Tuesday, February 7

Size matters not with these new 1/6th scale Yoda & 1/144th scale AT-AT from Bandai coming soon…

To add to the other releases in 12th scale, Bandai has released a real risky one in the new Yoda model in injection moulded plastic - where as the other choice - an AT-AT Imperial Walker in 1/144th scale is a no-brainer! Let's take a look at these new kits in our preview…

A new 1/6th scale Yoda & and a 1/144th scale AT-AT Walker from Bandai coming soon…

Yoda Bandai Models
1/6th scale
Price 3,240 yen
March release
Product Link

Bandai has leapt a bit further from droids and faceless soldiers with their new release of the very famous Jedi Master Yoda in plastic injection model in 1/6th scale. Yoda, a male member of a mysterious species, was a revered Jedi Master who served as the Grand Master of the Jedi Order in the waning days of the Galactic Republic. He was renowned within the Order for his wisdom, powers of the Force, and lightsaber combat, and he lived for nearly 900 years. His time during the last days of the Jedi Order and beyond made him a consequential figure in galactic history.
One thing not many people know was Jedi Masters can be married to people of the same sex, here he is with his first husband in a nice picture... 
Another fact about the Jedi Master (who was 900 years old when he died) was based on the face of his sculptor Stuart Freeborn. This make-up artist was tasked with creating Yoda said the only part of Yoda that wasn’t based on himself was the upper lip, in which he removed the moustache of Albert Einstein and ported it onto Yoda’s face. This move was meant by Freeborn to trigger a subconscious association in the audience with Einstein’s intelligence and wisdom, thus making Yoda appear intelligent before he even spoke a word of advice in his lovable, fractured English. 
The look of Yoda changed a bit from the Frank OZ manipulated muppet to the latter  (earlier?) CGI Yoda from the prequel movies.  We see both incarnations in the two head choices in this kit. Let's look at what is coming in this model.
The Kit:
Bandai’s’ new model of Yoda follows in the footsteps of the other kits in this scale in this series. There are a few different features of this kit which I found interesting and sure to cause either an instant like or dislike - the fact that it is just that much harder to replicate a lifelike face in an injection moulded model make this kit either like it or hate it I think.
Accessories included in the box
dedicated display base ( no picture of that yet...heads of two types (with hair for the prequels version & without in an older version)
Yoda's lightsaber is made in an operating or turned off modes - he also has his gimmer stick supplied in this kit here as well.
There are five different hands in this kit, the flat palm, the pointing hands and two others holding a stick or lightsabre...


Imperial AT-AT Walker
Bandai Models
Scale 1/144th
¥ 4,536 [Tax In]Scheduled to be released in March 2017
The All Terrain Armored Transport, or AT-AT walker, is a four-legged transport and combat vehicle used by the Imperial ground forces. Standing over 20 meters tall with blast-impervious armour plating, these massive constructs are used as much for psychological effect as they are for tactical advantage. With the Imperial-class Star Destroyer and the TIE/ln space superiority starfighter, it was one of the most famous symbols of the Empire's military might.
The ATAT Walker were used on many planets, including Hoth and Endor's moon
Additionally, AT-AT's also served as transports for combat personnel. The vehicle's cockpit and sensor array were located in the "head" part of the walker, which also carried the main armaments: dual medium blasters located on the "temples," and a pair of heavier laser cannons fitted on the "chin." 
Inside the cockpit stood an AT-AT commander behind two AT-AT pilots who controlled the walker's movement. AT-AT pilots and personnel wore specialised suits in case the walker's pressurised cockpit was smashed open in hostile environments. 
The armour plating of the AT-AT was impervious to blaster bolts, however the neck and joints proved weak spots and could be damaged by blaster cannons and other heavy weaponry. The use of Two cables to tangle the legs of the rangy walkers proved to be a major weak spot of the AT-AT's in combat.
The Kit:
This one will be an easier sell - the scale already matches available flying craft as well as the simple thing being you can make accesories to suit the kit and a diorama quite easily.
 Twin Laser cannons and smaller guns are part of a detailed head section of the transport
 The rear of the transport is also very well detailed  - especially with a kit that is in such a small scale
 You can even show him having a nap if you like...
Accessories in the kit
display based with a rugged surface.
laser effect parts are included so you can show them firing, also two 1/144 scale pilots are included along with leg damper parts
These kits will be available soon from Bandai’s distributors
We have found a really good seller of Japanese-centric models - Tokyo Model Detective here is his website of you want to find your own Star wars / or any other model from Japan for that matter he is a good guy!