It’s rare to have an entire kit be an actual spoiler but this is what we have here. Specifically this kit is the AC that Blue Magnolia uses towards the end of Armored Core Verdict Day. Without going into too much detail, this ties into the game’s plot in a big way (if you don’t mind spoilers then check out the video below). In any case, this is part of Kotobukiya’s ongoing Variable Infinity line of kits and is set for release in February of next year for 7,800 yen. Like their other kits this looks pretty magnificent and the detailing is spot-on too.

Courtesy of our good friends at HobbyLink Japan, we’ve been sent a toy from Metal Armor Dragonar to review. Specifically, the Robot Damashii Dragonar 1 Custom that’s on sale. In addition, to give the toy some context, we’ve also linked gameplay and anime footage of it in action at the end of the review.

Over at HobbyLink.tv we’ve reviewed the recent webshop exclusive Soul of Chogokin Spec Layzner Mark II. It’s a glorious good toy and likely the nicest one we’ll ever get of the design. So check it out!

Also over the next few days we’ll be posting a few more toy reviews here. Lots of new Robot Damashii goodness. We’re also aware we’ve been a bit quiet as of late. That’s mainly because we’re in a release lull for mecha games. Once things kick off again we’ll still be here, so don’t worry!

After much wait, the Soul of Chogokin Spec Layzner Mk2 has been given a price and release date. Costing 9,180 yen and out this September, it is indeed a web shop exclusive (with pre-orders opening on May 12th). It will also be on display at the Tamashii Nations event this weekend, which we’ll be obviously attending. That aside, the toy looks bloody amazing. It retains the transformation as well as a slew of other gimmicks. Considering that the E-MF-LZ-00X-2 Layzner Mk2 was never properly included in the show, due to its early cancellation, the fact we have such a nice toy of this nearly thirty years later is somewhat bonkers really (though most welcomed). It goes without saying that we’ll be picking this baby up later in the year.

Following on from Bandai’s toy, Kotobukiya have announced a Hanged Man kit from Armored Core V. Like the previous kits in the range, this is similarly gimmick ridden. There’s also an additional campaign where you can get the Moonlight and Another Moon laserblades. The kit is release this July for around 9,000 yen, though you can pre-order it here for less.

Following on from our previous Revoltech reviews, our good friends at HobbyLink Japan have sent us the Riobot Jehuty. Now, whilst we aren’t huge fans of the Zone of the Enders series, we’ve always admired the mecha designs that Yoji Shinkawa did for the game. So we’re obviously happy to see more toys made of his work. We’ve also included some game footage at the end of the review.

We now finally have details on the release of threeA’s Metal Gear Ray toy. Released this August, the toy will cost around 46,000 yen (in terms of RRP, though you should be able to find it cheaper). This is a fair bit more than threeA’s Metal Gear Rex that was released at the end of 2012. If we’re honest, we were bitterly disappointed with the Rex toy. For one the colour scheme was entirely wrong, it had nonsensical blue LEDs everywhere and, most damning of all, it lacked any diecast. This absence of diecast, especially in the joints, meant that due to its size the toy was rather delicate (as joints have been reported to sheer clear off). Thankfully this new Ray toy has the right colour scheme but it still lacks any diecast in the joints from what we can make out. Considering the price tag, this oversight is still very unfortunate.

We now have details on Bandai’s upcoming Robot Damashii NZ-666 Kshatriya as seen in the Gundam Unicorn OVA, it’s to be released next March and it will cost 13,440 yen. Interestingly, it appears that this will be a regular release as well and not a webshop exclusive. The toy itself is also rather large and appears to have some quite intricate engineering, which likely explains the higher price compared to other figures in this line. We have also been graced the seventh and final episode’s teaser trailer for the anime too, that will also be released next year. In any case we’ll definitely be picking this up in March and will likely review it too, if only to give our Robot Damashii Sinanju review some company.

Now that this year’s Tamashii Nation event is underway we’ve had all manner of reveals, many of which are pretty surprising. First off is the confirmation of the DX Chogokin YF-30 Chronos (shown above) from Macross 30 and it looks rather magnificent indeed. Following that we have the re-appearance of the 1/35 scale RX-78-2 Gundam Ver. Ka that’s part of the Gundam Fix Figuration range. This last appeared back in 2009 and many thought that it was dead and buried. No word on price or release date but expect the former to be a pretty long figure. After that there’s the Soul of Chogokin Gaogaigar, whether this will do the much loved Final Fusion gattai sequence is unclear but likely considering the history of the toy line. After that there are all manner of new Robot Damashii figures, from the aforementioned Skullheart, to the Zwarth and even the Kshatriya. Though the real surprise is the Geminass from the Wing sidestory G-Unit. Even the Virsago Chest Break from the latter half of Gundam X is on the way. A special mention also needs to go to the new Hello Kitty chogokin, as after 40 years she will finally get her own mecha. Shown no mercy Kitty-chan! If you want to browse the rest of the show’s coverage then you can do that here, here, here and here.

We now have details regarding the Volks 1/100 scale kit of the noble MBV-707-G Temjin from the much loved Virtual On Oratorio Tangram. In short, the kit will be made from injection plastic (something of a rarity for Volks, as they historically manufacture garage kits) and will cost 5,040 yen. Released this December, it’s in the same ballpark as the excellent Kotobukiya kits. However, it is somewhat odd that Kotobukiya are no longer making Virtual On kits. That aside, the sculpt on this kit looks rather nice indeed and it’s nice to have a new kit of this design. Especially as it’s been previously rather poorly serviced (the less said about the Kaiyodo figures the better really). Considering that this is our main VR and one we won a tournament in Japan with it’s nice to have a decent kit of it on the way finally.