Gundam Converge CORE : RX-80PR Pale Rider (HADES System Activated)

This review continues the Converge Pale Rider experience. FusionWorks and Bandai have been kind enough to provide us with two versions of this figure, one as a standard retail figure (EX26 which we looked at here) and one as a Premium Bandai limited release which is the subject of this particular review. Both figures were released in March 2019 and both the MSRP for the retail figure and the limited figure were set to ¥2600. At the time of this review, the retail figure is currently trading around ¥2000 while the CORE figure is instead selling for around ¥3500.

The CORE figure comes in a small one figure-box barley larger than the average Converge retail figure but it is chock full with parts loaded into two bags.

I absolutely love Converge figures with many parts options and the Pale Rider really excels here. It joins the ranks with other notables such as the Sinanju, Unicorn and Perfect Strike Gundam.

Below you can see the two parts bags included with each Pale Rider figure and how similar they are to each other. Basically there are no accessory changes between the two figures, only the base mobile suit components are different.

The main gimmick of CORE Pale Rider figure is that its HADES mode is now activated. Of course a cool name such as this is also a contrived acronym with a questionable explanation. Hyper Animosity Detect Estimate System ranks right up there with Generation Unsubdued Nuclear Drive Assault Mode...

The HADES Mode components are simple colour variations of the standard Pale Rider figure. The visor and helmet camera turn red and several vents on the arms, legs and torso switch from grey to yellow. I mentioned it also in the previous review but I find that the HADES version of this figure is much more attractive.
 

HFW-GMG·MG79-90mm Bullpup Machine Gun

The Pale Rider figure comes with an instruction sheet on how to build four standardized equipment loadouts. I am not going to dwell on these too much as they are exactly the same as for the standard figure. Let's just blaze quickly through them.

 

180mm Cannon

 

XBR-M-79H-2 Hyper Beam Rifle

  

Giant Gatling Gun

 

I only have two minor complaints regarding the equipment choices for the Pale Rider. The minor one is that there is no beam saber accessory option. I ended up stealing one from a surplus Exia figure; you can never have too many of those. The other more problematic issue is that the left hand is only available in clenched fist mode and so cannot wield any weapons. This figure deserved a left hand designed for holding gear and it would have worked really well as an option part here. I can probably find a suitable replacement hand on another figure though.

Above: Converge EX26 Pale Rider and Converge CORE Pale Rider. Below: The Converge figure next to the Pale Rider from Senshi Forte volume 04.

Look at that Senshi Forte Pale Rider dual wielding a pair of machine guns. I sure would have wanted to do something similar for the Converge figure as well.

Overall I think the CORE version Pale Rider figure is the better of the two Converge figures. If you are only planning to get one you may still want to go for the cheaper retail figure but I think the vibrant colours of the HADES mode version is worth that extra money. Never mind the fact that I am planning to get four or five of these units just to display all weapon combinations...