One of my favourite releases of 2020 was the CORE Shrike Team set which saw no less than nine mobile suits (and a core fighter) bundled together in a box featuring individual unit markings on each machine as well as a selection of weapon choices. The Black Tri-Stars box-set of 2021 followed and now we have arrived at special package dedicated to the Zeon Space Force 302nd Squadron. Converge has arrived at a point where this imagination can finally be realized and I hope we will see more endeavours such as these because I am really addicted to them.
The 302nd Squadron set is a Premium Bandai-only release and shipped to customers in May 2022. The package was priced at ¥5100 in Japan and when I picked it up in late May the price had climbed to ¥7000 on the secondary market.
The box gives you a really good rundown of what to expect inside. As usual with CORE releases we are sort on mobile suit technical specifications on the cover. Each figure also comes in its own numbered bag complete with its dedicated accessories. The box I bought was previously opened and so I guess this is why there is no chewing gum inside.
MS-14A Gelgoog (Anavel Gato Custom)
Lieutenant Gato, also known as the Nightmare of Solomon, took command of the 302nd during the latter half of the One Year War when the Principality of Zeon was on the back foot (thanks to some snotty kid in a Gundam) and he was eventually convinced to stand down during the hopeless battle of A Baoa Qu, joining with Colonel Aiguille Delaz to fight another day. We can see Gato maneuvering his custom blue Gelgoog for a couple of seconds in the opening of Stardust Memory before it loses a limb and he is force to retreat. The suit is lovingly reproduced in Converge form and liberally sprinkled with unit markings that I don't remember from the show, but hey, I am not complaining.
Apart from the generic Gelgoog weaponry we have seen with older figures the figure also comes with the long prototype beam rifle that is so emblematic to Gato's machine. He doesn't actually use it in Stardust Memory but it has its source in some other storyline or game that I am not familiar with. I have had a conversion project planned for the longest of time, where I planned to have a mass production Gelgoog figure repainted and armed with said rifle from the 1/300 Strategy of Gundam figure. That project never went ahead because I wasn't convinced that the large rifle would look that good with a Converge figure but here Bandai comes and outfits it with an even larger accessory. The sculpt is excellent to be sure but to be frank I really don't like this new trend of oversized Converge weaponry that we also saw in the recent 10th Anniversary Selection set. The figure doesn't really gain anything from making the weapon overly large in my opinion and it becomes an extra hassle to store.
The figure has all the usual features of the lovely Converge Sharp Gelgoog sculpt. The shield fits on either the left arm or at a fixed angle on the backpack.
Whenever Bandai comes up with a new figure series they are normally quick to churn out the Zaku II, the Gouf and the Dom... but then it stops. I am really happy to see all the love that Converge has given to the MS-14 which now has a very thorough line-up. The chance of seeing any further ace variants or MSVs probably isn't that great but one can always hope for a Cima Fleet special with the Marine Type Gelgoogs and Cima's own MS-14Fs at the lead. Wouldn't that have been fitting now that Stardust Memory is everywhere in the Shokugan space?
MS-06R-1A Zaku II High Mobility Type (Anavel Gato Custom)
Next up we have a new acquaintance for me, a High Mobility Type Zaku II flying Gato's colours. I'm sure it has already been featured somewhere in a game or Manga somewhere. One interesting thing here is that the mobile suit is lacking a commander antenna, indicating that Gato may have piloted it before taking command of the 302nd.
The Black Tri-Stars box set really went all-in on the High Mobility Zaku II gear and so all of it is replicated here, including the puny little Zaku bazooka. Still, the choice is all yours.
The High mobility family is also growing nicely and probably won't grow that much larger now (Note that the Johnny Ridden Custom machine seen here is not posing with the weapon included with the figure).
MS-09RS Rick Dom (Anavel Gato Custom)
Here is another interesting face I had not seen before. Again, Gato probably gets himself a nice custom Rick Dom in a game or novel somewhere but I had not heard of it before. It is a peculiar colour scheme for a Dom but I like it. The printed unit markings came off a bit blurry in some of these photos but they are nice and crisp in reality.
We have great accessories also for the Rick Dom and the Beam Bazooka is finally making its Converge #Sharp premiere. We also get a completely closed fist version of the right hand for a really casual display option.
I was able to swap the gear between the Gelgoog and the Rick Dom for some additional display options.
MS-09R Rick Dom (302nd Patrol Squadron Units 02 and 03)
Rounding out the set are a pair of Rick Doms of the line, tirelessly carrying out the task of holding back the seemingly endless squadrons of EFSF GM's threatening the very existence of the Principality. While the machines the standard violet and black colour scheme they also sport the same type of unit markings as Gato's machine. Again, apologies for a blurry photo, I might redo it in the future.
Each machine as the choice of a 360mm Bazooka or a lusciously luminous heat saber. When held in hand you also have the option of putting an empty storage peg on the back pack which is a nice touch. The standard Rick Dom does not carry the Beam Bazooka and the different hand colours make it less attractive to equip Gato's personal launcher on either of these two figures.
The extended Dom family in Converge #Sharp is looking really good although there is a most obvious red suit missing. I found it curious that Bandai didn't include Char's MS-09RS n the trail of the Red Comet box set, speculating that a different set might be due where it came bundled with the G-3 Gundam. Well, the G-3 is already out in the regular figure line so it will be interesting to see if this important mobile suit will finally be realized.
No Anavel Gato line-up is complete without the Neue Ziel (and I guess the GP02A although it really tends to stand out in an odd way) and Gundam Converge has you covered with two beautiful versions of the mobile armor, the CORE variant from 2020 seen here. As I have said many times before, the Neue Ziel is the gold standard for a Converge EX figure that all the others must measure themselves to, what a perfect realization it is.
Conclusion
All things considered, the 302nd set re-hashes a lot of the existing Converge sculpts out there but man what a beautiful set it is. The high price will of course be a detriment to its already limited appeal but for those that like to go all-in this set is phenomenal. I can't wait to see if Bandai will keep this type of sets alive and I can easily think of a lot of suitable candidates.
