Bandai is attending the 56th All Japan Model Hobby Show as I type and they are displaying all kinds of new figure models from both Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Dragon Ball. Who needs money, right?
I’m still playing catch-up with DBZ which means I haven’t even scratched the surface with GT or Super so some of the characters aren’t familiar to me. Yet.
The next announced Figure-rise Standard kits coming in January after Majin Buu and Super Saiyan 3 Goku are Super Saiyan 4 Vegeta and Goku.
Again, I’m in the dark but after doing a review for Super Saiyan Goku recently I know some people were asking for these versions. All while I’m over here pining away for just plain jane versions of Goku and Vegeta with black hair. But that’s okay, someday, surely.
The Saiyan Pod is also on display with some painted accents on it, showing how good it can look with some TLC. It’s displayed along with two other potential future vehicles, Frieza’s Hover Pod and Trunks’ Time Machine.
We’ve seen most of the other characters on display but a lot of them are further along in prototyping with more articulation than before.
The three new additions are Android 18, Mr. Satan, and Master Roshi. They seem to be larger than the rest with no articulation so I’m not sure what that means. Scaled down later in the process? They are displayed right in the big middle of the rest of the 1:12 scale model so surely it’s not another line.
While I am enjoying the new Dragon Ball line, both for the models and the introduction to a whole new fandom, the Star Wars kits are my bread and butter. I love them. I love the build, I love the finished product, and I’ve loved the property for over 35 years. So when a new one is announced I do a little happy dance. You think I’m joking but I’m not. To get two more shown along with the one recently is awesome after a dry spell of only showing one every few months. The Death Trooper was officially announced a few weeks ago and now we get a look at the Scarif Stormtrooper and K-2SO.
The addition of the Scariff Trooper means that along with the Black Series version I may be able to save a little money by skipping the S.H. Figuarts version. The SHF usually run small compared to the rest of the display so there’s another strike against it in my eyes. It looks like the kit has different display options, you can see blue in different positions on all the images of the trooper. I think this is achieved with different decals and not actual parts like the Death Trooper who actually has two different torsos to give us either a standard trooper or the Specialist Death Trooper. So good.
K-2SO is the toughie. I’ll get it because, you know, model kit, but this, the Black Series, and the S.H. Figuarts all look good. The BS is nicely weathered, the SHF looks to be better articulated but potentially small, and then we know the model will take some work to look dirty. The ankles also worry me after I had a little trouble with loose joints there on the Battle Droid and STAP kit. I’ll have to get all three to make a decision.
Best of all, the releases for all three are right around Rogue One. The Death Trooper drops in November while the Scarif Trooper and K-2SO hit in December. Two in one month? Be still my heart!
And then there’s this:
A 1:6 scale Rogue One Stormtrooper model kit? I only do the occasional 12 inch figure, mostly when I have a strong attachment to the character. In fact Hot Toys TDK Joker, The Crow, and movie Deadpool are my only ones at the moment and DP hasn’t even made it to me yet. But those are one-offs, I can get them and feel content. I ooo and ahhh over the Star Wars Hot Toys but I don’t buy simply because I know if I get one I’ll want more and the bank account ain’t having that. But this, this my friends, this is perfect. I can add an awesome Star Wars piece to my small 1:6 display and be content. At least until they announce another 12 inch model.
When this will be solicited is anyone’s guess though. Remember that they had an actual display piece for the 1:2 (!!!) scale BB-8 back in June and we haven’t heard a peep about it since. Maybe they are just gauging interest, or maybe they are waiting for BB-8 to be back in the spotlight for EPVIII.
EDIT: Leave it to me to be so excited about the 1:12 scale offerings that I glaze over the December release date for the 1:6 Stormtrooper. Or maybe it was my subconscious blocking it out because of all the money that is already being spent before adding this to the list.
Also for fun Bandai displayed some R2 and R5 units.
I’m guessing these are customs but it would be awesome to get these officially.It’s basically just color swaps on the pieces.