Gundam Build Divers introduces new Shokugan and Gashapon figure lines

The latest Gundam television show Gundam Build Divers builds on the momentum of the various popular Gundam Build Fighters outings that preceeded it. These series are all about heavily customized mobile suits pitted against each others in arenas. Somewhat surprisingly, these suits haven't featured much or at all in the Shokugan and Gashapon figure lines. We had a couple of the Gundams in Assault Kingdom and a handful in Converge but that was pretty much it.

With the introduction of Build Divers Bandai have now decided to go all-in and introduces new Shokugan and Gashapon figure lines as well as the usual model kit ranges.

The new Shokugan MiniPla series will release in July and will feature five super deformed mobile suits which can be parts-combined into the Super Shock Gundam monstrosity, kind of same concept as we saw in the old SD Gundam Bind figures but more thematic this time around. The first set releases in July and the figures will have a price of 480 each. The mobile suits featured are mainly a rather overused lot if you ask me.

Notice how the figures have expressive eyes like the old SD television figures, I guess this could be a signum of the series. Considering the name MiniPla I would guess that these figures will be miniature model kits made of hard plastic similar to the Universal Unit range as opposed to your usual soft and bendy Shokugan toys from Converge and the like.

The Gashapon series, GashaPla SD Gundam is a similar super deformed series with figures that can supposedly also parts-combine with components from regular 1/144 scale HG model kits. I'd be a bit surprised if people who like to collect and build model kits will also want to go into Gashapons and vice versa, I guess we will soon find out.