BSC 1/35 Zeta Gundam Bust – Short Review
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BSC 1/35 Zeta Gundam Bust – Short Review

Welcome to my short review of the 1/35 scale Zeta Gundam bust from BSC. This is the third kit from BSC I’ve built and reviewed, starting with the 1/35 Unicorn Bust and the 1/35 Sinanju. The latter being one of the best third party kits out there and easily the best bust kit available.

In comparison, the Zeta Gundam bust is disappointing. But before I become a Negative Nancy, let’s start with the good. FIrst off, it’s a fantastic design and looks great. It’s a smart take on the Zeta with just enough colour separation and a lot of external and internal detail. More so than the previous busts – this one is a detailers dream. There are are a few panels that open up to reveal detail or make the kit look like it’s being worked on. Would’ve been nice to have had some 1/35 scale figures and wires to hold them up over some of the other gimmicks. In addition the cockpit opens up to reveal the pilot. BSC, if you’re reading this, maybe have an optional head piece without the helmet so we can detail paint up Kamille’s face for display. The wings and the rear nose piece also fold up, though there are no lights on the extended wings which would’ve been nice. read more

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Otaku Evolution Episode 135 – Black Jack (OVA) 3-4

It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed episodes from Osamu Dezaki’s Black Jack OVA, and these two episodes see the sagacious sawbones in tow of an ill-fated Latin American rebel force and try to find a hidden threat in the body of a promising young actress. Our favorite stitched up surgeon, our enigmatic expert, our heroic healer faces off against the military-industrial complex, biological weapons, and a rival who’s enthusiastic about euthanasia in two interesting, if not always brilliant, entries into his many adventures. read more

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Otaku Evolution Episode 134 – Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit

I’ve been trying to get a review of Moribito done for a while, but every test video I did had difficulty with the copyright dragons (as this may still). You know, there’s a lot of anime I have in my personal collection that I would love to review, but I don’t think I’d be able to get away with using my usual methods. I try to shave down clips and edit tighter, and I’ve probably gotten a little better at it over time, but you never really know when some overzealous European licensor or strict music company is going to clamp down on your videos. I mean, I get it, you want to protect your IP and/or streaming rights, but I’m not exactly posting whole movies or episodes here, these are reviews that fall under Fair Use. read more

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Otaku Evolution Episode 133 – Ninku: The Movie

What happens when an anime studio, desperate to cash in on its properties, creates a so-called movie that’s about the length of a single TV episode? What happens when an anime licensor snags a 20-something minute “movie” in a franchise completely alien to the North American public, dubs it, and that becomes the first and only representation of the whole thing? Well, you get Ninku: The Movie, a completely superfluous and brainlessly silly feature for a show based on a really, really poorly drawn manga. I mean, really. Just go look it up. read more

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Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative (MOVIE) Review

 

(Basic) Synopsis (Spoiler Free): It’s Universal Century year 0097. A year after the “Laplace Incident”, there are once again calls for autonomy for Spacenoids, but little being done about it. As if to break the stagnation, the third Gundam Unicorn model, the Phenex, thought to have been lost years previous, reappears. Both the Earth Federation and the Neo-Zeon remnants are determined to capture it for its Newtype capabilities, but they seem to be chasing a literal ghost in the form of its pilot, Rita Bernal. What did she, a Miracle Child, see so many years before that brought these events in alignment? And can either side prevent the bizarre Zoltan Akkenan from igniting a tragedy worse than anything seen before? The Pheonix Hunt will test the limits of all parties! read more

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Otaku Evolution Episode 132 – Ronin Warriors (Part 2)

In the final part of my look at Ronin Warriors (well, at least until I cover the OVAs, but let’s give it a break for a while), I take a look at Lady Kayura, the excellent opening themes, shameless toy marketing, several episodes of just Ryo and Rowen, and one of my favorite concluding episodes in an anime.

