Full Metal Panic! is in a merchandise-driven phase across 2026. Kadokawa's 1/48 ARX-7 Arbalest kit, six dedicated paint colors, and the Orange Cat Industry and Wave 1/35 ARX-8 Laevatein all move toward release, while Fantasia Bunko published Full Metal Panic! Family Vol. 4 on August 20, 2026.
Full Metal Panic! coverage in this period is almost entirely about model kits. Kadokawa's 1/48 scale ARX-7 Arbalest, the Arm Slave piloted by Sousuke Sagara, is the throughline. It is about 177mm tall, supervised by mechanical designer Kanetake Ebikawa, and uses color-separated molding and pre-painted parts. Preorders run on Kadokawa Store until October 21, 2026, with release set for February 2027. Kadokawa says it is the first plastic model of the unit able to reproduce all three of its Normal, ECS Activated, and Lambda Driver Activated states.
The Arbalest kit is supported by a dedicated paint line. Six 15ml bottles supervised by Ebikawa cover AS general black, AS general gray, AS white, AS violet, AS dark blue, and AS yellow. Each costs 638 yen and ships in February 2027. The kit appeared in the summer 2026 Kadost preorder lineup alongside KDcolle figures, and it placed fourth in the Amazon Hobby New Arrival Ranking as of August 13, 2026, in the Plastic Model category.
A separate model covers a different machine. Orange Cat Industry and Wave jointly developed a 1/35 scale ARX-8 Laevatein with the XL-3 Emergency Deployment Booster, based on Full Metal Panic! Invisible Victory. The kit has over 1,300 parts and LED lighting, with a special first-press price of 14,300 yen, and it releases in July 2026.
The one non-model item is a book. Fantasia Bunko released Full Metal Panic! Family Vol. 4 and Shouji Gatou's new robot light novel Kidou Tensei Vol. 1 on August 20, 2026. Family Vol. 4 features Natsumi piloting the Azul Raven in a training exercise.
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Sep 25
Kadokawa opened preorders for a 1/48 scale plastic model of the ARX-7 Arbalest from Full Metal Panic!, the Arm Slave piloted by Sousuke Sagara. The kit is about 177mm tall, supervised by mechanical designer Kanetake Ebikawa, and uses color-separated molding and pre-painted parts. The regular package shows the Arbalest holding a Boxer 57mm shotgun; the deluxe set adds a package depicting the forest battle's Lambda Driver activation.
Sep 18
Kadokawa has released six additional images of its 1/48 scale ARX-7 Arbalest plastic model from Full Metal Panic!, bringing the total to seven. The new images show the Lambda Driver activated state holding the Boxer 57mm scatter gun in the right hand and the Monomolecular Cutter in the left, plus a kneeling parking pose. Preorders run on Kadokawa Store until October 21, 2026, with release set for February 2027.
Aug 20
KADOKAWA's Fantasia Bunko releases Full Metal Panic! Family Vol. 4 and Shouji Gatou's new robot light novel Kidou Tensei Vol. 1 on August 20, 2026. Family Vol. 4 features Natsumi piloting the Azul Raven in a training exercise, while Kidou Tensei follows a salaryman reborn as a prototype mobile weapon.
Aug 14
KADOKAWA's official store Kadost opened preorders for summer 2026 KDcolle figures and Kadopla plastic models, including a Haruhi Suzumiya figure in Megumin's outfit, two Louise figures for Zero no Tsukaima's 20th anniversary, and an Arbalest model from Full Metal Panic!. Orders close between September and October 2026, with releases scheduled for 2027.
Aug 14
Dengeki Hobby Web published the top 10 in the Plastic Model category of Amazon's Hobby New Arrival Ranking as of August 13, 2026. Max Factory's PLAMATEA MX-chan leads, followed by Tamiya's Fukuiraptor and Good Smile Company's Dai Apolon. The list includes Kadokawa's Full Metal Panic! Arbalest in fourth place.
Aug 10
Kadokawa is releasing six dedicated paint colors for the Full Metal Panic! ARX-7 Arbalest plastic model, supervised by mecha designer Kanetake Ebikawa. The 15ml bottles include AS general black, AS general gray, AS white, AS violet, AS dark blue, and AS yellow. Each costs 638 yen and ships in February 2027.
Jun 17
Orange Cat Industry and Wave jointly developed a 1/35 scale plastic model of the ARX-8 Laevatein with the XL-3 Emergency Deployment Booster from Full Metal Panic! Invisible Victory. The kit has over 1,300 parts, LED lighting, and a special first-press price of 14,300 yen. It releases in July 2026.