Before I put together this month’s post, I was reading occasional Gunpla 101 contributor Jonlyn’s rant about scalpers and the effect they have had on fandom spaces. Here at Gunpla 101, they have had a direct impact on our monthly release posts—when Bandai stopped sharing their official release calendar to deter scalpers, it became WAY harder for us to determine which new kits were coming out every month so we could write about them.
This, combined with the undeniable fact that Bandai is opting to make most of its new releases Premium Bandai exclusives means that the Gunpla Pre-order and New Releases list, which I have been releasing monthly for TEN YEARS, is tinier than it has ever been. And when the scant number of kits I share here is already sold out presumable due to scalpers… Well, that really gets my blood boiling.
At this point I’d say something like “Comment if you think these monthly posts are still something valuable to have!” but I know nobody is gonna comment—and anyway, I write these for the SEO. I make sure there’s something relevant up here at least monthly so Gunpla 101 can keep ranking on Google and help people find our best stuff: free Gunpla building advice! So without further whining from me, here are the latest kits:
Gunpla New Releases for September 2023
1/144 RG Gundam Epyon (pictured above)
Like most Millennials, I have a soft spot for Gundam Wing and its fleet of interesting model designs. It was my first Gundam show, after all! Better yet, this Real Grade version of Epyon comes with an original new gimmick: an alternate configuration in the shape of a double-headed pterosaur! It’s a completely unique iteration of the Epyon we know and love.
2 Comments.
“i know nobody will comment” Congratulations, the summoning ritual worked!
Seriously though, I’d say “if you’re not having fun, stop!” but I understand Google is horrendous with SEO right now. I will say that in the absence of more “on-brand” posts, the preorder updates are the only indicator that the site is still alive. So I appreciate it in that respect! It’s amazing you’re still managing these round-up posts on top of family matters. It’s even more amazing that this is readable and enjoyable SEO content. I actually get my Gunpla updates from my local hobby store websites when their preorders open so the op-ed content is why I read these round-ups.
As far as discoverability of Gunpla specific articles and other great contributions like Tom Aznable’s Build series reference guide goes: I’d prefer a more curated front page instead of random articles sorted by recency, buried by shopping guides. But I get that might also be an SEO thing too.
Wow, thanks so much for commenting! I do like your suggestion of a more curated front page. I even have some ideas about how to make it more balanced. But as you know, I have a 1-year-old and a 4-year-old and I’m a full-time stay-at-home mom right now. When both kids are in school next year, I’ll be able to work faster, and more! Gunpla 101 has been around for 9 years (since 2014) so it’s definitely a long-term project!