Bandai Tamashii Nations (11/2013) Mecha Mania!

The current Tamashii Nations exhibit, featuring a look at Bandai's new releases and upcoming figures, is heavy on the mecha. There are plenty of new toys based on Japan's robotic legends like Gundam and Mazinger. Plus there are new figures from Saint Seiya, Yamato, Dragonball Z, Sailor Moon, Iron Man, and many other properties.

Yamato!

 More after the jump:

Smooth vintage chogokin vibe.

Check out this awesome mecha size comparison display!

This diorama should look amazing once it's finalized and painted.

Some of the Saint Seiya figures are really impressive.

The super sentai lines keep truckin on!

So, quite a lot of decades-old favorites are still drawing in collectors. In a way, it's really important for lines like this to keep themselves in the dialogue, through new shows, manga, toys, or other outlets. The same goes for indie toys, it seems. Once a maker stops releasing new figures, it's amazing how quickly collector interest dries up. But then there's that tricky balance of putting out new product without saturating the market. There's certainly some plastic and metal alchemy in that calculus!