Lunar Gear: MM! Light Novel author Passes Away

According to Media Factory, MM! light novel author Matsuno Akinari suddenly passed away on April 18th. There’s no official word on the exact cause of death as of yet. The MM! novel will be left unfinished.


Matsuno Akinari won the 1st MF Bunko J Light Novel New Author award for his debut series Aoba-kun to Uchuu-jin in 2005. Two years later he would release his second series "MM!". "MM!" received both a manga and anime adaptation.

cover of  "MM!" volume 10th



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Lunar Gear: Hatsune Miku Project diva 3 Psp!?

Sega launched a teaser site for a new Hatsune Miku related project. Rumors to be Project DIVA 3 PSP game, however this may be entirely new Game or something else. project is said to kick off on April 28th.

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Lunar Gear: 10 Thing you might not know about Gundam

• The series was originally set to run for 52 episodes and was cut down to 39 by the shows sponsors due to the fact that the show rating were so low that according to the survey of that time very few people tune in to watch the show. Luckily, the staff was able to negotiate a one month extension to end the series with 43 episodes.

Original Title screen from Original Mobile suit Gundam

• In both American TV showings, and on the American DVD release, Episode 15: Cucuruz Doan's Island was cut out. It was felt, even by Tomino (The Director) , that this episode was not up to par with the rest of the series and so it was never dubbed, making it into a "lost episode" of sort. And this might be origin of the Sunrise's "Stuck on the island" plot which were used so many time in Gundam series and Other Sunrise's series. The scene worth mention is the Episode in Gundam Seed where Arthrun and Cagalli was struck in an island together. While in Code Geass Zero and Yuffie end up struck on the island as well as Kallen and Suzaku.

Above few scene from Ep. 15 Cucuruz Doan's Island

• First Gunpla that is produced by Bandai. It was 1/144 Gundam, the first Gunpla is totally white and don't have much detail but cost 300 yen. It was released back in 1980, and the sale were so bad Bandai never thought they would profit from this new line of plastic model kit. But when the series ended and were about to be rerun, the sale of Gunpla sky rocket to the point that Gunpla become one of Bandai most profit toy line.

The Box Art(left) and Assemble guide featuring the painted version of the kit(right)

• G-Armor the bulky armor that enable RX78-2 to fly, were not intend to be include in the original show. It were insert into the show to boost the toy sale. The Clover DX Gundam Gatai Set is the first major toy for Gundam Franchise, it include gundam and the G-Armor with Gatai(combine) gimmick. The G-Armor were replaced by Core-Booster on the Gundam the movie. In Gundam Origin (Manga series) the Core-Booster was redesign as gundam Sub-Flight system instead so that Gundam can ride on it.

G-armor

FF-X7-Bst Core-Booster

• Most Weapon feature in SGT. Keroro, were design base on Weapon feature in Gundam Series. For Example Kerone-Ball are design base on Zaku II cracker grenade. and Giroro weapon arsenal are the redesign version of many iconic weapon from gundam universe. In the show they are going as far as having an armor that resemble to Gogg and Z'gog

Giroro(Red ) holding Gundam Beam rifle and Garuru (Black) holding shield GP02A Gundam

SD version of Gp02a Gundam with it unique shield

Gundam wielding it 4 main weapon from the top left Gundam Hammer, Beam rifle, Beam saber and Hyper Bazooka

• Most Gundam TV Series, their will be an Character that wear mask or sunglasses to disguise themselves. Like Char who wear mask to disguise himself from Zeon family, or When he join AEUG wearing only sunglasses and call himself Quartro Bajena. The First Character to ever wear the mask is Char Aznable, the mask he wear is actually the eye protection mask given by his friend at military academy before he start the student riot.

All masked character from tv series

• Most main protagonist will upgrade "gundam" during the course of the show, like Kira Yamato's Strike Gundam to Freedom in Seed. The first main protagonist who the first to ever upgrade to another gundam is Kamille Bidan from Gundam Z, By first piloting Gundam MkII to Zeta Gundam. However Tomino (director of Gundam) planned for Amuro to Upgrade from RX78-2 to RX78-3 which was waiting for Amuro at Jaburo. The plan were scrapped because Gundam unit 3 might be 1.5time faster but it is basically gundam with grey color, the toy company think grey color gundam will not popular as a toy. But in order to keep the original storyline Amuro were given magnetic coating which speed up gundam unit 2 by 1.5 time.

