We all know that Japanese
really do not like to make mistakes. That is why we rarely see slip-ups or mishaps stemming from poor quality control. However, Bandai's Mecha Selection volume 4 might just contain one such error that has managed to slip in. Well, it is either that, or there isn't really an error after all and I can't find out the proper state of things - and it is beginning to annoy me quite a bit. So I am throwing out this review with the hope that someone can stop by and clear things up. Let's get to it...
While we haven't really featured Bandai's
Gashapon HG figure line on the blog as of yet they will eventually join the ranks here. It started as a range of simplistic Gashapon miniatures in 1995 and reached a rather complex level of detail near the end, having pumped out nearly 300 different figures in 40 volumes before the series folded in 2006. The series was supported by a small range of pricier DX figures, a pair of
Mobile Armor Selection sets (which we already examined here recently during the Mobile Armor Week) as well as the successor to Mobile Armor Selection, which is the
HG EX Mecha Selection series.
There are a total of eight different Mecha Selection sets released between 2000 and 2004. Each set contains five different figures distributed in random boxes. 10 figures are sold in a larger box similar to the practice for modern era figures like
Gundam Converge and
Mobile Suit Ensemble. There are, as far as I know, no secret versions or alternate variants of these figures so they are fairly simple to collect although a few of them have become crazy expensive. This particular set was released sometime in 2002.
So, what is the error that I have been griping about then? Well, the box art claims that there are six figures in this set but I cannot find any information beyond the obvious five. I have found no supporting graphics to indicate the presence of a secret figure or different weapons or the like. So when Mandarake sold me the 10-box pictured above I felt certain that the mystery figure would finally be revealed. Alas, the box I received simply contained two of each basic figure. And since all the boxes were sealed I do not believe it was tampered with either. I even went as far as purchasing a second "full 6 pcs set" from Mandarake only to receive a set of five bog-standard figures. I was not amused... I guess that the box art confused the Mandarake sales staff as well. Fortunately the figures in this set aren't expensive at all, the full 10-box only cost me ¥1000. Anyway, I'd be very interested to hear if anyone knows the story behind the mysterious number six on the box.
Concept-X 6-1-2 Turn X
With the figures in this set not being numbered I'll just go through them in the order I damn well please. Let's start with the Turn-X Gundam, a machine you rarely get to see in figure form. I can only think of a few other appearances. Let's see, it was selected to be the jubilee figure number 100 in Converge in 2014. Before that we had one in the SD Full Color range, Stage 63, released in 2006, a really detailed 1:400 figure in the Mini Figure Selection Plus range from 2007 and there is also one in Gashapon Warrior NEXT volume 24, also from 2014.
The Turn-X is a pretty outlandish design and I think the figure has turned out really well. I like the colour separation that reveals parts of its inner frame especially on the backside. The right hand with its Destruction Manipulator looks particularly impressive. The figure also has a nice wash to bring out detail, something we also see in a couple other figures from this set.
While you can see a couple of different weapons poking out of the Carapace
Weapon Platform carried on the mobile suit's back there is no way for the figure
to actually wield them. There are no alternate parts for the hands and the left hand is a forever clenched fist. This figure is more akin to a statue striking a pose. I do think that not creating a weapon effect-part for the right hand is a bit of a missed opportunity.
Lined-up here together with the
Turn-A Gundam related figures from the basic
Gashapon HG figure range the Turn-X looks decidedly formidable. The basic figures all come from the very same set of HG figures, volume eleven to be specific, and were released in 1999.
AMS-119 Geara Doga (Rezin Schnyder Custom)
When I think of Neo Zeon I don't see Quebeleys, Bawoos or the Sazabi swooshing by. No, my first thought always goes to the humble mass-produced Geara Doga; you know, the Zaku II of the U.C.0093 era. The AMS-129 Geara Zulu that followed in Unicorn is also quite nice but it feels even more derivative of the Geara Doga than the Geara Doga of the Zaku II, so yes, Neo Zeon to me is all about the Dogas.
Good thing then that Bandai decided to include Rezyn Schnyder's attractive blue Doga in the Gashapon HG scale. This figure comes with an interesting kneeling pose riding atop a subflight system known as Shackles. While this is a really cool pose I still would have preferred the mobile suit to stand up so that it would make more sense to pose it next to the other Char's Counterattack figures but I guess this will have to do.
The Shackles components themselves can be a bit finicky to straighten out and fit together completely since the thick and soft plastic does not always cooperate and you may want to trim some of the pegs with a knife.
No action base is included with the Geara Doga which is
understandable as the box is really full but I still
think that if you are going to bother with an in-flight pose you should go the extra mile and make it an attractive pose at that. You will hear me complain about this once we hit the Re-GZ next. :) Here the figure gets a little extra help by simply propping up one of the sides which already makes the pose a bit better. You will struggle a bit to find a suitable base that can deal with the weight of this figure if you intend to make something fancier.
The other Neo Zeon figures from the regular Gashapon HG line join in on the fun. As you can see you can barely fit in another figure atop the Shackles. This is by the way the only Shackles Gashapon figure that I am aware of. The A.E.U.G. for example has a couple of options for their DODAI Kai subflight unit but this is what is available for Neo Zeon. If you purchase multiples of this figure you can build an interesting scene with a couple of extra Geara Doga figures, I will put that on the to-do list myself. :)
RGZ-91 Re-GZ B.W.S.