But why stop there? Why not a lot of unasked-for drama to pad this sucker out that’s just me screwing around with sprite characters? Nothing fancy, just me wasting your time and mine, for the sake of fulfilling some weird desire to do more comic strip storylines. read more

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Otaku Evolution Episode 131 – Ronin Warriors (Part 1)

The 2019 season of Otaku Evolution has started! I’m sure all four of you who watch these videos are jazzed about it. Just as I’m sure you’re psyched to see one of my patented long introduction sequences wherein I’m just screwing around with the sprites. Nevermind the blatantly stupid perspective on that meeting room (it’s worse if you look at the whole thing), I had this idea of a grief counseling scene where I would stumble in and just be really oblivious to everyone there in favor of the snacks. And yes, that was a dodgy attempt at a German accent for Herr Doktor. read more

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Steel Legend Metal Build 1/100 Kshatriya Review
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Steel Legend Metal Build 1/100 Kshatriya Review

The Steel Legend Metal Build Kshatriya is a third party/bootleg figure. At 1/100 scale it’ll look fantastic with all your MG kits (MG or RE Kshatriya when?!). Who would’ve known that a Metal Build kit out of China would be, not only the best third party piece of Gundam merchandise, but better than any Unicorn official merchandise from Bandai/Banpresto?

As you should already know by now, I’m a sucker for all things Gundam Unicorn (even though the Jesta Schezarr Type Team B & C is stupid is fuck – why the fuck are you using your mechanical eyes to look at a flip down mechanical eye which is pointed at an even larger mechanical eye?). When I see a 1/100 Kshatriya, I jump. Even if it’s a bucket of mess like the Elyn Hobby version. When I saw that someone was making a MG sized figure I had to have it, even if getting a pre built metal frame toy from third party folks in China is a questionable concept. Shout out to my crack dealer Samuel Decal where I picked this up for roughly $200 plus shipping. read more

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Nillson Works – PG Astray Grayscale Review
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Nillson Works – PG Astray Grayscale Review

The Nillson Works “PG Astray with Backpack” isn’t exactly the fanciest name, but it’s clear someone wants to avoid the International Bandai Banhammer (IBB for short). I’m going to refer to it as the Astray Grayscale on account that the kit is 99% gray and white, with only a bit of silver and clear green accent pieces. I picked mine up from Sameul Decal for roughly $90 plus shipping.

The Astray is 1/60 scale, and called PG by Nillson, but a lot of the build is more like an upscaled MG than a direct copy of the official PG. It’s an interesting mix from both builds, along with a good helping of new design elements that help set it apart. As mentioned the kit is pretty much all shades of gray, and surprisingly, it works really well. Despite the lack of pizzazz it looks really nicely and there’s just enough shad separation to make it look nifty out of the box. The gray and general simplicity of the build will make it an easy go-to for folks looking to paint it up in custom colours. Personally I think it’ll look stellar with just some gold accents here and there. read more

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Max Factory PLAMAX 1/20 Macross VF-1 Super/Strike Gerwalk Valkyrie – Dry Fit Review
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Max Factory PLAMAX 1/20 Macross VF-1 Super/Strike Gerwalk Valkyrie – Dry Fit Review

Welcome to my dry fit review of the Max Factory minimum factory 1/20 PLAMAX MF-25 VF-1 Super/Strike Gerwalk Valkyrie. Just rolls off the tongue doesn’t it?

In simpler language, this is a 1/20 scale Macross VF-1 kit from Max Factory. It comes with the Super Strike package and is limited to Gerwalk mode. No transforming here. Oh, and it’s fucking huge. It’s about 20″ tall, amost 28″ deep, and up to 28.5″ wide when the wings are extended.

This is a dry fit review, as in everything is put together without glue. And, subsequently, held together with tape. Now unlike Mecanicore’s Deep Striker kit, the tape isn’t a bad thing. The kit is designed to require glue to hold everything in place. It’s in the manual over and over again. Thus I can’t really complain about bits being loose. I do have plans to eventually glue and paint this kit… but the goal is to -dramatic drum roll please- wire her up with custom LEDs. Seeing as I’ve never done that before, I’m going to get a practice kit or two under my belt first. But I digress. read more

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