EF 2000 TYPHOON plastic kit due this month...

Due for release around the 25th of this month is Kotobukiya's non-scale (although very large) kit of the EURO FRONT headline mech, the EF 2000 TYPHOON.  The initial variation is the Zerberus Battalion version piloted by Ilfriede von Feulner, seen in the materials surrounding MUV LUV ALTERNATIVE CHRONICLES: ADORATION.  I'm really looking forward to this one!

 

The design is very reminiscent in my eye of the elegant Mortar Headds from Mamoru Nagano's FIVE STAR STORIES.  The TSF's use in Muv Luv by aristrocratic, knightly characters may make it an homage of sorts to the machines from Nagano's landmark techno-fantasy.

It comes with quite a loadout of weapons, including halberds and the mech's signature Mk-57 long rifle.  Thank goodness it also comes with one of Koto's great flight stands.  I expect it will be a challenge to keep enough tension in the arm joints to have it hold that beast of a gun upright.  Kotobukiya will probably also release the Black King Wolf and White Wolf color variations of this.  But based on my Revoltech versions, this basic grey probably shows off the design's textures and details much better than those other two.

I reserved mine at Hobbylink Japan, but it can also be had via Hobby Search and the other retailers over in the Supply Container links for Japanese retail price or a little less.  Hobby Search's page also has extensive photography of the kit, so I'd encourage any window-shoppers to check that link. 
Be warned:  These kits come in huge boxes because of the hundreds of parts in them, so they can cost a little bit more to ship.  But unless you've built another of Kotobukiya's mecha kits or one of Bandai's upper-tier Gundam kits, you've probably never experienced anything like these.  They're worth every penny.

Plastic kit of the Russian TERMINATOR

Kotobukiya has announced the May release of their non-scale plastic kit of the Soviet TERMINATOR Tactical Surface Fighter piloted by the Scarlet Twins:

If I'm understanding correctly, the TSF's distinctive camo pattern is pre-painted on the kit, which is quite a selling point!  It comes with a flight stand, unit marking decals and - as revealed by Koto USA's Facebook page -  a gruesome little BETA "Venator" class soldier figure:

The Su-37UB kit - which is personally one of my favorite TSF designs - will cost you between $50-$65 USD before shipping, depending on where you get it.  Given that these kits contain anywhere up from 400 parts, a great display stand AND this one seems to have pre-painted camo, that's a bargain in my opinion. (That's less than twice what you'd pay for the Revoltech figure, but the plastic kit is about twice the size.)

Look for it at Hobby Search and Hobbylink Japan, over in the "Supply Container" links on the right.

I do hope they offer the Su-37M2 variant used by Lt Colonel Latrova's ill-fated Zhar Battalion, as I really liked the colorway on that unit's camo pattern.