SD Gundam Full Color Stage 42 "Decisive Fire"

Stage 42 of the SD Gundam Full Color series is named "Decisive Fire" after the 38th episode of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED. That episode first aired in Japan on June 28th 2003 and here comes the figure set which was coordinated to release in July. The episode introduces the Earth Alliance second generation mobile suit program and this set is putting the trio in the limelight. We also have a trio of classic U.C. 0079 suits and vehicles attached to the White Base; you can see them taking off from the oversized White Base playset figure on the booklet cover there.


As usual most of the figures come fully assembled out of their bags. There will be some minor articulation points here and there, one or both arms, maybe a tilting head and so on. The Core Booster comes with the typical simple but functional SD Full Color base that allows for some minor adjustments in the pose. You should always pick up figures that come with these bases because chances are you will stumble on another you really need that no longer has one.



256 : GAT-X131 Calamity Gundam


The Calamity is a bit of a messy design with long weapons pointing left and right that struggle to make the conversion into the super deformed format. Even the Mobile Suit Ensemble version had issues here so it is not surprising to see that the figure can very barely hold on to its bazooka. Other than that, the sculpt is great and there is lots of vibrant colour applications on it, enough to make me happy at least.






257 : GAT-X252 Forbidden Gundam


The Forbidden is a bulkier design that makes the jump to SD form much easier. It carries a heavy scythe as its main weapon as well as even heavier ranged weaponry as part of its mobile armour configuration. Be careful when handling the scythe weapon, sometimes the peg holes in the hands can be very tight on these figures and you risk damaging the accessory if you try to force it in too hard.


Upon first inspection you may think that the figure can transform into its mobile armour mode but the pegs used for the head and backpack are not the same size, the mobile armour headpiece will not fit on the figure's shoulder without drastic conversion (with a knife...). However, there is no need to fret - SD Full Color has you covered with a dedicated mobile armour form (technically the "High Speed Assault form") of the Forbidden Gundam with its dual railguns extended. You can find it in Stage 49 which released in May 2004 (not exactly keeping up with the television series there, Bandai).






258 : GAT-X370 Raider Gundam


The last member of the EA second generation trio is the formidable Raider Gundam which is just bristling with all sorts of useful and not so useful weapons. The mobile suit can transform into a bird-like flight mode which enables atmospheric flight, but our figure here has no such ability.


Again, we can find the mobile armour mode of the Raider in Stage 49 together with the Forbidden Gundam. Over on the right there we see a more recent Raider with a green tint released in the SD Full Color Custom line, volume 11 to be specific. The figure from Stage 42 is easily the best of them.


Taking a last look at the trio and its alternate variants before we wave goodbye (from the Kusanagi as it darts off into space). The Calamity is not a transforming suit and so there is no alternate mode version of that figure.






259 : ZGMF-515 CGUE


We have one more entry from SEED in this set, a Z.A.F.T. high performance commander suit starting to show its age at this point in the conflict. It was not present in the particular episode, but Bandai plugs are very specific hole in its SD family and I could not be happier about how it turned out. I suppose it would have been nice to see it armed with a rifle, especially since there is no other variant of this mobile suit in SD form.


Flanked by a pair of GINNs with different weapon options. The Heavy Sword figure hails from Stage 39 (released February 2003) and the decorative Anti-Ship Missile variant followed in Stage 41 in May 2003.






260 : RX-78-2 Gundam (Ver.22.0)


Over to the Universal Century timeline then. We start out with yet another version of the RX-78, officially christened version 22 in the booklet which is more or less accurate depending on how you count minor variants and limited side-releases. It is hard to get excited about yet another variant at this point but at least this is a really well-rounded figure complete with a basic loadout including a Hyper Bazooka and Beam Rifle. The leaning forward pose isn't the greatest though, I suppose it is meant to look like it is launching from the White Base?


In fact, we can find a much better figure if we go back to version 7.0 which was released in Stage 19 already in August 2000. That particular figure has the same armament and also two holding hands which enables it to actually hold the bazooka in the left hand or store it on the back as seen here.


And speaking about holding... while yes, the bazooka is removable and has a handle that allows it to be carried by compatible SD figures the actual RX-78 it comes bundled with cannot complete the task. The angle of the arm and the size of the weapon means it won't manage go over the shoulder which is a bit of a fail in my opinion.






261 : RX-77-2 Guncannon (Ver.5.0)


Not to throw shade on Kai Shiden here, but the Guncannon figure is even worse. What in the name of everything holy have they done to it? The guns usually depicted in light to medium grey have got a very black colour here and are drilled into the sides of the suit's head instead of being attached to a backpack. Yes, this allows for the guns to be manipulated and elevated up and down and swivel together with the head but I don't think that the guns do that even on the original mobile suit? Meh... the designers tried something different but I am not a fan.


A selection of other Guncannons, from left to right: The first version from Stage 1 released in October 1997, units 108 and 109 from Stage 5, a retcon RX-77-1 from The Origin released in Stage 36 and the 4.0 version of the RX-77-2 from Stage 25 which can swivel its head but not the individual cannons.






262 : FF-X7-Bst Core Booster


The last figure to appear in this stage is the colourful Core Booster fighter. I always liked this design (and especially its Jet Core Booster variant which has never got a Gashapon release) and I think this figure delivers exactly everything it needs to. The accompanying base with its two ball-joints allow for a bit of messing around with the angle to create banking turns or aggressive dives.it is simple but effective, something that Mobile Suit Ensemble has never been able to replicate after all these years...


Size comparison and side-by-side with the G-Sky from Stage 31. I don't think that the figure designers intended the RX-78 from this set to ride atop the Core Booster.






Conclusion

That about wraps it up for Stage 42. An absolute killer line-up for fans of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED while the U.C. 0079 entries are a bit ho-hum. Worth to seek out for the Core Booster alone though, since it shouldn't cost that much - perhaps around 1000 yen or even less on the Japanese secondary market. The trick of course is actually finding them which requires a bit of patience and luck at this point.