![Featured image for Taking Bandai Hobby Head-on: SMP [Shokugan Modeling Project] 100 Next Evolution](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20220524/1653376376.36779.65729.jpg)
As preluded in a previous post, the SMP [Shokugan Modeling Project] line is reaching its 100th release milestone and along with it are several announcements that would take the brand beyond your co…
May 24, 2022 • Subscribe
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![Featured image for Road to SMP No. 100: SMP [Shokugan Modeling Project] Genesis of Aquarion](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20220522/1653207176.36685.65601.jpg)
Road to SMP No. 100: SMP [Shokugan Modeling Project] Genesis of Aquarion
In 2016, Bandai Candy’s Super Minipla line took the simple Minipla kit concept and placed it on a level on par with Bandai Spirits’ hobby products. And with…
![Featured image for Super Minipla is now SMP [Shokugan Modeling Project]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20210319/1616136459.6550.29817.jpg)
Super Minipla is now SMP [Shokugan Modeling Project]
When Bandai Spirits took the collector and hobby divisions away from the bigger Bandai, the candy toy division, or Bandai Shokugan, stepped up and produced great hobby-oriented lines.…
![Featured image for The Trilogy is Complete! SMP [Shokugan Modeling Project] Daitarn 3](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20211121/1637472757.25679.52666.jpg)
The Trilogy is Complete! SMP [Shokugan Modeling Project] Daitarn 3
To those wondering what “trilogy” I’m talking about, then let me again show you this image: I say trilogy in quotes because they’re not really related story-wise, and…
Really Appreciate the Engineering: SMP [Shokugan Modeling Project] Granbird & Draias
When it comes to Brave Series kits, I’ve mentioned multiple times how I really prefer Kotobukiya’s approach of sticking to aesthetics: focusing more on the proportion and articulation,…
![Featured image for SMP Finally Volting In: SMP [Shokugan Modeling Project] Voltes V (Standard / V Together Set)](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20230821/1692624521.66974.102233.jpg)
SMP Finally Volting In: SMP [Shokugan Modeling Project] Voltes V (Standard / V Together Set)
I remember Bandai Shokugan announcing the Super Minipla (Yeah, it was that long) Combattler V set back in 2019 and I said to myself that they’ll probably release…
![Featured image for Because the RIOBOT Version IS Expensive: SMP [Shokugan Modeling Project] R-1 & R-Gun Set](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20220819/1660910340.42073.72275.jpg)
Because the RIOBOT Version IS Expensive: SMP [Shokugan Modeling Project] R-1 & R-Gun Set
In what appears to be companies responding to each other and providing multiple options, Bandai Shokugan has previously announced that they are also doing a combining SRX kit…
![Featured image for Yep, I’m Still with Kotobukiya: SMP [Shogukan Modeling Project] Might Gaine](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20220620/1655725976.38079.67350.jpg)
Yep, I’m Still with Kotobukiya: SMP [Shogukan Modeling Project] Might Gaine
During the SMP 100 Next Evolution Project reveal a month ago, one of the teases they made was for Brave Express Might Gaine, the next Brave Series they’ll…
Bandai Hobby Next Phase 2021 Autumn: Entry Grade Nu Gundam
Let’s play catch up with a couple of days’ worth of announcements from Bandai Spirits’ Hobby Next Phase 2021 Autumn week. Kicking things off is the next Entry…
Bandai Hobby Next Phase 2021 Autumn: HG Chou Mashin Ryujinmaru
Bandai Spirits has completed their Hobby Next Phase 2021 Autumn event to varying degree of excitement with the announcements. That said, there’s one that has me curious, and…
Articulation Innovation! Bandai Hobby Next Phase 2021 Autumn: RG God Gundam
Bandai Spirits saved their best reveal, I guess, for last as they close the almost week-long Hobby Next Phase 2021 Autumn event which featured a whole bunch of…
Surprise, it’s not Premium Bandai! Hobby Next Phase 2023 Spring: HG Ryujinmaru
Continuing the train of reveals from Bandai Spirits’ Hobby Next Phase 2022 Spring, is the next HG kit from the Wataru franchise, and it’s not a Premium Bandai…
Shizuoka Hobby Show 2023: Bandai Spirits taking some “Votoms” Profit from Wave with HG Scopedog
Votoms is one of the definitive “real robots” out there, we have been getting great and accessible 1/35 “desktop-scale” kits of various armored trooper units from Wave. Band…
It’s Back! Shizuoka Hobby Show 2021: Bandai Spirits
Of course, I’m not forgetting Bandai Spirits for this very biased Shizuoka Hobby Show 2021 coverage. Technically, they are branding this as “Hobby Next Phase 2021 Spring”, but…
All Japan Model & Hobby Show 2023: Bandai Spirits New Hobby (Non-Gunpla) Items
All Japan Model & Hobby 2023 is right around the corner and around this time, the Bandai Spirits Hobby Division usually does a Hobby Next Phase Autumn online…
NIGHT HEAD 2041 – 03 – Taking a Turn
Fresh off their narrow escape from the diner and SWE, Naoto and Naoya decide to pay a visit to their dear old parents who drugged them and sent…
Pre-order on Day 1! Hobby Next Phase 2022 Spring: RG GaoGaiGar
Bandai Spirits’ Hobby Division has started their Hobby Next Phase 2020 Spring week-long new model kit reveal extravaganza. And right off the gate, we’re treated to one heck…
Thoughts on Shirobako Episode 13: Onwards To The Next Project!
