We're closing out the year 2024 with yet another vintage review. I didn't get to go through as many sets as I had planned this year but regular work and duties had to take precedence. In focus today is another of the late Gashapon HG sets, released in March 2005 when the series had really found its groove but it was only a matter of time before the line was permanently shut down. I really miss these simpler and sturdy figures compared to the frail build-a-crap Bandai releases today.
As usual here are the figures as they came out of their respective plastic bags. This is not a complete breakdown of parts but just how they happened to be partially assembled straight out of the packaging. Soft PVC-pegs on older figures like these can often be a bit unwilling to cooperate, opting to change shape rather than attaching like they are supposed to, so I prefer not to pick figures apart needlessly.
ZGMF-X56S/β Sword Impulse Gundam
The Sword Strike Gundam sits in the middle of the Force Impulse Gundam released in selection 35 and the Blast Impulse which followed in selection 37. It has an impressive and sprawling pose which doesn't go well with a Gashapon capsule so expect your dual blade to require a fair bit of stretching out. Depending on your luck you may find that the figure stands firmly on its two feet without the ugly white support. I wish these stands were always made in clear plastic or at least another colour than the leg they support but that is what you can expect from these really cheap figures. I have toyed with the idea of making custom scenic bases for these figures but that adds to their storage footprint so for now I have let them be.
ZGMF-1001/M Blaze ZAKU Phantom (Rey Za Burrel Custom)
The second entry from SEED Destiny in this set is the wonderful ZAKU Phantom in the custom white colour of Rey (no not that Rey from Disney...). This figure also sports a really beautiful action pose and it has been allowed to float above the ground on the typical Gashapon HG stand. Notice the peg holes for replacement ammo drums on the undersides of the shields - I wonder if these were supposed to have been included in the original design. I also wish Bandai would have completed the range with the machines belonging to Heine and Dearka but at least we can find Yzak's blue Slash ZAKU Phantom in the related Mecha Selection range.
RX-78-2 Gundam
Well, it has been six sets since we last saw the RX-78 in selection 30 so I guess it was really urgent to pump out another variant. Speaking of which, this figure comes in a really neutral standing pose pretty similar to the figure from wave 30 except that the previous figure was a bit of a jubilee thing that came on a square black podium. A complete waste of space in this set if you ask me but hey, at least the figure looks tidy and doesn't unnecessarily flail around with its arms which makes storage a breeze compared to the nightmarish SEED figures with their many wings and limbs all over the place. Again a small stand is provided which may or may not be required.
FA-78-1 Full Armor Gundam
next up we have a random Full Armor Gundam showing up for the first time, just made it in the nick of time before the series was cancelled. We do not have a blue variant in this line but I guess it wouldn't be too hard to repaint this figure should you want to. Again, notice the green support piece available. While I can understand the increased cost of producing clear supports for figures that do not use clear plastic anywhere else, how about if they switched things up a little? Let's say they would have made the support for the RX-78 in the green colour of the FA-78 and used a white stand for the FA-78, would it have looked more interesting?
RX-178 Gundam Mk-II (A.E.U.G.)
The last three slots in this set are reserved for Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. These follow a wave of Z-themed figures released in selection 32 and a couple of stragglers in 34 and are actually reinterpretations of figures we have seen in this series before. First out is an A.E.U.G Mk-II armed with a beam rifle and shield. Interestingly, no leg support is provided for this figure and of course mine has really crummy legs and can barely stand up. The joys of collecting the Gashapon HG series in a nutshell. :) Other than that the figure looks really good and has a really neat gimmick in two optional right arms. You can see them used alternately in the images above. This is a really simple but effective trick that would have been nice to see on more figures of this line, especially army builder types.
RX-178 Gundam Mk-II (Titans)
Next up we have a colour-swapped Mk-II for Titans use. There is no unit marking on the shoulder this time, had it been released today there is a good chance Bandai would have made three variants with different numbers forcing you to go through many more coins to obtain the full set. :) This Mk-II figure also replaces the rifle with a beam saber, more or less straight as you can see...
Both Mk-II figures have grey hands and so you are free to mix and match the weapon options and bent or straight arms to find your favourite pose combinations. This is such a simple trick but it really brings out a lot of fun in the figures and it would have been great to see it employed on suits like the GM, Zaku II or Rick Dias to name a few.
RMS-106 Hizack
The last figure in this set is also my personal pick of the lot. The Hizack returns to Gashapon HG in fantastic form. Look at the details and paint job on this thing, absolutely superb for such a cheap Gashapon figure. Notice specifically the exquisite sculpt of the heat hawk weapon - it is not often we get to see so fine detail in a cheap figure. Many smaller Gundam figures would just have a big flat shape where the blade would become one with the handlebar.
The first version of the Hizack was released in selection 14 in the year 2000. A third variant which is based on the selection 36 figure but armed with a machine gun also pops up in selection 39 (together with a blue Federation version) released in December 2005.
Conclusion
The later Gashapon HG figures are really little works of art and the evolution from the series' humble beginnings in the late 1990s is a real treat to the eye (and wallet, since these things remain very cheap). Your main issue will be to deal with various issues where the plastic has been bent over time or due to careless storage or packaging. On the plus-side, these figures are rarely (I can't even think of a single example but I might remember wrong) subject to the sticky and oily residue which can sometimes haunt older Gundam figures.
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