Gundam Converge SP06 : PMX-003 The-O vs. MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam

Gundam Converge in 2015 has been all about special packaging. With only two regular waves of figures out thus far (and the third just released) we've seen no less than eleven special releases such as EX, SP and CORE, and there are three more on the way before the closing of the year. Granted, some of these have been country specific limited editions, but the pattern is clear to see.

We're seeing similar trends in both STANDart and Assault Kingdom. Although STANDart hasn't had any news in 2015, two of the five releases in 2014 were expensive figures in special packaging. Assault Kingdom, which had four regular waves in 2014 has only produced two in 2015, but there were also two special packaging figures as well as a third scheduled for December, and the only announcements for 2016 so far are two EX figures.

Similarly, if we look at the price development of the Converge SP sets, we can see the same bothersome trend. The first SP-set, the Sazabi and the Nu Gundam, originally sold at ¥1100 when they were released in 2011. SP02, featuring the Sinanju and the Unicorn saw the price upped to ¥1500, a level which plateaued with both SP03 and SP04 which were both priced at ¥1400. The triple pack SP Qubeley went up to ¥1800 and last year's SP05 (Gundam GP01 and GP02) remained suspiciously at this level with a price of ¥1700. Enter SP06 in 2015, and the suggested price tag is now ¥2200.

Although SP06 is the first SP-set to offer a transformable figure, the basic concept of two figures in a box remains unchanged. So while I can appreciate that this set was probably more expensive to design and manufacture, the current trend suggests that Bandai is trying to convert its Shokugan figure lines into premium products rather than candy toys. First we got the pricy EX figures, and now the SP sets are racing to reach that level. If I was to guess a reason, I would suggest poor sales and a decline in profits at the core of this transformation.

Well, that was me moaning a bit about the current state of affairs in the Gundam Shokugan sector. 2015 has been a clear indicator that the Converge hobby is getting pricy, perhaps a bit too pricy for its own good.

Anyway, how about we get this review on track again? We are looking at Converge SP06, the first twin pack featuring combatants from the Zeta Gundam timeline, which just happens to be my favourite episode in Gundam history, with all its awesome transformable mobile suits.

PMX-003 The-O

With a few exceptions, the Titans have been sorely absent from the Converge line-up. Converge volume 20 will feature the Hi-Zack and here we finally get one of the five massive PMX prototype mobile suits developed by Paptimus Scirocco himself. Although the (hopelessly named) The-O is not my favourite of these by far, it is such an iconic Titans mobile suit that its inclusion in the figure line seems mandatory.

The-O is a massive and bulky suit, something which is conveyed well in the Converge figure. It feels suitably heavy in the hand, and its giant feet means Fusion Works didn't bother with developing a leg support for it. Due to its enormous bulk compacted into Converge proportions, the articulation points are severely restricted by its own hulking size. While it is possible to rotate the arms and head in typical Converge fashion, large chest and shoulder components quickly stop the motion after a few degrees spin. What you can do is remove the part and place it at the preferred angle, but you may find that the component won't come all the way down on the peg, which will look funny from some other angles.

The-O comes armed with a large beam rifle and a pair of extendable sub-arms which can wield nicely transparent beam sabers. These sub-arm hands aren't very good at actually holding the sabers though, so you'll need to fiddle a bit with them to stay in place. The arms are attached into circular holes on the underside of the mobile suit's front skirt, which means you can rotate them slightly, but what is really disappointing is that the hands cannot rotate within their sockets. This means that you can't create any cool beam saber swinging poses, The-O is condemned to swing them at knee-cap level only.

This lack of beam saber articulation meant that I just decided to take them off and put them in a ziplock bag. It is also disappointing that The-O only gets the main beam rifle as its base armament. The whole point of the sub-arms was that the mobile suit could swing four beam sabers at the same time, something this figure will not be able to recreate. If Bandai had given this figure replaceable hands with beam sabers in them it would have been a serious contender for Converge top of the line, now it just falls somewhere into the less impressive range.