Here comes the least impressive figure of this volume. Not that it is a bad figure in itself, it is just a bit underwhelming when you compare it to the other DX figures, I think Bandai could have spent a little bit more effort on the BWS.
The Back Weapon System for the Re-GZ adds additional Beam Cannon weaponry and boosters for the RGZ-91 Re-GZ prototype mobile suit turning it into what looks like a fighter jet with legs. The mobile suit itself can be seen peeking through on the underside even though it wears its normally arm-carried shield atop of its chest for added protection.
As you can see from the component shots here we actually only get the Re-GZ with legs in flight position and the arms hidden inside the wings. I don't know exactly where the arms go, other figures such as the one released in
Assault Kingdom retained the full mobile suit body and just added the B.W.S. on top of it. This is where I feel the HG EX figure is a bit underwhelming. It would have been nice to get some option parts to build the Re-GZ without the B.W.S. as well. A couple extra arms and legs is all it would have taken really.
The biggest complaint I have against this figure however is that it doesn't come with a proper base. I mean seriously, we get a cradle matching the body colour for the shield to rest on. This is neither sturdy, nor attractive and it does not allow for any creative poses. I don't understand why they couldn't come up with something more interesting, just look at the Zeong in this set for example, which does get a proper action base.
The regular Gashapon HG figure series features the Re-GZ mobile suit itself in one of the most awkward poses seen in the series. It doesn't help that the colours of the two figures are completely different either. Poor Re-GZ, you deserved a lot better...
MSN-02 Zeong
I just briefly mentioned the Zeong and here it comes in full size glory. I have never been a fan of the design itself but I have to say that this realization of the machine turned out really well. It looks chunky, mean and ready for business.
There are two different schools of painting in this figure set. The Turn-X, Zeong and The-O come with nice paintjobs with extra washes or metallic detail. The Geara Doga and the B.W.S. follow the basic practice of the regular Gashapon HG figures. This Zeong figure has the best paint apps of the lot here I think, it almost looks as if made out of metal.
The base design is perhaps not the most attractive but it is very functional and helps keep the Zeong balanced as it lunges forward to mess someone's day up.
The Zeong has been released five times in the Gashapon HG series. First we have the rather primitive looking figure sans base from HG MS volume 12, released in 1999 (center). Then there were two similar figures with slight colour variations on rather tall bases with Zeon logos released as part of the Char Aznable special set from April 2004 (far left) as well as a limited edition Gashapon HG set also from 2004 (far right). Here we also see a Perfect Zeong from the first wave of Mecha Selection figures, part one released in 2000, which is really tiny by comparison. If you would like a Perfect Zeong for your Gashapon HG line-up I would instead recommend the much better looking 1:300 figure from
Strategy of Gundam EX V released in 2007, which isn't as tricky to find as many of the other S.O.G. figures.
The HG EX Zeong has a decent size advantage over the regular Gashapon HG figures which makes it a better match for them. Here it poses with one of the many RX-78's released through the figure line. I used some Assault Kingdom action base components since I am not a big fan of the large coloured bases and prefer to use clear parts whenever possible.
PMX-003 The-O
The last figure in this set and the final evolution of Paptimus Scirocco's mobile suit design (unless you count that PMX-004 Titania abomination from
SD Gundam G Generation). Standing almost 25 meters tall it has a clear size advantage over a regular 18 meter size mobile suit and is also much bulkier. As such it makes perfect sense to include it in the HG EX line. Paptimus' other designs are spread out in the regular Gashapon HG figure line as well as the Mecha Selection series which features the PMX-000 Messala.
Just like the Zeong, it is the paintjob that sells this figure. What could easily have looked like a cheap yellow lump of plastic instead has a really nice paint job with a fine wash bringing out a lot of the detail and also making the machine look a bit worn from use. I really like the attention to detail on the exposed parts of the legs underneath the armor plating as well.
The PMX-003 (yeah, you try saying "the the-o"...) comes armed with a single beam rifle which has an output rivaling the Mega Launcher used by the Hyaku-Shiki. The figure does not include sub-arms or a beam saber, something which was apparently developed later (as you will see below).
The-O started out its career in Gashapon HG as a regular sized figure in volume 18 released in March 2001. This figure is somewhat rare when compared to many of the other regular Gashapon HG figures but can easily be ignored since the two figures that came after beat it in just about everything. Next in line we see the figure released in the Gashapon HG DX 4 set from March 2006. As you can clearly see it is based on the Mecha Selection figure but now also features two sub-arms including that oh-so nice looking beam saber. Too bad this was not implemented on the Mecha Selection figure (which would also have rendered the DX4 figure unnecessary).
While the PMX-003 Messala is released as a rather sizable Mecha Selection figure (sorry, I don't know where mine is right now...) the PMX-001 Palace Athene and PMX-002 Bolinoak-Sammahn were released in the regular Gashapon HG line. This is perhaps a bit cruel to the Palace Athene but at least we have it as a figure so there is that (the FW Ultimate Operation 1:220 variant would be a good stand-in here).
Conclusion
Overall the figures in this set are great and if you enjoy collecting the Gashapon HG figures there is no reason to skip on any of the Gashapon HG EX or Mech Selection figure sets in my opinion. Not only are you filling out important gaps in the line-up but the EX figures are usually quite cheap and bring out that extra oomph that some of the regular figures are missing out on. While boxed figures tend to be really rare these days it is easy to find Gashapon HG figures of all types in secondhand markets and to some extent from Japanese sellers on eBay.
