Today we are doing some more archive material, another classic SD Full Color set. Stage 49 was released in May 2004 and is subtitled The Return of Char, a peculiar choice since there are no suits in this set for him to pilot.
The later SD Full Color era-figures are becoming more and more modular and feature a lot more parts swapping options. As such, you also have to be more careful when purchasing figures second hand, as it is not uncommon to end up with figures missing fins, backpacks or gear. The figures on display here are not fully dismantled, but in the state they appeared when taking them out of their original plastic wrapping.
305 : MSZ-006 Z Gundam (Ver.6.0)
Perhaps to no surprise the Zeta is one of the more commonly seen faces in the SD line, arriving here in its sixth incarnation. With many of its forms already explored Bandai went for a flying variant this time, armed with its BOWA Beam Rifle with the Beam Saber Emitter activated. Due to the way the arms are extended below the body the figure will look a bit quirky without the flying base. The figure loses some points for not equipping its attractive red and black shield, it looks a little drab without it.
There are quite a few Zetas in the SD Full Color series and their colours and proportions vary wildly as you can see from the combatants on display here.
Top row: Stage 12 (December 1999), Stage 60 with a Hyper Mega Launcher and curiously upside down colour scheme on its shield (October 2005), flying with beam Emitter from Stage 49 (May 2004), a bulky sabre-wielder from Stage 44 (October 2003) and in Waverider form entering atmosphere (Stage 63, February 2006).
Bottom row: A Waverider with Hyper Mega Launcher released together with the Stage 12 figure (the weapons are interchangeable), a Karaba-colours Zeta Plus (Stage 33, May 2002), a very pale-looking dual wielder (Full Color Custom 15, January 2008), Saber-boy from this set and the first ever full color Zeta from Stage 8 (April 1999).
306 : GAT-X370 Raider Gundam (MA Mode) (Ver.2.0)
The Raider is my favourite OMNI antagonist suit with its menacing bird-like appearance and black and red colour scheme. However, its proportions are meant to be sleek and elegant, and this is a tall order for a super deformed figure. Bandai are doing the best they can here but it just comes off as rather silly. On a detail level you can find a lot of the Raider's features in this figure but I don't think the whole works that well. Pay extra attention when shopping for this figure on the secondary market as it has lots of components that can easily go missing.
The Raider was rereleased in the Full Color Custom series in 2007 as a fully transformable figure. It looks like a pancake and is mostly black, that figure works better in its mobile suit form but hey, at least it is a playable gimmick. The mobile armor mode Raider just can't win in SD form I'm afraid...
Forbidden, Calamity and Raider in their ferry mode with the Calamity catching a ride on top of the Raider. This gimmick works well as intended.
307 : GAT-X252 Forbidden Gundam (MA Mode) (Ver.2.0)
The Forbidden Gundam also returns to SD Full Color in MA form together with the Raider (the Calamity of course doesn't have a Mobile Armor mode given that it is based on the X100 family). While in MA mode, the backpack flips forward over the head and extends forward a pair of vicious railguns and spreading out its anti-beam capable Geschmeidig Panzer shield system. This is a compact but pretty accurate depiction of the suit that works well in SD form.
The Forbidden, Raider and Calamity trio first appeared in SD Full Color Stage 42 in July 2003. While technically the MA mode head should be much larger the two figures display nicely together.
308 : LM314V23 Victory 2 Buster Gundam
Next up we have a League Militaire power house machine from the late U.C. era, this set is really all over the place. The Victory and the Victory 2 appeared in SD form in 2001 and were followed by the Victory 2 Assault form in Stage 48 and the Buster form here in Stage 49. The Buster type features a large Mega Beam Cannon and a short range Missile Pod on its backpack and add quite the punch to the suit. Notice the (supposed) beam cannon targeting system in the figure's left eye. At first I thought I may have got a damaged figure missing a coat of paint but once I got my hands on multiple units I could confirm that this is indeed an intended effect.
Side by side of the base Victory 2 from Stage 29 (released November 2001), the Buster from Stage 49 and the Assault form (Stage 48 from April 2004). The Assault and Buster forms can (of course) parts combine to form the LM314V23/24 V2 Assault-Buster Gundam. Basically I just replaced the backpack on the Assault Gundam with the one from the Buster Gundam.
309 : RMS-106 Hizack (Ver.3.0)
Swinging back to Zeta again, we have a pair of antagonists for the Z Gundam to engage. A third instalment of the Hizack looks really good and features both a combat shield and a beam machine gun. it also features a couple of interesting articulation points in the arms to combine with the Mega Launcher accessory. This is in my opinion the best Hizack to come out of the SD figure line (still waiting for one in the larger Senshi Forte size mind you...).
Comparison shot with the O.G. Hizack from Stage 6 released December 1998 (left) and the Heat Hawk-wielding version 2.0 from Stage 45 (November 2003). The Hizack never made it into any of the more recent SD figure series unfortunately.
310 : Mega Launcher
The Hizack is ill-equipped to handle beam weapons due to its low generator output. While it can overcome this deficiency to some degree using e-pacs to power a beam rifle special measures were required to equip a Mega Particle Cannon. It takes the power of two Hizacks to power up this Mega Launcher and is only good enough for a single shot (not sure why the weapon doesn't feature two or three slave suits but whatever...). You only get the launcher itself in this capsule which also features a power cable to attach to the backpack of a secondary Hizack unit.
You can of course combine figures 309+310 to have a Hizack equip the Mega Launcher. You will need a second Hizack figure to hook it up to a power cable, so it can be quite tricky to build this figure set completely, as the figures in this set are quite difficult to find these days. Due to the size and shape of the power cable it will be tricky to hook up all three figures and have them stand together on a flat surface.
311 : XM-X3 Crossbone Gundam X-3
Why not round this stage off with a random Crossbone Gundam for good measure? We already saw the X-1 and X-2 in Stage 46 and 48 respectively, so now the turn comes to the X-3. The figure has a meaty beam sword (sadly without effect parts) which it holds in a firm grip that will extend below its feet if you attempt to make it point forward. The X-shaped Core Fighter is also extending just below the figure's feet.
Lining up the Crossbone Gundams X-1 through X-3 with the Vigna Ghina thrown in for good measure. The various Crossbone Gundams to have quite a few appearances in the larger NEXT and DASH figure series, including some of the mass production type Crossbone Vanguard suits but the armory is sparse in the SD Full Color series.
Conclusion
Overall, Stage 49 contains a great line-up of unusual mobile suit types and solid sculpts. This far into the SD Full Color saga the line must have started its decline (as far as sales figures go) because they can be quite hard to find.
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