#oob showcase

RX-93 Nu Gundam 

Londo Bell Unit (E.F.S.F.) Amuro Ray’s Custom Mobile Suit for Newtype Use

Real Grade 1/144

Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack, Gundam Evolve 05 

Despite only having a relatively moerate screen time presence, the RX-93 Nu Gundam is one of the most acclaimed and popular Gundams of the multiverse. It’s a physical manifestation of the will of Amuro Ray, having been designed by the legend himself and thus mirroring his growth since the fateful day he assumed the controls of the RX-78-2 Gundam. The Real Grade Nu Gundam more than lives up to this legendary status. 

Much like what I’ve heard of the Real Grade Sazabi, this kit is a culmination of Real Grade development that has increasingly perfected the art of scaling down Master Grade level build into a 1/144 scale kit. This kit is amazing to look at in terms of detail and colors, especially in dynamic poses where the armor moves to reveal glimpses of the superb mechanical detailing of the inner frame. If there is any cons to this kit’s detailing, it’d be that some of the panel lines are deeper than they need to be but that’s really not much to complain about. Additionally, this initial release version of the kit does not come with effect parts which have to be bought separately. There will be a version of the kit that includes effect parts and a action base, and a P-Bandai version that comes with the full fin funnel wing and Amuro Ray signature action base. However, buying the effect parts separately gives you the freedom to choose what color effect parts you want to use. I prefer the blue instead of the yellow that Bandai will be using, but I got both to see how they would look and the yellow definitely stands out more.

The RG Nu Gundam handles like a dream with fantastic articulation complimented by a solid build that guarantees it will hold almost every pose imaginable. This is most likely thanks to a constructed inner frame instead of those pre-articulated, molded Advanced MS Joint frames that made of a majority of the inner frame for early Real Grades, in addition to what I believe to be tighter tolerances for increased friction at connections and joints. None of these are new, since this has been a trend since at least the Real Grade Unicorn Gundams.  However, it really shows how far the Real Grade line has come because it handles this big mobile suit design exceptionally. Where this Real Grade really outshines the Master Grade (Ver. Ka. to boot) is how well the fin funnels stick together when being stored on the backpack. The kit also has no problems standing with the fin funnels attached if the legs are posed to accommodate the extra back weight, albeit it will have a very slight tilt at the torso. The one issue with the build of this kit is the backpack connection to the torso which will loosen up severely if disconnected and reconnected repeatedly. I would really recommend thickening up this connection or just gluing it in altogether if you don’t plan on detaching the special base stand adapter that plugs into the back. This is not a deal breaker though, as this really only becomes a major issue if you have the kit angled facing down to near 180 degrees flat.

XM-X1 Crossbone Gundam X-1 [Anti-Beam Coating Cloth Equipped]

S.N.R.I. Prototype Mobile Suit - Crossbone Vanguard

OOB Showcase Part 2 [Click on Images for High Res]

Real Grade 1/144

Mobile Suit Gundam Crossbone

Bandai System Base 01

Builders Parts 1/144

Recently got this mobile suit hanger cage for both display and organization purposes during builds, mainly for Real Grades since I construct the inner frames first most of the time. It makes for a neat display piece at 1/144 scale that also offers decent storage for weapons and equipment. It can be adjusted for both small and large mobile suits by simply expanding the “cradle” or the back tray basically. The back tray can also be adjusted to a wide range of slant angles. It includes option parts for and without feet trays that connect to the back tray. Finally detail is pretty good, and the box art even shows custom painted one with shading and metallic highlights for different parts of the structure such as the bracing.

XM-X1 Crossbone Gundam X-1

S.N.R.I Prototype Mobile Suit - Crossbone Vanguard

OOB Showcase Part 1 [Click Images for High Res]

Real Grade 1/144

Mobile Suit Gundam Crossbone 

The Crossbone Gundam X-1 was originally not a mobile suit that I was particularly interested in very much. I was at a Barnes and Noble that was having a 50% off sale for gunpla, and this was one of the handful of kits left so I decided to give it a go. I have to say that after building this kit and posing it, I was simply amazed with how much this kit has to offer. What this kit lacks in presence, it more than makes up for options.

