Review: Sluban M38-83387 Morking-Hanries Mecha

The Side Story

Hello it's me again Ron bringing you your dose of non-GunPla mecha in the form of brick toys.

One fine day I was walking along The Landmark's brick toys section when this caught my eye:

Well I knew I wanted to get it.  I mean wouldn't you want a mecha named MORKING-HANRIES!?!?!

Review: HGUC 1/144 Victory Gundam (by Miko)

Hi! I'm Miko, one of the contributors to this blog. As my first post I'd like to show you guys a little review I made for one of my (now) favorite gunpla kits; The HGUC Victory Gundam.

Add-ons: Gundam G-Bull... Now a Lobster.

I added two Gundam EXP-008 Builders Parts System Weapon 005 Shields to my HGUC G-Armor kit, specifically the G-Bull segment. Now, I think it can be called G-Lobster....

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

Article - The Greenhills toy store crawl

Photo taken from http://www.greenhills.com.ph/details.asp?storeid=2822

For many toy collectors in Metro Manila, there has always been one place they could go to: Greenhills. This shopping center has been a toy collector’s Mecca since the 1980s (when I first visited), and through fire and renovations has survived and thrived, with older shops closing, and newer ones taking their place.

For now, let’s look at some of the shops that sell toys. I’d like to say, though, that in the interests of keeping this article short, I only included the ones that either I usually go to, or the ones that I know can offer interesting deals or finds. There are many more shops, and I’ll probably have a sequel to this article to present more of them. Anyway, here are some of the more popular toyshops within the Greenhills area....

To read the full article, please go to The Philippine Online Chronicles

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),

Assorted Takara Microman Toys

Here are some of the assorted Takara Microman toys that I've picked up across the years.

EDIT:
These units are apparently from a sub-line of the Magne Power Series from 1999, as documented here.

Thank you, Microman/Micronauts MicroFan FB Group!


029 Hurrican Bird
This unit is apparently an upgrade for Robotman units of the line. 

0030 Magne Cats: Magne Cougar, Magne Jaguar
These two are also upgrade parts for the Robotman Units. They turn into complete legs and feet. The black one has spear-throwing systems, while the blue one shoots spinning razor blades.

Takara Microman: Magne Power Giant Acroyear

I bought this set out of curiosity almost a decade ago in a nearby mall (Ali Mall, so named because Muhammad Ali supposedly is a part owner). Yes, it's not in good shape, and I regret that fact. If anyone can contact me in the comments about how to clean this properly, I would be very grateful.

This Takara Microman set is composed of three smaller units that combines into a larger unit. After some research, I think it's called the Magnemo Acroyear. The whole Magnemo line can supposedly gattai with each other.

EDIT:
The kind folks over at the Micronauts/Microman FB page have been kind enough to point me to a source for more information about this toy - apparently known as the 055 Giant Acroyear from the Magne Power Series.

Acro-Alpha
This seems to be the "main robot," and closely resembles the classic Acroyears. The arrow-like missile on the right hand is a pressure click system. When the toy was new, this was definitely an eye hazard.
 

Acro-Alpha

HGUC: Gundam X Combination/Waiting

I'm just waiting for the Gundam X Maoh-type to be released in the Gundam Build Fighter line, then I'll probably combine parts from that with this. It should be interesting.

Mecha and Bricks

Hello all!

Most of my friends know I'm a person who's into a lot of different things.

My day job has me developing mobile applications for Android and iOS.  I also play bass for the alternative band Blue with Envy

As a self proclaimed geek I've gone through collectible card games (top ranked in asia for the late lamented VS), video games, books and various other geek pursuits.

As for Gundam I first got introduced to it via an unsubbed pirated betamax copy of Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memories way back in 1992.  Before that I was huge fan of giant robo like Voltes V, Daimos, Mazinger Z and Mekanda Robot.

Before I got into gunpla I was heavy into scale modelling particularly jets from the 70s and 80s.  I was also a big fan of Lego. In fact my favorite toy was my large collection of Lego toys that started when my parents first gave me a set when I was 3 way back in 1978.

My first gunpla was an old 1/144 Wing Zero Gundam pictured below:

Picture from: http://joesgunpla.blogspot.com/2010/09/1144-wing-gundam.html

So I managed to get a couple of kits with a lot from the Seed series as well as the Double 00 mechas.  Along the way there were also a few from Macross Frontier.

But sometime in 2010 I was able to come across a few small sets of Lego on sale and it rekindled my obsession with the little plastic bricks.  Come 2011 I had to pick one hobby to maintain and Lego had won out.  Lego and other bricktoys have been more of an obsession of mine than gunpla ever was. It was put to a stop when I was in highschool and robbers broke into our old house in Muntinlupa.  We woke up before they were able to make off with our stuff but they did snatch my big box of Legos.  

With the burgeoning industry in China of lego-like toys and the amount of tie ups Lego had with other intellectual property like Star Wars, Marvel and DC Comics, it was a great time to get back into the toy that I most love.


Here are some examples of Lego and various brick toys:

Lego Minifigs retro robots

Hasbro Kre-O Transformers

Sluban Red Flamingo Transformable Fighter

But leaving Gunpla for Brick toys did not mean I would also leave my liking for Gundam because of stuff like this all over the intarwebz:


Lego V Gundam:

Image from: http://ravenrepublic.net/2010/02/11/most-awesome-lego-mech-ever/

And here's the original Japanese site: Lego V2 Gundam

Even Macross's legendary co-creator Shoji Kawamori uses Lego bricks to explore some of his mecha designs as chronicled here.

Image from: crunchyroll.com

So eventually I want to be able to build this:

Lego Macross Valkyrie that actually transforms

Image from: http://kotaku.com/macross-robotech-lego-that-transforms-i-can-die-now-473075192

Or this:

But for now I have to content myself with mecha kits from Lego and Chinese manufacturer Star Diamond like:

Star Diamond Super Blocks Deformation Soldiers

Lego Chima

I will be posting my reviews of Lego and brick toy mecha sets in these pages for the foreseeable future.  If you are interested in more Lego and brick toy reviews you can also check my brick toys blog: Brick Stories.


Until the next time!

*click here for more Lego articles

00 Gundam and XN-Raiser Support Units

A "family" pic of what I'd consider a full attack squad comprised of the 00 Gundam and its accompanying support units. THe support units are two XN-Raisers, one outfitted with missile boxes, and the other with extra shields. One is also piloted (orange cockpit), and the other one is a remote/AI system (cloudy blank cockpit shell).

00 Gundam "full" mecha and support team