Man, this episode was a doozy. A WHOLE lot happened!
On Depression and Taking Antidepressants
So this post isn’t going to be manga-related, but more about a psychiatry report about the causes of depression that has made a splash among researchers and peers.…
Hobby Next Phase 2022 Autumn: Let’s Talk Master Grades
I don’t really talk about Master Grades on this blog since I’m more of a 1/144 person, but they did have a couple of interesting announcements for Hobby…
Taking on Trauma — Suzume no Tojimari
9/11 fucked up a lot of people for good. And for my generation, the tragedy hit at a very impressionable time–essentially setting a dark tone for the rest…
HG Aussenseiter When? Hobby Next Phase 2023 Spring: HG DyGenGuar
Hot off the heels from the last Super Robot Wars OG High Grade kit, the HG Huckebein Mk-II, Bandai Spirits follows it up with possible one of the…
100 Years of Yuri 2020 Project – Introduction
Happy New Year and welcome to 2020 or, as I like to think of it, the first day of 2CYE (Current Yuri Era.) ^_^ To begin with, thanks…
Marvel Comics & Bandai Spirits Collaboration: “Tech-On Avengers”
Around late last year, Marvel announced Avengers Mech-Strike, where the Earth’s mightiest heroes will see themselves battling larger-than-life threats (literally) using mech suits. The concep…
Get Ready to be Excited (or Disappointed): All Japan Hobby & Model Show 2022 + Hobby Next Phase 2022 Autumn
Before anything else, let’s get this thing out of the way. Thanks to the sleuths scouring for new Japanese trademark filings, we already have wind of an upcoming…
Keep Them Coming! Hobby Next Phase 2023 Spring: HG Durandal Valkyrie
Continuing on this thread of reveals is what I think one of the best things to come out of the High Grade line recently. Making Macross kits more…
Not-Hobby Next Phase for Q2 2024: Non-Gunpla High Grades
I guess at some point, Bandai Spirits Hobby Division just stopped calling these new product reveals “Hobby Next Phase” events since the last couple of ones weren’t exactly…
This One’s Darker, Literally: Hobby Next Phase 2023 Spring: HG Protogouyo
A couple or so weeks back, Sunrise Beyond announced they’re doing a sequel to the 2021 mecha anime Kyoukai Senki or AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline as it…
Redemption for Wufei! Hobby Next Phase 2022 Spring: HGAC Shenlong Gundam
How did we get here? Why does the reveal of this upcoming kit come with a redemption for a certain character? What did Wufei do wrong? Well, that’s…
Cockpits and Coffins? Hobby Next Phase 2023 Spring: HG “#SYNDUALITY” Kits
Around September 2022, a new multimedia science-fiction project called Project SYN was announced and it will be comprised of a game and an anime series. You can check…
Taking on Mount Fuji Because of Anime
It has almost been a year since the first advert for the Mount Fuji Virtual Challenge appeared on my Facebook timeline. I have been so eager to do…
Chaos;Head NoAH – A play on perception!
