I start the assemble process last week when i thought i just want to take some photos for the first part of the review which cover the boxart, parts, runners and the entire package. Things get too exited when i open the box and i can't stop myself to build it up. I even make the video for the boxart or package review plus some assemble process. Instead of watching 3 minutes video on the finish product, the video will also cover other stuff like building process, manual, inner frame and others in roughly about 10 minutes video for the entire review.
So, back to the main topic. I saw this kit when i was 15 and know nothing about it at all. The only thing i know is this kit come with huge shield, those bulkiness are awesome and the price tag for this is something beyond my reach. At last, i get it now and i'm reviewing it. I only finish the Mobile Suit Gundam: Char Counterattack series yesterday after i finish assemble this thing to check on some action pose (and i think i found some weakness of this mobile suit, lol). Although this thing look bulky but in the anime, the mobility is very high (especially in melee combat but those scene only last for few minutes) and it even can make some Sinanju Kick on Amuro's Nu gundam. Unfortunately, the real kit can't do that. What weaknesses that this mobile suit have? do you remember the Nu gundam pull off one of the "pipe" near the neck area of this mobile suit which i believe most of the wiring that connect the entire suit to the cockpit (head unit) disable Char controlling the mobile suit. I mean how can such important "pipe" being expose out from the armor. The second thing is, do you realize that most of the Zeon mobile suit such as Gelgoog , Dom or Zaku version XXX look bulk? the reason is not because it got better armor but it got a lot of thrusters (and some cooler vent maybe) to improve its mobility (my opinion, just like American muscle bigger car, bigger engine, faster on straight line) but what i think is bigger size means heavier (might be a problem since it is space combat unit) and exposure to enemy will also higher. I'm not saying the design is bad, it just what i think base on some military basic concept. Maybe there are other reason that this mobile suit design and develop in this way since i haven't check out the full detail about this mobile suit. All i know about this kit will be the weapon, some sort of psycho frame technology which allow the pilot to control funnels, some kind of plasma beam cannon on the lower torso, one beam rifle, two beam sabers can be release direct from the arms to the palm, some tomahawk missile from the shield and a huge beam saber/axe.
Detail and Structure
As for this model kit, it was release around 200X (before 2005)and i can't simply expect that everything from this kit is as good as what the latest MG have but this doesn't mean it can't catch up at all. The design of the inner frame for model kit is actually quite impressive and flexible if anyone want to paint it. On top of that, the inner frame might not have much detail but those hydraulic pump gimmick plus the thrusters beneath the armors are impressive. Although those inner frame for the main body and legs are impressive but there are certain part of this kit doesn't have inner frame such as the arms unit. Other than that, there are a lot of ball joint use as the connector for most of the major part such as the shoulder and peg joints. Ball joint should be good in terms of flexibility but the problem is the sturdiness can't last long and the it can easily detach (If you have a MG freedom, you might have experience this from the waist joint). So, on the overall of the structure from this kit is very solid but not flexible ( i will explain this more in articulation part).
