2009 C3 - Hong Kong (1st time held outside of Japan)

The city of Hong Kong has the role of host to the first C3 event held outside of Japan. The inaugural event in Hong Kong is taking place now during this month (April) while the annual C3 X Hobby event in Japan will be held in city of Chiba Japan in August. C3 also announced that Hong Kong will also host the event in 2010 as well. No location or time for that has been announced. Hong Kong is already home to the annual Ani-Com which is held at the Hong Kong Convention Center during the summer time frame.

Here are some pics (From The Bonkurasu Brigade & Toysdaily)
Oh man.....Senjou no Kizuna...drool

That's just WRONG! Very very wrong...

Gundam Unicorn Updates at the Official Site

From now until winter, I will be constantly looking for updates regarding the upcoming Gundam Unicorn anime.

All images from the offical website: http://www.gundam-unicorn.net/

Translation from Cosmic-Era w/ additional info from wikipedia:

BANAGHER LINKS

16 years old.
Main character. When his mother died, he has been entrusted to a father that he has never known and went to the Anaheim Electronics school on the Industrial 7 space colony. His encounter with the mysterious Audrey Burne will involve him in the trouble surronding the “Box of Laplace”.

Additional info - A boy who is a student at Anaheim Industry Technical School in the colony "Industrial 7". He is described as seeing war as something akin to fiction, as he was born after the One Year War ended and did not experience the more isolated wars that followed it. However, upon meeting Audrey, he is drawn into a new conflict. He does a part-time job clearing space debris with a miniature MS.

________________________________
AUDREY BURNE
16 years old.
Heroin. Important member of the antigovernment organisation “Sotsudeki”. For an unknown reason, she boards the Garencières to reach Industrial 7. Her fate will change when Banagher saves her from a deathly danger.

Additional Info - A girl from a noble family, whose life changes after she meets Banagher. Her name appears to be derived from famed actress Audrey Hepburn. Recently revealed herself as Mineva Lao Zabi.

________________________________

Mobile Suit:
RX-0 GUNDAM UNICORN
A prototype Mobile Suit developped under the “UC project” in the secret base of Anaheim Electronics for the Earth Federation Forces. His characteristics are his pure white armor and horn. Nickname : Unicorn. This unit hides a secret that will change the future of mankind.

Will update more when news becomes avaliable.

Additonal Info - A pure white MS produced by the "UC Project," part of the Federation Space Force's reorganization plan. The entire movable frame of this experimental machine forms a psycoframe, and its responsiveness is extremely high. It also incorporates a special "Laplace Program" OS and a system known as "NT-D (Newtype Drive, called Newtype Destroyer System by Full Frontal)." When NT-D is activated, the internal frame expands and the entire figure is transformed. In the process, the armor separates along its seams, and slides are released. A red glow can be seen where the internal frame is exposed by the gaps in the armor, and this is believed to be a psycoframe luminescence phenomenon. The machine's performance, in particular its mobility, is dramatically increased when NT-D is active. In its normal mode, it sports a head resembling that of mass-produced MS like the GM. Equiped with beam magnum, hyper bazooka, NT-D type shield, four beam saber and beam gatling gun as an option.

Takkeman Blastor (Customized) - Part 2

It was very hot today in Los Angeles (near 100 degree), but still I need to finish this kit for a paying friend. So I've begun painting. Although I am nowhere near finish... I thought I would post an update.

This was where we left off from last time... all parts had been primed.

I've painted most white areas with white w/ gray shading, bright silver for the spear, and clear yellow & goldleaf for all the yellow part of the kit.

Whenever painting is in progress, my hobby room is a big mess. Hopefully I will be done with the kit within the next few days, and have nicer pictures to show.

Until next time....

Gundam Unicorn (Animated) in Winter 2009!!!

Image from Gtoy's blog

Is great to be a Gundam fan this year as we celebrates the Gundam's 30th anniversary. Originally I was quite upset that there wasn't any official statement about upcoming new Gundam series or OVA for 2009, other than the wrapping up of Gundam 00.

But now hope is on the horizon. Continuation of the UC era.... Yum.

Mobile Suit Gundam UC Novel Vol. 8 Limited Edition - MG Sinanju Bazooka Ver. Ka

Image from Hatena::Diary

Hightlight of the day - Purchasing of the MG Sinanju Bazooka

When it comes to Gundam Unicorn stuff, I am pretty crazy about it. And when I heard about the Bazooka for the MG Sinanju kit, I didn't think I would ever be able lay my hands on it.....until I read on the blog of a fellow Gundam blogger (An American Salaryman In Tokyo), whom had purchased 4 extra of this baby that came with the Gundam UC novel vol. 8. And he was gracious enough to sell & ship them to anyone interested. Well, guess who is interested....

