Bandai rolls out MG Blaze Zaku Phantom re‑release and launches Gunpla Election 2026

Bandai's Premium Bandai store will begin accepting pre‑orders on 3 July at 11:00 for the MG 1/100 Blaze Zaku Phantom (Haene Vestenflus' personal unit) from the Gundam SEED DESTINY series. The kit features the orange‑colored finish in‑mold, a back‑pack "Blaze Wizard" with opening hatch and missile pod gimmicks, beam weapons, shields, and new water‑transfer decals that include Haene’s personal mark and the Hawkins squad insignia. An extra shoulder part for the orange‑shoulder variant is also included. Shipping is scheduled for November 2026 and the price is ¥5,390 (tax included).

Separately, Premium Bandai will start the "Gunpla Election 2026" on 1 July, inviting fans to vote for the top model among roughly 750 Gunpla released since 2009. Voters can select up to ten items, and the highest‑ranked kits may be re‑issued as "Election‑selected" models. The previous year’s election saw the MG 1/100 Ex‑S Gundam/S‑Gundam (Task Force α ver.) win with 7,634 votes out of 35,500 participants. Voting runs until 23 July 15:00 JST, with results to be announced on 30 July.