Gundam Converge : Daryl Lorenz' Acguy (Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower advance screening item)

Today's subject for review is something that I have been stalking for quite some time now. Actually, I can no longer count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I stumbled on this figure appearing in the most recent list of web shop items only for it to go out of stock before I could place a hastily assembled order. But here it is, almost two years since it was released.

Technically, this item wasn't actually released as such. Instead, it is one of those advance cinema ticket bonus items that Bandai like to release from time to time. This Acguy version is a resurrection of the old Converge figure and was bundled with tickets for the Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower movie in August 2017. I don't know how much people had to pay to purchase this item but I imagine it was part of a premium price option for the movie probably also including some booklets, prints or such). The advance ticket price is reported to have been ¥4000.

Notice the old style Converge clear support piece that goes around the figure's legs. Also the material for this figure seems to be updated compared to the original figure. The pegs used on the arms seem to be of the same type of material that FusionWorks made use of in their STANDart figure line.

Looking pretty sharp there, Mr. Lorenz. The metallic colours look much better than I had anticipated. The figure also has a new decal which may or may not have been present on Daryl's Acguy in the Bandit Flower movie (which I still haven't been able to watch).

Thunderbolt really upped the game for the Acguy with several unique and at times bizarre looking variants. As such it is a little bit disappointing that we are simply getting a Mobile Suit Gundam rehash figure but perhaps this figure will be revisited in the Converge Reboot series eventually.

Before we go here you can see the original Converge Acguy figure that this release is based on. It is one of the better early Converge figures I think and does a very good job of representing the more cartoon-style look of the Acguy present in the original Mobile Suit Gundam series. If you are also looking to pick up Daryl's Acguy beware that this item is hard to find and in high demand. I ended up having to pay ¥6500 for my figure...