Gunpla News: New Build Fighters Try and New Iron-Blooded Orphans kits

A quick post on the new kits from the upcoming Build Fighters and the new IBO stuff.

For the IBO, we have an evolution of the designs for Barbatos and Gusion it seems.

all images are courtesy of Tag Hobby.

The Barbatos now sports more red with the Tekkadan symbol emblazed on the armor. The armor has more geometric changes and angles, and overall color scheme is well... more colorful (the green on the knees, more yellow). The original grey bit sticking out on the chin has been replaced with a massive red chin piece. There are nor side boosters evolved from the ground type equipment. The overall feel is still medieval though, which is a good thing. Looks especially good with the claymore. It's like the squire from the 1st season has been granted knight status.

(more after the break)

Then we have the Gusion Rebake (no official name yet). Again, it does not really depart from the previous aesthetics, it's changed enough to just be a bit more interesting and coherent. Gone are onion bulbs from the binders and the turtle shell shield, replaced with an angular binder design and a more hexagonal looking shield (if it's a shield). These make sense as these are the protagonist suits, and for the most part, in the ibo universe, it's only the armor that changes.

Onto the new stuff.

A new Gundam design. No doubt it'll be a high mobility suit given the knee thrusters and the backpack. The chest armor reminds me somehow of the Kimaris, with the gashes on the pecs. I would bet that this could be a McGillis suit based from the Kimaris he murdered.

Last new Gundam Type is what looks to be a long range bombardment type suit, with the massive head sensor and the shoulder cannons. Overall details however are pretty generic Barbatos stuff. I don't recall any of the 1st Season IBO characters who specializes in bombardment though... so who knows. It's a bit meh for now.

Onto the more interesting stuff.

Yep. It's a square Man-rodi with Stargazer's backpack. Well not quite. Seems the overall there is that they are moving away for the rounded shapes and replacing them all with squares and angles. If you look closer, you'll see Gundam Frame details: The arms and the piston chest. Is this a new Gundam? It somehow evokes more of a Reconguista type of suit, especially the color scheme.

The new grunt no doubt. I like how mechanically functional it looks. It's like a sleek modern Tieren somehow and it'd be a shame it it just gets thrashed around. Which it will be as it's a grunt. The 2 canisters on the front are the same as the graze's. It's not as smooth, but the references are there. The way the legs are shaped, the lack of a backpack etc. Would be interesting to see what color it comes in.

Generic grunt looking suit? No doubt it has features of the Turbine's suit, specially with the chest and the belly area. Will this be the turbine's version of the grunt suit given how they now have some influence with the earthly politics? Who knows?

Overall, it's a mishmash of aesthetics. Like in the 1st season,we see that the Gundams are more medieval looking while the new suits are modern and sleek. While some still retain the medieval feel, most have been modernized with a more squarish armor. Some looks unique (new grunt) some looks out of place (the reconguista suit) and some downright boring (that cannon Gundam). Still it's too early to judge as some aesthetic works best when in action.

Now onto build fighters.

A General Revil Zeta with Extreme Gundam wings, clear blue pieces and forearm cannons ala Build Gundam Mk.2. Which makes me think... Iori's new Gundam? As he seems to be the only one into the whole plavsky particle clear bits. It's modern cool overall and transforms into a horrible flying mode.

Cat Qan-T. The clear blue clashes with the green so hardcore... Shia Kijima's suit no doubt. It's like Shia designed it and Her brother gave it weapons (from the transient). Can't say I like the design though.

He secretly wants to like it

A kit to appeal to girls no doubt. Probably took its design cues from Sailor Moon.

It's the Zeta II with a ton of firepower in it. It's called the ZZ II, seeing as it's a Zeta design... would assume  this is Minato's suit given how most of the suit he designed are from Z/ZZ era. It generally looks very good. Gone are the awkward proportions of the ZII by adding just enough bulk and height to fill in some of the hollow areas of the original ZII. Probably the best suit design so far IMO.

Lightning Gundam gets a new backpack.. hurray? What happened to the Lighning Zeta Gundam? It looks a bit weird are the wings are angled to look more like claws. I do like the Giant cannon.

And last the Gyancelot. Yep, it's a Sasaki suit. Uses the new revive Gyan mold, so you have the modern articulation and aesthetics of the Gyan, rather than the rather sad looking addon for the original Gyan. While it overall looks good, the spear is ugly looking and the beam cape... I'll replace it with a non beam one if I do get one.

So Overall a nice bunch of kits for the upcoming Anime. The IBO kits are quite a bit more interesting given how the aesthetics are overall a nice departure from the Standard Gundam aesthetics. What I don't like however, is how some of the Gundam design has gone for a more conventional square-ish armors. Especially that cannon-variant. Probably the blandest looking one so far.

The Try-fighters kit are a mixed bag as well. Could just be me, but the new designs are not really that appealing save for the ZZII. The new orange Zeta looks generic with the sparkly clear blue, the Cat Qan-t has a horrible color scheme, the Knight Gyan looks good but the weapons are awkward looking. The original build fighters gave us new Wing variations, an updated Kampfer, a modern Gundam X, a GM sniper, an Astray, an Exia. Would honestly like to see more suits that homages the old suits while injecting it with new design variations. I have the same sentiment for the Second season as most have dropped the "I'll modify this suit" to completely new suits.


Maybe I've turned into that fan who says "The original will always be better"... Gawd I'm old.