Interview] Commemorating the release of "METAL BUILD" Kempfer! The appeal of "METAL BUILD's" first MS of the One Year War and its particulars are thoroughly explored! October 3, 18:00 Pre-order start.

The MS-18E Kempfer (hereafter "Kempfer") from the OVA "Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket" will join the flagship "METAL BUILD" series of finished robot figures, which pursues the ultimate in materials, coloring, mobility, and design.

The Kempfer is a mobile suit designed by Yutaka Izubuchi, who was in charge of the original mechanic design, and still boasts strong popularity today. The long-awaited "METAL BUILD" version of the Kempfer has attracted a great deal of attention.

The question is, why Kempfer? How is the "METAL BUILD" Kempfer different from previous three-dimensional models? We spoke with Atsuhiko Suzaki, the planning director of BANDAI SPIRITS, about its features, appeal, and key points.

Why we chose Kempfer for the first "METAL BUILD" One Year War figure

--This is the first time that "METAL BUILD" will feature mobile suits from the One Year War, isn't it?

Susaki: Yes. Up until now, we have released the "F91" and "Crossbone Gundam" as space century mobile suits, but this will be the first time that we will commercialize a mobile suit that was active in the One Year War. Since there are many "Gundam SEED" and "Gundam 00" in the series, we chose the "Kempfer" this time because we wanted customers who have been exposed to orthodox Gundam models to pick up the "METAL BUILD" as well.

To explain the features of "METAL BUILD" again, "METAL BUILD" is a finished toy made of metal, and the armored part - in the case of Kempfer, the blue part you can see - is almost completely painted. --The armor part - the blue part that you can see on Kempfer - is almost completely colored. There is no molded-in translucency, and the markings are applied from the start, so you can pick up the figure in its fully finished state.

As the name "METAL BUILD" suggests, this brand delivers weight and texture by using metal and die-cast alloys for the shoulders, groin, chest space, toes and soles.

Another unique feature of our products is that they are slightly rearranged in design to increase the density of the three-dimensional objects. For "Gundam SEED," we had Mr. Satoshi Shigeta, chief mechanical drawing director of the SEED series, and for "Gundam 00," we had Mr. Kanetake Ebikawa, mechanical designer of Gundam 00, and now we have Mr. Yutaka Izubuchi participating.

--In the One Year War series, there are major mobile suits from the TV series, such as the standard Gundam and Zaku, but this time, we have suddenly chosen mobile suits from the OVA. Why did you choose the Kempfer for the first series? Can you tell us a little more about the background?

Susaki There are two major things we considered. First, we wanted to choose a type of Gundam that would be familiar to people who usually touch plastic models, and not a glamorous or stylish type like in "Gundam Seed. For example, the "Land Battle Type Gundam" was one of the candidates. I wanted to challenge myself with a mobile suit that was realistic and heavy with steel.

Secondly, there was a feeling within the team that something that could be predicted or imagined would be boring. This was originally a development of the "METAL BUILD" series, which started with the "Double O Gundam Seven Swords" MSV, and "Gundam Seed Astray" also started with the "Gundam Astray Gold Frame Tenmina - Declaration of the Sky". We also started with "Gundam Astray Gold Frame Tenmina - Declaration of the Sky", so we wanted our customers to be surprised and think, "Here we go! I wanted the customers to think, "This is how it's going to be!

--I wanted the customers to think, "Oh, yes, that's how it's going to be! I thought.

Susaki: The Zaku and Shia-specific MS were also candidates, but we felt that a name like "Shia-specific" would be a little more glamorous. The Kempfer is a machine that only Misha (Mikhail Kaminsky) has flown, but it could have been flown by a person with no name. And yet, it is a one-off, or has a well-defined individuality among the customers. That is the kind of aircraft we wanted to choose.

Besides, I feel that a dedicated machine with a name is seen as a character product, and is somewhat similar to the "Freedom Gundam" or "Double O Gundam," and the Zaku for Char has a certain character robot feel to it. However, even so, I thought that a (mass-produced) Zaku might not be as surprising from the METAL BUILD point of view, so I decided on a machine with a bit more edge, and since everyone at work likes Kempfer (laughs), the Kempfer received everyone's votes.

--If the first model is a Zaku, you might expect to see a variation of the Zaku, but the Kempfer has a one-of-a-kind, one-off feel to it.

Susaki: When the Kempfer arrives, people will naturally think of the Alex (Gundam NT-1), but it may or may not arrive. I think people will be able to accept it with that level of ambiguity. I want to value that kind of "time for people to get excited. The reason why we usually keep the promotion period long is because we want our customers to enjoy the experience with us, wondering what will happen next. I usually keep the promotion period long because I want the customers to enjoy the experience with me, wondering "how it will turn out. It is not an inexpensive purchase, so we want the customer to enjoy the purchase itself, and then be satisfied with the purchase. We also want our customers to enjoy the "Why Kempfer? I hope that you will also enjoy the "Why Kempfer?

