Bandai has revealed a detailed new look at its upcoming Hatsune Miku METAL BUILD figure, revealing the intricate mechanical body, interchangeable accessories and advanced posing mechanisms hidden beneath its futuristic outfit.
The “METAL BUILD Hatsune Miku” reimagines the virtual singer as a heavily mechanical android, with the latest official product showcase demonstrating how its die-cast construction, removable clothing and newly developed articulation work together ahead of its release.
Originally introduced in 2007 as a Vocaloid singing software voicebank developed by Crypton Future Media, Hatsune Miku has become one of the world’s most successful virtual singers, inspiring music, concerts, video games and an enormous range of official merchandise.
Bandai’s METAL BUILD series is traditionally associated with high-end mechanical action figures, particularly Gundam, combining die-cast components with detailed sculpting, paint applications and sophisticated articulation systems.
The new Hatsune Miku release is the first female character to receive a dedicated METAL BUILD figure, introducing fabric clothing and a feminine body design into a range previously dominated by robots and armored characters.
Bandai originally revealed the METAL BUILD Hatsune Miku figure in March 2026, confirming that several prominent designers and manufacturers had collaborated to create an original interpretation of the virtual singer.
The design was developed from a concept by IBUKI of MKAGAMI, with STUDIO GS handling the mechanical body and engineering, while Japanese fashion brand MAYLA created its futuristic clothing.
The new official product images provide a much closer look at the completed figure, including its exposed internal construction and the various accessories that can be combined to change Miku’s appearance.
Standing approximately 18 cm tall, Miku is constructed partly from ABS and PVC plastic, with die-cast metal also used extensively throughout the lower body and major upper-body joints.
Removing her fabric clothing reveals an elaborate mechanical body, combining silver armor, blue chrome components, metallic blue-green sections and small orange details, with machinery exposed across her arms, legs and back.
Her chest and abdomen retain a more natural appearance, contrasting with the detailed machinery throughout her limbs and the extensive structural components visible along her spine.
Bandai has also demonstrated the figure’s unique articulation, including a patent-pending hip mechanism designed to recreate the natural movement of the human pelvis.
This allows Miku to sit with her legs folded outward, bend deeply forward with her legs apart and recreate other poses that would be difficult for a conventional mechanical action figure.
Additional joints in her waist, torso and neck allow more expressive upper-body movement, with the removable armor on her right wrist and adjustable boot heels providing further display options.
Miku’s signature twin-tails use flexible PVC sheets containing internal wires, allowing collectors to bend the hair into different shapes and hold it in place during posing.
The newly photographed accessory selection also includes a second pair of twin-tails designed to hang naturally, offering an alternative to the more dramatic shapes possible with the wired versions.
Her clothing, designed by MAYLA, consists of separate pieces incorporating glossy silver fabric, bright pink details, oversized zippers and decorative straps, with collectors able to change how the outfit is worn or remove individual sections to expose more of the mechanical body.
Bandai has also provided four interchangeable facial expressions, including a standard look, singing face, mischievous smile and shouting expression.
The eyes feature a reflective plated finish that changes appearance depending on the lighting, accompanied by carefully painted eyelashes and eyebrows.
Additional accessories include three pairs of interchangeable hands, two differently designed backpacks and replacement bangs featuring a headset.
The figure also carries an enormous futuristic audio gadget that combines the appearance of a sword and rifle, supported by dedicated gripping hands and an adjustable shoulder strap.
Bandai has included a special display base decorated with a pink-and-blue gradient and holographic musical staff, with interchangeable support attachments and an additional arm designed to hold the oversized audio equipment.
The packaging features original artwork by illustrator Ryosuke Takeuchi, depicting the mechanical version of Hatsune Miku walking through a colorful city filled with illuminated signs, traffic and pedestrians.
Hatsune Miku has also inspired several other artist-led figure projects during 2026, including a new ART OF MIKU collectible based on Kei Mochizuki’s original artwork, which was recently revived following an unsuccessful crowdfunding campaign in 2024.
Image by Charlotte Davis
The “METAL BUILD Hatsune Miku”, priced at ¥36,300 (approximately $229 / £171), is officially scheduled for release in Japan on October 24, 2026, through reputable hobby goods retailers such as HobbyLink Japan.
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