Bandai Gives Amuro Ray’s Nu Gundam an Upgrade with New METAL ROBOT SPIRITS HWS Expansion Set
Image by Charlotte DavisBandai has revealed a major new upgrade for its METAL ROBOT SPIRITS Nu Gundam, adding the mobile suit’s heavily armed HWS configuration alongside an expanded display system.
The new “METAL ROBOT SPIRITS
Nu Gundam is Amuro’s final mobile suit from Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack, designed specifically around his abilities during the Second Neo Zeon War and used during his final confrontation with Char Aznable.
HWS stands for Heavy Weapon System and represents a heavily upgraded version of the Nu Gundam developed around the possibility that the conflict with Neo Zeon could become considerably longer.
The concept draws inspiration from the Earth Federation’s earlier FSWS full-armor projects, adding substantially more armor and firepower while using additional thrusters to compensate for the increased weight.
Bandai’s newly revealed expansion recreates that configuration through large armor sections fitted across the chest, shoulders, and other areas of the existing METAL ROBOT SPIRITS figure.
The additional chest and shoulder armor gives the normally relatively streamlined Nu Gundam a much heavier appearance, while opening sections reveal further mechanical detailing underneath.
Its weapon loadout receives an equally substantial upgrade through the “Hyper Mega Rifle,” a much larger primary firearm that replaces the standard Beam Rifle when displaying the HWS configuration.
The set also includes the enormous “High-Mega Shield,” which combines additional protection with an integrated mega particle cannon and large thrusters.
Missile launchers incorporated into the additional armor further increase the Nu Gundam’s ranged firepower, turning the HWS configuration into a much more heavily armed alternative to Amuro’s standard machine.
Bandai is also developing a dedicated display system as part of the expansion, allowing equipment to be positioned separately around the Nu Gundam rather than simply attached to the figure.
The currently revealed setup can support weapons and accessories including the Shield, New Hyper Bazooka and Fin Funnels, opening up more elaborate display options even when the HWS armor itself is not being used.
That makes the expansion useful beyond recreating the complete Heavy Weapon System configuration, as owners will also be able to create a larger weapons display around the standard Nu Gundam.
The new HWS set arrives alongside some exciting news for collectors who do not already own the required figure, as Bandai has also confirmed that the “METAL ROBOT SPIRITS
The returning “METAL ROBOT SPIRITS
Bandai has not yet announced a price, pre-order date, or release window for the “METAL ROBOT SPIRITS
Premium Bandai US has not yet opened orders or confirmed US pricing for either the returning Nu Gundam or the new HWS expansion, although further information is likely to follow as US pre-orders for TAMASHII NATIONS releases often open later than their Japanese counterparts.
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