My last gripe with The-O is the aesthetics of the Converge figure. The head is big... really big... and pointy. Sure, exaggerated head designs are not unusual for the Converge line, but I feel that FW have been very heavy-handed when it comes to the Titans. In my opinion they messed up both the Asshimar and the Barzam in this regard, placing huge heads with oversized fins on them. This came at the expense of the overall height of the mobile suit body, and as a result these figures are shorter and diminutive than almost all the others. While The-O is not as bad as these, it could do with being a bit taller.

MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam

It seems that most of the energy spent on this set was directed at the Zeta Gundam. The figure has cropped up several times in Converge before, but this is the first time we get the chance to see it in its mobile armor Waverider mode. And as a transformable figure at that. Apparently Bandai and FW were pleased with the transformable Hummingbird model which also came out earlier this year; although this time the figure is not as complicated to build.

The above image shows the parts as they come out of the plastic bags. Looks can be deceiving though, there are far more components involved than we are led to believe here.

Mobile Suit mode

In its traditional MS form, the Zeta Gundam is highly reminiscent of the previous figures we've seen in Converge. It features the classic large beam rifle although the wing binders on its back are larger than what we have seen before. It also features the typical Converge articulation points at the shoulders and neck. It is a nice Zeta figure but frankly speaking, nothing special.

Leftover parts with the Zeta Gundam assembled in Mobile Suit mode.

What you do notice when you hold the figure in your hand though, is that it feels very unstable and ready to come apart if you are not careful. These joints will probably degrade over time, so I would recommend against too much playing around with the figure conversion. Time will tell if we will end up super gluing our Converge figures down the line...

Waverider Mode

Being a child of the Zeta generation, the Zeta Gundam, like many other designs from this period, can also transform into a high-mobility form.

The Zeta takes on a very different look in its mobile armor mode, more resembling an aerodynamic craft for atmospheric flight than anything. It's usually slender look gets a bit compacted in the Converge version but it doesn't detract from the appearance too much. As with all other Converge fliers we have seen to date, there are no articulation points or gear choices to fiddle with, once it is built it will sit on its stand with no display optionals.

To build the Waverider you actually pick apart the mobile suit body and strip out most of it. You will find that several tiny pieces from the body are instead reassembled using the Waverider specific parts. Once construction is completed you will end up with a lot of Zeta Gundam limbs. Just like the mobile suit, the Waverider mobile armor is rather fragile, you don't want to mess around with it too much or pieces may want to start falling off.

Leftover parts with the Zeta Gundam assembled in Waverider mode.

As much as I enjoyed putting the Waverider figure together (with the odd moments of frustration, the manual was very handy but not 100% easy to follow at all times), I decided to revert the figure back to mobile suit mode. I did toy with the idea of getting a second SP06 set just to be able to display both modes, perhaps if I come across a cheap one in the future I will.

Zeta Gundam evolution, from left to right: Zeta from Converge volume 2 (released January 2011) which was also reissued in the Revive Overseas edition box set (not pictured) in August 2015, the Hyper Mega Launcher-equipped Zeta from Converge vol. 11 (released in June 2013) and the two modes of the new transformable Zeta from SP06.

As cool as the transformability is, I honestly would have preferred if FW and Bandai dumbed down the designs and just gave us two prebuilt figures, one for each mode instead. It would be interesting to see what the price difference would be in two pre-built versus one transformable kit. Something tells me it wouldn't have been that much different, considering a regular Converge figure sells at only ¥400.

Overall, the SP06 set is great, if a bit pricy, and if it paves the wave for more Zeta era-designs I will be very excited indeed.

Gundam Converge CORE 002 : MSA-0011 "S" Gundam

If you have followed the recent Bandai announcements on Converge you will no doubt have been plastered with news about the recent CORE series they've been touting. CORE, or Converge Re-definition, is a brand new concept for Converge designed to milk your mon... to present you with highly detailed and improved variations of the regular Converge figures (although the latest installment also promises some brand new design).

The first two CORE releases appeared in August 2015 and here we will take a look at one of them, the redefined Superior Gundam, which was released once before as a regular Converge figure back in December 2013.

