The latest MS Ensemble news...

Bandai dropped a large post on their Gashapon Blog today with plenty of updates on the Mobile Suit Ensemble program. Apparently there have been two variant packs for the F90 out for a while and now pre-order has also opened for a set of the Hi-Nu Gundam vs. the Nightingale. Not everything is inflated P-Bandai kits however as there were also some previews on upcoming regular figures (the thing I look forward to the most as the EX-wave is really getting a bit tiresome).

 

EX24 is an option pack centered around the Gundam F90. You may recall EX10 which was a set featuring the F90 together with parts for its F90D and F90H variants. And last month EX21 was delivered which featured the F90II with option parts for its L and I versions. EX24 will be a second option kit for the F90 with parts to create the F90A Assault Type and F90P Plunge Type variants. The Plunge Type can be built in either Mobile Suit or Mobile Armor mode. I am guessing that the basic F90 that you can also build from this kit will be identical to the one from EX10. This kit is scheduled for delivery in February next year and has a P-Bandai price of ¥3850. Bad news for me because I would like to get three of them... :)

 

The EX25 kit is similar to EX24; we get another two variants of the F90 here. The F90M Marine Type is a crazy underwater configuration and the F90V VSBR Type is basically a basic F90 with some additional combat gear and a new reactor. This kit has the same properties as EX24; delivery in February 2021 and a price-tag of ¥3850. At least two of these should suffice for a nice F90 line-up.

 

EX26 sees the behemoth Sazabi-replacement the MSN-04II Nightingale which is an oversized mobile suit with lots of oversized bodyparts. The mobile suit has enjoyed recent appearances in both Gundam Converge and Gashapon Senshi Forte so I guess it is only a question of time before it pops up in Gframe as a really pricey EX figure. And speaking of the price; the Ensemble figure will cost ¥6600 and is slated for delivery in March 2021.

 

With the RX-93v2 Hi-Nu Gundam set for release in January's Mobile Suit Ensemble Part 16 Bandai still decides to milk it some more with the EX27 companion release to the Nightingale. Basically this looks to be the same figure as the retail version but decked out with additional weapons and Funnels as well as one of those large footprint bases. The Hi-Nu will ship together with the Nightingale in March and has a price of ¥4400.

 

The developments in the retail figure line seem much more interesting. We have previews of two Jagd Dogas, both Gyunei Guss' and Quess Paraya's machines are seen here together with their signature weapons as well as deploying funnel option parts. The latter are also designed to be compatible with the Nightingale. We have no more release information but I assume these will be out in wave 17 sometime next spring.

 

Also scheduled for release in the retail line we have the MSZ-010 ZZ Gundam. Since this is a large and complex design it is too big for the retail Gashapon pods and so Bandai plan to split the parts up in two different parts much like they do with the Gframe figures.

 

Rather than just putting the torso in one capsule and the legs in another, Bandai will also design the ZZ Gundam's G-Fortress Mobile Armor mode. So one capsule will contain the Core Top mobile armor and the other the Core Base module. These can then be assembled either into the G-Fortress or the ZZ Gundam proper. As with the Jagd Dogas, I guess this figure might be the second half of wave 17, we shall see.

Mobile Suit Ensemble EX 19 : Gundam Leopard Destroy and Gundam Airmaster Burst

Whenever Bandai decides to launch a new figure series they have the chance to take it in an unprecedented direction. Will the designers decide to play it safe and begun churning out the usual suspects of RX-78s, Zaku II's and Unicorn Gundams or will they take a chance and break some new ground? In the case of Ensemble it was definitely the former - the initial releases were so Vanilla that I decided to pass on it. Then they hit Advance of Zeta with all the experimental Hazel designs and immediately my interest peaked and I was suckered in. Over time the designers have dared to step outside of the well-trodden path here and there and when I first saw the notification about the Leopard Destroy and Airmaster Burst set it again signaled the will to do something brave and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.

