My last build was like, months ago. I've been missing the experience, good thing this just showed up locally.
It isn't really "not" in scale with gunpla, they're just comparatively small roads and buildings for that particular scale.
Bandai dropped Ensemble 17 teasers and Nadleeh is being released as a solo release before Virtue in this lineup. A Candy toy series hopefully won't predict the MG lineup, but would be interesting if they went this route, and then did another MG set with Virtue armor parts. All non P-Bandai of course, please.
The Zaku II is one of the best kits I've ever built. I have a red and green, it was really fun both times. It's not just you.
According to Gunjap and Dengeki Hobby, they're relative to 1:144 scale. Meanwhile, Dengeki also shows the next wave of new expansion kits for 30MM. 変形可能な宇宙仕様のビークル！プラモデル「30MM」シリーズに「エグザビークル（スペースクラフトVer.）［パープル］」が登場！組み替え可能な大型武器も "EXA Vehicle" and "LARGE Weapon" sets!
Given that 30MM kits are all 1/144 scale, exactly the same as HG Gunpla, the scale is perfectly fine. A lot of Gunpla diorama builders actually use even smaller scale buildings at N Scale (1/160) because the difference between 1/144 and 1/160 is pretty negligible when it comes to having doors be exactly the right size for scale humans, so long as you don't actually put 1/144 scale humans next to 1/160 doors. Indeed, I work in HO scale (and O with my currently sidelined Payroll car project, really need to get back into that and drill those damn holes on the promenade) which is 1/87 and more often than not its easier to fix issues by being 'close enough'. The idea is to trick the mind's eye more often than actually being precisely to scale. And while there's only the one set right now - $10 by the way from what I can find - its obvious the intention is for people to buy multiple sets and combine them. One on the shield, too. Oh man, that EXA vehicle looks baller. Can't wait to see it melded with a 30mm frame (I'm guessing an Alto or Raibot given the more polygonal design basis vs. the more rounded style of Portnovas and Clielnovas). You idiot, you built that X-wing backwards!
If you're looking for more places for Gunpla as opposed to just Gamestop, I did a quick google map search using your provided location. Over in the city of Champaign, IL, I'm seeing both a Hobby Lobby, Barnes and Noble, as well as a Target which potentially could be carrying models as well. Hobby Lobby can be a good place to get excellent models for cheap if there's a coupon or sale going on. Failing that, you might consider just trying to batch orders online from someplace like Newtype or USAGundamStore.
Yeah, I've been to all of those places. Hobby Lobby has been cleaned out (two Leos [bought both] and an RG Crossbone are what's left from HG Moon Gundam, two HG Jestas, four HG the Origin Char's Zakus, three RG Wing EWs, two RG Crossbones, four HG Leos, two Revive RX-78-2s, and two HG Gouf Customs), Target has the Revive RX-78-2, HG Wing Zero, Hg Barbatos, and MG Barbatos in store (bought the former three). And Barnes and Noble... has the Penelope. That's literally it. The GUNDAM F'in UNIVERSE figures have been cleaned out there. So... Gamestop this Saturday, USA Gundam store next week. My wallet is totally screwed. I've heard rumors about the RG Sazabi being at Gamestop, and though I doubt their reliability... there's always the possibility... I have to say, though, thanks for going out of your way to look.
For some reason, I can imagine this exchange happens at Bandai/SUNRISE's HQ during the brainstorming session for Heavyarms back during the Gundam Wing days... "Hey, we have this new Gundam show that features 5 Bishoujo piloting their own Gundams with all kinds of wacky gimmicks." "Ahh..... OK." "We've already thought of the gimmicks of 4 of those Gundams. So.... what's the most impractical, but awesome idea for this last 5th Gundam that you guys could think of?" "Ehh.... what about a Gundam that is all DAKKAA; who obliterates everything in its path with nothing but Gatling guns, missiles, machine cannons, gymnastic moves.... and a knife?" "..... What a fantastic idea; Let's go with that, why not?" Got my HGAC Gundam Heavyarms in the mail a few minutes ago. My last build was like 1 month ago, so I might as well return to building Gunpla for a bit with something simple.
Hobby Lobbyist's inventory is very limited it seems. As we've all seen the only kits they've had are the HG origins Zaku II, Revive RX-78-2, Gouf Custom, Jesta, Moon, and Leo, as well as the RG Crossbone and Wing Zero. The only additional Bandai kits I've seen at my local store are Star Wars models and a couple of Dragon Ball, namely Entry Grades and Figure-Rise Gogeta. Nonetheless the only advantage of the store, if any of those kits are what you're interested in, is the 40% coupons. And the decent thing about my store is the checkout clerk let's me choose which item gets the discount. Otherwise if you just flash the coupon they just discounted for the last item that they ring up.
You forgot that its pilot not only is just this random mechanic who got chosen to replace the real Trowa Barton at the exact moment Heavyarms was launched, but also likes being a literal circus clown so much that by Eternal Waltz, Heavyarms itself is wearing half a clown mask while mowing down Serpents. The Gundam is quite literally fueled by the power of 'why the hell not'. (You also forgot the beam saber hidden in its left arm) Unfathomably based.
From my understanding this is all mainly because the heavyarms started life as a G Gundam design and some of these oddities are holdovers from when the heavyarms originally had a clown/jester motif.