The figure is delivered in a rather large and anonymous looking brown cardboard box. Inside it however, we find the actual packaging for this figure:

That's right... we're paying good money for a lot of air.

I'm not sure exactly what Bandai were thinking here. The ol' trick of "the bigger the box, the more we can ask our customers to pay" doesn't seem to apply here. Perhaps they are going for a standardized CORE outer protective box. Whichever the reason it feels rather silly.

Once inside things start to look familiar again. We have the bog standard Converge plastic bag containing the figure and somewhat surprisingly we also get the iconic Converge chewing gum.

I realize I have been droning a lot about the packaging rather than the figure, itself, but there is, in all earnest, not a great deal to say about it. It is a repainted bog-standard "S" Gundam, with a very basic parts count:

To make this review a bit more interesting we will toss in the original "S" Gundam figure from Converge 13 for some closer comparison. The original figure was priced at ¥400 while the redefined figure sells at ¥1400, so what exactly is it we are paying an additional 1000 yen for here?

I was under the impression that the CORE figures would be featuring some kickass paint job and/or decals, but as you can see in the following pictures, the "improvements" are subtle at best.

Yes the new colour scheme is a bit toned down and stylish, yes there are a few parts that now feature multiple colours where the original figure was less detailed (look at the shoulders and the hands for example). However, with the recent The Art of Gundam figures fresh in mind, I can't say that the CORE "S" Gundam is that impressive.

I sincerely hope the "S" Gundam is not indicative of the level of detail on the other planned CORE figures, because at this price level I would really like to see some more bang for the buck. The "S" Gundam figure itself is awesome, but at the prices it is currently going for, only the Converge die-hard fanatics need apply.

Converge "S" Gundam Family: MSA-0011 "S" Gundam from Converge vol. 13 (December 2013), the basic mode of the MSA-0011 (Bst) PLAN303E Deep Striker (Converge EX03, released June 2014) and the new redefined MSA-0011 "S" Gundam (CORE 002).

Unifive Stardust Memory Collection : 08. RGC-83 GM Cannon II

In today's entry we are going to examine something new for the blog. I stumbled across a new (well, a rather old...) figure produced by Unifive in 1999, and immediately saw its potential interest to 1/220-scale collectors. The Unifive Mobile Suit Gundam 0083 Stardust Memory 1/220 Scale Full Color Mobile Suit Collection (or Stardust Memory Collection as we will refer to it here) appears to be a short-lived prepainted figure collection released in time for the 20th Gundam franchise anniversary. Compared to other figures reviewed on the blog these are mostly similar to the FW Ultimate Operation series which appeared a couple years later in 2003.

Similar to FWUO figures, the Stardust Memory Collection figures come carded like traditional action figures. Each figure has a collector's number and the back of the card shows all figures (well... more on that later) released in its wave. To my knowledge, there has been two different waves and possibly some reissues since I've seen some cardback differences between similar figures.

As you can see, the figure I got my hands on is the RGM-83C GM Cannon II, which makes its debut in the Stardust Memory anime like most of the figures contained in this collection. Although we have seen a few Stardust Memory figures in other related figure lines, none of them come even close to the variety encountered here, which makes this a very interesting figure series if you are looking to complete your 1/220 figure line.

So what about the actual figure? Well, the cardback claim that this is a "Super detailed" figure might be a bit overenthusiastic, as all Stardust Memory figures I've seen are a bit blocky and bulky looking. In the case of the GM Cannon II though, it happens to suit this particular mobile suit very well. The material appears to be some soft ABC plastic, quite similar to the FW Ultimate Operation figure series. The articulation though, is completely different. The GM Cannon II has what could best be described as dangling arms and legs. When you lift it by the torso the extremities will swing around in their sockets. The range of movement is not overly impressive though, but it offers a few minor variations compared to the more rigid figure we normally see in this scale. The arms do a full 360 at the shoulder as well as a gentle wiggle forward and back, and the legs have a little bit of forward, backward and sideways movement, as well as rotating in their sockets.