I actually called my local japanese book store first to confirm that they won't get any on stock...and once that is confirmed...obviously I had to contact the American Salaryman In Tokyo.
He charged me a fair price, although I did thought it is a bit pricey, but heck is for the Sinanju!! Perhaps once I built my Sinanju w/ the bazooka, and after I get tired of it, I can sell it. hmm probably not.... =)

Images from Gtoy's blog

Yum.....

Mobile Suit Gundam 機動戦士ガンダム - Senjou no Kizuna (戦場の絆) PSP

If I live & work in Japan, I would be in line every single day for the arcade game Mobile Suit Gundam 機動戦士ガンダム - Senjou no Kizuna (戦場の絆). But unfortunately I am stuck in the US...so all I could do is drool over all the youtube video of people playing this great Gundam game.

But thankfully, PSP owners now have the opportunity to own & play the portable version of 機動戦士ガンダム (戦場の絆). In fact, I was the 1st one to arrive at the local import game store before they open for business, standing close to the front window placing both hands above my eyes to look inside the dark interior of the store, hoping to see the owner coming out to open its grand doors. Of course, I exaggerated a little.

In truth, I paid an arm & a leg for this game (About $70 USD). Only gundam stuffs can make me dish out such a hefty amount of doe. Anyhow, so I got the game. I loaded onto my PSP 3000 which is connected to my 24" LCD & 5.1 sound system. (SEE VIDEO ABOVE) And so far, I must say this game rocks!!! I love everything about it. It even have things that is only exclusive to the PSP version like:

- Able to play strategically as the base... giving orders to AI controlled MS, ordering bombardments, deploy minosky particles...etc.

- EX system, allowing player to manually customize their favorite MS. For instance, toggling between different armor & mobility options.

- COM pilots allow player to specify AI pilot to specific MS. So I can assign a mid range specialist to pilot a mid range MS...thus using it effectively in combat. The AI is pretty good in the game, and at the planning phase player can assign Team MS to sortie to cover specific location.

Great game indeed! And I love how constant grinding in single player unlocks various weapons, perks, game levels, & comm chat / commands.

Now I just need to wait until my friend bring me back a Xlink device, so that I can play mulitiplayer with people on the internet.

For a better quality of the video, check out the link below (and watch in HQ).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSiacVXX9JQ&feature=channel_page

Takkeman Blastor (Customized) - Part 1

While I've stopped all efforts in finishing the Flag Custom kit...due to busy schedule. However, I've been building another kit for a friend who is paying me for it.

The kit is the 1/16 Takkeman Blastor (An old kit from the early 90's).

Although I have never seen this anime before, but I thought the box art looks pretty awesome. Notice the kit only cost $16.00 USD. Quality down the drain....So due to the poor design of the kit, some modifications are in order.



I've pre-built the kit to check for errors and just to see how it looks, and surely is a big difference from the box art... One of the major difference is the length of the leg (which is a bit short).


Notice some of the pieces just doesn't snap well together (like the head)....


It was at this point that I knew this kit need some modifications in order to satisfy my friend.

The box art shows the antenna to be long, and is 2 pieces instead of one. So mod begins.

I've modded the antennas and also lengthen & sharpen the shoulders. Also I have added some pla-plate to the collar, to make it more 3 dimensional.

In order to lengthen the leg, I had to cut the leg in half carefully.

Then insert a pla-tube in between...adding 1 1/2 inch to the kit. I've also made the spear longer to match the new height.

I performed a bit of kitbashing here to enhance the look of the new legs, using spare plamo parts from some 1/144 kits. Also I have lenghten the toes and sharpen them.

Then filled in the gap with magic sculpt & epoxy putty, and file/sand away...

The back also need some mods, since the kit is now taller, the lower wings need to be lengthen as well. So I used pla-plate to do this, adding in panel lines.

And here is the results after all the mods have been implmented.

NEXT UPDATE: PAINT JOB

1/100 OverFlag Customization (A-LAW Flag Revenge) - Part I

My current 1/100 OverFlag custimization project (Part I)

Bascially I will be doing some mods to the 1/100 OverFlag kit. My intent is to redesign components as follows:

1. Two extra wing(antenna) on the head.
2. New shoulders...I like big bulky shoulders. The original shoulder is quite lame.
3. Extension to the existing wing. The extension will be curved upward.
4. New chest to be extended longer then the original chest.
5. GN Drive attach onto the existing flight pack.
6. Customized shield.....never liked the funny spinning shield.
7. Extra boosters and sheldings for the legs.
8. New cover for the lower torso.
9. Maybe......maybe some customization to the existing gun..not sure yet.
10. Custom paint job... to match color of the A-LAW's Ahead.
11. And the most fun part, which I am looking forwad to... I am gonna make custom decals too!!!!


The following are some initial work on the kit & customization mods... More update will follow shortly...

1/60 Gundam Exia (Gundam 00)

1/144 HRL Tieren (Gundam 00)