 

It costs to be brave however, so of course this had to be a Premium Bandai limited release. The boxset was delivered in June 2020 together with the reissued Double X Gundam set which was one of those dreaded "Marking Plus" releases. With the Double X coming in at ¥4950 and the Leopard/Airmaster Twin Pack costing ¥5500 this means a serious dent in the collector's budget. These EX-releases are no joke.

 

No two Ensemble boxes seem to be the same size (which makes them annoying to store...) but this set is roughly the same size as the G-Self Perfect Pack and features enough components for what is basically two standard figures with a couple of extra option parts.

 

Not a bad parts count in this box and lots of components with nice paint detail applied to them. I found myself doing minimal additional colour applications to them, usually just a couple of black marker dots here and there to bring out some extra detail.

 

Some of the variants of the figures you will see in this review require the G-Falcon parts from the Ensemble Double X Gundam figure sets. It doesn't matter which version you get as each box continues a single G-Falcon unit with only minor painting differences.

   

 

GT-9600-D Gundam Leopard Destroy

 

The Leopard Destroy is an upgunned version of the base GT-9600 Gundam Leopard following it receiving heavy battle damage. The previously teal green Gundam also receives a dashing new red and white paint scheme. I would really like it if Bandai were to release the base Gundam Leopard figure as well since I love figures with strong or unusual colour schemes.

 

The Leopard Destroy has a really attractive red and white style with plenty of black detail and a few dashes of yellow here and there. It comes with two hand held accessories which appear to be some sort of bladed weapons, molded in boring transparent plastic. These are presumably the Beam Knife and a Heat Axe but I didn't see any illustration of what they are really supposed to look like so I just left them as is. I assume the knife is the same as can be seen permanently sheathed on the side of the right leg.

 

When it comes to the overall body shape the figure looks very much like your traditional Ensemble Gundam figure but the actual mobile suit has a rather bulky and broad-shouldered appearance that hasn't really translated that well into this figure.

 

Looking at the oversized Virsago Chest break figure I think it would have been nice if Bandai had accentuated some of the Leopard Destroy's features a bit. They certainly have the technology for it.

 

I like this clean look of the Leopard Destroy the most. Next we will begin to expose its various weapons in more or less appealing poses.

 

The Destroy features two missile racks with operable hatches. On the left leg there is a small optional container with four tubes while the left shoulder now has a huge 11-tube missile rack with a separate lid that can be posed in open or closed mode. Unlike the small lids on the leg pod this component is actually not hinged but just slid into the sockets, hopefully these will not be worn out by frequent use as that could become a bit of an issue.

 

Getting the Leopard Destroy into a pose with all its weapons brandished the figure has to undergo a not insignificant parts conversion exercise. You start by removing the kneecap and breastplate armor and replace these with option parts that brandish Gatling cannons (you can barely see these on the legs) in what looks like After War Gundam X's take on the Heavyarms from Gundam Wing. next you remove the hands and reassemble the weapon pods stored on the backpack rack to create a mix of various weapon systems. I have no idea how the Gundam would actually go about to do such a maneuver as I have not seen the show but it seems highly implausible it could be done on in the field.

 

I don't know, I guess I find this pose a little bit over the top. Also, where the hell does the Gundam store all the ammunition for such a barrage of firepower. It looks like you would do one full burst alpha strike and then you have to rely on that knife for the remainder of the fight...

 

If you want to mess up the appearance of the Leopard Destroy even further and are lucky enough to own the Double X Gundam + G-Falcon set you can make use of the G-Falcon components to create this hideous abomination where the Gundam docks with the G-Falcon unit. I bet it looks way cooler in the show.

 

Unlike many EX figures the Leopard/Airmaster pack only comes with two regular Ensemble-style stands. These are highly unsuitable to creating any interesting poses and so as usually I have to break out my Assault Kingdom stuff to come to the figure's rescue.

   

 

GW-9800-B Gundam Airmaster Burst

 

The second figure in the box, the Airmaster Burst has a lot in common with the Leopard Destroy. After the GW-9800 Airmaster was bested in battle and seriously damaged the machine was upgraded into the Airmaster Burst configuration. Apparently this was also a good opportunity to repaint it into a new set of colours and offer it to an unsuspecting buyer good as new.

