SD Gundam Full Color Stage 5

What is this, another legacy figure set? What happened to the recent releases from Ensemble and Mobility Joint, even Converge has some new releases out? Well, they are in various stages of being shipped and assembled (and some of the pricy ones I will be skipping entirely). The darkest season of the year is also limiting the time available for photography so things always move a bit slow here in the winter. Instead I have dug up one of the old Full Color sets from the archives, this one hailing from September 1998 - just barely missing its 25th anniversary. The SD figure range is not what it used to be and at this point I question if we can really say it is still alive. I suppose Gashapon Senshi Forte hasn't been technically confirmed dead but we have now gone a full year without any new releases, and I don't think that the Mobility Joint figures can be considered a proper successor (even though I am sure Bandai does). Anyway... on with the review.


Like most of the early SD figures the articulation and moving parts are both limited in these designs. Some of the figures will have fixed heads and arms while others can swivel, sometimes only one of the arms will be movable for example.




025 : RX-78-2 Gundam (Ver 5.0)


Let's start with the easily most uninteresting figure in the box, the Gundam. Why least interesting? Because each of the early sets kept a spot for it on the roster so we're already up to five different poses which is getting a bit samey. I guess on the plus-side, if you were designing a miniatures game this would be an excellent player character choice since it has many weapon options to choose from. The most standout thing about this particular figure is the expressive left hand which gives a few ideas for diorama posing as well as the fact it is lacking a shield (and support for one).






026 : RB-79 Ball (Ver.1.0)


The first stages of the Full Color line was basically going through the One Year War chronologically and at this point we have reached the end-phase where some of the big boys are coming out. Not so frightening but appearing in greater number is the Federation Ball, a circular shaped coffin for its unlucky pilot. The SD figure has some problems with its arms that are prone to bending into the centre obscuring its greatest painted feature. It has no support for the traditional SD action base, presumably because it wasn't invented yet. A lot of the early mobile armour figures share the same issue.


A properly based Ball (a pair actually, insert your own joke here) appear in SD Full Color Stage 47 but they aren't too exciting either. The Gashapon Warrior NEXT line did it right with a completely cleaned up design, but that would be 15 years into the future...






027 + 028 : RX-77-2 Guncannon (Ver.2.0 + Ver.3.0) (Unit 108 and 109)


I'm being a bit lazy here reviewing two different figures as one, after all it is only the unit number that differs between them. We've seen the mobile suit already, but this time around the design has been spiced up with said numbering; Kai and Hayato now also have beam rifles to protect themselves after using up all their cannon rounds.


A selection of Guncannon units, from left to right: The first version from Stage 1 released in October 1997, the two units from Stage 5, a The Origin retcon predecessor RX-77-1 (that designation is still a headache, I went over it in the review of Stage 36) and the 4.0 version of the RX-77-2 from Stage 25 which can now swivel its cannons since they are attached to the head instead of the backpack.






029 : MS-06R-2 Zaku II High Mobility Type (Johnny Ridden Custom)


Bandai mixes and matches from different sources in this set. Just like the two Guncannons, Ridden's High Mobility Type doesn't appear in the original television series and instead leads a complicated life in the background lore of various MSV and manga accounts. Whatever its fate the red blitz really doesn't need any introduction, it is such an iconic design that the developers couldn't wait to throw it into SD form. I am not particularly fond of figures with the monoeye shifted to one side, I always prefer the centre view. The many fins on the High Mobility Zaku also blend into its legs making the figure look a bit blander than it really is.


The R-2 may have appeared early but you had to wait until October 2007 to get your hands on Ridden's High Mobility Type Gelgoog (released in the SD Full Color Custom series, wave 13). The Zaku appears again as a tiny figure in the rare SD Gundam Bind series in 2009 (I don't have one at hand) and then unfortunately skips all the Gashapon Warrior figure series until its last show in Mobility Joint volume 1 in 2022. Rough times, Johnny.






