I believe the skull on the v-fin is a sticker.

HG 1/144 Ghirarga (Release Date: June 2012, Price: 1365 yen)
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jOq1RS-7H0...gzbECQ7Shg.jpg

HG 1/144 Gundam AGE-3 Fortress (Release Date: Aug 2012, Price: 1800 yen)
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NEc0DOAyG7...elIj4pylLQ.jpg

HG 1/144 G-EXES JackEdge (Release Date: July 2012, Price: 1,260 yen)
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cevY_kFCr6...THCnpwthfA.jpg

AG 1/144 Dark Hound (Release Date: Jun 2012(?), Price: 700 yen)
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tex7_JO0MG...3204017a28.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WjPkgs2ElW...3204015e3a.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9c89rz00ug...3204014c27.jpg


I can't wait for MG Age-2 Normal to come out. Same for MG Double Bullet... But that MG Age-2 Normal (white) needs to be done...even if it's a limited release. >_< Why can't we get a limited release or "upgrade" parts for MG Exia R2 as a limited thing?

It would have been detailed with Black lining if it is a sticker.

Yup, that picture's unpainted/unstickered. Looks really good.

The new pics of RG Justice on GG make me drool. :D The proportions just blow the HG and NG out of the water. Can't wait to get it.

I dont know why but i love the Freedom and Justice. After seeing those pictures i'm going to have to get them. :D (be my first real grades)

Welcome to the club :D. Yeah, I think Justice will be my first RG too if they really wont make MG Justice.

Yeah I just ordered the Freedom. Wanna try the Mk2 as well. The real grades seem like a solid buy.

P-Bandai Hobby Online Shop Exclusive: HG 1/144 Gundam AGE-2 Normal [Special Force Unit Ver.]
(Pre-Order Begins: May 25th 2012, Release Date: Jul 2012, Price: 1575 yen)
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yoefm9OFYI...s/s1600/21.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JKlcW5Tp6C...k/s1600/26.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aznb8vB2cu...8/s1600/25.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GIKPb_hjTd...s/s1600/22.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-luRpIiL-H7...o/s1600/23.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R-csZ0RfVP...A/s1600/24.jpg

Hope we get a limited MG version of this later.

You know, nike, you don't have to re-post every one of GG's postings here. It's not like we can't visit GG on our own.

HG AGE-2 looks good in white, but I doubt I'll get it in MG if Bandai ever decides to release it. The MG would look better with more colours.

Yeah, the line mostly replaced my MG buys since I always try to keep most gunplas (and other plamos) in a single scale.

Like the 1/144 version, the MG Age-2 Special White will probably be a Bandai Online Exclusive much later.

I'm more interested in MG Dark hound detailing be like in time to come as MG Age-2 normal detailing looks great

No way, it saves me the trouble. :heh:

Haven't gotten into the RG line yet - but are the fingers really loose and easily lost? They do come with standard HG-like manipulators, right?

^ The manipulators on my Freedom broke-off pretty easily.

I'm talking about the ones with poseable fingers, the standard ones are fine.

HG Gundam AGE-3 (Normal Mode)
http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/a...DSC_0256-1.jpg
http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/a...8/DSC_0257.jpg
http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/a...8/DSC_0259.jpg
http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/a...8/DSC_0261.jpg
http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/a...8/DSC_0262.jpg
http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/a...8/DSC_0266.jpg
Father , Son, Grandson.....
http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/a...8/DSC_0258.jpg

SD BB Gundam AGE-2 (Normal & Double Bullet Mode)
http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/a...8/DSC_0295.jpg
http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/a...8/DSC_0290.jpg
http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/a...8/DSC_0292.jpg
http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/a...8/DSC_0291.jpg
http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/a...8/DSC_0299.jpg
http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/a...8/DSC_0289.jpg

Is it just me who thinks the balance between Age-3 Normal arms and legs are a bit off compared to other models?

I didn't realize it at first, but the AGE-3 being able to deploy its beam saber from the arm plate really reminds me of Armored Core and how it usually depicts its laser blades.

It actually reminded me of Unicorn Gundam . =P

@loon1688

Damn you. I was considering getting AGE-1 and AGE-3, but now I really want to get them!

:heh:

Just get all the Age MG kits. =P

I got them all so far. Waiting for Age-2 Normal, Double Bullet, Age-3 Normal, Fortress, Orbital... Hoping for Woolf's 3 suits, but if the don't come I will get the HG's...

Not fan of the MGs.

@loon1688

Very nice! Those SDs of yours make me drool :p.

I just saw new pictures of the MG marasai. I'm quite dissapointed with it's surface detail. It's really plain....so not alot of pannelining to do. You could easily mistake it for a 1/100 HG.

Don't care about Age alot, give me MG Zaku Warrior :)

This is true... But it does give the option of lots of customization. Maybe that was the intention? It appeals to both the lazy and the creative.