 

I really like the look of the Airmaster Burst figure, it just shows what a little well applied colours will do. it has a bright livery of white and blue with some darker parts in navy and black and a few splotches of yellow here and there. Absolutely stunning.

 

The Airmaster used to be white and red and is a real looker as well. I sure wouldn't mind seeing the original version hitting Ensemble but it would require a bit more effort to realize than converting the Leopard destroy into the base Leopard figure. One can always wish, right?

 

The Airmaster Burst for its part comes with two hand held weapons which I assume are its Buster Rifles. These also double as cannons in the mobile armor mode. The figure also has a single optional missile rifle which looks like a double barreled shotgun with a couple of missiles tucked on to it. It would have been nice if the guns were molded in grey like on the official artwork but whatever.

 

The Airmaster's gimmick is conversion into a mobile armor mode which resembles a fighter jet. The Ensemble figure can also do this and the transformation involves a bit of messing around with the components but it gets more involved than with the Leopard Destroy since you have to take apart the figure at the hips (and later even pull apart the legs which is not something I am too keen on doing with Ensemble figures). As always I would recommend deciding which mode you want to have your figure in and stick with it.

 

I have to say the mobile armor mode is really nice looking, at least the front section of it. I have the same kind of reservations toward the Re-GZ with its BWS attached (or the Macross Valkyries for that matter...); fighter jets with feet sticking out at the back don't look too hot in my book. It would help if there were option parts for the feet allowing them to slide backwards. A good base is a must as it will go a long way towards making the figure look more appealing as well.

 

Another slightly annoying detail is how the buster rifles that are now acting as forward facing cannons actually aren't facing forward at all, since it is not possible to align the arms in such a fashion. For an Ensemble figure though, this is still not a bad effort and overall I really enjoy the fighter mode so much so that it would have been nice to own multiple figures to be able to display both modes.

 

But wait, we're not done yet! The Airmaster Burst also has a G-Falcon docking option which turns it into a real beast similar to the ZZ Gundam's G-Fortress mode. Once again you need the Double X set to make it happen so if you really wanted to build a flying armada where all three Gundams were attached to G-Falcon units it would be really expensive to accomplish. Too bad the various figures weren't available on their own in the regular line-up.

When docked with the G-Falcon you have to remove the legs under the knees and use a special lower leg component that is also attached inside the G-Falcon. Messing with that conversion too many times will quickly were out Ensemble joints so be careful.

 

Out of all the figure modes available for the Leopard Destroy and the Airmaster Burst this is my clear favourite. I kind of hesitated to take it apart as I would really like to keep it in this configuration but I still have to review that G-Falcon as part of the Double X Gundam set. :)

   

 

Conclusion

 

Mobile Suit Ensemble has really spoiled us with a number of interesting After War Gundam X releases. While only the Gundam X itself showed up in the retail line (together with conversion parts for the X-Divider mode) we have had three really nice EX twin-packs really fleshing out the line-up. It seems I will have to wit in vain for some nice grunt-type suits like the Daughtress and the Jenice but still two thumbs up for Ensemble daring to go down this path. The downside is of course the price, expect to pay around ¥6500-7000 for any of the EX figures. This has definitely lessened my appetite for picking up a second box to build the Airmaster Burst in MA mode which is a real shame. :)

SD Gundam Full Color Stage 56

I've been working on the Ensemble Leopard/Airmaster kit for a while now and just needed something simple to go in between. So here is a Classic SD Full Color set of figures from April 2005. At this point in time this long running series was nearing the end of its life having reached a respectable count in the 360's already. As with many of the later sets availability is a bit scarce when you compare it to the heyday of the Full Color Saga which would be somewhere around Stages 20-30 in my opinion.

