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!!!

Phone Braver Seven MODEL KIT (Bandai / Ling Dong)

Sidenote: WOW! it's exactly one year since I started my blog.. Unto the review.. :)

Here's another look at "SEVEN", this time in model kit form.. I usually build Gundam kits, each with corresponding grade and scale.. But I have no clue nor whatsoever on which category this belongs to.. So why bother getting all five kits? Simple, It's D@MN CHEAP!! like I just stole something from them .. hehehe

PACKAGE:

P40 ($1)???!!!  give me a break!! 

I thought this was just a miniaturized version of the earlier "SEVEN" I reviewed before.. The box is similar with other "Candy Toys" which made me excited.. This means it can be a model kit, so I further inspect the box for evidence.. The sales agent was kind enough to let me see what's inside.. And to my delight, it was a model kit!! YAY!!!! :D :D :D

CONTENT:

The kit comes with four plastic runners, sticker and cardboard manual.. The plastics are sturdy which is good.. Stickers has good adhesive.. And the manual is printed inside the box.. Very typical for a bandai entry kit..

BOT / PHONE:

Without any linings or stickers it looks cheap.. Plus the fact the mold color is not even accurate with the real phone.. Disappointed but understandable, since model kits are intended to be painted by hobbyist.. If only I have the privilege of free time to do so.. How I miss idle time!! hehehe

ARTICULATION????

I love toys with fantastic articulations.. It gives you freedom on how you're going to pose your toys depending on your mood.. But here I decided to skip on it for two reasons: 

1.  It's basically the same with it's bigger pre-assembled figure.

2.  Being a model kit - it usually depends on it's friction held joints for posing.. Making it impossible for you to pose it without using a support stand.  

GIMMICK:

One of it's cool gimmick is the ability for you to switch it's screen from robot to phone mode.. This is something that I wish the pre-assembled toy comes with.. 

CONCLUSION:

This kit has its flaws.. But for something so cheap you really can't gripe about it.. Unfortunately, after you build the kit, the fun part ends there.. I haven't tried putting the upgrade part but I can already imagine the weight issues and awkward posses it will bring..

If you happen to choose only one figure to represent "Seven" on your collection.. Get the pre-assembled one.. It's bigger, has better plastic mold and far better on executing dynamic posses.. 

This one not much.. It's only saving grace is that it's a model kit at super cheap price.. :( tsk!

Cheers!!!