A deep dive by Rulu into Chaos;Head NoAH's themes of "reality" and "perception", beware spoilers for the title! The post Chaos;Head NoAH – A play on perception! appeared first…
#91.5 First Thoughts on Ice-Head Gill
Manga by Hachiya, Ikuo Do we give a cold reception to this axed series? David and Jordan give their first thoughts on the discuss Shonen Jump…
Kono Oto Tomare! – Facing Trauma Head On
Life is a series of obstacles to overcome, and some obstacles involve coming to terms with a difficult past.
I Mashed F5 on Premium Bandai! HGUC Phantom Gundam
I am not the most familiar with late Universal Century stories, murky canon status and lack of official English releases withstanding. But I think everyone would agree that…
Bandai Taketh Away
12 Days of Aniblogging 2023, Day 1 Last year I wrote a post extolling the virtues of Birdie Wing, 2022’s breakthrough “how the fuck did this get made” mafia…
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury, Symphogear, Earthian, Kakegurui, Macross
Hobby Next Phase 2022 Autumn: New HG THE WITCH FROM MERCURY Kits
Okay, I know there were announcements for the new MG Zeta Gundam Ver.Ka. and MGSD Freedom Gundam. But High Grades are my bread and butter in this hobby,…
Hobby Next Phase 2021 Autumn: Figure-rise Standard Ultraman Suit Taro -Action-
Bandai Spitits’ Hobby Next Phase 2021 Autumn has started and they’re set to reveal new and upcoming kits in their various lines and licensed properties. Kicking things off…
We’re Getting the AM Boxer Next, right? Premium Bandai Exclusive HG AM Gunner
Earlier this week, Bandai Spirits announced the HG Huckebein Mk-III, and I wondered if they’re going to do the auxiliary units like the AM Gunner and AM Boxer.…
100 Years of Yuri 2020 Project, by Erica Friedman
Welcome to the final post of the 100 Years of Yuri 2020 Project! With this post, the first centennial anniversary of the Yuri genre is complete. We can…
100 Years of Yuri 2020 Project, by Erica Friedman
Welcome to the final post of the 100 Years of Yuri 2020 Project! With this post, the first centennial anniversary of the Yuri genre is complete. We can…
No Mazingers Here! Soul of Chogokin GX-100 Project
When it first started 1997, no one knew that the Soul of Chogokin line would be the definitive high-end collector mecha brand. It also led to the eventual…
Mangaka: Evolution
You know one of the things I love about manga? Being able to follow an author’s evolution through different works and see what their preferences are like. Before…
Gundam Evolution
Gundam Evolution has plenty of merit for people looking for an alternative to Overwatch. But what about Gundam fans?
![Featured image for Everything Else is Underwhelming. Hobby Next Phase 2022 Summer: 30MM Spinatio [Knight Type]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20220622/1655898176.38192.67484.jpg)
Everything Else is Underwhelming. Hobby Next Phase 2022 Summer: 30MM Spinatio [Knight Type]
Day two and pretty much the whole of Bandai Spirits’ Hobby Next Phase 2022 Summer has ended and to say that I was underwhelmed by the reveals is…
Real Grade Wing Zero When? Hobby Next Phase 2023 Spring: RG Gundam Epyon
Bandai Spirits lowkey announced their Hobby Next Phase 2023 Spring online reveals of upcoming kits. And they decided to keep things streamlined by putting everything in one day,…
Dragon Head
A manga about high school teenager Teru Aoki, who awakens to find himself trapped in a tunnel with only two other survivors after an earthquake derails the bullet…
Junk Head
By Jonathan Clements. In the far future, the human race is extremely long-lived, but infertile. One by one, they are dying off, with no sign of a solution.…
Bandai / Toei messed up?
A Precure event for children was held in Tokyo. They're popular, featuring all sorts of activities, including a live-action stage battle and dress-up corner. A mother took Bandai/Toei…
Setting New Standards: SMP Gyakuten-Oh
Two kits were announced as part of the Super Minipla to SMP [Shokugan Modeling Project] rebranding. One is Gao King (or Wildforce Megazord) which I think many are…
Another Day 1 Pre-order! Hobby Next Phase 2022 Spring: HG Amplified IMGN Ryujinmaru
Continuing my selective coverage for the opening day of Hobby Next Phase 2022 Spring, we have yet another interesting model kit. This is obviously a spin-off of the…