Gunota Headlines
Monday, June 30, 2008
SD Gundam Force Collection Box Zako Zako Disc details
The official SD Gundam Force site updated with more details on the content of the Zako Zako Disc that comes with the DVD boxset:
"SD Gundam Force: Destructive Daishogun Appears!! Zako?" - Video of the attraction shown at Sanrio Puroland.
"SD Gundam Force: Great Battle! Dimensional Pirates De Scall!!" - Opening movie of the PS2 videogame.
"Zako Zako Zako Hour" - A Zako Zako Hour devoted to the show's merchandise.
2003 trailer
2003 workflow trailer
2004 Siggraph trailer
2004 Siggraph Yahara trailer - Video shown at the yearly Siggraph convention in America.
"Zako Hour" - Video shown at the Kodansha Super Character Festival 2004 (aka K-Fes 2004).
"Treasured Video Collection" - An introduction to SD Gundam Force promo vid, plamodel commercials, Musha Paraku 1 & 2, and others. Also includes a pilot video produced while the show was still in the planning stage.
Creditless OP & ED video
"Zako Zako Force" - Manga serialized in Gundam Ace.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
MG RX-78-2 Ver. 2.0 sample pics
People in Japan are starting to get their hands on early release versions of the MG RX-78-2 Ver. 2.0. Pics can be seen at Apron No Hito's Mokei Production Diary and Datsu! Mikkabouzu.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Upcoming merchandise pics
From Hobbyist Inc.:
1/100 Gundam Avalanche Exia
HG GN-X
BB Senshi Sangokuden Choun Gundam w/ Hieisen
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Super Robot Wars A Portable first week sales
Media Create reports Super Robot Wars A Portable sold 101,712 copies its first week out.
Ultimate Mark site update
Mark Simmons recently updated his site with content from Entertainment Bible 1.
Upcoming merchandise pics
Yet another set of MG RX-78-2 Gundam Ver 2.0 promo photos were posted on The Gundam Base.
From GA Graphic:
SHCM-Pro Zaku II Mass Production Type
Oricon 2008 mid-year DVD sales rankings
Oricon published their sales rankings for the first half of 2008. Anime showing up on the Top 50 DVDs listing:
4) Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone Specially Equipped Edition - 263,395 copies
26) The World Of Golden Eggs Vol. 01 - 88,707 copies
32) Remy's Delicious Restaurant (aka Ratatouille) - 78,335 copies
39) The World Of Golden Eggs Vol. 02 - 67,731 copies
40) Kara No Kyoukai: Fukan Fuukei - 67,021 copies
41) Mobile Suit Gundam Theatrical Memorial Box - 64,159 copies
43) Pokemon Diamond & Pearl: Dialga Vs. Palkia Vs. Darkrai - 62,183 copies
Amazon Japan also announced their mid-year top 10 Blu-ray disc sales rankings (via AV Watch):
1) Biohazard Trilogy Box
2) Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End
3) 5 Centimeters Per Second
4) I Am Legend
5) .hack/G.U. Trilogy
6) Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack
7) The Place Promised in Our Early Days
8) The Phantom Of The Opera
9) Remy's Delicious Restaurant (aka Ratatouille)
10) Mobile Suit Gundam F91
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
GameSpot Japan Operation Troy article
GameSpot Japan has a new article up covering the Gelgoog, Ez8, Char's Zaku II, multiplayer game ranks, and maps.
Players start as Privates and are restricted to Zaku IIs and GMs but can select other MS as they rise through ranked matches in multiplayer. Color variations and weapons are unlockable as well.
When piloting MS, certain features are available in cockpit view that aren't possible in 3rd person view: mainly weapons lock-on & landmine indicators.
7 maps are shown: California Base, Southeast Asia, Great Canyon, Odessa, Taklamakan, above Jaburo, and underground Jaburo.
Many more screenshots are in their gallery.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
MS IGLOO 2 official site update
Story (Vol. 1, Destroy The God Of Death!):
"March, U.C. 0079.
A countless number of the flying objects suddenly came falling from the sky.
And from them, many combat weapons attacked.
The Earth Federation Forces opposed in vain the giant mobile suits they had seen for the first time,
And because of the Principality Of Zeon's supremacy on land, the landscape of power was repainted on a large scale.
In those days, the Federation Forces's anti-mobile suit weapons were the Type 61 tank and the anti-MS heavy guided missile Regina.
