Square Enix has had their hands full with merchandise for their litany of franchises and now they've ventured into the realm of model kits. The Structure Arts line is focusing on mecha from the Square Enix line-up, starting off by delving into some well-loved classics. A set of 4 plastic model kits from Front Mission, a classic Super Famicom game but probably more well known with it's release on the PlayStation, that has spurred several sequels. These should be available this month, January 2021 and boast interchangeable weapons and hands to customize load-outs and joints for some poseability. These seem to be aimed at the quick and straightforward kits in the 3 to 4 inch scale range.
Now Structure Arts is releasing a new set of 4 model kits for Xenogears. Between 4 and 4.5 inches, these model kits are a great set of mecha from a PlayStation cult classic. Weltall, Vierge, Brigander, and Heimdal all come with stands and additional sets of interchangeable hands. These stylized piloted mechas look to have standard poseability and joints with a flat gray plastic for painting. This set is scheduled for a March-April release this year.
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| images courtesy Square Enix |
Full disclosure, most model kits aren't in my scope of collecting. There are some out there that I feel would be a great addition to what I'm going for in a display but taking the time to paint is another venture I can't really carve out the time for. I think both sets look great and capture those designs incredibly well at this scale. Making classic video game mecha like this does carry a lot of nostalgic weight when it comes to the early days of home consoles. These are solid mecha from the 16 bit era that I'm sure are just a taste of what Structure Arts has in store.
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