The 10 recommended plastic models for 2023] Featuring this year's recommended kits chosen by voice actor Taiyuki, who builds 100 plastic models a year.

Yutaka Yutaka ran through the year 2023 with the goal of building 100 plastic models a year. Yasu, who has been in contact with more plastic models than anyone else, selected his recommended plastic models from a variety of angles.

The selection was based on plastic models released during the year from November 2022 to November 2023. Let's choose the plastic models you want to make during this year-end and New Year holidays, together with a video recording of the production process!

Table of Contents

1/100MGEX Strike Freedom Gundam

30MS The Idolmaster Shiny Colors Sakuragi Mano

SMP Super Robot Wars OG R-1&R-GUN

Transformers: Bumblebee - Optimus Prime

1/100 Est Ail [First Special Price Edition

GALIAN

Angel Type Arnval

MODEROID Zabungle

MODEROID Sol Sigma Gravion

Omoroids Black Beetle

1/100MGEX Strike Freedom Gundam

Photographed by Yuuki Tai

• Manufacturer: Bandai Spirits
• Release date: November 19, 2022
• ・Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price: 15,400 yen (tax included)

This year, I found a re-release product and bought it. With that momentum, I spent a week to paint and complete it.

It is a good price because it is a high-end brand of MGEX, but that is why it is a kit that cannot be bought many times, so it would be a waste if I did not make this one piece into a finished product that I am satisfied with! I built it with this in mind.

There are many interesting attempts, such as plating and stickers made of new materials, but the biggest surprise is the arrangement of the design. The Strike Freedom Gundam has been produced as a kit in the same 1/100 scale several times in the past, but this MGEX has the most strongly arranged appearance.

I am sure everyone has their own likes and dislikes about the arrangement, but if you simply thought this kit was "cool" when you saw it, I recommend it without hesitation.

We have made a delivery of assembling the painted parts, so please take a look at that as well if you like.

30MS Idolmaster Shiny Colors - Mano Sakuragi

Photographed by Yuuki Tai

• ・Manufacturer: Bandai Spirits
• ∙ Release Date: October 21, 2023
• ・Manufacturer's suggested retail price: 4,180 yen (including tax)

The idol that appears in "Idol Master Shiny Colors" (hereafter referred to as "Shanimas") has been made into a plastic kit in collaboration with 30MS.

I have not had that many chances to touch bishojo plastic models, but I bought this one because I had an emotional attachment to it, having narrated the PV for "Song for Prism," the latest in the "Shanimas" series.

Not long ago, Bandai Spirits' plastic models of beautiful girls still had a stiff expression, but I realized with this kit that they have evolved at a rapid pace in recent years.

The materials used to reproduce the outfit, the detailed modeling of the ornaments, and the good style make this a truly cute finish.

It is also interesting to be able to have the existing "30MM" series and Gunpla weapons.

I can't wait for the other idols to be released as well.

SMP Super Robot Wars OG R-1&R-GUN

Photo by Yuuki Tai

• Manufacturer: Bandai
• Release date: January 23, 2023
• ・Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price: 4,950 yen (including tax)

The kits we actually want to recommend are the "SMP Super Robot Taisen (hereafter referred to as "Super Robot Taisen") OG R-1&R-GUN" and the Premium Bandai limited products "SMP Super Robot Taisen OG R-2 Powered & R-3 Powered" and "SMP Super Robot Taisen OG SRX Tenka Mutenka no Option Parts Set" (both no longer available for pre-order), the "SRX" is a robot measuring approximately 360mm in length.
Even though it is non-scale, it is about 1/144 scale, since the height in the movie is set at 51.2m. The realization of a plastic kit of SRX at this size is a crazy item in itself.

Photo by Yutaka Tai

The "R-1 & R-GUN" was reviewed in the "Weekend Plastic Model" series.

The combined SRX is of amazing quality, but the styling of each separate mechanical form is also of a high standard. If possible, I would like to have another set of SRX to display in both separate and combined forms.

The SRX assembly and delivery took a total of 11 hours, and even the original author of "Super Robo OG" made an appearance during the delivery. It was a memorable kit, and we were able to listen to some interesting stories.

The Z.O. Sword weapon included with the "SMP Super Robot Taisen OG R-2 Powered & R-3 Powered" is also very powerful, with a total length of 450mm, easily surpassing that of the SRX itself. Even without purchasing the "SMP Super Robot Taisen OG SRX Invincible Option Parts Set," you can still enjoy the amazingly large scale of the figure.

Also included in the "Option Set" are "SRX Narikiri Glasses" that can be worn by humans, which are also not to be missed.

The SMP version of its successor, the "Bang Playos," has also been announced, and I wonder if it will be re-released to coincide with the start of pre-orders for that model...?

Transformers: Bumblebee" "Optimus Prime" movie

Photo by Yuuki Tai

• Manufacturer: Doyusha
• Release Date: February 2, 2023
• ・Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price: 46,200 yen (tax included)

By far the most satisfying plastic model to build this year was Optimus Prime, released by Doyusha. The number of parts, as well as the tricky way of combining parts, made it difficult to assemble at times, but such difficulties were trivial when you see the density of the completed model.

However, even if you are familiar with plastic models, be careful to read the instructions carefully and go back to the basics, or you may forget or misassemble the model during the process.

