The newest 3D printed Prometheus Rising Heavy Industries action figure release is finally ready! The PRHI Micro Moving Mecha production release is a project that has been in the works for much longer than I expected. This 3 3/4″ tall, fully posable action figure is designed as a ‘what-if?’, asking what might have happened if Takara had gotten the license for Mobile Suit Gundam instead of the toy company Clover. Based on a sketch by the illustrious Minoru Sashida, the Micro Moving Mecha depicts the Gundam as a Microman line diecast metal figure similar to the Jeeg and Gakeen figures released at the time. The MMM is 3D printed in color, using silver plastic for the limbs and head to represent bare metal, with colored details only for the torso and accessories. The toy features 5 mm peg construction in the major places, with 3 mm diameter hands, meaning that the MMM can hold some vintage Microman accessories, and that authentic Microman figures can wield the MMM’s Clover-inspired Beam Rifle and Beam Sabers.
The PRHI MMM will come in a bag with header and will be available in the PRHI Monster Kolor Shop (http://www.monsterkolorstore.com/prhi/) on April 13th at 8PM EST for $25. I’ll put up a new post on the site with a direct link to the sales page on the night of the drop. For now, enjoy the pics!
I built up this old school Bandai 1/60 scale kit of Ingram Unit 3 from Mobile Police Patlabor for a friend. There were two goals for this build- first, to replace the gross rubber joint covers with sewn cloth parts, and second to keep the finish looking pretty clean, with a softer 80’s model kit finish. The covers were made with some help from my mom, and came out perfect. The paint job was a bit of a departure for me, but it was a fun experiment. In the Patlabor anime, Unit 3 is the reserve machine that’s mostly kept around for spare parts, so it does not see much action. That meant it should have a pretty clean finish, but I couldn’t help doing a little shading and dust buildup as if Unit 3 had been drafted into active duty during a particularly busy season. The support car got a little more road dust and rain streaking from everyday use.
Here’s a shot of Unit 3 squaring off against the CMS Corp Economy Model Ingram. The scale is not quite right, but they still look great together. Check out lots more pics after the jump, showing off the rest of the accessories and more scale comparisons.
The newest PRHI 3D printed toy was inspired by a sketch done by Minoru Sashida, Head Art Director at Namco Bandai and longtime Microman expert. Sashida-sama had envisioned the RX-78-2 Gundam in the style of other robots released as diecast figures in the Microman line, such as Kotetsu Jeeg (鋼鉄ジーグ) and Magnerobo Gakeen (マグネロボ・ガ・キーン). These diecast figures came about because the original toys for both series were made by Takara, so they were able to release these characters under the Microman banner as well. Sashida-sama’s illustration is a ‘what-if’, rendering the Gundam in the same style as the other Micro robot diecasts. I loved the drawing, and could immediately see how well it work would as a real toy. I started with that sketch and ended up here, with a fully articulated Micro-sized Gundam. I worked in the mecha’s classic accessories, as well as some design inputs from the original Clover toys that were released alongside the anime. For the Micro Moving Mecha’s (MMM) debut, I had to go with the iconic black and white RX-78-1 Prototype paint scheme. This fully painted one-off debuted at FOE Gallery’s LOOK5 show and will be available on their site here if it hasn’t sold yet: Shop FOE Store. The first regular release of the PRHI MMM is in the works, and will be a printed in color version in blue and silver to look like a diecast metal figure. Stay tuned for details!
Here’s the PRHI MMM alongside a Real Type Micro buddy!
This PRHI Roteaugen was done as a commission in a color scheme chosen by the customer, which I’m calling the Thor Corps. He’s 3D printed in ABS plastic, treated with acetone vapor, and painted with Monster Kolor.
This guy finally made it across the country to the guys at Tested.com so I can show him off. I’ve been a fan of the Tested crew for years, so I wanted to send them something as a small thanks for all their years of awesome content. Fortunately they are fans of making stuff, 3D printing, and Star Wars. All things I can contribute! Thanks to the Tested guys for the awesome mailbag vid and website shout out.
This Gonk Droid features a few tweaks over the first green one I did that help with printability, as well as some better detail on the (not printed) leg wires. I also took the opportunity to try out something I’ve been thinking would work, a 3D printed paint mask! Testedcles is the old Tested logo, and I really wanted to work him onto the droid for them. I traced the logo in my modeling software and made it a cutout in a thin slab of plastic that worked perfectly as a spray mask. After a few different coats of weathering, any remaining sins, and my orange Gonk Droid was good to go!
The first official release of the Prometheus Rising Heavy Industries Roteaugen 1/18 scale 3D printed mechanized infantry action figures will be available at FOE Gallery in the shop on Saturday, August 30, and online Sunday, August 31st. These special forces are printed in color with details painted with Monster Kolor and acrylics, are fully articulated, and are equipped with light grenade launchers for anti-mecha operations. Catch this first release for just $20 each on ShopeFOE.com starting Sunday, August 31.
This black and red CollectionDX-themed microrun was a sneak peak release of the PRHI Roteaugen 1/18 scale mechanized infantry figure. They are full articulated, 3D printed in color in ABS plastic, with details painted with Monster Kolor and acrylics.
Folks that follow me on Twitter and Instagram have been seeing these new figures for a few weeks now, but it’s time for a proper reveal. The Roteaugen infantry are the first release in my effort to transition the Prometheus Rising Heavy Industries line of 3D printed toys to 1/18 scale to be compatible with some of my other favorite toy lines.
The Roteaugen (Red eye) infantry system is named for the effect its Indirect Battlefield Awareness System (IBAS) has on its users. On a battlefield dominated by hulking power armor and heavy weapons, rank and file soldiers are happy to suffer a little eye irritation for the increased survivability the Roteaugen suit affords. The suit consists mainly of lightweight plate armor over an impact resistant semi-rigid undersuit. Shock absorbing endo-actuators on the lower legs provide the wearer with the ability to carry heavier weapons, run faster, and cushion falls, such as in airborne deployment. The IBAS headset provides real-time enhanced tactical data on the battlefield and targets, as well as suit and equipment status Heads Up Displays (HUD).
Another 3D printed Microman scale (1/18) CD-1-L Blockman figure has been added to the ranks! This one was a commission by a big Micro collector and friend of mine, looking to add some cross-pollinated SFLand action to his collection. This guy was painted at the same time as the Brute Squad Bounce Torotise, featuring similar techniques and finish. Painted with Monster Kolor and acrylics.
Here’s the family photo of the three fully painted Blockmen I’ve completed. More photos after the jump.
Prometheus Rising Studios 