Gasaraki - 1/35 Scale Ishtar Tactical Armor Mk-II (MFX-02 Metal Fake)

Tank like yet unique design

For melee attack is the claw like pincer, on the right arm like a Swiss Army Knife with chainsaw at the center. 

The rear of the model looks like a tank’s rear 

The head design of Ishtar shares similarities to the turret of a tank

Ishtar's face, cockpit hatches, and ladder can open for pilot boarding

Dissect the kit, you get to see some cockpit interior details

Many might not be familiar to Gasaraki due to its age or the complexity of the plot. Nevertheless, this anime has certainly some of the coolest mecha design (Tank like yet unique design) that looks at the replacement of military armored tank in our not so far future. I shall first start off with the mecha aka "Fake" piloted by the female protagonist, Miharu. The Ishtar Mk II is Symbol's second generation humanoid weapon system much like western version type of tank. The rear of Ishtar looks like a tank’s rear  head design of Ishtar shares similarities to the turret of a tank. 

The theory under the limbs movement of the Fake is the use of artificial muscles. The colour scheme of Ishtar Tactical Armor Mk-II is short to desert used Abram tank in light brown or beige. Unlike typical tank that requires multiple personnels to operate, Fake needs only one pilot. However, the anime, the operation duration of this prototype experimental model, seems short and tends to take a ton on its pilot, especially mentally. 

Ishtar's weapons are typically founding a pivoting mount, connected to the epaulet extension.  For melee attack is the claw like pincer (Guillotine), on the right arm like a Swiss Army Knife with chainsaw at the center. For long range, Ishtar's tank killer weapon? The solution is LOSAT or Line-Of-Sight Anti-Tank missiles on 65mm Automatic Cannon. Unlike relatively slow missiles with a HEAT warhead, LOSAT uses is a very fast missile with a kinetic energy penetrator. 

Let's go to the model kit! One of those grandfather kits, released back in 1998. A fully articulated with polycap joints upon completion. I didn't fully sprayed the kit some the primary colour is the original plastic colour which I top coated it with matte spray, followed by some heavy silver dry brushing and used of Tamiya brown weathering brush. 

Most of the painting effort is done on the pilot figures. 2 in-scale, unpainted Miharu figures (standing and sitting. Sorry for the amateur works, I hand painted the figures and uses washing technique for those black tarnishes. Ishtar's face, cockpit hatches, and ladder can open for pilot boarding. Dissect the kit, you also get to see some cockpit interior details. 

Fate/Zero Lancer Diarmuid Ua Duibhne DXF Figure

I assumed you guys know that Fate series is surrounded by backstories of tragic heroes. Personally I like the Lancer Class and Diarmuid Ua Duibhne for his remarkable fighting style and cool personalities! Better known as the 'Diarmuid of the Love Spot' where any woman who grazed upon the spot on his handsome mystic face would be charmed by this first warrior of the knights of Fianna. Sometimes love and honour doesn't quite go hand in hand. 

Well, kind of any good things in life come a prize and this leads to Diarmuid's story of his tragic love affair. Lancer is the Lancer-class Servant of Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi in the Fourth Holy Grail War of Fate/Zero. He is a chivalrous servant who wishes to do his best to serve his Master and obtain victory within the war for the Grail. He shares a bond of mutual respect with rival Servant Saber, wishing to face her in an honourable duel to the death. 

Here's Fate/Zero anime 'Lancer' servant Diarmuid Ua Duibhne DXF Vol 1.0 figure released by Banpresto released in 2012 as crane prize item. It's both PVC and ABS in material and stands 6" (16cm). Simple things I have to do to put together are the spears in his hands and the base. Solid and robust body parts that won't fall off when I pick it up. It probably would scale well with the figmas. Unlike in the anime, hair/body seemed a bit bleached for this figure and detail is a bit lacking. Comes with an oval black plastic base and can't hold up on its own without the base. 

Simple standing pose holding both his spears. On the right hand holds the Gáe Dearg: Crimson (Red) Rose of Exorcism - a two meter long spear that renders magical enhancements and projections useless by severing all ties with prana. On his left hand holds the Gae Buidhe: Yellow Rose of Mortality - a cursed spear 1.4 meters long that inflicts wounds that cannot be healed naturally or with magecraft. In the anime, Diarmuid strikes can be deadly by simultaneously uses his two lances flawlessly. Another positive point of the figure are that the spears looks awesome with both the tips sharp and shiny! It is a decent and robust figure within budget unless you are going for more expensive release by MegaHouse.

Dragon Ball DBZ Super Saiyan Modified & Custom Painted (HQDX Bardock)

Modified from High Quality Deluxe (HQDX) Bardock by Banpresto

It's strange that there isn't a 6"(17cm) complete figure (statue) of Super Saiyan Bardock being released yet and by far the closest is Shodo 5 Super Saiyan Bardock Candy Toy Figure however its small size makes it less than appealing to me. I'm referring to when Bardock blasting through his limit break to become  the first legendary Super Saiyan. 

Probably Banpresto or Bandai would eventually release one what I sure wouldn't want to wait any longer. Luckily for me, I have managed to get this modified & custom painted figure  of High Quality Deluxe (HQDX) Bardock by Banpresto around 2005. Of course I'm not the modeller of this intriguing figure but just a collector who appreciate the fine works. 

From my observation, the main modification is replacing the head with the super saiyan hair, the red hair band and scar on his left cheek. Very awesome face expression of Bardock right death stare with that really pissed off look just like Saiyan uses rage to transform to super saiyan. Not much done to the main body I guess except some small holes drilled to accommodate the those blue wavy custom effect parts surrounding him. The yellow aura is the use of Bandai's effect parts and lastly, the base  is been sprayed with yellow with orangish shading.