SRW OG HG PTX-08R Huckebein

Not sure this one is sudden release or it just escaped my radar but Bandai finally released Huckebein model kit! It is not MkII or MkIII but the OG MKI, the one who earned Vanishing Trooper moniker due to its unstable power! This is quite a big deal because amongst many Huckebeins, the original Huckebein got rather discriminatory treatment by Bandai ranging from selling the available rendition which was Metal Robot Spirits previously as expensive P-Bandai item. Released on 20^th December 2025, HG PTX-08R Huckebein will be sold for 4500 Yen.

This is definitely the physical rendition that Huckebein badly need after more than 15 years gap from the original Kotobukiya 3000 Yen model kit. Bandai usually had rather discriminatory stance toward Huckebein, but for once they took more pragmatic nonsensical approach with this one. This Bandai Model kit obviously come with the Iconic Black Hole Cannon that makes the Gundam Expy feels as powerful as Ideon. Hopefully this product will be available for normal purchase by Bandai’s overseas distributor since it is quite a particular lucidity by Bandai toward SRW IP.

Girls Frontline Apex Toys 1/7 HK416 Midnight Evangelion

Being the ever popular postergirl of Girls Frontline, Klukai or HK416 often becomes the recipient of physical merchandise. From Apextoys, She is getting another 1/7 PVC Figure in her skin called Midnight Evangelion. Scheduled for July 2026, this one will be sold for 20800 Yen Price tag.

This particular rendition of Klukai appear to be her GFL1 version with her hairstyle being giveaway but her skin really closely resemble her GFL2 Speed Star skin which are getting the action figure by Animester. The tight skinsuit in this HK416 version also truly resemble Evangelion’s iconic plugsuit thus received the “Midnight Evangelion” designation. While I am fine with Klukai keep getting the merchandise I hope other T-Doll like Daiyan and Groza could get their share too in the future.

Warhammer 40k Joytoy 1/18 Abaddon the Despoiler

More than a year after Warmaster Horus descended in physical form, his successor Ezekyle Abaddon now follows in full glory as Abaddon the Despoiler, Black Legion Warmaster! This is a truly major release for the Chaos faction, which has already been well-served by JoyToy in 2025. Scheduled for January 2026, the JoyToy 1/18 Abaddon the Despoiler will retail for $140 USD.

When Primarch Horus was released, Abaddon also appeared in his Horus Heresy getup for $75 USD. That version still used the Luna Wolves Mournival loadout, which hadn’t fully embraced the Chaos aesthetic. Now, for a $50 price difference, 40K fans can finally get the iconic Abaddon, leading the Chaos warband to lay waste to the Imperium with his signature weapons: Demon Sword Drach’nyen and Talon of Horus.

Honestly, if I hadn’t given up on Warhammer Tacticus, I would seriously consider adding this version of Abaddon to my collection. even though I don’t usually collect Chaos. I have a long history with this character, who’s often joked about as the “armless failure” of 40K fandom. Throughout my Tacticus journey, Abaddon consistently spooked my gacha pulls, leaving a memorable impression. He’s been with me through thick and thin, from his flawed kit to the upgrades he finally earned.

All things considered, this is easily one of the must-have 40K action figures for any hardcore fan. A Chaos Space Marine army is simply incomplete without their mortal champion and Warmaster of the Black Legion.

Bidding My Farewell to Warhammer 40k: Tacticus

After spending a month or two in limbo, I’ve finally decided to quit Warhammer 40k: Tacticus for good after playing it for 2.5 years. As much as I love the Warhammer 40k universe, I just can’t put up with the Saturnian design philosophy of Snowprint’s take on the franchise anymore. The game demands an excessive, constant time sink and that’s only one of the many reasons I’m stepping away. In this post, I want to reflect on the progress I made through consistent grinding during the time I stuck with it.

+Anima

Revisiting an old fantasy manga from my middle-school years, +Anima! It’s not necessarily a standout in its genre, but +Anima captures an atmosphere that feels uniquely early-2000s: earnest, imaginative, and open-hearted.

