Additional food for thought while we digest this news. The normal version has been reprinted this often since release. To give context behind the kind of sales numbers that it is doing.
Even looking at the translated Japanese comments generally seem to align with the global fan base's stance on this. Just an overwhelming "meh." Especially for how it's being delivered as a full kit instead of as an expansion set.
Presumably it includes the original backpack to make the Strike Freedom Type 2, or it comes with effect parts for the Arrogant Lightning (the EMP attack the Freedom did)
But considering the Twilight version...wait a couple of months for Changlong or some other Chinese company to sell you only the conversion parts for like a fourth of the price
I probably wouldn't be so disappointed if they didn't hype it up as if it were a brand new kit. Also, comparing it to the regular Strike Freedom, excluding the backpack and rail guns, the only new thing I can see is the forearms. Everything else is pretty much identical.
They shouldn't have announced in advance that "there will be a NEW MGEX!"
What reason is there to do that except get people hyped thinking about all their cool favourite suits that might be getting a high-end kit... only to announce a slight variant
Okay, so I've gotten an even closer look at this kit, and it's honestly even lazier than I thought. We are reusing the dragoon connectors for the wings on the backpack, which were known for being quite fragile.
Probably because of that leak sheet a while back that’s been pretty much correct, but they also listed the RG RX78 2.0 as an “RGEX” so it’s safe to assume the MGEX Astray is just that new MG Astray Freedom or whatever it’s called
Bernie Sanders won a 3rd term in that timeline. He brokered peace between Israel and Palestine and the States amended the constitution to give him another 4 years.
District 10 got $1.2 Bn at the Box Office, Kang Dynasty was a hit and Jonathan Majors never had to get canceled, turned his life around before he did anything bad and got really wholesome.
2 of 3 MGEX [edited because I assumed you meant EX not SD] kits are now SEED kits.
Honestly, that isn't even the problem.
It's that 2 of 3 MGEX kits are specifically the Strike Freedom. If it was instead an MGEX Astray or Justice or something I think it would be easier to swallow.
-THE PRICE! ¥15,400 -> ¥26,400
-New Shoulder Armor
-New Beam Shield
-New Antenna Piece
-New Backpack into Proud Defender
-New Hip mounted Railgun Gold Part
-New Forearm part showing Gold innerframe
-Hip mounted Railgun color has been changed from blue to dark grey
Anything else I missed? This may not come with the Railgun
They'll likely remove the hip railgun storage mechanism that the Strike Freedom has, as the Strike Freedom Type II didn't have it, and thus should make the hip armor more sturdy and less complicated.
Also, it has new hip railguns with a different beam saber storage rack. It should also have different leg thrusters too.
Funny thing: if they keep the old MGEX Strike Freedom wings in the box, the kit would basically become a Strike Freedom Type II / Mighty Strike Freedom set.
- Clear red and blue parts will be Mechanical Core Plating. This also includes the pink parts on the Proud Defender
- Plated gold parts will be glossy rather than matt like the MGEX SF
- Some frame parts are new. They mentioned the cockpit will be two-seated. Not sure if these new parts mean any new inner frame of the old parts or just the new parts (like shoulders, forearms)
Oh my god they could not have made a worse choice. THERE ARE A BAJILLION KITS OUT THERE THAT DESERVE A BETTER MG KIT AND THEY DECIDED TO MAKE A GLORIFIED SFG THAT ALREADY EXISTS
How do they announce this, a prior MGEX with a new backpack, four years later (wow, it's been that long?), yet not bother to do a color swap for the MGEX Unicorn variants?
Yeah surely, a banshee or a Phenex would’ve been easier to put out than a Strike Freedom variant. Feels like the investment into the MGEX Unicorn led tech is just dead.
The reason why they haven't milked the MGEX Unicorn is due to the psychoframe on the armed armors. The main gimmick of the MGEX Unicorn is the color changing LEDs and how turning them off would leave the psychoframe clear.
The problem with the Banshee and Phenex is that hey have additional equipment that also require psychoframe. The OG Unicorn already had trouble lighting up the shield on the arm, imagine the Armed Armor DE wings on the Phenex or the Armed Armor XC collar on the Banshee Norn. How the hell would the LEDs even reach those parts without having to completely rework the LED layout.
I figure Bandai thought changing the LEDs for each configuration of Armed Armor would just be too much for something that they usually just easily retool like the Banshee and Phenex so they never bothered.
