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Friday, June 7, 2013

HGUC Geara Zulu

HGUC Geara Zulu (Daban)

It's Friday.. "TGIF syndrome" kicks in!!  Here's my review of Daban's HGUC Geara Zulu..

I was surprised to learned that Daban is on 1/144 scale too.. And out of curiosity, I picked this one up to see if there's any difference compared to it's 1/100 KO's..

BOX

Plastic Package

Piles of runners






 4 Different colors molded on one single Runner.. A treat to see! 


Polycaps and Stickers

Manual

Glossy plastic - A Plus for lazy modelers like me.. hehe

The kit comes with 8 runners (including the Polycaps), manual and stickers for detailing.. That's quite plentiful for an ordinary HG kit compared to a 1/144 OO Gundam and Seed Destiny knockoff kits..

I'm pleased with the quality of the plastic.. It's sturdy, vibrant and has deep channels which usually not present with TT Hongli brand.. It's also glossier which is a plus if your not into painting kits.. Just a couple of linings here and there and the kit is good to go..

As usual, the stickers sucks.. Not because it doesn't stick, but it fades when you put pressure when sticking it.. If you have time with you, I suggest painting the areas that needed to be painted, otherwise be extra careful when applying to avoid rubbing off the detail..


Front without Linings and Stickers

 Front without Linings and Stickers

Back without Linings and Stickers

The kit is already looking impressive just by itself without linings or stickers.. And unlike the previous Zakus on where they look barbarish (maybe because of the spikes on their shoulders :p), this version looks more like a natural mechanical soldier from WW2..


And the Head!! Love how they designed the head.. It gives you this Military-ish vibe that resembles the helmet used  on WW2.. Digging it!!


 Commander Crest
 Commander Helmet
You're left with an extra "Commander Helmet", "Commander Crest" and 11 polycaps after building it..  Did I mention 11PC?! 


 With Linings and Stickers (front)
  With Linings and Stickers (Side)
  With Weapons
 With Weapons

 Accessories Mounted
Accessories Mounted

Weapons and Accessories


POSEABILITY:

Since the kit is kinda bulky in some areas, dynamic posses are limited.............. And that's perfectly Fine!!
Basic walking, kneeling and "Getting-Shot" pose are the posses that makes this kit shines.. 

It's just a let down that the hip are still on Balljoints.. Oh well...






















Gears Zulu:    Uh oh........

Conclusion:

This is a great kit which I didn't expect.. My simple curiosity leads to satisfaction and enjoyment which is always a winner specially for the price I paid for it (about $4)..

Solid construction with no loose pegs or falling parts makes this a great substitute to Bandai..It's close to impossible to differentiate it from the original except from the glossy plastic.. Daban is getting better and better each time they releases a kit (Unlike the Daban MG Ex S Gundam I built).. I'm still not sure if i'll be getting the Stark Jegan 1/144 scale though.. Who knows.. hehehe