In terms of appearences, the Real Grade Crossbone Gundam X-1 has really good surface detail with beautifully rich colors of red, dark blue, and yellow. However, unlike other Real Grades, it doesn’t have the two tones of colors, like two tones of white as is the usual for Gundams of similar color scheme. I’ve heard complaints about this aspect, but I really don’t see it as an issue at all. Adding another shade of white would have meant splitting up the already small armor pieces, so I’m afraid that such a design would have compromised the solid feel of the kit. So maybe it’s not the best Real Grade in terms of surface detail on the armor, but it certainly has fantastic detail sculpting for the inner frame on the arms and legs as I noted in my WIP post. It would definitely make for a good challenge to do additional paint detailing on the inner frame and maybe display with armor panels off to reveal the interior. 

Articulation, functions and accessories are this kit’s real strengths, and it really shines in these departments. The Crossbone Gundam offers a wide range of movement, and combined with tight joints means that it’s following the recent trend in Real Grade kits being able to achieve and hold almost any pose desired. I especially enjoy that the head can finally achieve a full range of fluid movement, which is something that the rest of my current Real Grade Gundams struggle with a bit. Now when it comes to functions and accessories, the Crossbone Gundam X-1 is packing the most heat I’ve ever seen in a Real Grade kit (though, that’s probably thanks to the one-man-army loadout of the design). The core block system is fully realized with a core fighter that can be inserted into the Gundam without any compromise to the kit in terms of solidness. They even designed a working heat radiation mouth vent at 1/144 scale with full detail. Two sets of eyes are available: one with and one without the eyepatch for precision targeting. To name a select few favorites of the many armaments included with the kit, first there’s the pirate cutlass-styled Beam Zamber which can be combined with the flintlock styled Buster Gun to form the Zambuster. Then there’s the arm-mounted deployable beam generators which beam effect parts for a beam shield and or beam markers can be attached to. Finally There are chains that allow for the deployment of the Scissor Anchors which double as the front skirts. 

RX-0[N] Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee Norn (Unicorn Mode)

OOB Showcase

[Click Photos for Hi Res]

Real Grade 1/144

HGBF MSZ-006LGT Lightning Zeta Gundam

 OOB showcase

(Click Photos for Hi-Res)

Gundam Build Fighters Try

Out of all the custom MS gunpla designs to come out of Gundam Build Fighters Try, Yuuma Kousaka’s mobile suits were among my top favorites. They are a perfect mix of a equal parts fantastical and grounded in their take on existing MS from the Gundam Universes. The Lightning Zeta is no exception with its more beefed-up, angular and sleek take on one of my favorite Gundam designs. 

One of this kits strongest qualities is its appearance. The colors are vibrant and surface detail for panel-lining is above average for a High Grade kit, essentially on par with HG the Origin kits. It will require some red and yellow paint for complete colors. The Lightning Zeta Gundam is also no pushover when it comes to articulation. The arms especially have some interesting construction that allows the shoulder to pop out slightly, and the forearms to rotate. This forearm rotation allows the Lightning Zeta to orient the shield to the side, instead of always being on the “back” of the arm. However, while the articulation of the kit is great, it doesn’t feel like the most solid kit. This is primarily an issue in the forearm swivel joints and the pivoting waist-leg joint. Those forearm joints also pop off somewhat easily. This is a minor issue though, and the kit has little to no issue holding poses. 

The accessories and gimmicks are another highlight for the HGBF Lightning Zeta Gundam. I really like the beam rifle design, being basically a beefed up Zeta beam rifle with a large precision optic. The shield is another nice update to the original Zeta material with nice parts separation, and has a surprising amount of detail on the underside of the shield. Both can be switched out for the beam wing blades and attached to the back, and are able to elevate and depress angle of orientation. The beam wing blades that can be attached to the forearms is an very interesting modification to the Zeta, but I personally don’t think it’s practical enough to entirely replace beam sabers which the kit lacks. The “Bursting Pheonix” mode achieved by using the shield in tandem with the beam blade wings is a neat offensive feature, but I would have preferred it to fire just a massive beam either as a projectile blade of beam or just a regular large beam. The whole phoenix aspect of it seemed a little silly to me. Another thing the Lightning Zeta lacks is the variable transformation that made the Zeta Gundam so revolutionary and unique. I wish that design feature had been retained. Also would have liked additional expressive hands to compliment the kit’s great articulation.