Mobile Suit Ensemble Part 00

The Mobile Suit Ensemble line was jump-started with a two-piece introductory promo set that seemed to be everywhere at the time but which has grown a bit scarce since then. Released in the end of 2016 it is basically an appetizer of what was to come in the first retail volume which also featured an RX-78 and a Zaku II, albeit in the regular UC 0079 colours. The figures in this set are also of considerably higher standard as far as colouring and markings go.

 

I have never seen a cardboard box version of this set and so cannot confirm if one ever existed. The Ensemble capsule editions are normally colour coded and so the Gundam should come in a yellow capsule while the Zaku II came in one that was red. Both figures were priced at ¥500 same as regular retail figures. Expect to pay around ¥2000 to ¥3000 for them these days. Per figure, that is...

 

 

001 : RX-78-2 Gundam (Rollout Color)

 

The first ever Ensemble figure credit goes to the RX-78, no major surprise there perhaps. More interestingly Bandai decided to use the less often seen Rollout Colour version colour scheme for the figure and sticking some nonsense markings on it like they enjoy doing for the Ensemble Marking Plus version figures these days.

 

This figure is currently unique in Mobile Suit Ensemble history by having really shiny metallic color coating on some of its bodyparts, no doubt trying to seduce collectors into the line. Once the basic RX-78 figure appeared in Ensemble Part 01 it was back to the basic white plastic again. Notice the "L" and "R" markings on the thighs, these type of helpful markings are covered up much better on later figures.

 

The figure comes with same gear as the other retail Gundam figures, a beam saber and a shield (although a lot more effort was spent on the paintjob and markings here of course). Notice the additional components at the far right of the picture, this kind of bonus parts were common in the early sets and are thrown in to encourage you to customize your figures by swapping and adding components to them. Dead weight as far as I am concerned, a shiny hyper bazooka would have been a better accessory. :)

 

The Rollout Color version Gundam next to its mass production retail version from Ensemble Part 01 (also December 2016) and the much later G-3 Gundam which was part of the Part 1.5 revised colour set released in May 2019.

 

 

 

002 : MS-06S Zaku II (Char's Custom) (Battle of Loum Version)

Going up against the Gundam is Char's Zaku II with markings that are supposedly harking back to The Origin territory. I cannot really comment on the accuracy of the unit markings but it wouldn't surprise me if they are added as an afterthought. The figure itself though is a basic Zaku II figure as used for the regular UC 0079 mass production type Zaku II. Notice also the absence of a commander antenna on this figure, maybe that is why the decided to make this an "Origin version" figure? I don't know enough about the Origin lore.

 

Whatever the reasoning behind the special markings on this figure it is very attractive and it is a bit odd for Bandai to make place a notable mobile suit in what is basically a promo-set.

 

The Zaku II figure comes armed with a Zaku Machine Gun as its only accessory. Once again we have a couple of spare connector parts of the type you would find in early Ensemble equipment sets, space that would have been better dedicated to a Heat Hawk or a Zaku Bazooka. With all the juice spent on fancy markings you would have thought Bandai could also have emphasized that the figures would feature different gear choices as well.

 

The Zaku II family has expanded nicely over time in Ensemble but the early figures remain very hard to find and are quite pricey. It is the curse of spending a number of the iconic suit choices early in a figure line only for them to be difficult to pick up for fans that joined in later.

 

Ensemble Part 00 is a remarkably beautiful preview set that could perhaps be accused of driving up expectations as far as markings and overall finish goes, since the basic retail Ensemble figures are a bit simpler. It is still worth hunting down these figures but be prepared that they are not that easy to find. Do not confuse the Rollout Color version Gundam with the recently released Gundam Café Tokyo limited colour version which in my opinion is not as impressive as this one.