Stage 56 is a seven figure set with no special surprises, hidden gimmicks, alternative figures or other tired sales strategies. Just seven random figures to collect from tiny ¥100 capsules. It must have been fun to have the opportunity to collect these figures straight from Gacha vending machines on your way home from school. I would have poured a majority of my pocket money into figures such as these I am sure. :)

Most of the figures in this set have a few articulation points , usually in one or both arms, but the Full Color era figures are quite statue-like when compared to their modern cousins, which usually means that they stick together well (although sometimes pegs do need to be cut down to fit properly into their slots).

Review Update: I finally got my hands on the two Mechanic File cards that come bundled with the RX-78 and Zaku figure respectively. The cards are one-sided and about the same size as the booklet.




360 : ZGMF-X42S Destiny Gundam

The set opens with an unusually bland looking Destiny Gundam figure. This is actually the first time it appeared in the Full Color series. The first Gundam SEED Destiny-themed figures hit SD Full Color in Stage 52 but the earlier sets feature the first generation of Gundams seen in that show such as the Impulse Gundam and the three units stolen by Serpent Tail.

This version of the Destiny has its weapons stowed on the backpack rack. It also features clenched fists which means it is not able to equip gear from any other figure either.

Posing together with some differently geared up Destiny Gundam figures. The figure on the left is armed with both the sword and the launcher (from Stage 59). The two figures on the right come from the SD Full Color Custom range and are armed with rifle and shield (FCC volume 03) and sword and shield (FCC volume 11) respectively.



361 : MVF-M11C Murasame

SEED Destiny was a pretty miserable show. The story was all over the place and the new group of characters so flimsy that they had to bring in the old team from SEED to recover the train before it went completely off the rails. For every decent episode there is half a dozen bad. But there are sparkles of hope littered around the disaster zone and a couple of nice new mobile suit designs are hiding in the background (have you spotted the blue Raider yet?). The Union of Orb for example got a really nice evolution of their Astray fleet in the transforming Murasame specification. Unfortunately they didn't amount to much more than target practice just like all the other wasted designs in that show.

It is not easy to do a complex design like the Murasame full justice in such a tiny format, but I think overall the result here is fine. As usual when it comes to SD figures all the make-up sits on the front side and as a result the backside is all white but that is par for the course for most SD figurines anyway. There are no transformation gimmicks here, instead it returns in mobile armor mode in Stage 58. That volume also features Waltfeld's yellow machine (in both modes) which is for some reason not included here.

The Murasame together with its forbearer the M1 Astray (Stage 43) and the MSV Astray Blue Frame (Stage 55) and Red Frame (Stage 54).

The ORB-01 Akatsuki leads a group of Murasames from the Takemikazuchi as they get ready to repel the Z.A.F.T. invaders.



362 : ZGMF-1000/A1 Gunner ZAKU Warrior (Lunamaria Custom)

Lunamaria Hawke eventually got her hands on the Impulse Gundam but she is most closely associated with her red painted Gunner ZAKU Warrior. And for good reason too I might say, because unlike that derivative Gundam design the Warrior has a really fresh feel to it, even when it is recycling a classic design.

The SD representation of the Warrior is exemplary. it has everything I expect from a good SD figure; lots of colour (also on the backside), a highly detailed sculpt and just enough painted detail to make it look interesting. it comes armed with the Gunner-type Wizard Pack only. I would have liked it if Bandai had also made a red ZGMF-1000 ZAKU Warrior figure but it was not to be (you can find such figures in other Gashapon series however).



363 : ZGMF-1000/A1 Gunner ZAKU Warrior

The ZAKU series mobile suits from SEED Destiny was a great looking design but I still think that as a whole the authors should have refrained from stealing so blatantly from the Universal Century. Doing so also put an end to an amazing series of mobile suits of GINNs, CGUEs and GuAIZs. At least the different types and colours of Destiny's ZAKUs were kind of impressive. When the terrible DOM Troopers with their stupid Jet Stream Attack were introduced I just wanted the whole thing to end...

Derivative or not, the SD interpretation of SEED Destiny's ZAKU certainly looks like it means business and I really like the green colour pattern with its little standout patches of white and orange. The attention to detail on the shoulder shield enhances the appearance even further.

