The HG Mobile Suit Selection series is a Gashapon phenomenon that produced around 300 different figures during its run between 1995 and 2006. The series is also supported by a DX and an EX line and today's review is examining one of the last EX sets which was released sometime in 2004. This really wasn't a planned thing, I was digging around my storage for a completely different figure and somehow decided it was time to finally assemble this complete set which meant even more sifting through unassembled minis in plastic bags. Decisions of this kind tend to cause chain reactions in storage since - as we all know - figures are much easier to manage when they are not yet built, with pointy fins and guns sticking out in every direction. Mecha Selection 7 is a true nightmare in this regard.
Like the other releases in this 8-wave series, each set is comprised of five different figures, distributed in blind boxes. While the ordinary HG Gashapon figures would be sold through capsule machines these somewhat larger figures come in generic cardboard boxes displaying the full set of figures on the sides. Three of the figures also feature alternate display modes so if you are like me, you'll probably want to grab duplicates of these. While Mecha Selection Gashapons usually aren't that pricy in Japan they can be hard to find abroad. I have picked up a couple of complete waves for ¥1500 per lot, meaning the price is pretty much intact since its retail release heyday.
HG Mobile Suit Selection Gashapon figures are usually made of softer and slightly bendy plastic while some details are sometimes made of sturdier material. Expect to see lots of bent components if you decide to dip your feet into this Gashapon experience.
GX-9900 Gundam X
Alright, first out in this wave is the signature Gundam X from the After War Gundam X series. The original Mobile Suit Selection figure series actually featured a couple of mobile suits from this show all the way back in 1996 and 1997, but those figures are pretty rudimentary when compared to the standard these figures had arrived at in 2004.
The new Gundam X figure has an overall chunky feeling to it and the dynamic pose looks great. The Satellite Cannon is relegated to storage on the back but you get an option between a large beam sword or the Divider's beam machinegun. The paint scheme is adequate but pretty basic; you won't find any weathering on these figures for example.
The figure comes separated into three smaller plastic bags which help keeping the parts from being awkwardly bent for the most part. I really like not having to deal with the round Gashapon capsules since they are notorious for bending longer components (the recent Ensemble figures drive me nuts sometimes). Notice also the double sided assembly instructions which describe the parts transformation steps for the three variable figures.
GX-9900-DV Gundam X Divider
Changing up the Gundam X into the Divider form is a quick job. You simply replace the backpack and the left hand. You may need to apply quite a bit of force at times since pegs made of softer plastic can be unwilling to cooperate. You may find that the plastic will sometimes twist rather than rotate if the fit is tight so be a bit careful when handling them.
The new signature Divider weapon is a makeshift combo of flight booster, protective shield and multiple beam cannon. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to use my offensive and high mobility systems as a means to withstand attacks. It looks superb though, but does make the figure very front-heavy if you try to extend it very far. The included support that clips around one of the ankles can help a little here.
Here are the two versions side by side and sporting the ugly leg clips. Most of the Gashapon HG figures have solid colour leg support pieces like these tat can look a bit awkward but you can usually get by without using them.
PMX-000 Messala
The second figure is the strangely long-legged high-mobility type suit first in line of Paptimus Scirocco's personal designs. I never tire of the Messala and I was really happy to finally see it pop-up in Converge recently after all these years. The Mecha Selection figure also has an ace up its sleeve, in that it can transform into its high speed Mobile Armor mode.
The 1985 show Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam is full of awkwardly transforming mobile suit for the heck of it, something that must have been giving grey hairs to the toy designers over the years. Not only is the Messala tall and slim, but it also features two large and heavy boosters over the shoulders, that make the figure considerably back heavy. The Mecha Selection figure decides to remedy this by using the included flight stand also in mobile suit mode, and so you have a figure with a bit of a forward stoop. While I am not too happy about the way this looks there is no denying that this figure is damn steady on its feet now and it looks devilishly grim when faced head on.
The assembly of this figure can be a bit of a head scratcher, I got my first figure without the instruction sheet and I had no clue how to even begin to transform it back into MS form. Notice that no handheld weapons are included with the figure.
PMX-000 Messala (Mobile Armor Mode)
You can see the conversion instruction in the parts display above, I still find it confusing to look at but thankfully the number of components is limited which somehow makes it more manageable.
