Book Review : Ma.K Profile Book #2 : Snake Eye

I just got it! Pardon the lousy pictures, its midnight and the best I can do right now. Soft cover, 64 pages, written in Japanese (good to get a Japanese fren or go learn Japanese!)

Contents (page number)
Ma.K BD 1
Contents 5
Ma.K in Action Act.02 6
Modeling File 14
How to build Ma.K 16
Camouflage & Markings 26
Flashback Model Graphix 1999-2008 30
Kow's lotta models 38
Kow's artworks 58
TAMACAN's atelier visit 63
Original decal 64

Cover Sleeve & Ma.K BD

Ma.K in Action Act.02

Modeling File & How to build Ma.K (Here Sensei explains how to model the split suit!)

Camouflage & Markings, Flashback

Evolution of Snake Eye and Female Model

Kow's lotta models, also featuring Spitfire

Figure Set A featuring Lin.K and Neechmonkey (Lincoln and Travis)

Artwork & Decal

Back Cover

Should you get it? If you are a Snake Eye lover, or just bought the WAVE Snake Eye, just go buy it! I know I want, especially with one of the decals being a cool quote from the Bible!
It will grow on you even if you are not a Snake Eye fan.
Enjoy!

1/35 Snake eye (D3 Works)

Another rare kit in YAJ. WF Item. No instructions are given, but its straight forward kinda build.
The casting is better than the Fliege kit, no bubbles visible.
Thanks to our Darklord for providing this kit for review!

Details
Scale: 1/35
Type of material : off white resin
Number of parts: 15
Decals: no
Instructions: no
Overall quality: good
Overall accuracy: ?
Date of release: ?
Release price: ?
Current Running price in YAJ: ?

Pictures
Contents (Front)

Contents (side)

Packaging

1/35 Fliege (D3 Works)

Another 1/35 kit, I realized the reason they are in demand is the vast amount of 1/35 scale accessories and kits out there (especially WW2 tanks, vehicles, and expensive resin figures). If one wants to do a diorama, 1/35 would be the more convenient way to go, rather than 1/20. Back to topic, this is a rare kit in YAJ, having only seen it twice before. No instructions are given, but its straight forward kinda build. Thanks to our Darklord for providing this kit for review! The casting is ok, with a few tiny air bubbles here and there. The antenna are also a bit warped but should be easily fixed.

Details
Scale: 1/35
Type of material : off white resin
Number of parts: 12
Decals: no
Instructions: no
Overall quality: ok
Overall accuracy: ?
Date of release: ?
Release price: ?
Current Running price in YAJ: ?

Pictures

Contents

Packaging

eh for ages 30 and above only? :)

1/35 Luna Pawn (ZWB)

Some 1/35 love finally! This is a resin kit by Zionel Western Bis, a WF item I presume. The quality and detail is pretty good, there are even rivets on the back of the lower leg, just like the WAVE Luna Pawn release. The seamlines are very shallow and can be easily cleaned up with sandpaper. One will need to add wires and tiny springs to complete it. Thanks to our fellow Darklord for allowing/requesting me to review this kit before shipping to him! :)

Details
Scale: 1/35
Type of material : off white resin
Number of parts: 14
Decals: no
Instructions: yes
Overall quality: good
Overall accuracy: ?
Date of release: ?
Release price: 2000yen
Current Running price in YAJ: 3000+ yen

Pictures

Contents

Instructions

Seapig/Snakeeye resin conversion (SuperHammer)

Here's a resin conversion kit for the Seapig/Snakeeye. You will require a Fireball SG to complete it.
The manufacturer is Operation Super Hammer a.k.a. Ueno-san. As can be seen from the pictures, the main body is molded in one piece and it has details inside so we can actually do an open suit. The cockpit cover is also detailed on the inside.
I realized that both left and right arms are provided with a small bag containing the left manipulator hand so we can do a Seapig with 2 hands. A Snakeeye laser arm is provided so that we can convert a Fireball SG into the Snakeeye. The other small bags contain the sensors and radar.
The additional fuel pods and large radar are provided and the thing about the casting is that there are virtually no seamlines on the fuel pods! The resin's quality is the best I've seen so far. I was tempted to keep it for myself, but shipped it out recently.

Details
Scale: 1/20
Type of material : off white resin
Number of parts: 27
Decals: no
Instructions: yes
Overall quality: best I've ever seen!
Overall accuracy: ?
Date of release: ?
Release price: 5000yen
Current Running price in YAJ: 6000 to 7500 yen

Pictures
Box

Parts (front)

Parts (side)Instructions

Pz. Spah 1124 Lunar Gans (modelkasten)

A long overdue review, here's the Lunar Gans from modelkasten.
The Lunar Gans is basically a recon unit found on the moon with no visible weapons. It's different from the Land Gans in that besides having no weapons, it uses AG pods and thrusters to propel itself in space. It was featured in Ma.K BD book in the encounters on the moon where it was guarding some Strahl installation and looked on while Merc forces flew past.