030 : MS-14A Gelgoog (Ver.1.0)


Another glorious Zeon design that I don't think we see often enough is the Gelgoog powerhouse. Being at the pinnacle of the One Year War tech tree this baby comes armed with beam weaponry, in this case a less practical but cool looking Beam Naginata. Of course you will see figures with various bends on the weapon but for the most part they stay somewhat in shape. I love this figure but it is a pity it doesn't have a shield on its back. The Gelgoog also returns with a beam rifle on a flying base in Stage 47.






031 : MSN-02 Perfect Zeong


The Zeong made its first appearance in Stage 4 and here it is again in Stage 5 after having had time to attach its legs. I have to say the figure has a lot of nice paint detail, especially the yellow rims on its hands. Again that thing with the side-looking mono-eye, but at least we have options here. I also like that the legs are an easily removable part so that you can transform your figure into the basic MSN-02 Zeong if you like.


various incarnations of the Zeong from left to right: The OG variant from previously mentioned Stage 4 (released two months earlier in July 1998), our Stage 5 Perfect Zeong, the version 3.0 figure with High Mobility Gear from Stage 48 (April 2004) and the goto-version of the Perfect Zeong from the SD Full Color DX line, released with a little Char pilot figurine. There is also a flying base Zeong figure in Stage 37 which I am currently waiting for to arrive, it will pop up here on the blog eventually.






Conclusion

SD Full Color Stage 5 is one of your typical early Full Color sets, with the less articulated but larger and arguably more chunky looking figures. It is a solid SD FC set and has several classic suits and armours that you don't want to miss out on if you are in to the original U.C. 0079 saga.

Gashapon HG Mobile Suit Selection 28

Today we are looking at the 28th of 40 volumes of Gashapon HG figurines. The set is unique among the basic 40 in that it is completely dedicated to Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, the wave released in the summer of 2003 as the series was nearing its conclusion. I would classify the set as one of the lesser seen waves of the Gashapon HG series but the prices don't really reflect it. I picked up a second full set as recently as this autumn priced at only ¥1000.


The HG figures continued to evolve during their lifetime and at this point in the series the figures have become quite complex with multiple components and articulation points that unfortunately also have to fit within a tiny Gashapon capsule. Bent parts continues to be the biggest nemesis of Gashapon figures even to this day.


Each figure in this set typically comes in a couple of smaller plastic bags, with the components more or less separated. This is how the figures came out of their packaging this time around but you will see individual differences, sometimes a component will be attached to one figure but loose on another, and you can pick these figures apart even further if you like. Notice how two of the figures do not get any support for their legs and that the Freedom gets one of the standardized flying bases used across this figure series (and a few related ones).



GAT-X370 Raider Gundam


The booklet has the Freedom on the front cover but not inside so I will start with the figure at the front, which just so happens to be one of my absolute favourites as well... The Raider figure is quite complex with a lot of things going on but when all is assembled it still comes off in a rather static pose. It suffers from bent cannon syndrome here and there but overall has great colouring even with little yellow splotches on the wing tips. This set is the only source for two of the three Earth Federation "boosted man" suits (the Forbidden Gundam is too big to fit in a capsule and sold as a Gashapon HG DX figure) so this is where you need to go to get your fix. There is no mobile armour variant of this figure in the line either.






GAT-X131 Calamity Gundam


Next up is the very uniquely coloured Calamity. For a cheap Gashapon figure the paintjob is outstanding, just look at that shield. A pity then that yours may end up really bent coming out of the capsule. The packaging for these sizable figures with lots of elongated components can be a bit of a nightmare. I sold off my first copy of this figure since the shield was just too bent for my liking. A small leg support is included with the figure but if yours comes out with unbent legs it shouldn't need one (more on that later...).






ZGMF-X10A Freedom Gundam


The Freedom premiered in volume 27 and follows it up immediately with this flying version. It returns once more on a flying base in volume 33 with its railguns extended. After that three variants of the Strike Freedom would follow. I really like the pose of this figure but the wings will almost certainly take a beating from the packaging. I may try to place it under pressure for some time but it isn't unusual for the plastic to slowly warp back again to its original state. Some sort of material memory if you will. Packaging issues aside, it is pretty impressive what Bandai can do with a cheap capsule figure.






