Good news for anyone who hasn’t yet made their pilgrimage to the life-sized moving Gundam in Yokohama: Sunrise just announced the facility will stay on display for another year. This impressive mecha is not only a monument to Gundam but a testament to skillful IRL engineering, and perhaps that’s why Bandai just can’t quit the thing. It first went on display in December 2020, then was slated to close in 2022, then in 2023, and now in 2024.
Not much more news in the Gundam-sphere right now, but if we just sit tight until April 9, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury will be back before we know it. Until then, why not cook the most forbidden of chicken nuggets, a Gunpla nugget? For more stuff to build in the meantime, here are some newly released kits and brand-new pre-orders to keep you occupied:
Gunpla New Releases for February 2023
1/144 HG Zowort (pictured at top)
This Pell Industries mecha possesses a particularly massive upper body. We see a variety of Gundam: The Witch From Mercury characters piloting this mass-production mobile suit—but most notably Elan Ceres.
1/144 HG Tickbalang (pictured at top)
Luckily it looks nothing like the Filipino equine cryptid with which it shares its name. This ship can be combined with the Zowort to recreate scenes from the anime.
This knight-like mecha is most notable for its Lantern Shield accessory, which combines both a lance and a handgun into one item. Students from Grassley House, helmed by Shaddiq, are seen piloting this mass-production mobile suit.
