New Gundam Model Kit "Hamma Hamma" Opens for Pre-Order
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Bandai Spirits has opened pre-orders for a new Gunpla model kit, the "HG 1/144 Hamma Hamma," with reservations beginning in stages from August 26. Gunpla are plastic model kits based on the mobile suits featured in the Gundam anime franchise.
The standout feature of the Hamma Hamma kit is its three-barrel beam gun, which has been engineered to offer a wide range of posable movement. To achieve this, the designers incorporated soft material components alongside internal lead wire, allowing the barrels to be bent and angled for more dynamic displays.
This combination of flexible material and wire reinforcement is becoming a common technique in Gunpla design, as it lets builders create more expressive poses without sacrificing the structural integrity of delicate weapon parts.
The release comes alongside other notable Gunpla announcements. Among them is the "MGEX Mighty Strike Freedom Gundam," a high-end kit tied to the film "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM." This model has been designed with a particular emphasis on extreme expression, especially in how it renders light-reflecting surface effects to capture the visual intensity seen in the film.
Also mentioned is the "Grase Ain," a large-scale mobile suit joining the "FULL MECHANICS" line. This kit has received additional sculpted detailing intended to enhance its imposing, oversized presence. It also includes multiple mechanical gimmicks distributed across its body, including a pile bunker mechanism that can be launched, adding an interactive element to what is otherwise a static display piece.
Taken together, these releases reflect a broader trend within the Gunpla line toward combining detailed sculpting with functional, posable mechanisms. Manufacturers appear to be prioritising features that let fans actively engage with their models, rather than simply display them, whether through bendable weapon parts or launchable components. For collectors and builders, such additions are often seen as a key selling point, encouraging repeat purchases across a franchise with a long-running and dedicated fan base.
No specific pricing or full release date details were included in the original announcement, though pre-orders for the Hamma Hamma kit are being processed on a rolling basis starting from August 26.
Vocabulary7 words
- Gunpla
- a plastic model kit shaped like a robot from the Gundam series
- soft material
- a bendable substance used for flexible model parts
- lead wire
- thin, bendable metal wire placed inside model parts for posing
- extreme expression
- very detailed, strong visual design
- pile bunker
- a weapon part in the story that can shoot out like a spike
- structural integrity
- how strong and stable something stays
- rolling basis
- happening step by step over time, not all at once
Quiz
Answer key
1. Combining soft material with internal lead wire 2. Rendering light-reflecting surface effects 3. False
Discussion questions
- What do you think drives collectors to buy detailed model kits like Gunpla, even without playing with them?
- How might combining flexible materials with rigid structures change the way toy designers approach weapon or joint parts?
- Do you think added gimmicks, like a launchable pile bunker, make a static display model more appealing? Why?
- What similarities or differences do you see between hobby model-building and other detail-focused hobbies, such as scale railway modelling or diorama building?