I find it funny that the MG FA Unicorn was out for like a week (ish?) and yet it still made it to number 5 on the list, compared with other models released at the beginning of the year? o.O Looks like the Unicorn line is pretty beastly in terms of sales and as much as I'd hate to admit it, the 00 line certainly looks hooped =[

Yup, I was thinking the same thing too. It's crazy to think that the sales for the FA Unicorn in 2 weeks can beat so many other kits! And it looks pretty good for UC kits in general, I see a lot of them in that list. :)


I don't really know the difference between the V and the V2, but is it possible that Bandai are going to try the upgrade pack style again like the V gundam + core booster?

Yeah, I also think that they're still trying to perfect the V2 design since it must look cool and transformable at the same time. You have to admit, the V2 that we get so far in the form of HG 1/144 and 1/100 always look 'fat' and almost ugly.

I think Bandai also did the same with MG Nataku. They still trying to figure out how some parts works and looks cool at the same time. In case of MG Nataku, the most daunting job is to design/mold the Dragon Hang/Fang.

as far as i know the differences are pretty big. im sure we will see a proper release of the MG V2 soon! it has two variations, so they can release it at least twice. im sure that they wont pass up an opportunity like that, especially since the fans DEMAND a V2!

A MG V2?!!!

DO WANT!!!!!

Would like to see the V2 Assault Buster Gundam, that way you get the best both of variations:D

On the note about 00 Gundam, you think they would ever release a MG 0 Gundam, would like more than any other 00 Gundam.
Really quite like it's simple yet modern design.

Also still hoping for some more F-91 stuff(in particular the Guntank and G-Cannon) altho I know thats more just a pipe dream than anything else.

TBH I think if they brought us a MG Guntank R-44 or Loto(with double 120mm cannons) I'd pick them up in a instant, love those transforming tank designs!
Double 120mm cannons ftw!:D

p.s still haven't got my stuff:(

It shouldn't be surprising that the 00 series seems less popular since the Unicorn series is newer and still running. It's typical business. People tend to flock towards the newest thing, and then they trickle away from it slowly and then shift over to the next newest thing.

And the fact that the Full Armor Unicorn (MG) is the new thing, people will flock towards it. When the MG Banshee comes out, people will lose interest with the FA Unicorn and go to the Banshee...

thats exactly why i think that bandai picked the perfect time to release the MG FA unicorn. its essentially the MG kit that goes together with episode 4 of the OVA. having one major release every 6 months together with the release of a new OVA episode is simply brilliant :P everyone is talking about unicorn then and so they will want to have a kit from it.
but apparently that didnt happen with the OO movie... otherwise we would have had a ton of HGs from it already. which IS quite a shame really :T

I think Bandai is waiting to test out the AGE series' MG kits before going back and doing more 00 series kits.

Or if we get like some new manga series based off of the 00 series or if Bandai decides to do a BluRay collection of the 00 series + movie, maybe we'll see another MG or 2 and some more HG kits from the 00 series.

But for now, I guess we can really expect to see the rest of the Wing EW Master Grade kits, some MG kits from the AGE series, and a handful more MG kits from the Unicorn series (Banshee, Khshatriay maybe...).

i think its safe to assume that if the HG and AG kits from AGE dont sell well the AGE MGs wont sell well, too^^ i mean, the show is targeted at a "younger" audience and those are more likely to pick up simple kits like HGs, they probably wont buy the MGs.
but since bandai doesnt care about the states and europe, anyway when it comes to gunpla (except for a few select regions) we really have no choice but to wait and see what they will be doing next.

Going off topic...

I thought about something. The whole thing with the Seed HD thing being aired on TV with "new" kits being released.

Is this Bandai's way of saying that they feel the AGE series won't do so well which is why they're doing a remastering (kits, episodes, etc) of the Seed and eventually the Seed Destiny series?

o_O

not really. its just the 10th anniversary of SEED. and it was a pretty popular show so they kinda went all out on it.

Well "all out" would imply reanimating every episode. Looks like they just touched up some textures and made it wide screen.

>_>

And if AGE was doing so well and if they were so confident in it, why bother doing this Seed Remaster thing in the first place ya know? Just release the remastered content on BluRay instead of airing it on TV, releasing new kits, etc.

Because Seed has a different fanbase. Besides, the more products you make, the wider market you'll have. Though you have a product that sells well, it doesn't mean you have to concentrate on that and not release anything besides that. Seed sold well and I'll milk it until it has remaining milk. Yes, 00 has a lot of variations and could still be milk, but they won't make an MG Exia Repair II. I feel like i have to say this over and over again and even before you start mentioning it again.

It's getting real off-topic here when we're discussing more about anime than the models. :) But lemme just say my piece first. Now the whole point of AGE really isn't so much as to please existing fans but more to appeal to the younger kids. Yes the sales for the AGE gunpla may hurt a little but in the long run it'll work out if AGE is successful in grabbing the attention of the younger generation.

So why target the young? Won't making anime and kits that please the older folks be enough? The problem here aside from the spending power that you guys mentioned previously, is that gunpla is marketed as toys/figures instead of a modelling hobby. Compare the chance that an older guy will react to the advertisements of gunpla to that of a kid.. the kid will probably go 'cool! i want that!', get a small AG or HG at their local department stores and may be hooked on this hobby.

And that's why I think SEED is being re-released again. What better way to attract more people than to have more gundam-related shows airing? And having the SEED kits re-released to? :) as whether SEED Destiny will be re-released? haha, I think they'll have to redo tonnes of battle scenes first.

Was having another little peak around GG again and thought I'd check out the G-Shot 2011 contest.....and well the Best Customized Gunpla category is something else.

I can only applaud the work done, I can only really dream of making such things(would most likely take me a good few years and alot more resources to make something even half as decent:p)

That 1st pic, the Unicorn/00Qant is a great opener:eek:

Also spied a 1/144 AGE-1 custom build be Keita, altho not finished yet it seems.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news...dvds-bds-manga

^ What do you guys take of this article? I get the feeling that Bandai isn't making quite the money they were and maybe this might mean the end of GunPla kits and the Gundam franchise?!

o_O

I was hoping we'd get Gundam 00 (both seasons + movie) released in the US on BluRay and all of the manga for Gundam 00 to get released in the US by Bandai.

>_<

And that whole thing about Bandai reducing the number of MG kits during a year...could this be the beginning of the end?

My guess is that we'll still get DVD/BD releases, just not under Bandai. That might even be a good thing, as we might see them in more countries.

Oh. So basically Bandai will still make GunPla, anime, etc just that they'd be giving licensing to their IP to other companies?

I hope this means that things will go down in price. =)

Outsource is the word for them in rgds to video/anime distribution
They produce the product but distribution would be 3rd party
Then again is saving production costs

G.G site already state

do you read or just blindly post?

If you read the entire article, note that it's about Bandai Entertainment, aka the branch responsible for business in North America. Which means that they'll stop selling new products to the US directly. This news has nothing to do with the Japanese side of the business (hence why Gunpla isn't mentioned... hell, they hardly sell Gunpla in the States, and most of the Gunpla there are sold by importers.).

Note that Bandai's stakes in North America is pretty much a drop in the bucket compared to their monstrous Japanese foothold, and thus this particular news isn't particularly noteworthy as far as Bandai's financial situation is concerned.