Hobby Round 1

Hobby Round is a new hobby event organized by Volks to announce their upcoming products and sell limited-edition resin kits and PVC figures. It's a two-day event with the first day assigned as Figure Day and Mecha Day on the following day. The first Hobby Round event took place in Akihabara on 23-24 May 2009. I attended the Figure Day to cover the event and also to help my customers buy some limited-edition goodies. Sorry for posting this a week late. I've been quite busy for the past week and didn't have the time to post up my coverage until now.

A shot of the floor plan of the Hobby Round event space on the 5th floor above arcade and game centers. They only let a small group of attendees into the event at a time.

Mashiro Mito from Tayutama. Part of Volks M.O.E. Kore Plus PVC figure series due out in October at a retail price of 7,875 yen.

This Mai Shiranui resin kit completed by Volks was one of three models offered up for charity auction with the money going to Make-A-Wish Foundation. Not sure how much it ended at because I had to rush to the CM's Corporation's private exhibitoon event held on the same day.

This completed 1/6 Saber resin kit was also offered up for charity auction. Truly stunning work on this piece! I managed to get the resin kit version for a customer of mine at the event.

The third completed piece up for charity auction at the event. She's Mashiro Mito from Tayutama.

Volks M.O.E. Burning Shin Koihime Musou trading figures will be available for preorder at all Volks retail stores in Japan and through Volks online store from 25 June 2009 onwards. Interested buyers please contact me for details!

Volks announced their collaboration with Bandai Candy to release Fresh Pretty Cure! figures starting with Cure Peach. No information revealed at this time whether the figures will be offered as completed PVC or resin kits.

Here are some shots of Volks' Turn A-brand resin kits.

The complete Nanoha StrikerS PVC figures with the bonus Vivio figure for those who pre-ordered the set of three in advance.

All three Mugen no Frontier PVC figures.

Announced at the event, Volks will release a white hair version of Mashiro Mito from Tayutama as a 1/7-scale PVC figure in their M.O.E. Kore Plus lineup. Coming in October 2009 and will retail for 8,500 yen.

Another new PVC figure announcement was the M.O.E. Kore Plus 1/6-scale Horo PVC due out this Fall with a retail price of 7,140 yen.

Valejo color set for the 1/4 Mai Shiranui resin kit. Retails for 3,500 yen. Bought one for a customer of mine for him to color the resin kit that I also got for him at the event.

2P color version of the Mai Shiranui PVC figure. Sale of the figure started at the event and also sold at all Volks retail stores and through their online shop. Figure comes with 2P version of the Queen's Gate Mai Shiranui visual book.

Resin kits of Sylvia and Charlotte from Princess Lover. Charlotte sold out real quick in the morning. Characters do look very nice. Anime announced for broadcast in July!

1/4-scale completed statue of Lamia Loveless from Super Robot Wars Original Generation. Limited quantity was sold at the event at 37,800 yen. Sold out very quickly in the morning.

Although the first day of the event was a designated as a Figure Day, Volks had quite a few of their mecha stuff on display from Muv-Luv, to Linebarrels of Iron, Demonbane, and Five Star Stories.

Volks began taking pre-orders for this 1/100-scale plastic model kit of The Bang on 24 May. Retails for 8,400 yen and due out in July. Like all their FFS kits, this is a real spectacularly detailed mech!

Speaking of detailed mechs, here's their impressive bust model garage kit of L.E.D. Mirage in 1/32 scale. Retails for a whopping 123,900 yen! Due out end of June.

Volks had their complete Muv-Luv trading figure series and mecha action figures on display at the event.

Creepy looking monster from Muv-Luv.

This yellow mech was the first released in the Muv-Luv action figure series and now fetching over 20,000 yen! This one was offered up for charity auction on Mecha Day.

A rocking mech from Muv-Luv also offered up for charity auction.

Kaijin mech from Muv-Luv announced as a special campaign item.

Vardant from Linebarrels of Iron will be offered in Volks' N.E.X.T. lineup of mecha action figures. No price or release date announced at this time.

Demonbane will join the N.E.X.T. lineup as the fourth entry due out in August. It will be up for pre-order from 25 June onwards at Volks retail store and online shop. Retails for 8,400 yen.

Red Demonbane will also be released at the same time or shortly after the regular Demonbane.

Revealed at the event was Volks' original robot series called Duel Knights. Website launched on 25 May. Manga and goods are in the works.

Attendees got to spin the wheel and whoever rolls out the yellow ball will get to pick any prize of their choice.

Wall o' prizes for the picking! All Volks goodies. The queue for it was way too long and I had to rush over to Asakusa in the afternoon to attend the CM's Corporation private exhibition.

View high res photos in my flickr gallery linked below:

Hobby Round 1 photo gallery