Notice that both hands are designed to hold a weapon or other accessory. On the left wrist we can also see a rather oversized peg for attaching a shield. If you paid attention to the previous photos though you will see that no such gear is present; the figure comes with two shoulder cannons that attach to the back and that's it. I suppose the idea was to let the Stardust Memory figures be able to swap gear with each other, but this still feels a bit cheap and unimpressive. The 1/400 scale RGC-80 from Gundam Collection, for example, came with both a shield and different weapons to equip, a poor effort from Unifive. Other figures in this range appear to suffer from similar problems. The GP02 Gundam Physalis for example, comes with a beefy shield but has neither a bazooka nor a beam saber... kind of a weak effort.

The Stardust Memory figures are advertised as 1/220 scale, which places them at the same approximate size as figures in the STANDart, Ultimate Operation and Assault Kingdom ranges, offering a nice expansion of available mobile suits. The RGC-83 is flanked here by a RGM-79SC GM Sniper Custom (STANDart volume 5) and a RGM-79C GM Type C (Desert Colors) from FW Ultimate Operation vol. 1.

As far as I know, a total of twelve basic mobile suits were produced, with a number of additional variations on top. The figures appear in two waves of eight figures each, yet individual figure numbering seems to suggest there are actually a few more variations available. According to the cardbacks though, each wave is comprised of six different mobile suits plus two alternative configurations. Below is a list of all known mobile suits from the Unifive Stardust Memory set:

Wave 1 (1999)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RX-78GP01 Gundam "Zephyrantes"
RGM-79 Powered GM
MS-06F-2 Zaku II (two different variations)
RX-78GP02 Gundam "Physalis"
RGM-79N GM Custom (possibly two different variations)
RGM-79C GM Type C (two or three variations)


Wave 2 (1999)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RX-78GP01Fb Gundam "Zephyrantes Fullburnern"
RGC-83 GM Cannon II
MF-14F Gelgoog Marine
MF-14Fs Gelgoog Marine (Cima Custom)
RX-78GP03S Gundam "Dendrobium Stamen" (a clear version also exists)
AGX-04 Gerbera-Tetra
MS-09F/TROP Dom Tropen (two different variations)

If you have Unifive Stardust Memory figures and are interested in trading them you can check the For Trade page here on the blog.

Gundam Converge : Operation Revive (Overseas Edition)

There are some busy bees there, over at Bandai Asia headquarters. No sooner was the SP Unicorn box set out the door than an even bigger box sneaks out on the market. And a new Operation Revive set no less. You'd think this is something they would like to market very aggressively, seeing as how it contains a couple of now really hard to find figures. But with this being another "overseas only" edition, it is not even hinted at on the official Bandai Shokugan website, hopefully the Japanese collectors are still on top of these news.


As some readers will remember, the original Operation Revive box set was the result of a competition on the Bandai website, were users were instructed to root for the figures they would like to see reissued. Polls were held over a couple of months as the selection shrank down to the top five most wanted figures (don't take my word for it, I haven't heard any confirmation from any OSCE spokesman on these election results...). To bait collectors who already had these figures the decision was made to plonk a brand new Hi-Nu Gundam in the box just to make sure no one shied away from purchasing the set.

So, does the original poll have any bearing on the contents of this new follow-up set? Probably not, since the Qan[T] was not released for the first time two months after the original Operation Revive set. The box art hints at some sort of voting results, perhaps there has been a related event held by Bandai Namco Asia Co., Ltd. Maybe an enlightened reader of this blog can share some more information with us.


The first Operation Revive box set which released in February 2014 was shortly followed by a "Premium Edition" (I can't remember if this was a Bandai web shop exclusive but it wouldn't surprise me) which featured the very same six figures plus an extra bag of optional gear for the five reissued figures. There are no such luxuries to be found in the "Overseas Edition" box, and I highly doubt that they will make a premium version of this package, since Bandai would have to be insane to create new parts and only distribute them outside of Japan. Of course one can speculate that there will be a Premium version of this parcel sold only in Japan, through their own shop for example. Such a nefarious agenda wouldn't surprise me in the slightest. :)


Anyway, at the core of this box is a set of Gundam reissues, six to be precise. There are several interesting figures in here, especially the very hard to find Zeta from Converge volume 2. The Hi-Nu Gundam amusingly reprises its role from the original Operation Revive release, although it has received a metallic coat this time. Upgraded paint applications are pretty much a hallmark of Bandai Overseas reissues, but in this box it is only the Hi-Nu Gundam that received this restyling. All a matter of money in the end I suppose.

