Assault Kingdom vol. 4

It has to be said from the start: Assault Kingdom volume 4 is a really, really, really excellent set. As much as I think the entire AK line up has been pretty great so far, though perhaps with a heavy focus on (not surprisingly) the Gundams themselves. AK4 takes a big step towards correcting this by adding some really great looking Zeon figures which desperately help to balance your collection for the better. The overall leanings toward the colour blue in its variations is an interesting touch, I wonder if it was accidential or a calculated move by Bandai. In either way, it is a peculiar little twist on things. To me, AK4 will always be known as "the blue set".

Anyway, having the honour of being the fourth wave of regular figures AK4 was released in January 2014 following hot on the heels of AK3 which was released only two months earlier. As you can see from the above image the set is very varied in terms of mobile suit appearance, and it is made up of only high profile figures. too. Let's take a closer look at what this set has to offer.

13 : Perhaps this presentation is a bit superfluous,as AK4 opens with a real heavy hitter, the RX-93 Nu Gundam. Now this mobile suit has been around, it is one of those that have managed to make an appearance in all the figure lines covered by this blog, and has even put up multiple appearances in Converge and STANDart. Basically it is a rather generic looking Gundam though in a scaled back black and white colour scheme. The Nu Gundam's standout feature is the large fin funnel weapon system attached to its left shoulder.

Apart from this detachable equipment you also get optional equipment in the form of a beam rifle, a bazooka and a removable shield. As per Assault Kingdom standard, both hands are offered either as open or as fists. The shoulder mounted binder system is also available in two slightly different configurations, fully loaded as well as where some of the devices have been launched. The three missing binders themselves are found spread out in the boxes of figures 14-16 to give you an (although completely unnecessary in this case) incentive to buy the full set. As usual with figures with bulky back packs, wings and similar, the Nu Gundam has to be balanced carefully so as not to topple, unless you use any of the stands that are found in all AK boxes.

14 : We're still waiting for the RGZ-91 Re-GZ mobile suit to make an appearance in STANDart, the AK4 version can give you an indication of the massive potential this figure has. At least the figure is due any day now in Converge volume 14 where it will also be very appreciated. As you can see from the images above, this well designed figure has a smooth and sleek appearance and a great colour scheme.

The Assault Kingdom version of the Re-GZ comes equipped with a puny beam rifle, a shield and a transparent beam saber. A choice of hands is also included. This gives you enough options to tweak the figure to your heart's content, although I think the beam sabre configurations are the way to go here. Notice also the first of the three binder weapons belonging to the Nu Gundam in this parts set above. Another truly great figure that livens up the AK figure line.

15 : And now for the real stunner of this set, the incredibly awesome MS-07B-3 Gouf Custom of Zeon notoriety. This figure has also seen widespread release in Converge, STANDart and FWUO, although it is somewhat hard to track down there. Anyway, the Gouf is here now, and it might just be the best figure to come out of the entire Assault Kingdom line, perhaps outshined only by the widely customizable Black Tristar Zaku II. The Gouf Custom simply delivers in spades.

The mobile suit comes armed with two weapons, the combined gatling shield and a heat sword for those nice close encounters. Whichever way you decide to pose it it will do so nicely. In spite of the large gatling shield the figure stands up fairly well without support. Once again the box comes with one of the binders for the Nu Gundam. If you are a picky collector, this is probably one of the AK:s you'd be interested in.

16 : The last figure in wave four is another truly classic figure, which has probably featured in almost every figure line by now. The amphibian MSM-07 Z'Gok has finally found its way to Assault Kingdom (I suppose Char's red version is not far behind...) and although this is a really great figure it does have some minor niggles. I guess the main reason we've had to wait for the Z'Gok is that the engineers would have to think a bit harder on how to articulate it. It is surely no coincidence that we have seen so many sleek Gundams appear in the line, they are all similar in composition with minor artistic deviations only, and the thin and square limbs are fairly straightforward to articulate. It is also not surprising to see the many versions of the Zaku II and Gouf coming out, as the designers take advantage of a previous figure and tweak it somewhat.

Now the Z'Gok is a whole different fish altogether. With its bulky limbs the articulation has to work somewhat differently, and as a resault the options for the Z'Gok are a bit limited when compared to the more flexible figures (the RX-78-2 Gundam for example). You'll find that the legs especially aren't very tweakable, and the strange wide legged stance can only be used so much. Another thing which needs correction is the appearance of the head. The Z'Gok has a 360 degree field of vision but the AK figure only has two slots looking like eyes. The mould is still there for the other "viewports", you'd really want to paint these black to give the figure a smoother and more rounded appearance more true to the real deal. A nice touch though is that you can move the red monoeye inside the head to look left and right by using a small lever at the back of the head. I'd use it sparingly, there's no telling how fragile it is. The figure also comes with a choice of open or closed claws, as well as the third and last binder for the Nu Gundam.

Above you can see all the components needed to put together the three binders that are released by the Nu Gundam. The first box contains the piece you plug into the lower back of the Gundam and then attach the three binders on transparent arms extending from it, similar to the way the Kshatriya figure was designed.I didn't bother trying this out yet as I'm not really convinced by this whole idea of transparent pieces sticking out from figures to simulate in weapon systems flight. if I do try it out, the review will be updated accordingly.

