Gundam Converge : Operation Jaburo

This Operation Jaburo multipack is an oddity in the Gundam Converge line. Appearing in December 2012 this collection box contains eight previously released mobile suits that all relate to an event described in the original One Year War series storyline. Jaburo is the name of an advanced underground E.F.S.F. facility in South America, which was attacked by Zeon forces in an attempt to destroy or prevent production of new mobile suits. The set contains figures that were typical for both the Earth and Zeon forces operating at the time.

To make this package more interesting to collectors (and at the same time helping to keep the value of long out of production figures intact...) each figure has received certain minor colour modifications. There are no other differences from the original figures that appeared in the standard line, which makes the set fairly redundant for those who have managed to collect these figures previously. However, considering the rarity of some of these figure today, the set should be very interesting for latecomers who would like to have these hard to come by figures in their collection. The Jaburo set is a welcome to those collectors indeed.

The set contains eight figures which come in individual plastic bags similar to those used in the standard Converge boxes. Each figure has the same weapons and/or equipment as you would expect from the original figures as well. As you can see from the image above, some minor assembly is required, especially for the Z'Gok and its delicate claws. Each side receives four figures.

E.F.S.F. forces:
 
RX-78-2 Gundam Real Type - original white version appeared in Converge vol. 1 in November 2010.
RGM-79 G M - Original version appeared in Converge vol. 3 in July 2011.
RX-77-2 Guncannon - Original version appeared in Converge vol. 1 in November 2010.
RX-75 Guntank - Original version appeared in Converge vol. 1 in November 2010.

...and Zeon forces:

MS-06 Zaku II - Original version appeared in Converge vol. 2 in January 2011.
MSM-07S Z’Gok (Char's Custom) - Original version appeared in Converge vol. 3 in July 2011.
MS-07B Gouf - Original version appeared in Converge vol. 2 in January 2011.
MS-09 Dom - Original version appeared in Converge vol. 5 in November 2011.

Below are some comparison shots of how the standard Converge figures differ from their Operation Jaburo counterparts. Unfortunately my own collection at this point contains none of the original E.F.S.F. figures, so I will only be able to compare the Zeon figures right now (this might change in the future if I manage to hunt down the missing figures, good luck with that...).

Comparing the Dom and Z'Gok figures from Operation Jaburo (left) with their original counterparts (right).

Comparing the Gouf and Zaku II figures from Operation Jaburo (left) with their original counterparts (right)

To sum it up I would say that the Jaburo set is a real treasure box for those who collect the One Year figures in particular. It contains several really iconic figures and the updated colour schemes are nice enough to warrant a closer look even if you already have some or all of the original models.