■Realistic, down-to-earth coloring

--When you look at the actual product, it looks quite large, doesn't it?

Suzaki Yes, it is. It is about 18 cm in size, almost 1/100 scale. I think we will be able to deliver the kind of enjoyment that only a finished product of this size can offer, in a way that we have not been able to do with any of our previous products.

--The form of the figure is also very Kampfer-like.

Suzaki: It's a fairly orthodox design, but for example, the horn is bendable, so you can recreate the scene in the movie where the folded (folded) horn is deployed during the battle.

--What kind of supervision and involvement did Yutaka Izubuchi have in the design?

Mr. Susaki: Mr. Izubuchi did not supervise the design itself. He saw the figure in its three-dimensional (prototype) form and said, "It looks cool. In addition, Mr. Izubuchi's opinions were mainly on the coloring.

--The blue of the body, for example?

Suzaki: I was worried about the blue color. The color of the kempfer has various patterns, from a "greenish blue" to a "darker blue," since it appeared in the film at night. When I asked Mr. Izubuchi, "Do you have an image of darker colors than what it looks like on film?" Mr. Izubuchi replied, "The colors are set to produce the output that is seen on film. What you are seeing (not the actual colors) is the image you have in your mind. So many of the three-dimensional objects in the world are a darker, tighter blue, but this time I decided on a brighter blue. However, in order not to make it boring with a single color, we have mixed several colors and sprinkled shades, which I think will make it interesting to see.

In terms of color, Vernier has an image of yellow, or perhaps a golden yellow, but Mr. Izubuchi said, "It's the image of copper. However, I felt that if we made everything copper, it would not match the customer's image, so we added a bit of pearl around the copper to give it a metallic look and a two-tone Yamabuki color. In this way, Mr. Izubuchi gave us advice on the reality part, and we added a few elements that everyone knows about the character. At first, we had painted it with an image that was a bit more metallic and glamorous, like the usual "METAL BUILD," but after hearing Mr. Izubuchi's advice, we decided to give it a more chic look and changed the coloring to be more realistic and down-to-earth.

--The details of the "METAL BUILD" are attractive, but you are also very particular about the colors, aren't you?

Suzaki: As you can see, there is a lot of detail in the coloring. I wanted to reduce the number of color processes, but I couldn't. (laughs).

--I heard that one of the key points is that the die-cast is one of the heaviest ever made.

Suzaki That's right. Kampfer's shoes (feet) are bigger than Gundam's, and the backs of her knees, groin, and rounded shoulders are made of die casts that live up to the name "METAL BUILD," making it one of the heaviest die casts ever made. We want people who have never touched the "METAL BUILD" to come in, so it was good to be able to feel the weight more clearly than with other three-dimensional objects.

--The lower half of the figure has more die-cast parts, which gives it a great sense of stability.

Suzaki: Even for me, who has held previous products in the series in my hands, it looks amazing (laughs). (laughs) "METAL BUILD" mobile suits from "Gundam Seed" (such as the Freedom Gundam) can generally stand on their own, even with a certain amount of parts on their backs, because the main bodies are heavy. With the Kempfer, the "Chain Mine Rack" (hereinafter referred to as "Chain Mine Rack") can be attached without any problem.

Chain Mine Rack, special pedestal, back view, and other features for Kempfer lovers

--The Chain Mine Rack is one of the main features of this issue. How did you come up with this equipment?

Susaki: I think the Kempfer is a mobile suit with a clear image in everyone's mind. There was a proposal to change the form and details significantly, but I am sure that the people who would buy this would not want that. I thought they would want a relatively orthodox Kempfer. But it would still be boring to do things the same way as usual. We consulted with the creators and publishers of the series to make arrangements, so we proposed the Chain Mine Rack. In the play, the chain-mine is pulled out of the truck with a thud, and I asked myself, "Don't you have to carry that when you handle it? If we were to carry it, how would we do it? That's how it came to be. But it also gave birth to ways to enjoy it that we had not envisioned.

--What exactly do you mean by that?

Susaki: The Chain Mine comes in a long whip shape, so in our figure genre, I had the impression that it would be somewhat difficult to display. Now, with the Chain Mine Rack, we can display the figure in an active pose, pulling it out of the Chain Mine Rack while holding it in place with a certain degree of holding power. The staff and I took pictures while talking about how dynamic it would be to display it in this way.

--It's a great look, isn't it? Other weapons include the standard giant buzz and a dedicated shotgun.

Suzaki: This time, we also used die-cast for the exclusive shotgun. We don't usually use die-cast for weapons, but the staff who decided on the material somehow ended up using die-cast for the cylinder part (laughs). (Laughs.) I thought it was cool and the glittering effect was fun, so I thought it was a good idea.

