Gundam Converge CORE 032 : Real Type II set

The Real Type-aesthetic is a recurring concept in the Converge line and a clever way for Bandai to recycle their molds. The concept stems from the Mobile Suit Variation lore were it was originally conceived as a low visibility colour scheme which is pretty hilarious because the palette is usually still on the garish side. Something I really enjoy personally, although more "modern" Gundam shows do a better job of realistic and dull dark blue and gray colour schemes, just think Earth Federation in the Unicorn era for example. The three suits we will look closer at today however are from the original U.C.0079 era and so a tad more colourful.


Released as the 32nd Premium Bandai Converge CORE set the trio could be purchased only through the P-Bandai program with a price tag of ¥3500. At the time of writing the price has gone up a bit on the secondary market and the general availability is still low there. Expect to pay around ¥5000 if you find it at Mandarake for example.


The rather dull looking box is very light on information, perhaps because Bandai expects anyone who buys it to be readily familiar with the retail figures that this set has been based upon. There isn't even an info-sheet with build instructions included.



MS-07B Gouf (Real Type Color ver.)


The most striking colour scheme to be found here belongs to the Gouf, which has traded in its mostly flat medium blue paint scheme for an exotic combo of olive green and pale yellow combined with attractive features in white and orange scattered around the various bodyparts. This is a ride worth of an elite pilot.


Just like the retail figure before it the Gouf has an unusual amount of parts available to it. With two optional left and right arms you have a lot of customization options to choose from. A word of warning is in place regarding the head antenna. This thing is very easy to dislodge and depending on how you plan to store your figure consider gluing it in place.


Replacing the Gouf's Heat Rod and Hand Cannon with the Heat Sword and an empty left hand. The Heat Sword that came with my figure is a bit bent which is unfortunate for such an eye-catching component. Par for the course for Converge these days I'm afraid.


The Real Type Gouf is based on the retail figure from Converge #12 which appeared in October 2018. The original figure has the same gear options and I think I will purchase a second one to be able to display the different gear options side by side.


The colour scheme of the Real Type Gouf is very rare in figure form. It has been around for quite some time in the HG 1/144 kit line but the only other occurrence I have seen in pre-painted form is this Flight Ops keyring figure from Banpresto. I would wager that you can also find it in normal proportions as a high quality keyring figure from the same brand; there are just so many obscure keyring figures out there.






RGM-79 GM (Real Type Color ver.)


Less exotic perhaps is the real type-version of the GM. Now, if Real Type colours were intended to lower the visibility of the mobile suits this would be a complete failure as the bright white colour stands out even among a group of regular GM's... Besides the obvious colour change we also have several more subtle changes such as the main visor switching from green to blue and the shield getting a dark gray border. The back of the figure is less interesting and is almost entirely white, they could have least have dabbed a bit of metallic colour on the exposed knee joints.


The new GM figure is the only figure in this set to receive an additional accessory compared to its retail release. The original figure only received a Beam Spray Gun while the real Type-figure adds the Hyper Bazooka. However, the retail GM was received in a wave together with a Gundam carrying two bazookas of the same type and so was always intended to be compatible with this accessory. I am a little bit disappointed that the GM hasn't received a new beam saber accessory and this would have been a good place to introduce it.


To equip the Hyper Bazooka you pull its handlebar from the weapon and insert it into the GM's hand, and then re-attach the bazooka on top. The fit isn't perfect on my figure. I would have liked the handlebar to slip down a couple extra millimeters as the weapon doesn't rest on the shoulder. Not sure if this is a manufacturing variation or by design


The Converge Sharp version of the GM is a pretty recent figure belonging to wave 22 which released in November 2021. I say recent in the sense that we are still waiting for Converge #23 to be released this summer...


The Real-Type GM has been seen multiple times in recent years. It was branded as a Marking Plus version of the regular Mobile Suit Ensemble figure (released in the first colour variation set of that line in December 2017) and also appeared as a colour variation SP figure in the ill-fated MicroWars figure line, where it came bundled with a pilot in March 2020.






MS-05B Zaku I (Real Type Color ver.)


Another mobile suit that has had a real Renaissance in Converge as of late is the humble Zaku I. It began its life as a puny unarmed figure in 2012 but as since received a full set of weapons and now finally also the real-colour treatment. I still can't understand why it hasn't popped up in Mobile Suit Ensemble, its proportions are perfect for an articulated figure and its small footprint makes it ideal as a set-filler figure next to something more over the top. Even its real-type style is relatively muted and highly reminiscent of its original colour scheme but it still looks great.


This new Zaku I figure has been modified from the original retail variants as can be seen above. Notice how the different holding hands have been streamlined down to one and how the Heat Hawk is now fully molded onto the right hand, something they can do now that the hands have lost their distinct original colours. We get all the weapon options from the two retail figures save the Knuckle Shield which is honestly a bit disappointing. Still waiting for FW to do the Poison Gas Launcher, it is such an unusual and iconic weapon for the Zaku I.


Overall I don't think anything was lost in the simplification of the Zaku I's hands and Heat Hawk colours but it would have been a marked stepdown if it had been done to the Black Tristars machine where the two are distinctly differently coloured. This review has really wet my appetite for a second Real Type colour set since each figure has two different loadouts (and the Zaku I even three).


Posing with the two retail figures from Converge #21 released in May 2021. I am very happy with all the love Bandai has heaped onto the Zaku I in Converge at this point.






The Converge #Sharp Real Type-family now consists of a healthy selection of eight mobile suits. You can find another ten or so "real-types" in the old Converge line-up including some questionable inclusions like the 00 Qan[T] and the Wing Gundam Zero. Basically what those boil down to are slightly muted colour schemes with metallic effect on gray-coated areas.


Review Update October 2023: Well, bless my good fortune I found another set priced at ¥4000. I figured the price won't go below that so I grabbed another team. Considering the three different weapons choices for the Zaku I could probably convince myself to hunt for a third pack - if only I could figure out what to do with that Gouf. The GM should be able to confiscate someone's beam saber but I am drawing a blank on the Gouf.



Conclusion

While colour swaps of army builder suits aren't likely to be very high up on everyone's wishlists I practically fawn over these things. if I was in charge of Converge I would be milking every official colour scheme out there really hard. :) If you are also in to these things this set is what I would classify as an insta-buy.