On the left is Gundam Unit2 on the right is Gundam Unit 3

• For Asian Viewer back in the 80 might get to watch Gundam on their local channel. For Thailand it was aired on channel 7 back in 1981. Ironically for the real robot theme anime receive a very Thai super robot name "อภินิหารกันดั้ม" which roughly translate as "the mystical Gundam". While In US first gundam ever-air is Gundam W on CatoonNetwork in year 2000, under the toonami time slot which feature only Japanese animation. after the premier of Gundam W, it became the most popular show in Toonami time slot and last almost the full year, only to be push down the rank by the legendary Dragonball Z

Gundam W logo which originally used in CartoonNetwork channel

• Censorship is the most mortal enemy of TV-Show. Back in year 2001 the original gundam tv series were aired halfway through the series, but after the 9/11 the show banned due to censorship under unknown reason. while other show with similar theme were able to be air but not Gundam. In US many gundam from G gundam and Gundam W series were rename so that the name is not referencing any thing religious or racist and appropriate for young audience. To name a few God Gundam was turn to Burning Gundam, devil gundam to Dark gundam, or Gundam Heaven Sword to Raven Gundam.

Devil Gundam/Dark Gundam

• Haro is the mascot for Gundam series, Haro have appear in many gundam series since the first series. Haro was originally a toy robot owned by Amuro Ray since he was a kid. The original haro cant accomplish much since it practically a toy. While in the later series even small haro in Gundam seed have a useful function like hacking and unlock military war-shipped prisoner bay lock, while in Gundam 00 it could be used Gundam meister personal mechanic and even nurse during surgical procedure.

Haro as appear in original Gundam doing nothing

Lockon's Haro use in Gundam 00 as co-pilot for Dynames Gundam

Thai Plastic Model Kit Review

Plamo 7 day Challenge - Day two: GN-XIII [ESF Type]

Info

Unit type: general purpose mass production mobile suit
Overall height: 19.0 meters
Overall weight: 69.8 metric tons
Equipment: GN Tau Drive
Armament: GN lance w/rifle x 1, GN vulcan gun x 2, GN claw x 2, GN shield x 1, GN beam saber x 2, GN beam rifle x 1, GN bazooka x 1, GN grenade

Note: The Main Unit use by many faction in Gundam 00 season 2, this unit color is used by ESF or Earth Sphere Federation Army. The Red Color of this unit were used by A-law. Overall performance of GN-XIII seem to be quite higher than original Gn-X that use in season one. Gn-XIII can be armed with assort of Weapon and GN Tau Drive which able them to surpassed the old mass produce model such as Tieren use by HLR, Over Flag used by Union and Enact used by AEU. GN-XIII achievement in battle field is that a squad of GN-XIII under A-Law command were able to fight with the previous generation Gundam ( Gundam Exia R).

Box Art

GN-XIII as appear in anime

GN-XIII Armed with the main weapon GN-Lance (Lance Mode) and GN Shield

Showing Range of articulation

Armed With GN-Lance (Gun mode) on the right hand and GN Beam Rifle on the left hand

Review Score

Color: 4/5 { Color is very similar to what appear in anime, only few sticker is needed}

Detail: 3.5/5 { only few part that different from previous GN-X kit }

Equipment: 3.5/5 {Only GN lance ,GN beam rifle and two beam sever were included)

Articulation: 3.5/5 { Standard HG articulation, and every part is holding well allow ranges of movement }

Price: 4/5 { for 1200 yen price, it an standard price for HG }

Review Note: This kit is practically a repainted version of GN-XIII A-law type which released before this one. The kit come with everything the come with the A-law type as well, so in my opinion if you already brought the A-Law type, you might want to skip this guy.otherwise this is an OK kit but it would be better for both A-Law and ESF type kit should include the Long-Range rifle part in the kit like GN-X did.

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LOL WUT!?

a screen shot from Dororon Enma. This might be nothing related to plamo or gundam, but this is going down as my favorite anime this season. Dororon Enma-Kun is a manga series written by the famous Go Nagai, who brought us Getter Robo Series.

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Plamo Update: Cockroach Plamo!!!

The plamo manufactured by Aoshima, which already explore this line of anime plastic model figurine with Pangya. Now presenting the Moe Cockroach character from “Gokicha!! Cockroach Girls” which recently received anime adaptation. Two main character were planned, cost 2000 yen each. The Plamo were set to be released in July. This might go well with Kotobukiya's HoiHoi-San.

