SD Gundam Full Color Stage 52

SD Gashapon Full Color Stage 52 was released in October 2004 and like many of the later sets it is mainly focused on suits from SEED Destiny. Later era SD figures are typically a bit tricky to find, sales volumes appear to have peaked somewhere around Stage 25-30. It would be really interesting to get my hands on the sales statistics of the series as a whole indeed.


The Full Color-series was rapidly nearing its decommissioning at this point and you can see how much the figures have evolved since the early days. Interchangeable accessories are becoming increasingly common and of course as a direct consequence you tend to see figures in second hand shop missing components (or being assembled incorrectly).



332 : ZGMF-X56S/a Force Impulse Gundam


One of the worst aspects of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny was how lazy its execution was. Critics of SEED say that it was basically a retelling of the original U.C.0079 series but SEED Destiny is a different beast entirely. Not only were mobile suit designs (and to some extent character templates...) copied across from SEED and tweaked slightly but entire animations were lifted from the SEED series and reused with minor alterations. The Impulse Gundam here is a really bland variation on the Strike Gundam idea, complete with multiple striker packs resembling the original machine. It is seen here with its flight pack, the Force Impulse is basically the Aile Strike all over again. The figure itself is alright and comes with three different accessories - a beam rifle, an anti-armour knife and a shield - to mix and match as you see fit.


Comparison shot with a basic Impulse Gundam from Stage 58 which also has a traditional loadout for an SD figure. It is interesting to note the different scaling of several of its bodyparts even though they look quite similar at first sight.






333 : ZGMF-1000 ZAKU Warrior


The Destiny authors weren't even content with ripping material from SEED - before long there were new spins on Universal Century Goufs, Doms and of course the venerable Zaku. But hey, this is no Zaku, it is a ZAKU... While the idea is less than novel, I think the execution of the new ZAKU Warrior with its different variations remains one of the highlights of Destiny. The SD incarnations of this machine also tend to turn out really good and this figure is no exception. Here we have the basic mass production type armed with both a Zaku machine gun and a heat hawk - oh wait, I'm sorry - A Beam Assault Rifle and a Beam Tomahawk. At least the Cosmic Era ZAKU doesn't have to fire machine gun bullets anymore.


A squad of Warriors together with their ZGMF-1000/A1 Gunner ZAKU Warrior siblings. The Gunner can be found in Stage 56 and also appears again in the first set of the revamped SD Full Color Custom successor series.






334 : ZGMF-X24S Chaos Gundam


Oh God, another rehash from SEED? Yes, indeed. The Chaos stands in as a replacement for the Forbidden Gundam although the two suits don't have a whole lot in common. The Chaos is a bit of a hodge podge of ideas but I always liked the look of it, especially the two tone green armour, replicated also here. The figure comes armed with its nasty High Energy Beam Rifle and a shield, its two mobile weapons pods remain attached to its back however, and there is no mobile armour mode conversion available.


Posing together with its two partners in crime from the 81st Independent Mobile Battalion; the Gaia and Abyss Gundams. While both Gaia and Abyss were released in Stage 53 the Gaia you see here comes from SD Gundam Full Color Custom 04.






335 : GAT-X133 Sword Calamity Gundam


The Sword Calamity design hails from the SEED Mobile Suit Variations and is basically a Calamity stripped of its long range capabilities for a pair of stupid sword. I guess they didn't learn from the battlefields of the 21st century where artillery remains a key capability on the battlefield. It looks cool though, although its very bright red colour scheme isn't all that suited for a small plastic figure, and the end result is perhaps a bit overly toylike. I'd imagine a darker metallic red paintjob would do wonders to improve its appearance. Still, this was always a favourite of mine.






336 : XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Zero


Leaving the Cosmic Era timeline next we have a pair of appearances from the After Colony world. Seen here is the original television series form we have the granddaddy Wing Zero in a flying pose on a typical SD Full Color action base. The figure is very stylishly painted on the front side (and almost devoid of colour on the back) and is armed with a pair of Buster Rifles in tandem configuration.


