Commentary: Newly-armed Z, ZZ, and Nu Gundams are hot topics

The figures of Z Gundam, ZZ Gundam, and ν Gundam from the popular anime series Mobile Suit Gundam UC ENGAGE were on display at Bandai Spirits' figure exhibition TAMASHII NATION 2024, held in Akihabara, Tokyo, and have become a hot topic. All of them are figures from the METAL ROBOT Spirits (Ka signature) series created by Hajime Katoki, and are equipped with new weapons. ◇Z with a real sword Mobile Suit Gundam UC ENGAGE is a game that brings together Universal Century works. Equipped with new weapons, Z Gundam, ZZ Gundam, and ν Gundam appear in the new story "Crossover UCE," in which heroes from each Universal Century work join forces across history. The Z Gundam figure "METAL ROBOT Spirits (Ka signature) <SIDE MS> Z Gundam (equipped with I-field claw and I-field blaster)" is equipped with a claw-shaped I-field generator on the right arm and a real sword on the left arm. The real sword can be used as a beam rifle. The Z Gundam equipped with a real sword is a novel idea. The ZZ Gundam figure "METAL ROBOT Spirits (Ka signature) <SIDE MS> ZZ Gundam (equipped with Hyper Giga Cannon)" is equipped with a Hyper Giga Cannon on the backpack. It fires a high-power, large-caliber beam for surface attacks. The Hyper Giga Cannon, which is even larger than the Hyper Mega Cannon, has an outstanding presence. ◇Long Hyper Mega Bazooka Launcher I was also surprised by the new weapons of the ν Gundam figure "METAL ROBOT Spirits (Ka signature) <SIDE MS> ν Gundam (equipped with Long-range Fin Funnel and Hyper Mega Bazooka Launcher)". The fin funnels are omitted, and instead it is equipped with a long-range Hyper Mega Bazooka Launcher and a long-range Fin Funnel. The long Hyper Mega Bazooka Launcher is very impressive. The long-range Fin Funnel is also known to be equipped on the life-size Nu Gundam statue (RX-93ff Nu Gundam) installed in Fukuoka, and it can function not only as a long-range sniper or large beam saber, but also as a remote attack terminal like a funnel. In "Crossover UCE", MS (Mobile Suits) equipped with new weapons such as Gundam F91 (Twin Vesbar equipped type) equipped with four Vesbars, Unicorn Gundam (Hyper Mega Launcher equipped) equipped with a dedicated Hyper Mega Launcher on the arm, Narrative Gundam B2 Equipment, which is a different form of B Equipment, and V2 Assault Buster Cannon Gundam equipped with assault parts and buster parts will also appear. None of these have been made into three-dimensional figures using "METAL ROBOT SPIRITS (Ka signature)," so future developments will be interesting to see.