Goki chan [2000Yen]

Goki-chan [2000 yen]

Chaba [2000 yen]


Thai Plastic Model Kit Review

Plamo 7 day Challenge - Day one: Gundam Astraea Type F

BOX ART

Info

Unit type: prototype general purpose mobile suit
Overall height: 18.3 meters
Overall weight: 55.1 metric tons
Equipment: GN Drive, Trans-Am system

Manufacture: Krung Thep

Pilot: Fon Spark

Appearance: Gundam 00F/Gundam 00P/ Gundam 00I (side story)

Note: Gundam Astraea (including Type F/F-2) is the Prototype of Exia Gundam which manufacture back 10 year before the Gundam 00 first season story take place. This Gundam were originally equip with Original GN Drive, meaning it can able to access Tran-Am ability. But when Fon Spark found type F, it were equip with innovator modifies Tau Drive. Type F original color were black, which Fon Spark change the color to red and equip it with ton of weapon. Type F actually have Gundam face but equipped with mask in order to disguise it Gundam status. Type F achievement in side story consist of able to annihilated a squad of GNX-III, and Able to Fight a squad of MS pilot by Innovator.

Standard Stance

Type F with Proto GN Sword

Fully Equipped Type F (GN Launcher, GN shield, GN Pistol x 2, GN Hammer, GN Beam Rifle, GN Beam Saber x 2, NGN Bazooka, GN Hand Missile)

Type F with NGN Bazooka Proto GN Sword

Type F with GN Launcher and GN Beam Rifle

Review Score

Color: 4/5 { Color is almost exact match to the profile page, only few minor detail is missing }

Detail: 3.5/5 { Few overlook minor detail, like the opening hole in the shoulder area }

Equipment: 4.5/5 { I will give 0.5 point more if they gave me pair of GN Launcher and GN hand Missile)

Articulation: 3/5 { Standard HG articulation, but some part is too lose like the chest armor }

Price: 4/5 { for 1800 yen price, it worth every yen }

Review Note: This kit actually more like a set of Exia Gundam with Dengenki's magazine Astraea Part combo pack with collection of weapon. Since Original Exia cost 1200 yen, Dengenki's Magazine price cost 1200 yen so total cost is 2400 yen alone excluding weapon. for 1800 yen price, i would say it worth every yen if you are collecting the HG00 line. For this Gunpla using Exia as base meaning it also suffer from the same problem as the first Gunpla in HG00 line. The joint that attach L&R chest piece to shoulder is too loose/weak to hold it in place when posing. While their is also minor detail problem like hole in shoulder part where the Exia arm cable suppose to be. The trade off of this problem is that you can actually construct a complete Exia with given part with all original weapon and shield.

The equipment given with this kit is good in both quantity and quality. This kit include the weapon that was equipped by other MS in the show, such as GN hand Missile use by Gundam Kyrios during the Laboratory raid in season 1 and NGN Bazooka Use by GNX-III in season 2. And for fan who cant afford the GN-Arm Type-D , this kit also include the GN pistol and Holder that is used by Gundam Dyunames in season 1, which used to be only included with GN-Arm Type-D. As mention earlier if they Include another GN Launcher and GN hand Missile and increase the price to 2000 yen, this kit will be perfect.

***side note***

My apology for being late with this project for my Blog, Due to the Song Klan Holiday my family shop is very busy during this season. And I'm on Holiday from college, so i have to help with the family business. so during the day time i don't really have time to assemble and take photo of the Gunpla i planned to review. It also that i injured my finger since Sunday. So it hard for me to assemble Gunpla or even use a mouse.

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GeoHot Win, Fatality!!!

Sony drop their law suit against GeoHot, the famous Ps3 Hacker. the lawsuit were drop under the term that Geohot must not involve with any further Hack of Ps3 console. (Like that going to happen).

GeoHot is hacker that also responsible for jailbreak iPhone.


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Crimson Demon!!!

Comming Soon.......


Thai Plastic Model Kit Review

Madoka Magica Return!?

according to the anime's official web. The Madoka★Magica were set to return April 21. Airing 2 last episodes, which was halt due to Tsunami.

The Infamous QB

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7 Day Plamo Challenge!!!

For the up coming week i will try to complete 7 set of Plamos for each day of the week. Then post a review for each of them on this blog.

I will put up the poll on the side of my Blog, so everyone can decide which Gunpla would be my blog first review item. For the first entry will be post on April 11, and second on the entry of thepoll will be post on the following day and so on. i will remove plamo that i already review from the poll, so their is no confusion.

Here is the list of Available Gunpla and It Box-Art

HGUC 1/144 'GM' & HGUC 1/144 'Ball'

1/144 Gundam Astraea Type-F

1/144 00 Raiser [Condenser Type]

1/144 HG00 Tieren Ground Type & Space Commander Type

1/144 HG00 Ahead & Ahead Smultron

1/144 HG00 GN-X & GN-XIII ESF Type

More Update is coming, but so far this is only available in my collection

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