This figure was the sixth permutation of the Wing Gundam released through the SD Full Color series surrounded here by two flying Wing Zero Custom (Endless Waltz variation) and a land-based Wing Zero as well as its XXXG-01W Wing Gundam successor.






337 : XXXG-01D2 Gundam Deathscythe Hell


Next up is another suit from the same television series, the upgraded version of the original XXXG-01D Deathscythe. It sports large batlike wings and a stylized rib cage on its torso and the paint detail on this SD figure is really well executed, just notice those small white details on the head and legs. I don't know how much more a dual bladed scythe would actually be but at least it looks alright.


The Deathscythe Hell is hanging out here with its namesake from the Endless Waltz reinterpretation (left) and the base XXXG-01D Gundam Deathscythe (centre), from Stages 21 and 30 respectively.






338 : MS-06E Zaku Reconnaissance Type


Hidden at the end of this set we find a real highlight, a rather obscure Universal Century mobile suit variation. The Recon Zaku II sports specialized optics and camera gear as well as additional fuel supply and thrusters suit for extended range and quick escape in case of an emergency. The hand held camera looks about as modern as something from a 1960s commercial but hey, maybe the designers felt nostalgic. I love peculiar design such as this and wish they were given more attention in the larger figure series such as Converge and Ensemble.





Conclusion

Stage 52 is one of those eclectic bunches that always turn up when a figure series has been running for a while. The execution is spot on for the most part and this set is invaluable in filling important spots in some of the perhaps less popular mobile suit ranges. As mentioned previously, finding late era SD Full Color figures can be a real hassle and will require a fair bit of luck. And to reiterate, inspect second hand figures closely to avoid disappointments in the form of missing or incorrect accessories and components.

Banpresto Mobile Suit Gundam Witch From Mercury Shaddiq Zenelli

Alright, we're moving down the line of 2023 Witch of Mercury character figures. Today we are looking at the sixth out of the seven (technically it has the highest item number so I guess it is the last but whatever...), one of the final trio that was released to gaming arcades in December 2023. The figure follows the exact same style and format as the previous WoM characters and there isn't really a whole lot to talk about here.


I guess I can reiterate how pleased I am that Banpresto decided to also do three male figures as these series always get very heavy on lady characters. After four initial female characters the series gets to finish with three dudes who each has a different take on uniform regulations. Although the male figures are considerably larger they still come in the same compact full colour boxes that makes storing them a very efficient operation.


The figure is protected in the usual inner wrap-around cardboard piece and its very limited components separated in a multi-compartment plastic bag. Assembly is a simple affair although you should be careful when attaching the feet to the base the first time, as the pegs can be a bit on the thick side, and the legs usually need to be gently bent a bit into the correct shape.


On to Shaddiq himself then. As you can see this characters has this wandering samurai style look about him complete with baggy pants and sandals. I guess the discipline at the faculty they are attending is extremely lax. The thick sculpt of the necklace looks a bit suspicious, I assume this is a limitation in the manufacturing process of these cheap-end figures and I think it does distract a little from the overall excellent presentation. The uniform jacket is very crisp as usual and the real highlight of these figures in my own opinion.


Due to the different approach in materials, the colour of the eyebrows doesn't really match up with the hair. Again it probably wasn't feasible to manufacture raised separate components in the same colour as the hair but the colour choice could perhaps have been a bit lighter.


The male figures of this series dwarf all the female characters significantly and Shaddiq is the tallest among them all. I still would have preferred a closer size between them but I can't really fault the figure designers for that since it was established in the show but it does look a bit ridiculous. Other than that, this is a good entry into the Witch figure series, I think if you enjoyed the previous outings of this series this one will go well with the others. Grab them now that they are still easily (and cheaply) available on the secondary market.

