New Frame Arms products; Hexa Gear, too

The new Frame Arms mecha looks impressive, but for some reason it's not hitting me where hype usually tags me. The Hexa Gear stuff, on the other hand, is making me have second thoughts about sticking only to Frame Arms. Good job on that one, Kotobukiya!

http://www.taghobby.com/?p=150728

Frame Arms Girl: The Animation

It looks like the Frame Arms Girl sub-franchise from Kobukiya's Frame Arms line is finally getting an anime show, to flesh out more "background" for the toys.

Not surprisingly, it looks very close to the whole Busou Shimki/Brave Witches/Kan Colle thing.

Mini Turrets with cannons, for Frame Arms

The idea of cannon turrets for the standard Frame Arms mecha makes sense, but for Frame Arms GIrls, it's pretty much a Kan Colle wink-and-a-blink.

http://www.kotobukiya.co.jp/fa-blog/fa-blog-93372/

Frame Arms Revolver Cannon

This is probably one of the few Frame Arms Weapons that I won't get - not because I don't like the idea of a revolver-style cannon, but because there are a LOT of new stuff coming out from Kotobukiya right now, and I actually don't know how I'd use this.

http://www.kotobukiya.co.jp/fa-blog/fa-blog-93204/

Kotobukiya Frame Arms: Hresvelgr Rufus

This is the first time this weapons setup has been done as a complete kit in itself, although all the parts for it, have, arguably, been around since the original Hresvelgr basic and Ater releases, aside from the weapon set that has the rifle parts. However, this particular gunblade configuration comes from an earlier special set, an exclusive set for the Strauss+Kobold pair, the Weisheit.

Definitely a must have, though I would probably just buy the scythe-laden weapon sets, as this version seems to have the standard rifle blades from the original Hresvelgr (albeit not prepainted).

http://www.kotobukiya.co.jp/fa-blog/fa-blog-92650/

 

Weapons from the Weisheit:

 

*Weisheit photos taken from other Internet sources. copyright where applicable.

Daily Mecha

It looks like we got ourselves a big Zaku boy here; also, more nice kits incoming:

Aside from the Vulture variant, the new HexaGear line from Kotobukiya looks durn good:

 

Breaking the Hiatus: Frame Arms "Female Mecha" with Drill Weapons

Sorry to have been away for a long time, but I have to admit, the rather clunky input system of Blogger has kept me away as the time for my money-making projects became all-encompassing.

Here's a way to celebrate coming back: A better photo of the "female mecha" that I built out of spare Frame Arms parts. It's nominally called a "female" due to the wide-hip leg connectors, and the large shoulders that look like puffed sleeve shoulders. For some reason, I like pairing it up with the big Heavy Weapons Drills - although I don't like the idea of using the more realistic drill bits, opting for the Gurren-Lagann-ish drills.

As you can see, I also added some wheels to the feet/lower calves. I honestly just used the "rule of cool" on this aspect, though the pseudo/anime science would say that it can be used as gyroscopic motorized wheels...

And here it is, with the drill arms.

Kotobukiya Frame Arms: Extend Arms 05 for Kagutsuchi-Kou

Just acquired the Extend Arms hover platform for the Kagutsuchi mecha. Since I sort of put the cart before the horse (I'm getting the Kagutsuchi early next year), I used some spare frames to come up with the above. In doing so, I realized that my being a stickler for some sort of physics made me eschew using blunt or kinetic based weapons, since they have recoil, and this thing is a hovertank. That's the reason why I've outfitted it with as missile/rocket pods (in fact, I'm thinking of getting another Extend Arms 03 Griffin upgrade set), aside from what can pass for recoilless weapons.

For those wanting a space unit, you can actually use the legs only... More photos to come on more options, in a later photo set. For now, let me leave you a link to all the other Frame Arms stuff in the blog.

You can also head on over to the Mecha Toys and the Frame Arms Philippines FB pages for more Frame Arms goodness. For those who prefer Tumblr, I actually mix in my mecha toys content with my other stuff in The Eclectic Chair Tumblr blog. You can also add my Google Plus account, which is a G+ equivalent of my Tumblr blog. Finally, I also have an Instagram account, though there's much more in there than Mecha photos - but feel free to add it, if you want, haha: basscog!

Frame Arms: Baselard and Zelfikar

And we're back! Apologies for the long rest, but had to take care of some stuff in real life. Anyway, here are more photos of the two Frame Arms Baselard kits that I swapped parts on. I'm tempted to call them Fingal and Dougal, but I'll probably have to get proper weapons, if that's the case.