Also, something else that made me personally happy was that even within the staff, we thought that the color of Sturm Faust was gray. We had a preconceived notion that it was gray because that was the color of the molding on other products. But when we looked at the full-length anime, we saw that it was green. So, the fact that the color of Sturm Faust is exactly the same as in the anime is also a point that I recommend.

--So the coloring is in accordance with the anime?

Susaki: Yes. Also, in the movie, there was one on each leg, but this time, two can be attached to one side (one leg). So you can play with it as in the play, or do something different if you want to do something different. We tried to make it so that there is such a wide range of possibilities.

I would also like to draw your attention to the special pedestal. There has never been a product in the world that allows you to display Kömpfer in a low-flying state. When displayed in this state, it is not a model sailboat, but it has a sense of presence as if it were an ornament.

--So you can recreate the scene where the ship is flying just above the ground?

Suzaki: You can even hold a weapon in the air. You can't display it like this with a normal pedestal.

--The pedestal also has details of the road.

Susaki That's right. I thought that the Kampfer would make a strong impression in scenes where it is active on the road, so the markings on the pedestal were also made to resemble a road.

--The way they marked the pedestal was also made to resemble a road. The vernier part you mentioned earlier also has a strong impact.

Susaki: The Kempfer's vernier is concentrated in the back and really stands out, so I felt that it makes a big difference from the product without the coloring. The way the vernier glistens in metallic colors is something that can only be achieved with a painted finished product, and the rear view is very informative and attractive.

--It's cool just to look at it from behind, isn't it?

Suzaki The back view is so cool that I even thought about making the main cut a back view (laughs). Including that, I don't think I've ever seen the charm of Kempfer that everyone envisioned in such a finished state. Except for finishing it myself. It's not every day that a Kempfer is made in this size and with this level of perfection.

--I am sure that there are many plastic models and garage kits of Kömpfer that require a lot of time and effort to make them crowned, so it is nice to be able to get a finished product.

Susaki: To be honest, I don't think of them as inexpensive. But if the armor is painted, how rich the texture is, how heavy the die-cast is, and what the vernier looks like finished in paint...... photos, you will have what you are looking at in your hands, so the Kempfer I am sure that those who love Kempfer will be pleased with this product.

Future prospects for "METAL BUILD" 1 Year War items

--I was impressed once again by the way you actually showed us the new Izubuchi mecha, and I think they look great in three dimensions.

Suzaki: The form has a high degree of perfection, doesn't it? I don't think it is necessary to add any protrusions in terms of design, nor do I think the silhouette needs to be changed significantly. This time, I was reminded of the high degree of perfection of the original form's uniqueness.

--I would like to ask you about the future lineup of your products. Alex's name was mentioned earlier, but will the One Year War MS continue in the future?

Suzaki: We have not decided yet, but we would like to continue with space century MS, including those from the One Year War, so we would be very grateful if you could give us your opinions through surveys and other means. We would be very grateful if you could give us your opinions through surveys and other means! I would like to come up with a lineup that will allow those who came to Kampfer this time to suggest what they would like to see next.

--This is a complete aside, but I personally love Hi-Gog, so I'd like to see what you have in mind. ......

Suzaki: Haigog was definitely on the table for consideration (lol). (Laughs) Many of us in the company love HYGOG, so we seriously considered HYGOG. But there are still many things to consider. ...... But if we really get a lot of feedback from everyone, and if we get a lot of "I'll buy it! I will do my best if there are a lot of voices of "I'll buy it!

If we are going to do a HYGOG with the density of "METAL BUILD," I think there are ways to do it, such as having holes to drain ballast water, or making it really look like a submarine when it is in cruising form. I feel like I'd rather have a HYGOG or ...... than an ALEX (laughs).

───We are "excited" about all of this and look forward to more news. First of all, I am looking forward to seeing Kampfer! Thank you very much for your time today.

Reservations will be accepted at Premium Bandai from 18:00 on October 3, 2023!

(Reporting and writing by Kenichi Chiba & Editorial Department)

Product Information
METAL BUILD Kampfer
Pre-order start: October 3, 2023 at 18:00
Delivery date: Scheduled to ship in February 2024

Price: 39,600 yen (including tax)
Main product materials: ABS, PVC, die-cast
Product size: approx. 180mm in height
Target age: 15 years old and up

＜Main product contents
　Main body
　Three replaceable wrists (left and right)
　Interchangeable antennas
　Shotgun x 2
　Chain Mine Rack
　Giant Buzz x2
　Sturmfurst x2
　Beam saber handle x2
　Beam saber blade x 2
　Heat Hawk (ON/OFF) x 2 each
　Chain Mine
　Joint set
　Stand set

　Remarks
　Before purchase: Please read carefully.
　Actual product may differ slightly.
　The coloring and other aspects of the appearance may vary slightly from product to product.
　Product specifications and shipping dates are subject to change without notice.
　*Orders may be closed when the planned quantity is reached.
　　In the event of a large number of requests, we may accept the order again.
　*This product may be sold overseas.

ⒸSotsu, Sunrise