SD Gundam Impact 02

Today we are going to take a quick look at a novelty for the blog; a set of tiny Gashapon figures from the SD Gundam Impact range. Impact was a very short lived series, producing only five sets of a total of 36 figures released between October 2008 and April 2009. SD Gundam Impact volume 2 was released in November of 2008 and the figures originally sold for ¥100 which was then par for the course for the earlier SD Gundam Full Color and Full Color Custom series.


The set is comprised of seven different figures from wildly different timelines. It is worth pointing out that there is not a single Universal Century mobile suit in this set.


The Impact figures are some of the smallest Gundam Gashapon figures and come in tiny little plastic bags held in random capsules. I purchased a complete set from a vendor in Bangkok's Chinatown paying 500 baht for the lot.


All the SD Impact figures feature a few components only, and in cases where the arms or other parts come off, they normally sit on shaped pegs leaving the figures with pretty much zero articulation.



08 : XXXG-01W Wing Gundam


First out is the Wing Gundam as seen in the original television show. This figure is a good example of what the Impact series is all about. Notice how the figure has a somewhat decent colour application on its chest, face and weapons but that nearly everything else is left unpainted white. Next, notice also how the figure is actually hovering above the ground as exhaust spew out of its backpack and forming a base for the figure to stand upon. The closer you look the more detail you will find in the sculpt but the figure is still pretty uninspiring as is.



09 : OZ-00MS Tallgeese


The rival Tallgeese mobile suit also comes off as very white although in its case it is more closer to the actual design. The tiny proportions make it somewhat comical the way the beam saber is dangerously close to cutting the dober gun in half. Again a dynamic flying pose but also pretty hard to work up much interest in the figure.



10 : ZGMF-X19A Infinite Justice Gundam


The Infinite Justice is one of the more interesting figures in this lot thanks to its striking colour scheme. Here the effect part (that also doubles as an action base) stands out clearly against the base red of the figure which improves the look a bit and the pose is also quite good. I get the feeling these figures could look really awesome with detailed paint applications.



11 : Musha Gundam Mk-II


It took me quite some time to identify this figure, which is featured in one of the many SD Gundam computer and console games; SD Warring States Legend: Group of the Seven Warriors Chapter. The design is loosely based on the RX-178 Gundam Mk-II from the Zeta Gundam show. This figure does not have a dynamic pose but just look at all the detail on its backpack. The basic blue and gold colour scheme isn't that bad but I'd really like to see this figure fully painted.


I don't know much about Musha Gundam evolution but above are a couple of related designs; the original Musha Gundam in Gundam Converge size (EX 05, released May 2015), Musha Gundam Mk-II from Senshi Forte volume 01 (January 2017) and the SD Impact Musha II.



13 : GN-007 Arios Gundam


The Arios Gundam is the follow up to the equally orange-coloured Kyrios from Mobile Suit Gundam 00. This figure looks very basic and suffers from a complete lack of colour on its back, which looks really odd. Certainly one of the less three dimensional and uninteresting figures of this set. A shame since the Arios Gundam is very rarely seen as a figure.



12 : GN-008 Seravee Gundam


The Arios is followed by another Celestial Being design, the Seravee which is for all intents and purposes as souped up Gundam Virtue. It features an unusually detailed backside for an Impact figure but the figure is pretty uninspiring overall anyway.



14 : Knight Gundam


The last figure in the set; the Knight Gundam features an action pose without the use of effect parts. This is I think the best way to do the static Impact figures - the effect part bases merely seem to clog up the overall look. The Knight Gundam has many nice sculpt details and a nicely flowing cape. Easily one of the more interesting figures in the set.


Above you can see the SD Impact Gundam next to some more modern designs which clearly illustrate the ongoing scale and power creep in the Gashapon toys (that goes for Shokugan too I might add). Left to right: Knight Gundam from SD Impact 02 together with a Knight Unicorn Gundam (SD Gundam Warrior NEXT 19, April 2014), another Knight Gundam (Senshi Forte 04, September 2017) and the Knight Gundam from Converge EX06 (May 2015).

All in all, the SD Impact figures aren't a lot to write home about, but they are not entirely without charm. With so many more interesting figures out there though, it is no surprise that Bandai turned their back on Impact after only six months. These are novelty items for completist collectors only, although you can sometimes see them pop up among regular SD Gundam Full Color figures in second hand lots.