This is actually the Zelfikar in full armor, with the original Baselard's gun and shield at the back (not seen very well in both photos). 

Kotobukiya Frame Arms: Modifications

So I decided to park most of the new weapons on one of my Zenrai Knight Units. I think I'll be needing more mecha.

Kotobukiya Frame Arms Modeling Support Goods - Gatling Gun, Ammo Drum, Sword Sets

This is the rest of the MSG sets I bought: two gatling guns that can be put together, the requisite ammunition drum, and the paired katana and wakizashi set.

Kotobukiya Frame Arms MSG Weapons Set 31 - Assault rifles

I recently bought some Kotobukiya Frame Arms Modeling Support Goods (MSG) Weapons Sets (phew!), specifically the Assualt Rifle  set (WS 31). Here they are, in use by HGUC Mecha that have the new standardized Zeonic and Federation hands that come with the RG weapon kits.

My quick review of them is this: They actually fit the hands, but they're still a bit bulky - the fists just barely make it to being fully closed. They work well for the mid- to large-sized mecha, but I don't think this will look good or work well with the smaller ones, like the Gundam X.

Both weapons look much better in Zeonic/Germanic hands. Here, the first photo is for how they are supposed to look with the actual Frame Arms units. Following photos will be on Gundam Kits.

Sneak Peek: Kotobukiya Frame Arms Baselard and Zelfikar, Modified

Decided to do some parts-swapping for color. I also shifted the Baselard weapons to the Zelfikar, so that means I had to find other weapons for the Baselard. More in a future post.

Baselard and Zelfikar

Review and Modification: Kotobukiya Frame Arms Wilber Nine

When I received the Wilber Nine from my friend Winn, I realized that I was less than thrilled with the endoskeleton's color.

Photo taken from main Kotobukiya Frame Arms site: http://main.kotobukiya.co.jp/fa/rf12wilbernine.html

I decided to replace the skeleton with a Frame Architect 001 - For Modeler's Edition endoskeleton, so it would be in metallic grey. I was pleased with the results.

Yes, I removed the waist plates. More on that later.

I figured, since I'd done this already, that I should go forward and do even more, given all the spare parts I had.

Kotobukiya Frame Arms: Modified Architect Frame

What I really like about the Frame Arms series is how you can literally just make your own mecha, no questions asked. Here's one that I made out of scratch parts and the new Grave Arms Heavy Weapons Add-on:

Architect Frame + Grave Arms + Zen Knight Bazooka Cross + assorted extra armor and weapons

Kotobukiya Frame Arms: Scratch Builds and Mods

This is an "improvement" over another design I've been showing around. Of note are the new shoulders (from the Griffen Extend Arms set),

Snapshot: Kotobukiya Frame Arms Griffen with Extend Arms 03 Set

The upgrade set for the Frame Arms Griffen just came in, and I have to say this: It made it look like some sort of mutant Macross Destroid. It's nice, but yes, you really have to paint all the rocket warheads read for a better effect.

Click here for the official Kotobukiya page for the Frame Arms Extend 03 Set
Click here for the official Kotobukiya page for the Frame Arms Griffen

I'll make a more detailed photo set and review soon. :)

Oh, and if you didn't see it (because I uploaded it late at night, I was so excited [facepalm]):

Frame Arms: MSG Heavy Weapons Unit 04, Grave Arms (Modified)

Frame Arms: MSG Heavy Weapons Unit 04, Grave Arms (Modified)

So, I was able to finally get my hands on this heavy weapons set from Kotboukiya's Frame Arms line, and I have to say, I am impressed. Here is one of "scratch" units, outfitted with it. I've added some handles to the original Grave Arms, for more logic on how it's supposed to be held.

Kotobukiya Frame Arms: RF-9 Revenant Eye with Extend Arms 01 Set + Extras

I have a bit of a history with this build, since it started out, basically, as a spare parts build.

It was a "reverse" build since I acquired the Extend Arms Set before I was able to get the Revenant Eye unit itself. I've since added upper arm armor from a Rai-type unit, and gatling guns from the special weapons set.

I decided to go with gatling weapons for the unit, since the basic look of the Revenant reminded me of a helicopter, and helicopters did have gatling weapons.

There's an official variant of the Revenant, with bright colors, here.

Kotobukiya Frame Arms: MSG-X1R-Ex Hresvelgr "Scythias"

There isn't much here in terms of modifications, except that I equipped the standard Hresvelgr with the special weapons set Scythes from the Ater version.

One confounding issue about the Hresvelgr is that given its design, there's not much you can add to it without disrupting the transformation, or removing the nice weapons entirely. I'm still thinking about how to modify this mecha even more.