Let's take a look at the mobile suits included with Operation Revive:


Right. Let's start with the exclusive figure of this package, the RX-93-v2 Hi-Nu Gundam (Pearl Color Version). Although highly reminiscent of the standard colour edition this figure was one of the two reasons that I decided to grab this set, the other reason was that the fact that I think the box art is really good. And speaking of the box art; I find it pretty surprising that nowhere on the packaging is there a photo of the actual model. On the original Revive box it covered the whole front, here it has been reduced to a line drawing on the back side, Bandai obviously must have expected their customers to be highly familiar with this figure. A very odd way of marketing.

As you can see from the parts included we get a fairly standard Converge setup here. Articulated head and shoulders, but with an optional beam rifle and booster tanks (it won't make much sense displaying the figure without the rifle though). The wings sit on shaped pegs which help keep them in place but also offer no display variations.

Here is the original Operation Revive figure (left) compared to the upgraded Pearl Color Version (right). The reissue is definitely a marked improvement although the original figure still looks good.

#1. If we are to believe the box-art, the XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Zero (Endless Waltz Version) was the most requested figure to be reissued this time. While it is a pretty spectacular Converge figure the whole Wing franchise rarely seems to get that much attention which perhaps explains why we haven't seen any of the other outlandish designs from that series.

The Wing Zero is one of few Converge figures to come in two plastic bags, the large soft wings being packed separately. As you can see from these images the wings are made from soft plastic which makes them durable if a bit unruly, finicky collectors will need to work the plastic into the shape they want it. Another unusual thing about this figure is that the two rifles are separated from the hands, so you can choose to display the Gundam with or without ordnance.

Here the Revive Wing Gundam (right) is posed next to the original figure #57 (left) from Converge Volume 10 (released in April 2013). As you can see they are as good as identical (the wings are bendable as mentioned before).

And a family photo. The original Endless Waltz version (Converge 57, volume 10, released April 2013) next to the XXXG-01W Wing Gundam (Converge 88, volume 15, released June 2014) and the new Converge Revive XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Zero (EW Version).

#2. Next up in this popularity contest is the GNT-0000 00 Qan[T]. Now this figure, in typical Celestial Being fashion, is quite spectacular with its translucent parts and striking colours. The original figure appeared in April 2014, it would seem odd for it to have become a rarity already, but it is something I am not up to date with.

The Qan[T] has the typical Converge articulation with a head and shoulders that rotate, and a wrist that also spins in its socket. The large shield is attached to the backpack using a connector piece and has a fixed placement.

The original version of the Qan[T] (left) is a perfect match with its Operation Revive successor (right). Did they even have time to take this mobile suit out of production?

Selected Celestial Being family members from left to right. GN-001 Gundam Exia (this has since been reissued twice) from the very first volume of Converge (figure 04, released in November 2010), the GN-0000 00 Gundam from Converge volume 9 (figure 51, released December 2012), the GNT-0000 00 Qan[T] from Converge volume 14 (figure 81, released April 2014) and the GNR-010 0 Raiser support craft which also appeared in Converge volume 9 (and can be combined with the 00 Gundam figure).

#3. I would have expected the MSZ-006 Z-Gundam to be one of the most sought after Converge figures. It is a very rare sight, and was released such a long time ago that it is definitely ripe for a reissue. If people miss one of the figures in this set, i would expect it to be this one.

Parts-wise there is not a whole lot going on with the Zeta. It is interesting that it offers an optional rifle, which was rarely the case with those early designs. It is also a fact that this is the figure that gives Jason Voorhees a cameo in Gundam Converge...