1/100 Est Ail [Initial Special Price Edition] (Japanese only)

Photo by Yutaka Tai

• Manufacturer: WAVE
• Release date: February 2023
• ・Manufacturer's suggested retail price: 6,600 yen (including tax)

This is the first in a series of original robots manufactured by Tachibana Neko Kogyo and distributed in Japan by WAVE. One would expect it to be expensive due to its imported nature and size (approx. 250 mm in length), but it is priced at a "special initial price" of 6,600 yen (tax included). In addition to the main body, the figure includes a large flying unit, sword, shield, rifle, bazooka, special stand, water-transfer decals, and LED light-emitting gimmick on the head, so the price seemed reasonable.

The size of the box might scare you away, but each part is large, easy to assemble, and fully equipped. The size of the box is not a big deal, but each part is large and easy to assemble, and the equipment is well equipped.

Currently, they are working on a plan for a variation of the model. I am very much looking forward to that as well.

Assembly delivery of painted parts

1/72 Gallian

Photo by Yutaka Tai

• Manufacturer: WAVE
• ・Date of release: Late July, 2023
• ・Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price: 6,380 yen (tax included)

This is one of the kits that we had the pleasure of writing a review article on. This kit was jointly developed by the Korean model maker Academy and WAVE.

Since its release as a Super Miniplat kit from Bandai Candy Business in 2017, it has not been easy to make a new kit, but now it has finally been released as a kit that brings together deformation, mobility, style, and coloring at a high level. While assembling it, I felt "Oh, there will be a release of the heavy armor modification," and it was a fun kit both while assembling and afterwards.

If there is only one point of concern, the poly parts at the base of the wrist. Although there is a certain amount of holding power when the weapon is held, I thought it was a little easy to fall off when I was fiddling with it to make it take a pose. However, even with this problem, I think the kit is still highly satisfactory!

Angel type Arnval

Photo by Yuuki Tai

• Manufacturer: Kotobukiya
• ∙ Release Date: November 2023
• ・Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price: 9,900 yen (tax included)

We have been waiting for a long time since the announcement of the kit version!

The original "Arnval" was released in 2006 as the first "BUSOU SHINKI" model, but by the time I wanted to buy it, it was already out of the market, and I had given up on it when the kit release was announced. I was really looking forward to the release of this kit, and since Kotobukiya is the pioneer of plastic kits of bishojo, I knew that I could trust them. Not only is the cuteness and color classification perfect, but you can also easily enjoy the light-emitting gimmick by attaching a small LED "milite" to the large rifle without modification!

Currently, repaint color versions of Arnval and Strahf (also available in repaint version) are also on sale.

Assembly distribution of Arnval

MODEROID Zabungle

Photo by Yutaka Tai

• Manufacturer: Good Smile Company
• ∙ Release Date: October 2023
• ・Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price: 7,500 yen (tax included)

I think this is a masterpiece among the "ZABUNGLE" kits, with a good style that can separate, combine, and transform, and a solid level of difficulty in assembly. Moreover, since it is a MODEROID kit, the color separation is perfect, so you can enjoy it even when it is unassembled. The size is also just right for picking up and playing with. MechaSma is a company that does reckless things in many ways, but they are not going to release a variable iron gears to match this ZABUNGLE, are they?　Well, I would like a variable iron gears kit even if it is not to scale. ......

MODEROID Sol Sigma Gravion

Photo by Yuuki Tai

• Manufacturer: Good Smile Company
• Release Date: January 2023
• ・Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price: 7,500 yen (tax included)

We actually recommend the "Ultimate Gravion," the most deadly form of Gravion, which is completed by combining MODEROID "God Gravion," "Sol Sigma Gravion," and "God Sigma Gravion" together.

Photo by Yutaka Tai

While it is fun to play with the combined and separated forms, I dared to paint the entire Ultimate Gravion form in a fixed position. The painting procedure required some ingenuity, and it was a series of extremely mind-boggling tasks. It took a lot of time, but it was worth it, and I am very satisfied with the finished product.

I do not recommend full painting of Ultimate Gravion for everyone! It is simply hard work! But it is worth doing!

Short movie of Ultimate Gravion

Assembly of God Sigma Gravion

Assembly of Sol Sigma Gravion

Assembly of GodGravion Part 1

Assembling GodGravion Part 2

Omoroids Black Beetle

• Manufacturer: LEAPRO
• Release date: April 2023
• Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price: 3,300 yen (tax included)

The plastic kit series "Kunio Okawara Fun Mecha World 'Omoroid'", which gained popularity in the 1980s, was reborn in 2022, and in 2023, the release of the variation machines finally began! We wrote review articles on the first two, Pi Bot and Darth Boss, and also conducted an interview with the president.

At the time, Black Beetle existed only as an illustration, but this is the first time it has been commercialized. In addition, "Dark Therms," which was released at the same time, was newly designed and drawn by Kunio Okawara!

I have now created my own "space-use" aircraft based on the Black Beetle, with additional thrusters. In this way, there is room for creating original settings for the variation aircraft. Next time, I would like to try a more drastic modification.

Photo by Yuuki Tai

The number of parts is small, and I think the material allows for any number of original settings to be incorporated, so it is surprisingly exciting to take a break from making realistic robot plastic models and try my hand at it.

And it appears that a project for a completely new mold is underway again for the third volume. We believe that there are still many people who do not know that "Omoroid" has been reborn, so why don't you go ahead and create many interesting works and become a top Omoroid modeler while you still can!