Gunpla 101

Gunpla Pre-orders and New Releases for October-November 2018

Welcome back for the second-to-last shopping guide of the year! I’ve been writing these posts since 2014 (!!!) and they have gotten me really attuned to Bandai’s release date patterns. Every year I’ve done this, Bandai has released more Gunpla at the beginning of the year, and far fewer during late fall. There are only four new releases October (and four slated for November), so it’s safe to say this year is following the same pattern. Don’t believe me? Check out my Gunpla buying summary for 2017 (or 2016, 2015, and 2014, all linked inside).

New Releases for October 2018

HGBD Gundam Love Phantom (pictured at top)

I made a slightly controversial tweet about this magenta stunner last month. It’s a slightly customized Strike Freedom kit with Deathscythe’s weapon. I thought they could have taken more risks with a suit for the illustrious Magee, but they did give it a pretty cool finishing move (scroll down to the part where Tom talks about the Love Love Finish).

Haropla Ball Haro (pictured above)

Awww, look how cute Haro is—wait, watch out! He’s got a gun! Ball Haro gives one of Moble Suit Gundam’s iconic grunt suits a cute new face. This is a very basic, easy, and tiny kit.

SD Gundam Cross Silhouette Gundam 00 Diver Ace

Now Gundam Build Divers joins the Cross Silhouette line! The 00 Diver Ace comes with parts that can be configured as a standard SD suit, or as the longer, leaner Cross Silhouette version. Remember, as with most CS kits, the actual silhouette frame comes separately.

HGUC Unicorn Gundam 03 Phenex (Destroy Mode) (Narrative Ver.) [Gold Coating]

A beautiful new version of the golden Phenex to commemorate Gundam’s latest entry, the Gundam Narrative film. This movie will be in theaters on November 30, 2018, so if you happen to be in Japan, that’s the first day you can watch it! I’ve linked to the standard plastic version, but you can also opt for a shiny electroplated gold special edition.

Pre-Orders for November 2018