Its a rare collectible and regularly fetch extremely high prices in YAJ. I've only seen less than 5 changed hands in 12 months.
We could kit bash a Krote and a Neuspotter, with some parts from Fledermaus, but the price would be pretty high too. The figure from the Fliege kit is included in this kit. All the styrene sprues are milky white.
I got mine in a 20+ Ma.K kit auction, but the bad news for me is there are some missing parts in the box. My heart sank when I started doing the review, as it was then I discovered it. I am missing the unique AG pods on the body(neuspotter AG pods modified and built side by side), and the large thruster bells (from the Fledermaus kit). Considering how far I went to get it...Sorry for the rant, we can only hope for a reissue in styrene by WAVE in the near future... :)

Details
Scale: 1/20
Type of material : injection molded, multi-media, white colored plastic + resin parts
Number of parts: ? in many sprues
Decals: yes
Instructions: yes
Overall quality: Very good, virtually no flash
Overall accuracy: Accurate
Date of release: March 2000
Release price: 7900 yen (price from HLJ)
Current Running price in YAJ: 18000yen - 24000yen

Pictures

Box (front)

box(back) I really like this art work and camo scheme
Contents
Sprue (Krote)

Sprue (Neuspotter and figure)

Resin for the optics in front of the Gans

Camo card and multimedia (If I am crazy I would buy 3 or more Lunar Gans just to paint all the different schemes, well maybe when the styrene kit comes out, IF it comes out)

Instructions with funny comics inside

Man its in German! I can't read it!

Hope you guys enjoyed this review. :)
Will
(Update, a generous forum member volunteered to give me his Fledermaus thruster bells!!! Thank you so much!)

SAFS Space Type 2 Snake Eye (WAVE) Mk-11

Well I finally gotten my hands on the new WAVE Snake Eye today and decided to give you guys a quick review. Lots of good things about this kit, the ability to do the split-suit thingy, new decals, cool female pilot head and helmet... I can go on and on. Here are the details...

Details

Scale: 1/20
Type of material : off-white injection molds
Number of parts: 9 PE sprues + 1 PC sprue
Decals: yes
Instructions: yes
Overall quality: Very good
Overall accuracy: Accurate
Date of release: May 2009
Release price: 2600 yen

Let's go to the pictures !

Pictures

Box with new artwork from Sensei Kow, love the shark mouth camo!

Contents: 2 bags of sprues, instruction book and decals. I was half expecting camo cards but I forgot, this is not Hasegawa.Camo schemes will probably be found in the next issue of Ma.K Profile book dedicated to Snake eye.

Sprue A - SAFS: This initially looks very similar to the older WAVE release of the Fireball SG. But closer inspection shows individual fingers for the manipulator arm.
The manipulator fore-arm's back ward ring is now part of the fore-arm, instead of being a separate part. I'd prefer the older version as no seamline removal for the part is required. This sprue also holds the new base that allows for the split-suit ability.
The shoulder and leg armor are different from the older release as they are hinged.

Sprue B - SAFS: This holds mostly the parts for the feet as well as the fixed pose cockpit hinge and movable cockpit hinge. (You can choose which one you want to use)

Sprue E - Snake eye: Snake eye cockpit hatch and fore ward ring for forearm

Sprue J - Snake eye: Laser arm, shoulder and groin armor, radar and sensor

Sprue K - Snake eye: backpack, side of body that connects to the arms, thruster base

Sprue L - Snake eye: Thruster bells, one piece each, no seamlines to fix! kneecaps and 2 pieces of the pointing thing which is for the back.(I wonder why?)

Sprue D and O - Snake eye: One piece pilot (female) and one piece helmet.
Very nice, minimal seams on the back of the head and front of the helmet to clean up. The clear part is for the sensor to be placed on the hatch.

PC Sprue SAFS: Joints and power cables

Decals : Nice shark mouth! Also included are the penguins and pigs

Instructions:

Cover and back page

Page 2 -3

Page 4-5

Page 6 -7

After all's said and done, I think this is a wonderfully easier kit to build compared to the older releases,
and lots more moving parts for those who wanna pose and even 'play' (pew pew) with their kits (think Gundam fans like me)
Pity the lack of the yellow camo card. I am glad I got two of them and can't wait for the next release!

Enjoy!