April, U.C. 0079.
Amongst the Federation troops forced to retreat from the Zeon offensive, there was anti-MS squad commander and 1st squad leader Lieutenant Junior Grade Barberry..."
Data:
-Earth Federation Soldier-
Lieutenant Junior Grade Ben Barberry
-Earth Federation Armament-
M-101A3 Regina - Anti-MS Heavy Guided Missile
Length: 157 cm
Caliber: 139 mm
-Principality Of Zeon Armament-
MS-06J Zaku II J Type
Gundam 00 site update
The official Gundam 00 site has the first look at the boxart for the 1/100 Gundam Avalanche Exia and HG GN-X in their Product section.
Tokyo Toy Show: Extinction
Moe Yo posted several more galleries:
Bandai booth Gunpla
Bandai booth Non-Gunpla Gundam
Bandai booth Tamashii
The GFF Metal Composite RX-78-2 Ver. Ka coming in the Fall will have Gundam Crisis markings and come with a Gundam hammer and beam javelin.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Famitsu.com GBU article
Famitsu.com has another Gundam Battle Universe write-up: You can retry chain missions midway through now instead of having to always restart from the beginning, there are new maps (plains, mid-air, mountainous regions in space), there's two new operators to choose from when you create a soldier (Miu Takizawa & Kerguelenko), and Famitsu will once again be publishing passwords for secret missions in their magazine (one of which looks to feature Famitsu editors as enemy pilots).
Sunday, June 22, 2008
This month's hobby mag news
MSiA Flag Custom II - first in a new development for the MSiA series, Fall
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Operation Troy site update
The official site has a Marketplace section with a listing of downloadable content.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Tokyo Toy Show 2008
News from Tokyo Toy Show 2008:
Kyoshiro Maniax Red Warrior/Casval's RX-78 Gundam - date not set
Kyoshiro Maniax Full Armor Gundam - blue Plamo-kyo Shiro version, date not set
Kyoshiro Maniax Devil Gundam - Plamo-kyo Shiro version (not the G Gundam one), date not set
Kyoshiro Maniax Mini Fig Vol. 1 - Eight 110mm figures (4 of those are recolors + 1 secret), including Full Armor Gundam, Bloody Mary (Devil Gundam), Carrier Suit, and Skull Type Zaku
GFF Metal Composite RX-78 Gundam Ver. Ka - Fall
EMSiA G-3 Gundam - October, 2,100 yen
EMSiA Gelgoog (Herbert von Kuspen custom) - October, 2,100 yen
The Kyoshiro Maniax line is a new GFF spinoff from Hajime Katoki featuring MS from the Plamo-kyo Shiro manga.
The five repaint figures that make up the Sept/Oct MSiA lineup (Zudahs, Gelgoogs, and G-3) are an Operation Star One merchandising tie-in. The packages of the figures will make an Operation Star One diorama graphic when put together.
A sign on display at the event featuring the silhouettes of the 00 Gundam and Union Flag Custom II had the following notice: "This Fall, the In Action line will change?! Details to be announced on Tamashii Web in or after July." In all caps: "GUNDAM ACTION FIGURE FULLMODEL CHANGE".
An exhibit only SD Command Gundam looks to be following the color-finished SD Knight Gundam (Retsuden Edition) model seen at the Shizuoka Hobby Show. The official name of the line is SDX.
Tamashii Web posted their own TTS 2008 site, including a nearly complete list of their displayed merchandise and highlighted items.
Galleries featuring many upcoming figures and plamodels:
GA Graphic
Ota☆Suke
Famitsu.com
Hobby Stock 1
Mainichi.jp
Datsu! Mikkabouzu (MG RX-78-2 Gundam Ver. 2.0 box art)
Ota☆Suke 2
Ascii.jp
Gigazine (MG Gundam Ver. 2.0 & Airshock Beam Saber Youtube movies)
Dengeki Online
Fan To Fan
4Gamer.net
Gundam.Info
Hobby Stock 2
Digitamin Blog
Apron No Hito's Mokei Production Diary (6/20 update, SD/Sangokuden stuff)
Amiblo
Toru Furuya interview
A tad late but webzine Music Japan+ posted an English language interview with Toru Furuya regarding his visits overseas and his recently released solo album.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
MG Gundam Ver. 2.0 press release
Bandai put out a press release for the MG RX-78-2 Gundam Ver. 2.0. Aimed at Gundam fans in their 20's and 30's, they plan to sell 200,000 of the kits by March.