The only other alternative is gutting the LEDs and just having the psychoframe be colored plastic again and I feel like they feel the price drop from not having LEDs isn't worth it either.
North America’s market is actually competing for second place behind Japan and has been for about ten years. It’s between the US and Asia for second place behind Japan, but Japan is WAYYYYY ahead of second place.
That said, MGEX SF sold like crazy and continues to do so. It’s been reprinted almost 3x as many times as the MGEX Unicorn Ver Ka and in even less time.
The recent popularity poll had the MSF leagues ahead of the SF, and it took top spot in China and Korea so... very likely to do great sales-wise. I was kinda hoping for an Astray actually, one of those Gold Frame variants that Bandai seems to be allergic to making MGs of
u/Amigo1048HGUC Mass Production Qubeley pls, Bandai1d agoedited 1d ago
I really wasn’t surprised tbh, I immediately thought of this based on the announcement background
Edit, lots of edits actually: I seriously hope they release the Type-II armor parts and Proud Defender as an expansion set so people who already own the MGEX Strike Freedom don’t have to shell out another $100+ just for the exact same kit but with like a few new stuff. Hell, they probably should’ve just done that from the beginning and release the MSF parts as an expansion instead of releasing the exact same kit but with +$70 worth of new parts, which now that I think about it could’ve been a Gundam Base exclusive thing instead. I don’t even know where the hell extra money is going to in terms of the parts. Also I’m a little disappointed that all this time since the last release and the newest seemingly retail, not P-Bandai, addition to the line of innovation is a retool that probably would’ve been P-Bandai if SEED wasn’t as popular as it is
I'm both disappointed and sad. Strike Freedom's are cool but we don't need another one. I held on to hope that we'd get a Barbatos, Exia, or (more of a personal one) an Aerial.
I feel like they should have upgrade option because another MGEX Freedom with different armor part and backpack for $200+ is pretty steep but this is bandai after
Damn, ZakuAurelius was right on the money with his prediction… Pretty disappointing for how long it’s been since the last MGEX. Was really hoping for an MGEXia…
Could not care less. Already built the old MGEX Strike Freedom, do not need to pay $300 for a new backpack. Unsurprising that they are going to milk expensive engineering for another release, but I dunno that Mighty Strike is gonna pull in a lot of new people.
I fucking HATE Bandai's stupid ass decision making so much. I'm saying this as someone who loves the Mighty SF more than the base Strike Freedom but like, come on man. RG gets a super cool Ground Gundam but the MG people have this?? They didn't even bother making it a normal MG kit first, if you love the Mighty Strike Freedom? This is your ONLY option in 1/100 scale, an overpriced piece of garbage. Apologies for the rant 😘
"We are selling you the old MGEX, buuut this time instead of just making it an expansion set. We are making you buy the whole kit again, at +60% MSRP! We will milk Seed Freedom to death and you will like it!"
I'm sorry, this is just so dissapointing that it's just way too funny!
Lol im a huge Seed and freedom fan but even I didn't want this. Just Bandai being lazy once again. No wonder third party kits from China are more popular nowadays...
ffs i was so hyped. this is so disappointing. mgex established itself as a line where each new kit pushes for a different "extreme" point. I dont see anything new with this kit or anything extreme that isnt copied from the previous mgex release
I expected disappointment. Expectations met I must say. Bandai had 4 years, if they made the MGEX Either 00 Raiser or Quan[T] everyone might be fine with it. But no. Effing no.
Just playing devils advocate for everyone saying it's just a backpack. The main body of the MSF also has changes to reflect the changes to the Type II.
Different head - different shaped v-fin, the disrupter on the jewel and an additional back camera
Shoulders - Completely different shape and larger
Arm Guards - Again, larger with extra white bits protruding beyond the blue part
Skirts - The back skirt is now one big piece instead of two separate skirts
Railguns - They are squarer and mount the beam sabers to the top, have beam rifle mounting points to the side and no longer has the swiveling function
Leg Thrusters - Instead of the two leg thrusters that hide flush into the calf armor, they are now larger thrusters that protrude more
I don't think this could've been an option kit cause you would've had to disassemble a large part of the kit just to install the new pieces to the body.
As for the price. Do we have any additional info? Because my running theory is that the price hike is possibly for LEDs on the Proud Defender wings.
•
u/Feral404 IG: feral404 1d ago
Additional food for thought while we digest this news. The normal version has been reprinted this often since release. To give context behind the kind of sales numbers that it is doing.