MG Gundam X, MG Proto Zero

My god; a lot has happened since I've been out of the loop. I rarely keep up with gunpla news, so whenever I decide to check up on it, I find a ridiculous handful of good news. Let's see...

The oddly named "Proto" version of the Wing Zero has already been released as a Master Grade. There goes that spot on my MG wish list. YellowSubmarine blog has an out-of-the-box review of the model, so check it out here.

Looks great. It love that it has a few quirks whilst being true to the TV design. It's not what I was expecting, but it's satisfying nonetheless. Take a look at some of the other pictures in the review. There's a lot to love about the small intricacies in this model kit.

Anyway, the other news (that I'm actually way more excited for) ...

MG RX-78-2 Gundam Ver. 3.0 - Thoughts?

Here's an interesting bit of news: Bandai has announced that a Master Grade RX-78-2 Gundam Version 3.0 is coming out in August. As usual, you can go to Gundam Guy for a little more detail. As a lot of people have mentioned, it appears to be an upscaled version of the RG 1/144 model. We can expect an extraordinary new standard of detail from this

Normally, I don't like sharing news that's probably on a million other blogs, but I'd like to know what people think about this. Some are intrigued, while others are indifferent. Bandai has rather actively been trying to revamp its MG line, with the new MG Strike Gundam coming to mind. With this 3.0, Bandai is taking its first step into the future.

Personally, I'm a little indifferent. I love the idea of upping the quality, but I'm getting a little tired of the RX-78-2. Mind you, I loved the 2.0 model, so I'm not very excited about a new version. I'd much rather see some forgotten favorites (DX, Heavyarms Custom) get the MG treatment instead.

But what do you say? It is on the buy-list or the ignore-list?

MG Tallgeese and MG Ver.Ka Nu Gundam?!

I'm seriously behind. It's not just that I haven't bothered blogging in months. I haven't kept track of gunpla news for the same amount of time, and it turns out I've completely missed some of the most exciting news in awhile.

My dream, that I posted in my 4 Mobile Suits That Need Master Grades, has finally come true. After all these years! The Tallgeese has finally gotten the Master Grade treatment! Here is the news link from Gundam Guy: http://gundamguy.blogspot.com/2012/10/mg-1100-tallgeese-all-japan-model-hobby.html.

Dalong.net

Dalong's epic Gundam collection

I'm sure almost everybody in the gunpla community knows about Dalong.net. Dalong's webite is one of the best sources for plamo reviews and pictures, mostly because he has reviews on EVERY single MG, HGUC, Seed, and 00 model kit that has ever come out. If you want to know about a gundam model, you can be sure that Dalong has it. Mainly, I like this site because of the plethora of pictures he provides for each model.

Though, one thing I have noticed is that he isn't really what you would call a hardcore model maker. I think he merely aims to provide reviews and pictures of each model kit released. I say this because his models definitely don't look that great. Usually, he doesn't paint or top coat any of his models. He does panel line, but this is something I would consider a weakness. His panel lining is excessive, thick, and relatively messy. Honestly, it's too much, and it really doesn't look that great.

 Lines too thick? Messy? Excessive?

What do you think about his technique? Are we meant to simply appreciate that he provides endless reviews? I'm usually guessing that he doesn't really care about how his techniques look. Regardless, I just wanted to say that I love his site. It's completely in Korean (which I can read, thankfully), so many people will not be able to read his reviews. It's really more about the in-depth pictures though.

4 Mobile Suits That Need Master Grades

This isn't an official Gundam Top 5 list (its not even five), it's basically just my own personal wishlist. Basically, there are a ton of forgotten Gundam mobile suits that have yet to be given a Master Grade treatment despite being awesome designs. These are some of the design I believe deserve a MG immediately.

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4. Akatsuki Gundam
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While I'm not a fan of the Gundam in general, I think the design looks amazing in plastic model form. Why? Mainly because it is a shiny gold color. The no-grade 1/100 model still looks pretty amazing, and is probably the best you can get at the moment. So I was just thinking of how great a master grade would look if the no-grade already looks good!

Likelihood: 1.5/5

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3. Tallgeese
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The Tallgeese has always been a personal favorite of mine, mainly for the sleek white design and the fact that it was an underdog during Gundam Wing. The Tallgeese definitely has not been treated well in terms of gunpla. It never got a legitimate 1/100 scale release. Instead, the 1/100 Tallgeese III kit gave you parts to convert it into the Tallgeese I or II. Of course, you were left to re-color all the necessary parts yourself, so there just is no way for a casual fan to get a proper model of the Tallgeese. It's long overdue, but I think the chances are slim that it will get a Master Grade at this point in time.

Likelihood: 1/5

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2. Heavyarms Custom
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Another favorite of mine, the Heavyarms Custom is simply epic. The overkill arsenal of weapons, the sexy dark blue color scheme, that kooky clown mask, I love everything about it. This is one Gundam that has a relatively high chance of getting a MG. Recently, all of the original Wing Gundams got Katoki version MG's. Even the Deathscythe Hell Custom got a MG. The Heavyarms Custom definitely needs one too! The no-grade 1/100 is actually pretty impressive, but of course, it has aged severely.

Likelihood: 3/5

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1. Gundam Double X
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Ah, the Double X. One of the most underrated and forgotten Gundams ever. Gundam X in general gets tossed aside pretty often despite having some interesting designs. The old Gundam X line of model kits were actually the first models I ever bought as a kid, and I'm disappointed that they never really got any attention. The new HG releases of the X and X Divider are pretty damn impressive, but none of the X designs have a Master Grade yet. What better than the Double X?

Likelihood: 2/5


These are my personal favorites; what mobile suits would you like to see in glorious Master Grade form?