Bonds Of The Battlefield update
The official site announces the addition of the super high cost MS Gundam GP02A Type-MLRS and Gundam GP02A (beam bazooka specs) for high ranking ace pilots.
Upcoming merchandise pics
From The Gundam Base:
HG GN-X
1/100 Gundam Avalanche Exia
From Amiami:
EMSiA Gelgoog Mass Production Type
MSiA Zudah Unit No. 2
MSiA Zudah Backup Unit
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
Gundam.Info Operation Troy special feature #1
Gundam.Info posted the first of two special features on Mobile Suit Gundam: Operation Troy.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Air Shock Battle Beam Saber movie
Happinet Online has a 70-second promotional movie for the 1/12 scale beam saber replica.
Osamu Wakai to wed
Sponichi Annex reports comedian Osamu Wakai, famous for his Amuro Ray impersonation, recently announced his upcoming marriage to a 28-year-old "Sayla Mass-esque" department store employee. The couple was planning to submit their marriage registration on July 7 but decided to hold off for one day (until 7/8) in homage to the enduring RX-78-2 Gundam to symbolize a long-lasting bond. Wakai's proposal was also inspired by the scene in Mobile Suit Gundam in which Sleggar Law gives Mirai Yashima his mother's ring.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Random Gunpla facts & figures
Nikkei Business Online has been posting a series of discussions with Bandai Hobby Division's Deputy General Manager & Bandai Hobby Center chief Katsuhiko Sasaki. The second one focuses on his work as a manager and the people who support the Gunpla market.
- Development of a plamodel takes 120-150 days from design to shipping out. They plan on optimizing this to 100 days.
- The plamodel market exceeds 50 billion yen in value.
- Said market is such that even 10-year-old products can be manufactured and sold with repeated demand. The ratio of sales for new products vs. old products is roughly 50-50.
- The people who buy Gunpla can be largely divided into two groups: 14-year-olds who purchase them because of their interest in the newest Gundam on TV and 35-year-olds who've been fans since First Gundam. Gunpla has been particularly sustained by the latter.
Monday, June 09, 2008
New Gundam Battle Universe features
Famitsu.com shows off some new gameplay elements: orders for wingmen and the Skill System. When you play by yourself in Campaign Mode, you can order wingmen units to grapple (melee), defend, shoot, or use their SP attack.
Each pilot also has a Passive Skill (the standard) and an Additional Skill (available when your unit's HP is below 30%). Examples given include the Passive Skills IF Penetration (allows you to deal 30% damage with a beam weapon against targets with I-Fields) and Junk Shop (50% more ammo with 50% faster reload) and the Additional Skills Persistence (extra life) and Confusion (use SP attacks at will).
Operation Troy advance play meetings
In advance of its June 26 release date, Game Watch says 4 stores in the Kantou region will have the game available for people to try out on June 14 in both single player and online modes.
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Upcoming merchandise pics
From Tamashii Web:
GFF Gundam Mk-III
From Amazon Japan:
HCM-Pro Tallgeese
From Moe Yo! Akibajin:
HCM-Pro Wing Gundam sample
From Hobbyist Inc:
1/100 Gundam Astraea Type F (box art)
Friday, June 06, 2008
Summer MG Campaign details
Hobby Shop Midori has details on this Summer's MG campaign. Specially marked packages of the 10 previously released One Year War MG kits shown (GM, Guncannon, Char's Zaku Ver. 2.0, Zaku Ver. 2.0, Gouf, Dom, Char's Z'Gok, Z'Gok, Acguy, Gyan) will come with special display items: a display stand (in either Feddie clear blue or Zeek clear green), two display plates (featuring each pilot + Amuro), and a character plate holder w/ MG logo.
Edit: Forgot to mention these will be available starting in July.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Upcoming merchandise pics
From The Gundam Base:
1/100 Gundam Avalanche Exia
BB Senshi Sangokuden Choun Gundam w/ Hieisen
BB Senshi Sangokuden Ryomou Dijeh & Kannei Kämpfer Gou Assault Marines
Sangokuden Hero Encyclopedia
The July/August Bandai Hobby Sales Manual shows a heavy MG promotional campaign is planned leading up to the release of the MG RX-78-2 Ver. 2.0. In addition to the usual coverage in hobby magazines and posters in shops, there'll be visibility in mainstream media through street ads, TV commercials, newspapers, general interest (i.e., non-hobby) magazines, and news & variety programs. Coinciding with the sale of the kit on July 26 will be a campaign in hobby shops involving some kind of One Year War-related item.