The Zeta has been given a faithful reissue virtually identical to the original edition (left) from Converge volume 2, released all the way back in January 2011.

Converge Zeta line-up. Apart from the original volume 2 Zeta (left) and the Operation Revive reissue (right) we also have the figure from Converge volume 11 (center), armed with the impossibly named "Hyper Mega Launcher", which appeared in June 2013. Yet another Zeta is bound to hit the shelves any day now, coming in a twin pack with the The-O, this picture will eventually be updated to reflect this release as well.

#4. Moving on down the line, we get an appearance by the RX-0[N] Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee Norn (Unicorn Mode). I find the Banshee and the Banshee Norns much more interesting than the Unicorn, but it seems to be only moderately embraced by the toymakers.

The Banshee Norn features the typical late Converge articulation, a head and shoulders that rotate, and a right hand with a weapon molded onto it, which can spin in its socket. The only major design flaw with this figure is that the shield is only able to attach to the back pack. Why we couldn't get a socket on the right arm I cannot really understand. Enterprising owners might want to try drilling a hole themselves... maybe something I can do to tell the figure apart from its ancestor...

Again the Operation Revive version (right) is identical to the original release (left) which appeared in Converge volume 10 in April 2013 (together with the Wing reviewed above).
 
And here is the Banshee line-up to date. The first Unicorn Mode RX-0 Banshee appeared as a promo item with the Dengeki Hobby Magazine in the July 2012 issue. The Destroy Mode Banshee was just released two months earlier as part of Converge volume 7 (figure 39, released May 2012). Next up was the original release of the Banshee Norn in Converge volume 10 (figure 58, released April 2013). Then come this summer's two "Overseas" edition figures; the Banshee Norn from this Operation Revive package and last the Awake Mode Banshee from the SP Unicorn box set. Both "Overseas" editions appeared in August 2015.

#5. Ah yes, a Converge review apparently cannot be complete without at least one Unicorn in it. Luckily, the last figure in this set is the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam (Unicorn Mode), probably one of the most heavily produced Converge minis ever. I find it very unlikely that a panel would have voted for more Unicorns but here we stand again, face to face.

If you were hoping for anything exciting in this figure, look again. The same old boring parts, the same tricky to insert horn, although this time the figure is only leaning forward moderately so that it manages to stay on its feet rather nicely (a quirk which is otherwise quite common in this figure, there's a reason I point the beam rifle into the ground when posing it...). The beam rifle appears to be a much darker tone than in previous releases which may serve as a point of identification.

Unicorn Mode RX-0s from left to right: Basic figure from converge volume 2 (released January 2011), secret bazooka-wielding version from the same set, a pearl coated Unicorn (the best version of this figure) which came as a bonus item with the Dengeki Hobby Magazine in December 2011 (a promo item for the UC3 movie), another pearl coated Unicorn (with less painted details than the UC3 version) from the "Converge Limited" Overseas Only Triple Pack (released in 2012), a Unicorn armed with a gatling cannon from the original Operation Revive Premium Edition (released in March 2014) and lastly the beam rifle equipped Unicorn from the Operation Revive Overseas edition.

Not counting the Destroy Mode versions (of which there are currently four), we now have a total of six Unicorn Mode RX-0s released in Converge (seven if you count the original two Operation Revive boxes as separate) and this is the fourth time we get the beam rifle version (fifth if you didn't get the Premium Edition of Operation Revive) and I'm really running out of steam in going over this figure one more time. Suffice it to say it is as faithfully modelled as it is uninteresting to look at.

Conclusion

So, is this Operation Revive box set a good investment? For the seasoned collector; probably not. If you are just new to Converge you will find a lot of good figures in this set to help build your collection, but I would assume most people looking at this set already own most of the figures in some version or other. Apparently some sellers are seeing things the same way, and are splitting up the boxes and selling the mobile suits separately. This would probably be a good way to fill up holes in more complete collections, seeing as the Operation Revive figures are almost identical to the first batch (only the Unicorn Gundam appears to have a slightly differently coloured beam rifle).