When I first encountered these kits, I remembered a particular RPG that I enjoyed reading about back in high school: Heavy Gear. The construction, weaponry and means of movement and transport look quite similar.
While I was browsing through Ngee Khiong for my daily dose of toy release updates, I ran into the cover art of one of the Border Break units. Up until now, all I have seen were the master designs, and none of the boxart. My friend Emrys has been drooling over these kits for quite some time now and upon last checking at Amiami.com, there are currently four different units up for preorder, one of which is featured in the boxart shown above.
The unit above is called the Heavy Guard Type II. Compared the other units like the Shrike and the Cougar, the Heavy Guard definitely has a bulkier build reminiscent of the Kodiaks in Heavy Gear. This appears to be designed to provide long range heavy artillery while using a bazooka to protect itself at closer range.
Boxart is looking really good although I’ve always liked the boxart of Kotobukiya kits even though I was not always fond of the product inside. Compared to Bandai’s gunpla, Kotobukiya’s SRW line prior to the 1/100 model kits like the Alteisen, did not have very good production, with a lot of flash showing up at the edges and seemingly lower quality plastic that didn’t get cut very well with model kit cutters. These Border Break kits do come with prepainted parts. Some purists may want to have their kits non-prepainted while some who prefer to just build their kits out of the box, would be thankful for the prepainted parts. I remember the 1/144 Alteisen having prepainted parts which was a big help for that size of model kit. The Border Break units are supposedly smaller than the mobile suits we are used to: Gundam-sized ones which average around 18-20 meters. This kit comes in 1/35 scale and although I have yet to see it beside model kits whose sizes I’m more familiar with, I am assuming that the full scale Border Break units are smaller in size compared to the mobile suits we’ve all been used to thus the larger scale in the box. If anything, it would probably stand as tall as a normal Master Grade(?). If anyone has built one of these kits, kindly inform me if they are any bigger than Master Grades. Or smaller, whichever the case.
The Cougar Type I Heavy Armament A Class is actually up for preorder locally at Wasabi Toys. Contact them directly for any price inquiries.
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About the Author:
Mark is a simple Japanese toy collector who started seriously collecting and blogging about Japanese toys back in 2005. 
Hey Heavy is out, Still my favorite class in BB. Though I do agree, this kits should have been all white,hence customibility. Too bad this is a Koto release, I hate there guts so much, they price too much for fragile plastic.
Personal experience, the linebarrelmodels are actually sharp,litterally, it has great details even for a 1/144. Plastic is still a little fragile, but its better. Its how the polycops and limbs that gave it a bad mark, Its lose as F--K!! Hopefuly this one is a better improvement, cause I believe Koto is getting better.
That's an interesting thing to note. I've always head that their plastic is fragile and cutting them off the runners was always a nightmare.