An official site for the Air Shock Battle Beam Saber will pre-open on June 16 with a grand opening on July 1 and a revamp on September 1.
Listed in the "Other" section of the ASB Beam Saber's promo schedule, a pamphlet for the product will be included with a thus-far-unannounced PS2 Gundam 00 game coming out in October.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Upcoming merchandise pics
The Gundam Base has galleries up for the following:
MG RX-78-2 Gundam Ver. 2.0
HCM-Pro Gundam Sandrock
SHCM-Pro Mass Production Type Zaku II
Mechanic Collection Vincent Commander Type
1/100 Gundam Astraea Type F
From Hobbyist Inc.:
MG RX-78-2 Gundam Ver. 2.0
HCM-Pro Tallgeese
HCM-Pro Shenlong Gundam
From GA Graphic:
SHCM-Pro Mass Production Type Zaku II (prototype)
HCM-Pro Gundam Sandrock (prototype)
Upcoming merchandise pics
From GA Graphic:
GFF Metal Composite Psyco Gundam Mk-II (prototype)
From Amiami:
GFF Metal Composite Psyco Gundam Mk-II (actual)
From Moe Yo! Akibajin:
1/100 Gundam Astraea Type F sample
From Infinity Wonderland:
1/100 Gundam Astraea Type F
From Digitamin:
HCM-Pro Tallgeese
HCM-Pro Shenlong Gundam
Monday, June 02, 2008
Air Shock Battle 1/12 Beam Saber
Hobby Shop Midori posted info for an Air Shock Battle 1/12 Beam Saber, available in September for 4,980 yen. It works in 3 different modes: standard (with sound FX as you swing), scenario (featuring 7 stages with Toru Furuya's voice in battles with the Zaku & Gouf + unlockable Newtype sound FX for standard mode), and kakutougi mode (similar to standard with beam saber clash vibration). Comes with adapter and stand. The item is aimed at new & casual Gundam fans 8 and up as well as the hardcore fan and a large scale promotion is planned.
Sunday, June 01, 2008
Upcoming plamo news
Listings from Hobby Search:
MG RX-78-2 Gundam Ver. 2.0
MG Zaku Cannon - August, 4,725 yen
HGUC Kämpfer
HGUC Rick Dom II Colony colors
1/100 Gundam Avalanche Exia
HG Enact (Demo colors) - also comes with Mass Production Type head
HG GN-X
SHCM-Pro Mass Production Type Zaku II
HCM-Pro Gundam Sandrock
HCM-Pro Tallgeese
HCM-Pro Shenlong Gundam - September, 3,150 yen
BB Senshi Sangokuden Choun Gundam w/ Hieisen
BB Senshi Sangokuden Ryomou Dijeh & Kannei Kämpfer Gou Assault Marines - comes with 2 commanders, 1 transforming ship, and 3 marine troops
BB Senshi Gundam Exia
Most of the same promo images can be seen at Hobby Shop Midori.
Pics from The Gundam Base:
1/100 Tieren Ground Type
HCM-Pro Wing Gundam
Pics from Amazon Japan:
MG RX-78-2 Gundam Ver. 2.0
Hobby Shop Midori also has pics of the BB Senshi Sangokuden Weapons Effect Campaign: beginning in July, five different plamodels in the lineup (Sousou Gundam, Sonken Gundam, Ryuubi Gundam, Chouhi Gundam, Kan-u Gundam) will each come with their own transparent PET effects parts.
Gundam Vs. Gundam hidden element #3
Alpha Station reports the addition of an Ultimate Course in CPU battles.
Tora Uganda passes away
Chunichi Sports reports Tora Uganda died suddenly in a Tokyo hospital Saturday at the age of 55. The cause of death is unknown but it is said he had been suffering from diabetes. Uganda, whose real name was Shinichiro Sato, was known as the drummer for the comic band Busy Four in the late 70's through the early 80's and later as a comedic personality on variety shows, TV commercials, and movies. Gundam fans would know him best as Sweatson Stero in Turn A Gundam.
