Gundam Converge SB 06 : LCAM-01XA Archangel

Today we are examining the sixth entry into the Converge Spaceship side-series, although it is only the fourth hull to have been released until this point. The figure entered retail in October last year with a recommended price of ¥4900 plus tax.


Pretty nice cover artwork this time; it is a pity that the SB boxes are generally black and white. I say generally because the previous release, SB 05 has a full-colour design. To add a bit of insult to injury, the full colour image is of course available on the official release page but I guess Bandai saved a fair bit of money this way.


As usual with Converge SB the box sizes are all over the place and the Archangel is no exception, the dimension of this box are close to but not exactly the same as the previous rectangular packaging we've seen.


Everything is folded up a bit chaotically but still efficiently into a handful of plastic bags that fit well inside the box without the unfortunate bulging we see from time to time. And the gum is squeezed inside there too. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to tuck everything back inside again without it resulting in a box that would swell on all sides.


There are a fair bit of option parts this time, gathered on a number of sprues. No build instructions are included with the figure, you are supposed to go grab the assembly guide online, you can find it here.


Here is the basic Archangel in its compact travel configuration. I have to say it looks really good and the compacted dimensions don't really detract from its beauty (I think the Converge White Base looks a bit clumpy in comparison). The paintwork is also on point with no obvious blemishes or smudging. The finish on the SB figures is normally really good compared to the other figures where quality control unfortunately seems to be all over the place.


Colouring and detail looks good also when viewed from below. There are no action base-compatible peg holes on the Converge SB-models. Instead you are supposed to rest them on these cradle-like black stands. This is my least favourite aspect of the SB-line, the cradles are functional but the ships don't really sit firmly in place and are easy to knock around. Still, it is nothing you haven't seen before in this line.


A lot of work has gone into the "legs" of the Archangel and you get multiple optional components to play around with. Each side can open up its hangar bay and extend a mobile suit catapult. The tip of the leg can extend downward and expose a Lohengrin positron blaster cannon and topside you can extend the two turreted Gottfried beam cannon batteries. The turrets can swivel a full 360 degrees. The transformation of the leg generally works well although the Gottfried cannons can be a bit finicky to put in place since the panels close up tightly when the guns are stowed. I noticed that the two forward-facing ramps of the catapults were a bit loose and preferred to bend slightly inward which is not optimal.


The last transforming part is the Valiant-type linear cannons that extend from the side panels similar to the beam cannons on the White Base. Overall I think the designers did a great job with the optional gear but I wouldn't play around with it too much and prefer to keep everything closed up.


The last option part is a different top panel for the midship section with the COMPASS insignia if you wish to carry the Archangel forward to its SEED Freedom era. I didn't bother with this component since the fit is really tight. You may have noticed the T-shaped white component in the parts display above; it is a tool that can be used to push out the top panel from below the ship since you will bust your nails (or the component itself) trying to remove it from above.


The Archangel comes with a tiny little representation of Mu La Fllagas TS-MA2mod.00 Moebius Zero. It is not the most graceful representation of this slender craft and completely lacks any paint applications, however if you want to detail it with some whites and blacks it could probably look alright. The craft can sit on the exposed hangar deck but is too wide to fit between the two catapult arms but can still fit inside the hangar bay behind the two arms. This effectively locks the MZ in place and prevents it from falling out. Since they went ahead and made the Zero I think they could have made a little white Skygrasper as well.


If you are looking to replace the Zero with something more colourful your most obvious choices would be its SD Full Color representation (Stage 59, released in August 2005) or the 1:400 scale accurately proportioned Gundam Collection variant, from GC volume 5 released in 2003.


Side-by-side comparison with the SB White Base; the two ships are quite similar in size and proportions. Another feature that may drive some of you nuts is the different height and style of the individual stands used by the various ships. At least up until this point they have all been black but they are bound to release a ship with a clear base at some point, because why wouldn't they?


We currently have four different ship-classes available in Converge SB, and they are all various incarnations of the same thing. I guess we have a fair shot at seeing the Albion and maybe if we are really lucky the Rewloola or the Dominion, but I don't expect the series to do anything crazy beyond that.


So far it has been possible - if only barely in some cases - to store the SB figures inside their own boxes. The Argama-classes required some disassembly but the Archangel goes into the box in one piece. I hope this will remain a feature of all the figures in the SB-line.



Conclusion

Final verdict of the Archangel figure is that it is a great entry into the SB-line but I don't see it bringing in any new collectors to the series. In my opinion the Converge Spaceships don't really display all that well together with their mobile suit cousins but on a shelf of their own they would look pretty neat. The Archangel is currently selling for around ¥7000 on the secondary market which makes it a pricey item destined to be picked up by hardcore SB-fans only.