The latest Gashapon news...

The Bandai Gashapon blog returned to Mobile Suit Gundam today after a lengthy hiatus for several weeks. Although some of the outlook is rather grim following the collapse of the marketplace there is also some hope for the future. We have news for both Mobile Suit Ensemble and Gashapon Warrior Senshi Forte as well as a brand new concept called Luminous Gundam.

For Ensemble we have confirmation that part 14 is just about to hit the market in early June. The set features two alternate timeline Gundams as well as the Zeta Plus. Besides the extra equipment set one box contains body armor parts to convert the AGE-1 into its Titus or Spallow modes. Bandai pretty much begs us to purchase as many as we can and that's when I keep thinking that if you could make life a little easier for us army builders then sure, I wouldn't mind to spend a bit extra. Still, realistically I'd want to pick up three sets of this wave just to be able to build and display all the variations of the AGE-1 and a couple extra Zeta Plusses surely never hurt.

Also introduced rather casually are two new EX figure sets. EX20 features (to no one's surprise) the Ex-S Gundam which I was just waiting for following the release of the S-Gundam in part 13. The second EX figure is the Gundam F90II with option parts to build its two Intercept Type and Long Range Type modes. This kit is going tobe awesome and I definitely want to get three boxes which is going to be very painful, but hey I did it for the F90D/H kit (apologies for having not reviewed that figure already, I am trying to work on the back log but it has been tough just keeping up with the new releases). The Ex-S and the F90II are both P-Bandai figures that are planned for delivery in September. Each has a P-Bandai price of ¥4620. Ouch.

The lead figure for Ensemble Part 15 is also revealed; the GN-001 Gundam Exia. It will come with option parts to create the Seven Swords configuration, not sure if this means the additional parts will go into the regular equipment package or if they plan some sort of B-box with Exia specific accessories. The other two figures in the wave are unknown to me. The lead designer points out that the Gashapon market is currently in a very grim situation but that they will strive to release wave 15 come October. The two glowing Gundam figures you see here next to the Exia are following the two Ultimate Luminous Zaku II figures that were supposedly out this March (which I have yet to see any trace of by the way). It seems like this set is still in development and price and release are appear very unclear.

Things are actually moving also in Gashapon Warrior Senshi Forte. You can see concept art and prototypes for the Gundam Deathscythe Hell and the Serpent above. I really want a team of those Serpents, let's see you do a Leo as well! To be honest I had actually given up on this series as left for dead but apparently there is still some life in the old horse. To quote the lead designer:


ガシャポン戦士はf11がやはり厳しいタイミングに当たってしまいました。8月の12弾はそのまま進行予定ですが、以降が未定となっております。販売方法含めた調整など、今まで通りにはいかないというのが現状なので方針が固まり次第皆様に共有させていただきます。

これがね・・・本当に難しい。なんとかカプセルで出したいですが、今までもすでに「即打ち切るべきレベル」でコスト的にきついアイテム（非常に売れ行きの良い商品なのですが）なのでアンサンブルのように次がフル受注状態で来月展開！とかではない以上、今まで通りとはいかない状況です。じゃあ値上げすればよいのか？というとそういう簡単な話でもなく、値上げしても数量が下がってしまったら赤字がむしろ大きくなるという可能性もあり、一度上げたらもう戻せないので値上げした瞬間に「詰み」になるかもしれない。

プレミアムバンダイ限定にして6種セット5,000円で一定数受注が来るのであればシリーズきついとかなんとかの世界から抜け出て色々出しまくれるけど、そうじゃない気もするのでそれも難しい。


A stint through Google Translate suggests this translation:

As for Gashapon Warrior f11 has hit the difficult timing. The 12th wave in August is scheduled to proceed as it is, but the rest is undecided. Since the current situation is that adjustments such as sales methods will not go as before, we will share them as soon as the policy is finalized.

This is ... really difficult. I'd like to manage it as a capsule, but it's already a "tightly discontinued item" and it's a costly item (although it's a very well-selling item), so next month it's a full-order product, like an ensemble! The situation is not as it used to be. Then should I raise the price? It is not such a simple story, and there is a possibility that the deficit will increase if the quantity decreases even if the price is raised, and once it has been raised, it can not be returned anymore, so it may become a "clog" at the moment of raising the price.

If you receive a certain number of orders for 5,000 yen for 6 types set for Premium Bandai only, it will come out from the world of tight series or somehow, but various things will come out, but it is not so, so that is also difficult.


I really hope that Bandai will find a way to continue to release these awesome figures and as I have reiterated time and again; please make it easier for army builders to actually get the mass production figures. You cannot expect me to buy a 12-box of Senshi Forte figures only to get one or two grey GINNs in there (and triplicates of all the Gundams)...

If you wish to read the full announcement it can be found here.