The popular die-cast toy series 'METAL BUILD', released by TAMASHII NATIONS, the collectors' toy division of Japan's BANDAI SPIRITS Co., today officially announced that the latest product from the new Gundam 00 collaborative project 'Mobile Suit Gundam 00 Revealed Chronicle', the 'Gundam Astraea II', is scheduled for release in October 2023.
'Mobile Suit Gundam 00 Revealed Chronicle' invites members involved in the production of the 'Mobile Suit Gundam 00' anime, such as Seiji Mizushima, Yosuke Kuroda, and Tomohiro Chiba, to participate in its creation. Through the METAL BUILD series, it presents the new setting 'DOUBLE DRIVE Technology' which was not mentioned in the anime, filling in the blank period of Celestial Being's technological development from third-generation mobile suits like the Gundam Exia to the fourth-generation 00 Gundam, which officially adopted the 'Twin Drive System'.
This GNDY-0000 Gundam Astraea II, an original design for the METAL BUILD series, is a testbed mobile suit for verifying 'DOUBLE DRIVE Technology', with Tieria Erde, who can link with Veda, serving as the test pilot. Although its name inherits from the second-generation testbed 'Gundam Astraea', its mobile suit design is almost entirely different. It features GN Drive mounting slots on its chest and left shoulder to test DOUBLE DRIVE Technology, but at the time, due to an insufficient number of GN Drives, GN Particle Storage Tanks were used as substitutes. This unit is equipped with many new technologies used by fourth-generation mobile suits and possesses the characteristic of further enhancing GN-based armaments. In addition to its basic equipment of GND Beam Rifle and GND Shield, numerous hardpoints are installed throughout its body, allowing it to mount armaments used by Exia and Dynames, and even the 'Proto GN Sword' which is still under development, for testing.
The 'METAL BUILD Gundam Astraea II' is designed by mechanical designer Kanetake Ebikawa, similar to the previously released Astraea and Exia series. It boasts a 'completely new design that culminates the Gundam 00 series,' integrating characteristics from Astraea, Exia, and 00 Gundam to create a new frame and armor. The entire frame is constructed with numerous die-cast parts, offering high strength, a substantial feel, and flexible articulation.
Its asymmetrical exterior armor design features a gray-white color scheme. Numerous body markings are printed throughout the entire unit to enhance detail density. Armaments include the GND Beam Rifle, GND Shield, and GND Beam Saber. Furthermore, hardpoints are designed on the left shoulder, arms, and legs, allowing direct attachment of previously released armaments from Exia, Dynames, etc., as well as future 00 series armaments like the 'Proto GN Sword', enabling a wide variety of armed configurations.
METAL BUILD Gundam Astraea II
Reference Price: 24,200 JPY (Tax Included)
Scheduled Release Date: 2023/10
Product Specifications: ABS, PVC, die-cast pre-painted finished product, approximately 185mm in height
Product Contents:
・Main Unit
・Interchangeable Hand Parts (4 types each for left and right)
・GND Shield ×2
・GND Beam Rifle
・Backpack
・DOUBLE DRIVE Test Backpack Set
・Armament Connection Parts for Arms
・Leg Hardpoint Parts Set
・Shoulder Connection Parts Set
・Adapter Parts Set
・GND Beam Saber Set
・Dedicated Stand Set
・Auxiliary Support Rod Set
(C)SOTSU・SUNRISE
via： 魂ウェブ