshi Next. Featuring better Joints compared to its predecessor, Senshi Forte deliver Super Deformed Gundam Candy Toys with ever better proportions and now have reached Vol 11. Actually i started Gundam Candy Toys again from this lineup two years ago which continue with Converge and Ensemble.

Non Scale Great Exkaiser

 At long last Kotobukiya moved with its plan for Yuusha series and they started with the first title from the classic mecha series, Brave Exkaiser! For Exkaiser, They go straight with the final form of Exkaiser, Brave Exkaiser which is the combination of King Exkaiser and Dragon Kaiser. The model kit will be scheduled for February 2020 release with 7800 Yen. The Model Kit will be Non Scale standing 18cm tall and no transformation gimmick. However the model kit proportion befits the Yuusha Robot unlike the original DX version and the articulation should be good enough.

I think Kotobukiya took great risk to release the products from Yuusha series which have fallen to relative obscurity save for Gaogaigar, but i hope things will work out for them because they are making a great contribution for Mechas.Previously CMS Corp was the major producer for Yuusha products but didn't survive in the end due to their narrow market for their products. Hopefully Kotobukiya's Mecha Musume lineup will stay good enough to keep the company afloat because no doubt Kotobukiya won't make much money from Yuusha series and their commitment to make model kits for the every titles from Yuusha series is admirable.

You can check my article for Yuusha Exkaiser here

New Mobile Report Gundam Wing

 In late 90s/early 2000s Gundam Wing is probably the gateway for most fans outside Japan including myself. It was not the best Gundam series but nevertheless it serves it job really well to attract newcomers into the Gundam Universe. Finally i got to finish this series properly despite this was the first Gundam series that i watch and with this things are coming in full circle as i have finished watching every Gundam Tv series save for OVAs!

 From Gundam Wing personally i like the Mecha Design and the Aesthetics which the latter were contributed by Yutaka Izubuchi yet again. However i don't really like the storyline which is just too noblebright and unrealistic for my personal taste. To me the weakness of the Gundam Wing is the lacklust antagonist faction which the grunts are just too weak to put up a fight with the main characters. Nevertheless Gundam Wing do have the winning formula for a commercially successful Gundam series which some of them are replicated by later Gundam series such as SEED and 00. I will be moving onto Endless Waltz quite soon and at some point going to make my personal rank chart for the Gundam TV series. Overall Gundam Wing is not the best Gundam series when it comes to story department but it is packed with cool mecha actions which makes a good gateway to Gundam.

Ichiban Kuji 1/8 Saber Alter Dress Version Review

 The Ice Queen shows off her feminine charm

Bandai 1/12 Ultramarine Primaris Space Marine

 Warhammer 40k Action Figure has been non-existent for a long time already but a partnership between Games Workshop and Bandai appear to make it possible! This is not the first time Geedubs took a partnership with Japanese Company to make their products, as Max Factory made some Space Marine minis back then, but this is a step up by this British based Hobby Company. Few Months ago we have seen a prototype of Space Marine Action figure in one of Bandai's Hobby exhibition and now we got to see the finished product which turn out looking great!

September 2019 Loot

 Possibly my most expensive haul in a month considering plenty of Heavy Duties included in this one. While my haul nowadays tend to deviate to Fate/Grand Order products, I do get some good mecha stuff from Demonbane and Cowboy Bebop. As usual most of these items had been highlighted in this blog before which serve some sort of wishlist that i can keep track off. The significant spike in this month's toy spending has to do with the Wonderfest Exclusive which i decided to get the Figma Maid Alter and Nendoroid Miku Snow Princess. The best of the bunch in this haul would have been the 1/7 Jalter Dress but This year's Snow Miku takes the cake because is the 1000th release by Goodsmile and the packaging is very special. Nevertheless Jalter Dress will get her review quite soon.   

Puchiritsu Fate/Grand Order Overview

 Built these kits a while ago for Event Display and this Bandai's new lineup doesn't disappoint! Fate/Grand Order is very big series in Japan and certainly Bandai would love more slice of that Pie. Bandai had released plenty of FGO products through Tamashii Nation, Megahouse and Banpresto but they definitely would love to incorporate the series into their Model Kit products to rack up more sales quantity.

Figma 454 Summer Jeanne Alter Berserker

 FGO Summer Year 3 Servants had rather early release for their Figma for some reason which we are getting the Jeanne Sisters. So shortly after Archer Jeanne, Jalter soon follows up with her Summer getup which she become Berserker class. Figma Summer Jalter will be scheduled for May Release with 8000 Yen price tag. Compared to her usual edgy Avenger self, Summer Jalter had more chuuni personality as soon as she use Katana to be her weapon of choice. While i am not really sold with Summer Jalter character since in the Summer 3 Event she decides to become a mangaka for some reason in that getup, i am still likely will be getting her. Summer Jalter will make a great pair with my Figma Maid Alter and at very least her accessories are quite generous compared to her Figma Shinjuku counterpart. Lastly i am quite sure we will be still seeing more Jalter figures on next year