In March 2019 Bandai released a Gundam F90 EX figure pack hot on the heels of the retail F91 figure. beyond the Gundam F90 itself it also included option parts to create its D-Type and H-Type modes. The release must have been reasonable successful because this feat was repeated in February 2021 with two more option pack sets, bringing the total F90 configurations up to seven. This review will examine the first of these two packs which allows you to build the F90 Type A and P respectively.
This kit was released as a Premium Bandai product at a price point of ¥3850 which is quite hefty, considering you only get one single normal size figure out of it, albeit with a lot of option parts. As usual with these reviews I have picked up multiple sets although this time I only needed two, since I have the basic F90 from the original EX10 pack and so there is no need to rebuild it. I picked up two boxes of this figure from Mandarake pretty much at the time of its release, priced at ¥5500 each. The price has since come down a little, I think it is now in the region of ¥4500 to ¥5000 but with the Ensemble figures you never really know if they will go up or down.
The box contains your typical full load of plastic bags and a decent enough build instruction although most effort is spent on how to assemble the basic F90 figure. The illustrations can be a bit unclear due to the small size and being black and white only but if you pay close attention it shouldn't be that complicated. As usual, many parts are labelled L and R for left and right arm and leg and many of the option parts are also marked with an A or P to assist you in sorting out which components go with which option mode.
While the optional modes don't focus much on traditional accessories you still get a decent number of useful components here such as two types of optional hands, a pair of beam sabers and full beam rifle and shield equipment for the F90 mode itself.
I'll start by recycling part of the Ensemble EX 10 review which has the same basic Gundam F90 inside. There could possibly be the slightest of colour difference here or there but hey, if Bandai can recycle their figures then I can copy-paste my review...
F90 Gundam F90 (Unit 1)
This is the basic configuration of the F0 and is a really traditional design as far as a mobile suits and Gundams in particular go. The figure is for all intents and purposes a regular Ensemble figure with a couple of finesses tacked on to it. Specifically we have nice blue armor plating on the shoulders, arms and lower legs that plug into the elbow and knee joints, effectively covering those ugly holes up. Since the shield occupies this same slot you will have to sacrifice one of the armor plates on that arm, it would have been nice to see a different engineering solution but it is fine.
The figure comes with three types of manipulators; the regular holding hands common to all Ensemble figures as well as expressive open hands and clenched fists for both left and right arm. Apart from the single beam rifle we also have two beam sabers made up of clear plastic parts for the blades and solid whites for the handles. The handles slot into the backpack when the sabers are not in use. This simple gimmick should have been made standard for all Ensemble figures right from the start, since it makes both the sabers and the backpacks really attractive.
I put in most of the effort on this figure to make the shield look at least somewhat decent, since it is missing its yellows and most egregiously the number "90" which is almost a hate crime. Seriously, you are making a P-Bandai figure and you couldn't even put such an iconic detail on there? I obviously don't have any decals for a Gundam F90 lying around but the transfers I used for the Swedish Army project came in handy here.
F90A Gundam F90 Assault Type
This is an alternate configuration of the F90 intended for long range missions or deep insertion behind enemy lines. It is basically the F90 with a back-mounted flightpack and the legs and arms receive additional thrusters and fuel tanks. The flightpack makes the figure heavier on the backside but I had no issues posing it without support. Its range of poses will of course be severely restricted unless you put it on a sturdy base. Overall the Assault Mode is a cheerful blue and black which maintains the colourful appearance of the F90 figure, something that the earlier option packs failed to do, since they were mainly black and dark green.
The F90A gets a large Beam Bazooka which actually sits best stowed on the back skirt. its size combined with the large flight pack means you will have trouble doing anything interesting with it. The soft plastic muzzle piece on my bazooka fits really bad and keeps squeezing itself back out, I will have to do something about that, perhaps cutting the peg entirely and gluing it in place.
F90P Gundam F90 Plunge Type
The second alternate mode in this box is the Plunge Type variation which like the Assault Type focuses on fast aerial combat. The Plunge Type configuration also allows the mobile suit to reenter the Earth's atmosphere from orbit using the additional heat resistant armor parts in a way which reminds me of the Flying Armor that the RX-178 Gundam Mk-II uses. The Plunge Type armor can also parts transform into a Fighter Mode for increased maneuverability in air combat.
The F90P has a lot in common with the design ideas of the F90A. Both have additional thrusters on the legs but this unit also has fins. The F90P however has to hold on to its large wings like a glider and so effectively loses the ability to use its hands. At first I wasn't sure what to make of it (especially since I wanted to use the cool open option hands at first...) but it has started to grow on me. On the back sits the head casing used in Fighter Mode which looks a bit ridiculous but at least it is nicely coloured in red and black so I am giving it a pass. On the shoulders finally we have a swivel mounted beam cannon and an extensive sensor suite with some nicely coloured sensor parts.
Converting the F90P into its mobile armor mode is simple enough. You simply fold the head casing forward to cover the entire head and then you swivel the beam cannon to face straight up. The official artwork shows the F90 holding the heat shields in front of its body but that is a tall order for an Ensemble figure which was never designed to pull off a move like that.
In Fighter Mode the F90P resembles an aircraft with a forward pointing gun which is pretty cool. A large and sturdy action base is included with the figure to support both mobile suit and armor modes but as usual it is big and rather ugly and doesn't offer much in the way of interesting poses so I prefer to slap something together with the Assault Kingdom figure bases instead. Neat!
Conclusion
I really enjoyed the first F90 option parts pack and this box brings more of the same. While it is perhaps a bit ridiculous that the Gundam F90 has so many modes (it feels like someone tried to come up a mode for each letter in the alphabet just for the heck of it...) I still enjoy collecting them but I imagine they are of limited interest to casual collectors. Do pick up at least one F90 pack for the collection though because the base figure is very attractive.
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