Banpresto Mech Saga Figure Vol. 1

The Mech Saga Figure series is a relatively obscure series of small figures made specifically for gaming arcades. The series saw five sets of regular releases between 2014 and 2015 as well as a larger DX figure (the Byg-Zam which we have looked at earlier). I received a question regarding their articulation the other day and since I had no clue since I was yet to unbox any of them I figured it would be a good opportunity forward for a first look and review.


Back in 2014 Unicorn was still the rage and so this first set features four very recognizable profiles from the series. These are unfortunately the only UC figures in the line, the following four sets all revert back to the original 1979 television series. This first set was made available in May 2014 and comes in neat compact little boxes sporting both the Craneking and JAMMA logos in addition to the Banpresto one. The boxes also sport the short code [48944] but no full barcode and is the quickest way to distinguish them.


Each figure comes in a multi-compartment plastic bag similar to the ones used on Gundam Converge and other related figurines. Cardboard support is offered to some of the more delicate components and the Banshee has its head wrapped to protect its elaborate V-fin.


I think these images answer all questions regarding figure articulation. The components are as you can see sculpted into specific poses and the joints all use shaped pegs so you can't even swivel arms or torsos. Each figure is supported by a standardized translucent blue hexagonal base with the peg hole off centre. Let's assemble the crew.



RX-0 Unicorn Gundam (Destroy Mode)


First out is the Destroy Mode Unicorn. It sports an (intentionally) bent beam saber and shield and comes in a very dynamic pose ready to strike. The V-fins are little bit bent but otherwise the figure is very much in shape straight out of the box. Colouring on this type of figure is often much better than on modern releases and the Psycho Frame is also filled in properly on the backside. There is even green paint on the rear view camera but the V-fin is for some reason only painted on the front side. I am usually not that fond of figures that must sit on their bases but at least these are fairly unobtrusive and the foot print is small enough that you can get up close and personal. Aesthetically, the figure resembles proportions on larger SD figures with a head larger than what you would see on a similar Converge figure for example. You can se see some size comparisons further down the review.






MSN-06S Sinanju


The Sinanju is a complex mobile suit design and is a good quality test for your figure line. The Mech Saga Figure looks great but has some limitations. The shield has obviously been skipped because of its size and complex paint scheme but the backpack with boosters is looking great and has a lot of colour applications. Notice also the painted soles of its feet. The main drawback is the gold trimming which is missing the black detail. I guess you could try to fill out by hand if you have a lot of patience and a small pen or paintbrush.






RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee (Destroy Mode)


As a figure collector you are used to seeing sets being padded by offering multiple figures of the same sculpt but different colour. The two Unicorns for example share a lot of similarities but here Banpresto is providing a completely different sculpt, not just a lazy modification of the Vist Foundation Unicorn. What is even cooler is that it is deploying its Newtype Destroyer System. The entire poses are as you can see completely different between the two Unicorns, quite commendable.






RGZ-95C ReZEL Commander Type


The last figure in this set is a Commander Type ReZEL which means shiny green sensor suite and Mega Beam Launcher armament. The weapon has a small peg that attaches it to the backpack. This is the only figure in the set that I think has a slightly disappointing pose. Remember kids, keep your back straight and your gaze firmly in your opponents eyes.


The Mech Sage Figures don't really match any of the common deformed Shokugan figure series we usually feature around here. The size is somewhere in between Ensemble and Converge, and the large heads are also a bit out of style with the others. Seen here from left to right are ReZELs from Gundam Converge, Mobile Suit Ensemble, Mech Saga and Mobility Joint Gundam.


We are going to wrap this review up here. The Mech Saga Unicorn team is a real one-off making it hard to recommend to augment an existing collection but as figures in their own right they look really great, especially considering their size and (secondary market) price point. I would really have liked to see a second wave with some more faces and I can imagine that a DX figure of the Kshatriya in a dynamic pose would have been really spectacular. Alas, what you see here is what you get. Eventually, we will return to this brand to take a look at some of the U.C. 0079 releases as well.