GAT-X103 Buster Gundam


The Buster Gundam is up next and I can already hear your thoughts, how on Earth is that thing going to come out straight from a capsule? Yeah, let's just say I have seen mixed results and that I ended up with a rather good and looking figure here, the bazooka is straight and the feet stand flat. When Gashapon HG delivers you get great mini-figures that can be used for all sorts of dioramas or gaming needs.






GAT-X207 Blitz Gundam


The Blitz Gundam is rarely seen in figure form, not because of its Mirage Colloid stealth system but for reasons known only to Bandai. This particular pose is very dynamic but my figure is borderline dealing with it. The legs are a bit bent as you can see and this raises the feet from the ground and making this thing fairly easy to topple over. It does get a large leg support that you can use but I never appreciated those things, the base plate thing that Converge has going right now is easier to stomach I think. This figure returns in the SEED Best special edition together with a translucent plastic colour variant to represent the Mirage Colloid system at work. I haven't yet opened up the packaging of those two, hopefully they will be a little bit more stable in their feet.






MBF-M1 Astray


The last figure in this lot is the unlucky Orb Union mass production type that got pretty much crushed in most of the scenes it was featured in (a frustrating fate that it shares with the Windam). We have a very spindly looking figure with a huge shield and backpack but no leg support is included. Due to constantly skipping leg-day both my figures have problems with thin and bent legs and just won't stand up unaided. Rather than stealing someone else's leg support (which will often be a poor match) I just put something behind it for this review. I consider putting it on a clear base or something to that effect but haven't made the decision yet.





Conclusion

Although I harp and moan about the figure quality a lot in this review I really adore these little figures. There are means to rectify some of their issues but sometimes it might be easier to just look for a replacement figure with a better posture. The good news is that Gashapon HG figures are usually quite cheap, the bad news that they are becoming more difficult to find. Another word of caution is to treat second hand items in used toy stores with a bit of extra scrutiny, sometimes they are missing key components that even the seller will probably have no idea about.

Bandai Spirits / Banpresto Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn: Audrey Burne

We have a new entry in the rapidly growing series of Newtype gal prize figures introduced by Bandai/Banpresto in 2021. It took them a little while to find their groove but now that they are in the middle of it we are seeing a companion line of similar Witch From Mercury released in tandem. It will be interesting to see if the momentum keeps going or if this is its crescendo. I for one would love to see a little late SEED Anniversary figure series in 2024 for example. Anyway, the figure in front of us today is Audrey Burne, adding a face from Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn to the line-up that has so far covered the original U.C.0079 series, Zeta, Double Zeta and Char's Counterattack. Will we get to see Cecily Fairchild from F91 next? The way this series has been showcasing characters not seen that often it would be a natural fit.


The Audrey Burne figure was released in November so this thing is pretty fresh of the shelf from Japan where it is currently selling at a price slightly higher than ¥1000 on the secondary market. Now is a good time to go find it because these figures tend to be everywhere for a while before slowly dropping in availability.


Being arcade prize items these figures are sturdy and a bit simplistic compared to the often elaborate and overworked statues coming out of the pricy MegaHouse ranges for example. However, it is in the simplicity that you also find their charm. The sculpts and level of detail have been fairly realistic and the proportions are usually also not overblown, something that the MegaHouse range tends to exaggerate into sometimes embarrassing levels. The base is a plain white circle without any printing which might come off a bit uninteresting. My biggest complain with these bases is that they are so large footprints that it becomes impossible to create any interesting multi-figure displays since they are all adhering to Covid-style social distancing...


My other main gripe about this figure series is that the figures are scaled to be about the same height rather than in scale, so small characters like the recent Elpeo Ple figure are way oversized. The Audrey figure is approximately 18 centimetres tall and is sort of middle of the road in the series. The sculpt and painting is as you can see here perfectly acceptable but I do have some reservations about the face which doesn't look very human at all. Your only other option is the 2011 MegaHouse figure which is more detailed and has a better face sculpt although but you will spend ten times as much to obtain it. The new Audrey Burne figure is also a decent size match for the older Banpresto DXF Unicorn figure line, I will come around to doing a comparison photo eventually when the lighting conditions improve here in the currently dark winter.