The Gunner ZAKU Warrior is a gear variation of the basic ZGMF-1000 ZAKU Warrior which you can see here armed with a machine gun and an axe (released in Stage 52). The two figures are basically interchangeable.



364 : GW-9800 Gundam Airmaster

Next up we have a machine from the After War Gundam X series. These have been appearing sporadically. Stage 38 started with the Double X and the G-Falcon, the Gundam X and its GX-Bit followed in Stage 55 and apart from this Airmaster there is also the Leopard Destroy in Stage 57. You can also find the X-Divider and the Virsago Chest Break in SD Full Color Custom and SD Gundam Bind but that is pretty much it.

The Gundam Airmaster is certainly an unusual figure. The only other appearance that I know of is as a properly scaled version in the Gashapon HG line from 1996. That figure looks a bit rough by today's standards. The SD figure comes with two swiveling arms, each wielding a beam rifle.

The Airmaster appears really tiny when teamed up with its friends. Seen here from left to right we have the Gundam X and GX-Bit (both from Stage 55), the Double X from Stage 38 and the Airmaster.



365 : MS-06F Zaku II + SD Mechanic File Card

Nearing the end now and here we have a couple of throwbacks to the Mobile Suit Gundam series, a Zaku II and the Gundam itself. These two figures are come with SD Mechanic File collector cards. These are just small paper sheets of the same type as the booklet (the card would be tucked inside the booklet) except they are aligned vertically instead of horizontally. Each card contains a small image of the SD figure and a little bit of technical data (in Japanese of course). I'm not sure if these were intended to promote one of the many SD-themed console games released over the years but I don't see any obvious hints. These cards were not included with my first full set purchase which was a bit of a bummer but two years later I managed to hunt them down.

Let's return to talking about the actual Zaku II figure again. This is a neat looking classic type figure with the arms stretched out in front holding a Zaku Machine Gun. On the back we have storage options for a Zaku Bazooka, due to the figure's pose you cannot equip it as an optional gear. The handles on the bazooka reflect this as the accessory wouldn't really fit into any figure's hand unless you modify it.

As you can see here the Zaku II figure from this set sits at the lower end of the SD figure scale as far as size is concerned. When it comes to colour accuracy though, it is instead one of the better ones.



366 : RX-78-2 Gundam + FF-X7 Core Fighter + SD Mechanic File Card

At the tail end of this stage we find an RX-78 added almost as an afterthought and sparring partner for the Zaku II figure. This is actually not the first time this has happened. Stage 39 saw an unlucky Gundam pushed to the jumbo slot of a set fronted by a Launcher Strike Gundam and it happened again in Stage 40 where it lost out to the Braw-Bro. At least this time he is bringing some fire support.

I dunno... this is a really ho-hum Gundam design. We have had a number of beam rifle + shield combos already but I wonder why this figure has a peg hole on the back skirt. You would kind of expect the figure to also include a Hyper Bazooka much like the Zaku figure in this set came with one. But fear not, we get a useless all-red Core Fighter instead.

Yeah, that Core Fighter kind of takes the cake. There have been several nicely painted Core Fighter Gashapons released over the years but this red dummy will only be useful on a shooting range for target practice. I guess if you were really desperate you could paint it up since it does fit the standardized SD Full Color bases but then again you may as well pick up another figure in its place instead.

Joining up with some of the other designs from the G-P.A.R.T.S. family. Yeah, did you notice the nicely painted Core Fighter sitting at the front of that G-Armor on the left? Why Bandai didn't put in the effort to spend some paint on this lone Core Fighter boggles the mind. Actually it doesn't; the reason is spelled G-M.A.R.G.I.N.



Conclusion

Stage 56 is a pretty average set with a decent enough mobile suit selection although I can't see anything particularly important to look out for here. It serves well as a collection builder though and I always appreciate a set that has a decent number of army builders in there but that is a bit of a moot point now some fifteen years later.