The main Zoids Official Website has updated with a new video (Zoids World) seen here. They also added three new profiles for the Zoids in the Concept Art Books, seen here. Last but not least they've added a page for previous header images that they've used. You can see that page here!

    Kotobukiya has posted images of the limited Berserk Furher Holo Tech on their blog! This is an extremely limited item that is being given away (raffled?) in extremely limited numbers to those who order from the Kotobukiya Direct store by the end of the year. Kotobukiya is raffling a ton of items, but this is the only one relevant to Zoids. It is part of the Kotobukiya Direct Renewel Campaign to celebrate the new year.

    The threezero Shield Liger has been announced as for sale! This limited kit will be going up for a retail price of 23,000 yen (roughly $230). You can view the english page on the Good Smile Company website here.

    There are a lot of options for buying. If you wish to order direct from the company you can use a proxy service to order here. Hobby Link Japan has the cheapest price at the moment thanks to their Black Friday sale, at 18,838 (roughly $180) here. They can be a little slow on updating stocks sometimes when items sell out, though. A third option is Hobby Search, selling at 207,000 ($207) here.

    Zoids Original Story has updated with a two-part story for the Command Wolf RGC. You can view the Japanese page here.

    TakaraTomy has published the winning entries of the Zoids Photo Contest! The grand prize winners and the consolidation prize entries are posted publically on their website, here. The photo results will still be displayed in the Exhibition event from December 13th to December 18th in Japan.

    TakaraTomy has posted on their website as well as the Kotobukiya Blog about a Zoids Exhebition Event that's being held from December 13th to December 18th! This event will have lots of panels, and you can view the page for it here.
    As far as we can tell from the page the event will include the following panels:

    1. Zoids Photo Contest Display: Will display the winners of the recent Photo Diaroma Contest. They will also show some of the honorable mentions that didn't win, but came very close!

    2. Diaroma Photo Shoot: In this event users can bring in their own Zoids to be part of a collaborative diorama display! A commemorative photo will be taken with the diorama.

    3. Companies Zoids Exhibition: This event will show upcoming releases and new products developed by current Zoids Companies. It will have upcoming and popular kits from Zoids Original, MSS, HMM, and even the new threezero Shield Liger!

    4. Zoids Classics Exhibition: This panel will display old box arts and packages from nostalgic Zoids products, back in the days when Tomy sold motorized models.

    5. Dengeki Hobby Magazine Photo-Exhibition: Will display customs and kits that formerly appeared in Dengeki Hobby Magazine.

    6. Zoids SS Raw Manuscript Exhibit: Will show the raw versions of the Zoids SS comic as seen in DHM.

    7. Zoids Video Collection: Will broadcast original Zoids commercials as well as the Original videos.

    8. Mercy Rabbit Autograph Session: Will allow members to get HMM packages signed by Mercy Rabbit, who does the box arts for Kotobukiya.

    9. Sales Area: Will have kits for sale from Zoids Original, MSS, and HMM variety. A lucky few customers will also receive a signed concept art book, signed by the author. Only 30 of these books will be put into circulation.

    (And more!!)

    The Storm Sworder FSV second variation has been added to the Zoids Original website, seen here. This is the first kit in the Original line to not have additional parts and instead includes holotech wings with additional gold painted parts. The scheme in general resembles the Fire Fox.

    Zoids Original has pushed the Command Wolf RGC back to December. This makes the month even more expensive for Zoid collectors!

    Kotobukiya has announced that they're relaunching the Kotobukiya Direct website. When they do they'll be releasing a few lucky draw anime items to people who are registered. The Zoids-related item being given away is a Holotech Berserk Fury!

    We're a bit late to the punch on this one but MSS has for the past few weeks also been showing off the upcoming MSS Salamander. There is not yet a release date but it appears to be fully finished and colored! Pictures taken by Zoikino show the Zoid in great detail.

    The MSS site has updated with pictures of the Command Wolf, to be released any day now! The pictures include a very clear picture of the art image (presumably the digital version) which looks stunning. You can view the page here.

    The Zoids Original website has updated with the next in line: Storm Sworder FSV (Flame Slash Version). This is featuring a red Storm Sworder (Note: Not the one from Guardian Force~) molded in a very bright red color (and not pink!). The alternate form of this Zoid hasn't yet been revealed but is said to have translucent molded wings. You can view the full page here where it is already up for pre-order for 3,675 Yen.

    The releases of Zoids Original are getting a little concerning, however. Storm Sworder FSV is to be released in March 2014, which is the largest wait we've had for an Original kit. Perhaps this is because they have had more experience to realize how long to expect releases to take (given the delays of all other kits) and are just trying to be more realistic, but equally disconcerting is that the 5th slot in the Original Line Up page has been removed. Perhaps that is just because it isn't being released in the foreseeable future.

    Kotobukiya will be rereleasing four of the older kits in December! This includes Cannon Tortoise, Dark Horn Harry Special, Great Sabre, and Naomi's Gun Sniper. That brings the total pre-order count (by AmiAmi prices) up to 32,050 Yen for December, so prioritize carefully!

    It seems Kotobukiya has announced that Z-Knights will be released in 2014. This is both a good and a bad thing, as the Zoids related series shall continue, but it is not so great if they stop doing animal mechs, which are what defines Zoids. There are already so many human mecha out there I do not see the need to add another to distract from one of the only active animal mecha. Hopefully we will continue to see animal-based HMM designs.

    Kotobukiya has announced that they will now be mixing their sales activity with Zoids Original, and that Zoids Original kits will be sold through Kotobukiya's store. While this is not a Japan wide release it is still a step in the right direction towards better availability!

    Don't forget that the Photo Contest on the TakaraTomy site ends on October 15th!

    On the Koto news front the HMM Iguan as well as the MSS Great Sabre have been released! We're updating our sales links below. September Zoids have been removed and the Zoids Original Geno Ritter is being properly placed as an October release, expected Mid October.

    The Zoids MSS site has added box art for the Shield Liger MK-II, Sinker, and the new Great Sabre, which has just been released.

    A new installment of the Zoids Original Story has been added, continuing the battle between the Geno Ritter and the Shield Liger. You can view the Japanese version of the story online here.

    The Photo Contest page has uploaded images of some of the unpictured prizes, including the Silver Plated Great Sabre and Liger Zero. They are looking fantastic! See the page details here.

    HMM Iguan has been released! But that is not the point of this section.

    According to some magazine interviews in the Great Mechanics magazine it is rumored that Kotobukiya will be taking a hiatus after the release of Gojulas (supposedly -- there are no 2014 releases currently scheduled). It is unclear if they will continue to rerelease old kits or new variations during that time, and how long the dormancy period will last.

    Some mentions giving the Zoids Original line time to stand on its own two feet while Kotobukiya and Mercy Rabbit prepare for "Chapter 2". No inklings on what all that implies just yet but I suspect it'll be months before we have specific information.

    The new Zoids Concept Book has been released! We'll be providing information on it in the next update. In the mean time Kotobukiya has announced that the Geno Saurer Raven Version will be rereleased in late November. You can find a pre-order link down below.

    The HMM Gojulas is also up for pre-order! The price of this Zoid is an extremely painful 24,150 Yen. While it is tempting to order through AmiAmi it is worth noting that a limited CP kit featuring a lighter blue replacement armor (the same, just recolored in a lighter shade) is available if you pre-order through the Koto Store.