SD RX 78-2 Gundam (Bandai)

*Sorry for the lack of toy reviews lately..  As usual, I've been very busy due to work related stuff and other personal responsibilities.. I'll do my best to post at least one toy review per month to keep us rolling.. hehehe Unto the review! :D

This is an old kit released way back in 1999.. And to my surprise, this is a lot more better compared on the current SDs we have right now.. I don't want to use the word perfect, but I can't find any fault on this kit.. I built countless SD's and this is by far the best among them, and here's why:

BOX 

MANUAL (Showing it's inner frame gimmick)

PROS:

1.  Plastic separations are fantastic

2.  Color detailing are present on small areas

3.  No hollow weapons and robot parts

4.  Inner frame gimmick 

5.  Includes Core fighter and Core Block

CONS:

1.  Need very minor color touch up on hands, vulcans, beam saber and waist.

2.  No Gundam Hammer and javelin included.

CONTENT:

If we talk about SD, the first thing that comes in my mind (aside from being cute) is the enormous amount of stickers needed to be applied.. SD kits heavily rely on sticker to detail areas that needed to be painted due to lack of plastic separations.. 

But this one is different! Bandai made an effort to provide you with separate colored plastics for detailing of each part.. So much that you only have tiny piece of sticker sheet for the eyes, camera lens and markings.. 

ASSEMBLED KIT:

Without lining and stickers (FRONT)

Without lining and stickers (BACK)

Even without lining and stickers, you can already see the excellent part separation of each color..

LINED, STICKERED and DECALED:

I'm so pleased with the kit that I decided to put some decals for added detailing.. :)

And you won't go empty handed with the numbers of accessories it comes with.. Beam rifle, Bazooka, Beam saber, Shield, Core fighter and Core Something (LOL! I forgot the name).. 

ARTICULATION:

Take note, this is an SD release way before Y2K.. And yet it is capable of executing action posses with ease.. It even has elbow articulation that some modern SD are missing.. 

Another cool thing is you can integrate all of it's weapons with it.. Very nice!!

GIMMICK:

Now here's the crazy part..  This SD kit has an INNER FRAME!!!  

YES! YOU READ IT RIGHT ----- INNER FRAME!!

Just by flipping the shoulder armor, popping out the chest armor and reconnecting the head armor on its back peg showcase the beauty of it's gimmick!  

Call it half way inner frame, I don't care.. At least my comes with it .. How about yours? Do you have something to flaunt with?! Stare at my Inner Beauty :P

CONCLUSION:

It is unbelievable that you're getting so much for something that only cost $5.. The detailing, plastic separation, accessories, possibility, gimmick and the price makes this my "Perfect Grade" of my SD collection..  The Inner frame gimmick was a surprise and I don't know why Bandai elude its modern SD with it.. This is something that they needs to incorporate on their latest SD releases.. 

Should you buy it?! Of course!! Forget all the kits I reviewed before and hunt this down.. Cheers!!!

HG 1/144 RX-78 2 Ver. G30th Review (Bandai)


From the latest Lead Gundam I reviewed before,  now we're looking at the mecha that started the whole franchise of real robot thing..  The HG RX 78-2 Gundam!

PACKAGE:

And since I'm so excited to build this, I forgot to take a picture of the runners on their plastic bags.. Anyway, the kit comes with 3 runners composing of A, B and C parts, a polycap, foil stickers, metal chain (Sweet!) and a manual.

Manual

Runner A

Runner B

Runner C

*Remember when I said I'm excited to build this, well you can see that I already build some of it before taking a picture.. LOL! :p *

Polycap, Foil Sticker and Metal Chain.

The quality of the plastic and grooves on the panel lines are Great!! Just as expected from a Bandai Kit.. :)  

THE KIT:

Without lining and stickers - the kit looks plain, bland and boring..

And here with it's weapons and accessories.

After putting the eyes/neck stickers and lining the grooves.. The kit dramatically changes from uber boring robot into a "Real Gradish" mecha.. I don't usually like kits with many panel linings, as it makes the kit looks busy, but the amount of lining grooves really compliments the blandness of it..

POSEABILITY:

This kit offers above average posseability, capable of doing some dynamic poses but not much compared to HG 00 Gundam and HG Age-1 Normal.. One culprit for this is the single jointed knees which limits the range of crouching and kicking posses.. *See picture Below*

Despite the little issue on the posseability area, it's still capable executing kneeling posses that the MG Ground Gundam can only dream of.. 

Conclusion:

Despite the little nit pick I have on the kit.. This is one kit you should go and pick up for your self.. The panel lining is great on this kit, and with the right tool and a bit of effort, you can make this stand out and look "Real-Gradish".. :)