In Mobile Armor mode, this version of the Messala has gone from looking menacing and capable to something that more resembles a large bird trying to get airborne. I think it is the strange angle of the figure that does it - you'd normally expect the flight mode to be level in a horizontal fashion (if there was ever something like that in space...). I think this is mainly a restriction that we have to live with in order for the figure to successfully transform. This is why I usually prefer carefully molded minis that do not transform.
Here I have built a makeshift base from the modular Assault Kingdom bases to give the figure a more interesting angle of attack. I think this is a better way of focusing on the flight boosters than the legs when in MA form.
Apsalus II
While the Gashapon HG figure series is usually trying to stay somewhere around 1:280 scale there are plenty of outliers but I think this is probably the largest discrepancy you will find. The Apsalus II mobile armor is a bold choice for this figure series.
While I mentioned that the Mecha Selection figures usually don't hold that much value in Japan I have seen people asking crazy money for this particular figure. For the longest time there was one for sale for $100 on eBay (it might still be around), my main guess is that this figure is very attractive to collectors/gamers of the smaller 1:400 figures. It is of course also a very beautiful miniature in its own right; the smaller scale also helps to make it look more detailed.
The Apasalus II body consists of two large chunks of soft plastic that are held together by its stub wings, each of which has two pegs that lock the two halves of the body in place. The whole thing feels very sturdy and heavy but the included stand has no issues dealing with it. Again, the choice of blue is a strange decision here, since virtually all stands for the common Mobil Suit Selection figures are similar but made out of clear plastic instead.
ZMT-S29S Zanneck
We have seen a couple of large figures in this set but the Zanneck goes the extra mile and will make an enormous footprint on your display shelf thanks to its peculiar weapon systems. I have actually bought a couple but so far only assembled one of them because I haven't yet figured out how to successfully store them in assembled form.
The Zanneck figure is very bulky and has large feet which help it stand upright but Bandai has also included an extra support that plugs into the back skirt as seen here. The entire pose is very specific since both arms are involved in holding its enormous mega beam cannon. I would personally have liked if the figure had an optional pose where the two Minovsky Particle Accelerators (the two red c-shaped components attached to the shoulders, the cyan-coloured rings are effect parts) were deactivated and folded back, since this would make it easier to display multiple units. :)
As with the other figures in this set it is possible to strip the Zanneck into more parts than visible here. As usual I prefer to display the figures in the half-assembled form that they come directly out of the packaging, whenever possible.
XXXG-01SR2 Gundam Sandrock Kai (EW)
Just like the Gundam X, you can find the five Colony Nations machines from Gundam Wing among the earliest releases of the Gashapon HG Mobile Suit Selection line (in fact they are released as the very first wave in 1995). A few of the Endless Waltz versions followed scattered among the later sets and the EW version of the Sandrock finally arrived here. Worth the wait I would say, since it looks fantastic.
As was the case with the Zanneck, the Sandrock Kai also likes to steal a lot of shelf space for its overly large Heat Shotel gear. These blades are made from slightly firmer plastic than the rest of the body but as clearly visible here, the right blade has got itself a curved tip from its time spent in the box.
No optional weapons are included with this figure but you do get its large anti-beam weapon coated cloak instead. It consists of two parts that clip together at the shoulders, as well as a different torso underneath.
XXXG-01SR2 Gundam Sandrock Kai (Cloak Version) (EW)
You can follow the steps in the figure's transformation on the information leaflet in the parts sheet above. You have to remove the entire torso (minus the head) and store the two blades on optional components attached to its little backpack.
Looking pretty good there, sir. I am thankful this figure is not an action figure because it would have been a nightmare to try to manage it with this large cloak. Even though the blades are quite large they don't weigh much and with the added weight of the cloak I found that my figure stands safely upright as long as the surface is relatively flat.
I like both versions of the Sandrock Kai a lot. I am normally a bit skeptical to mobile suits with cloaks (like the Crossbone or Exia Repair for example) but I think it is pulled off really well here. Too bad Quatre couldn't get some anti-beam protection for the sensitive head gear though...
Conclusion
The Mecha Selection EX figures are a delight when combined with the regular Gashapon HG Mobile Suit Selection figures and some of them are large enough or detailed enough to almost sneak their way into a 1:220 collection. As with all soft plastic Gashapon though, they are an acquired taste and not for everyone. If you are on the lookout for these your best bet is secondhand Gashapon markets in Asia. If you go online, try to find used lots rather than individual figures sold at high mark-ups by sellers eager to make a buck. Gashapon figures from this era weren't made to be exclusive or hard to get unlike the disaster that the marketplace has turned into in recent years.
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