+Anima tells a lighthearted yet thoughtful fantasy story set in a world where some humans can transform parts of their bodies into animal features called “+Anima.” Because society generally fears or shuns anything “different,” +Anima must hide their powers lest they be persecuted. The main plot follows a boy with Crow +Anima powers, Cooro, who travels across continents with several fellow +Anima friends in search of a place where they truly belong.

Though +Anima may not break new ground in every aspect, it remains a compelling example of what the manga industry could do in the early 2000s; carefree creativity, original ideas, and a willingness to explore both dark and hopeful themes. Unfortunately such worldview were no longer possible after 2008 where +Anima essentially serve as Canary that cannot survive the manga environment after this period where fantasy genre are slowly filled with mass produced isekai series.

+Anima might not have much to offer but you want to see what an early 2000s series could do, this is a decent candidate to look at.

Saint Seiya

Took me about 15 years after Saint Seiya: Lost Canvas before finally diving into the original classic, but I’m proud to announce that I’ve completed my run of the Saint Seiya manga! One of the great late-80s manga classics by Kurumada-sensei, it shaped the Japanese shonen industry with its iconic armor-clad Zodiac knights, the Saints.

Being a millennial, my exposure to Saint Seiya was mostly through the anime with fragmented memories of arcs and battles. Finishing the manga finally gave me the complete picture. The storyline is actually quite simple, structured around four major arcs. My earliest memories are tied to the Sanctuary arc, and I never expected the earlier arcs to last as long as they did.

By today’s standards, Saint Seiya may not have aged perfectly. But for its time, it was innovative, with mystical armor and special tropes that inspired later works like Shurato and Yoroiden.

Beyond its novel concepts, Saint Seiya stood out for delivering a laser-focused shonen experience. It follows the adventures of the five Bronze Saints as they fight to save the world and protect their patron Goddess, Athena. This clear, action-driven structure made it a household name in Japan. That said, in the original series, other characters like the Gold Saints and Hades Specters often ended up as fodder for the Bronze Saints’ battles. At least later spin-offs, like Lost Canvas, attempted to address this flaw.

For me, the biggest issue was the breakneck pacing in the final arc. The climactic showdown against Thanatos, Hypnos, and Hades is squeezed into less than two volumes, giving the Bronze Saints’ God Cloth forms very little screen time.

Despite these flaws, I still admire Saint Seiya for its innovation and impact on shonen manga. Its anime adaptations have also played a huge role in popularizing the series, and I might explore that massive library someday.

Composite ver Ka. MSK-008R Dijeh Amuro Custom Part 1 Review

Starting 2026 with a bang, and what better way than something special for Reviews! I think it’s the perfect time to post my review of the Composite ver. Ka Robot Spirits Amuro’s Dijeh, which’s been sitting around since early last year.

This is a P-Bandai item I never planned to get back then, but I figured my MRS FA Hyaku Shiki would be too lonely without a perfect buddy. Imagine an alternate timeline where Char and Amuro don’t have to fight each other, but instead team up as ace pilots to bring down an evil faction, using FA Hyaku Shiki and Dijeh as their mobile suits. It would’ve been perfect if Robot Spirits’ FA Gundam Mk-II representing Kamille completed the trio.

Overall, Composite Ka Amuro’s Dijeh delivers exactly what you expect from a P-Bandai Robot Spirits figure. It comes with tons of accessories, making Dijeh literally armed to the teeth. It even includes the Hyper Mega Launcher, a beam cannon powerful enough to take down battleships with well-placed hits,traditionally reserved for the Zeta Gundam. A notable gimmick is that this version of Dijeh comes with a Gundam-style faceplate, resembling the Zeta Plus, which truly cements its status as an ace pilot’s mobile suit.

Digging further into Bandai’s Robot Spirits library, I discovered that Composite Ka Amuro’s Dijeh is actually the third iteration of the Composite Ka Dijeh. Earlier versions were released in the default and Narrative color schemes, though I’m not sure if those came with the Zeta Plus faceplate. Hands down, Amuro’s version is the best—third time’s the charm!