In spite of the difficult situation on the pre-painted figure market the Gundam Converge brand seems to thrive and grow. The last couple of years have seen on average around fifty different figures released each year and the series show no signs of stopping so far with 20 something announced for 2022 already. On top of that, 2021 has also seen the introduction of two off-shoots from the already diversified Converge product family. The larger +Plus figures debuted in January and in August it was time for another premier; the Converge SB or Space Battleship series.
I am really curious (and honestly a bit skeptical) about how this new SB brand will be developed. The White Base was already released "in-scale" in 2018 as a gargantuan toy that I had zero interest in buying, but the new pocket-size SB concept really appeals to me. I had no idea what to expect from this first release so it was with a bit of excitement that I dug into the box.
The dreary (and honestly rather flimsy) black and white box itself looks like a bland Converge CORE P-Bandai thing which leads me to believe that the volume Bandai expected to sell must have been quite low. The P-Bandai price of ¥4950 certainly doesn't help either. Inside we find two bags of parts protected with some extra bubble wrapping and of course the Shokugan chewing gum.
While I didn't know exactly what I was going to find I did let out a little sigh of disappointment when I realized that this is not going to be a classic soft plastic Converge figure. No, it is one of those model kit-crossovers made in sturdy hard plastic. This is of course is great for maintaining crisp and straight detail on things like fins and guns but one of the charms of the Converge line has always been the soft and chunky aesthetic and this is something a bit different. Notice by the way how the parts are numbered on the runners but there is no assembly introduction leaflet included (or printed inside the box) which seems an odd thing to skip. The photos from different angles on the box still make assembly a quick affair but it seems to me like a really curious omission.
I have to give it to the designers, this figure looks great. There are some imperfections in how some of the parts line-up but as a whole that has always been part of the Converge experience. I am not too thrilled about the stand to be honest, the figure is simply laid to rest upon it meaning it will fall off as soon as you begin handling or moving it. I would much have preferred a simple peg hole in the bottom of the hull compatible with the already perfected Assault Kingdom action bases which would have given you a lot of freedom in determining how to pose it. Right now the White Base will sit perfectly level on a large black base. I would have thought a clear base more prudent, especially if you would like to elevate it to sit above your mobile suits figures for example. Oh well, you will get to figure that part out yourself.
The colour applications - often enforced through parts-separation - is great, the underside of the hull is even better looking than the top-side. The rich detail will be a good starting point for people wanting to panel-line or further repaint the model.
Check out the nice detail on the bridge section. The sculpting work on this figure requires some real appreciation.
We have a couple of gimmicks and options to go through as well. Beyond the opening and closing hangar bay doors (on both sides) we also have some option parts for the various armaments carried by the Sphinx-like White Base. Each of the two yellow circular hull sections can be posed with its Twin Mega Particle Cannons exposed or closed. In addition, each cannon sits on a peg and can rotate horizontally. On the ship's "forecastle" we have options to deploy its main 580mm twin gun as well as six of the ship's twin-gun AA emplacements.
In addition to the option parts you can also remove the side panels from the two hangar bays for a look inside. A lot of effort has been spent on the detail of the hangar bays and they look absolutely superb.
With all the attention to detail inside the mobile suit hangars - even including repositionable shackles for the mobile suit's feet - it seems an odd choice not to include even the simplest of mobile suit figures to go inside. I mean even a tiny rigid all white Gundam figure would have gone a long way and I'm sure a lot of people would be happy to paint them up. I guess maybe if the SB series takes off we can look forward to a CORE metal color version with mini-figures for twice the price...
Conclusion
I am not yet sure what to make out of the Converge Space Battleship series. As far as I am aware there hasn't even been any announcement of a possible next ship in line? It wouldn't at all surprise me if sales are weak (especially considering the rather steep price) and that the SB series will disappear quietly into the night but I do hope we will see more of it. For now, I would treat this as a one-off novelty item and plan accordingly.
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