Mobile Suit Gundam Age-3 - Vegan Gundams
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MZmZ37Nii-.../www.dotup.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aR9K5-yZQt...org3018186.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6gzQz9pGli...org3018188.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S7Qb4jgkfZ...org3018189.jpg

Looks awfully similar to the designs for O Gundam (w/ hints of Wing Gundam) and 00 Qan[T] (with hints of Age-1 Normal)... o_O

Asides from the clear green parts (which can be anything at this moment) I'm not seeing the similarities to the 00 or the Qan[T], especially for the tentatively named "AGE-X" (though the chest reminds me of the Harute, but only distantly). And the actual Vagan Gundam has a much noticeable resemblance to the Nu Gundam, at least for the head.

Both are still quite the departure from the traditional Gundam designs though, bar the Turn-A Gundam.

the 1st one looks like a harute, legs are pretty weird imo.. the 2nd one looks like a mix of the gafran chest and dorado's legs in gundam colors.

Quite like them actually, 2nd one looks kinda like a Wing/F-91 hybrid, like that one quite abit.
Like the head on it, kinda knight like.
I think it would look pretty cool in Sinanju or Char red colour scheme might make it look pretty awesome.

somehow it remind me to this

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__...ndam_Front.jpg

There's a reason for that. Bandai is trying to attract the older crowds who grew up watching Zeta by sculpting the Marasai just as it how it appeared in the original animation.

They have done it with Ver 2 of the RX-78, Zaku II, Gouf and Gelgoog and those sold relativly well.

And the interesting thing is Gouf 2.0 not only better articulation-wise but also design-wise which is pretty odd since Gouf 2.0 follows the oldies design from the anime :heh:.

I built the gelgoog 2.0 (grey-green version) It has way more surface detail then this Marasai.

The rx-78 2.0 and the gouf 2.0 aree poor excuses for an MG, they rank in my personal list amoung bandai's greatest flops, no presentations what so ever compared to my OYW version. But that's a very personal opinion.

Marasai is from zeta gundam, so it should coinside with detail like the RX-178 MK II, which has great surface detailling in MG and even better is RG.

How wrong can you be, Gundam 2.0 is still easily one of the 3 best kits bandai has ever produced. The style choice keeps the outer armor clean but that doesn't diminish it's quality as a kit.

There is a huge difference between bad/flop and not to your taste.

i agree with RX93-2. the RX-78-2 2.0 is amazing!
a model kit isnt always just about the looks. its also about articulation, balance and how you actually have to put it together.
you might not like the looks of it but that doesnt make it a terrible kit!
you are looking at it from an objective way only and completely ignore what lies under the relatively boring armor.
and when you look at it from a subjective way you will realize that the kit looks EXACTLY like the machine that appeared in one of the most iconic works of sci-fi ever. and lots of people love the kit because of that.
i mean, its not a coincidence that almost everyone recommends this kit as an absolute must have :P

I'm not questioning your personal taste, but I don't think it's right to say that Gouf 2.0 as "poor excuses" or a "flop". First, like I said before, the kit is excellent articulation-wise and design-wise. The improvement makes it like heaven and earth compared to the ver 1.0. Second, it sells pretty well IIRC so that doesn't make it a flop.

Bandai did start to cut back on panel line detail starting from the Zaku Ver.2.0, and then pretty completely from the GN-X. I think it was to maintain the selling price due to the rising cost of plastics. Perhaps, they also expected expert modelers to scribe panel lines themselves. It was nice to see panel lines return on the AGE and Duel Gundam though.

However, now the AGE-1 and Marasai don't even have an ABS frame.

If you want sculpt and detail, even the late 90s and early 2000s MGs would suffice. At that time articulation was not even a main consideration as they haven't quite discovered the need for it yet.

Having worked in the plastic industry, I've learned a thing or two about hot injection molding. It's very hard to do things like panel lines on a mold and keep consistent flow throughout the mold process. You see this when bandai tries to make special colours, where you see the flow lines in the plastic. Lots of other issues as well, such as flash(heavy flow causing excess plastic on the parts). I've seen times working on a machine for hours to get one hour of good parts! Lots of factors contribute to it, such as the machine, the maintenance of said machine, the operator of the machine...

It's not as simple as putting details on a mold either. It's extremely expensive to engineer a mold. If it's a high shine part, it requires polished chrome plating. An even more expensive process.

The fact that bandai is able to produce what they do is impressive from my point of view, having worked many aspects of their production.

i know what you mean! it really isnt that simple and i can see why they would want to cut down on costs a little.
plus, when i compare it to other brands like revell then the quality of their models is even more impressive! the revell kits look like someone made the lining channels with a butterknife :P
and im not mad when a kit like the marasai looks a little less detailed. because i like models that look exactly like they did in the anime!
also, other new kits like the MG duel have an insane amount of details! so we are getting both and they are doing it appropriately.
the marasai is a kit from an old show so it gets less details while the duel is from a show that is just now being remastered in HD so it gets more details. makes sense to me!
kits with an oldschool look already worked out well for them with all the MG 2.0 kits, too.

Anyway...

HG Exia R2
HG Reborns Gundam
HG 1.5 Gundam
HG Avalanche Dash Exia
HG O Gundam (Type ACD)
HG O Gundam (Roll Out)

Those are the 6 HG kits I will be getting. Going to also get some Mr. Hobby acrylic paints and flat top coat cans. =)

Where can I get the paints the cheapest online? I live in the US.