In conclusion though, there is much to rejoice about in regard to Assault Kingdom vol. 4. If you like to collect these figures I'd say the entire set is a given. At the time of writing they are still easily available on the market, so shouldn't prove too difficult to source at a decent price.

Gundam Converge 03 : RX-75 Guntank

Today we're going to take a look at one of the Converge grandaddies, released in the very first volume of Gundam Converge in November 2010. An ancient design also by cartoon standards, the spartan look and style of this machine screams of yesterday's future, which is part of its charm. It is worth pointing out that there are actually two versions of this model, as the Guntank was one of four models to be reissued in September 2011 as part of the "Gundam Selection" set which was aimed specifically at 7-11 (as far as I know this was a Japan only thing).

The two versions of the figure are identical save for the packaging which has some minor differences. The backside of the box displays the other figures in the set, so if the box displays the other figures of Converge volume one (i.e. figures 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6) it is the first issue, and if the box displays the 7-11 figures (i.e. figures 2, 11, 12, 19 and 20) then it is the reissue. The 7-11 reissue also came with a miniature booklet inside the package, displaying the models released in Converge up to that point.

Armed with this knowledge and looking at the picture above you can easily identify my figure as one of the 7-11 reissues. As you can also see there are a few pieces to snap together to complete the figure, I can imagine that these small parts could be easily lost so it is probably a good idea to store this figure with some extra care.

As for the RX-75 Guntank figure itself, it has a very compact and stubby look, but overall comes through quite nicely. The figure has the typical for Converge articulated shoulders, but head and torso are firmly pointed forward, since the pegs connecting the parts are not round.

The Guntank was reissued a second time again in December 2012, as a piece in the Operation Jaburo set. The Jaburo version has darker blue colour and a more metal looking grey.

In the images above you can clearly see the facelift given to the Guntank in the Jaburo set. On a side note, it can be mentioned that the Operation Jaburo box contained several facelifted figures and is a good alternative to trying to hunt down all the individually released figures in that box (see a more detailed look here). Below are some comparative shots of the relative size and look of the Converge Guntank when placed next to other Converge figures as well as the old Ultimate Operation RX-75 which of course has a style more faithful to the original design.

Relative size of the RX-75 Guntank compared to the G-P.A.R.T.S. G-Bull (Converge vol 11, June 2013) and the Real Type Gundam from the Operation Jaburo set (December 2012).

The disfigured Converge Guntank placed next to the more stylish FW Ultimate Operation version which appeared in the Ultimate Operation Best Selection set in December 2005.

Gundam STANDart volume 9

We're stepping back into our time machine again, as it is time to take a look at the ninth incarnation of the STANDart figure line. These figures originally appeared three years ago, in March 2011. This translates to the time of the ancients as far as STANDart is concerned, and you'll have to dig deep to find the mobile suits making up this set. Apart from the four standard figures there is also a "limited edition - overseas only" variation of the Unicorn Gundam which we will treat as a part of the set, though it most probably was released separately later in the same year (the box states 2011).

One reason this set is now hard to obtain is of course the fact that it is made up of high profile mobile suits only. As you can see there are no "minor" figures in this set, but two well known Gundams and two versions of the iconic Z'Gok amphibious mobile suit. It took me considerable luck and effort to find all the figures, the two missing pieces turning up in two separate second hand shops in Tokyo.

Lately I've been seeing the limited edition Unicorn popping up a lot online which again suggests that the "limited overseas" figures might not be that limited at all, or at least they are proving easier to find on the international market.

The figures come in the smaller boxes similar to the current output (as of STANDart volume 19 that is), so I guess Bandai made the switch either with this or the previous volume, as the figures in volume seven still came in the larger boxes with separate compartments for all accessories. Some minor assembly is required, mainly to attach claws to the Z'Gok hands, which is just as frustratingly boring as with the Converge Z'Goks. Overall though, once the claws are set in place, they remain and do not fall out easily.

032 : The set starts off with a well known face; the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam here in its Unicorn Mode. The mobile suit is equipped with a single Beam Gatling Gun and a shield which is snapped in place on the lefthand wrist. The model has some very fine sculpting, especially on its legs, and there are many small details in metal grey colour. The RX-0 features standard STANDart articulation which translates to a head that can be moved to each side as well as arms that rotate at the shoulders. It is an excellent depiction of the Unicorn Gundam and a neat entry into any STANDart collection.

033 : Although volume nine consists of some very nice looking mobile suits, the FA-010S Full Armor ZZ Gundam is bound to grab hold of your attention, owing to its massive chunky appearance. Fielded by the A.E.U.G., the ZZ Gundam is a devastatingly powerful assault mobile suit armed with a large dual beam rifle on its righthand wrist and two beam sabers extending from its flight backpack. The ZZ Gundam figure is awesomely detailed with many fine details and a rich pastel of colours. This is one of those models where you keep seeing new details the more you stare at it.

Because of its outrageously large shoulder pads the articulation of the arms, though present at the shoulder, is prohibited by the large backpack. The head can be made to look in different directions but that is pretty much it. Due to the heavy backpack a plastic support is provided which can be inserted underneath the backpack to prevent the Gundam from toppling backwards, but as evident in the photos this piece is not really necessary unless you are placing the figure on a sloping plane (or maybe in the event that a leg might be slightly bent or so). This is a true killer model which will dominate its surroundings and drag viewers in. If you can find it, you'll most likely want to grab it.

034 : The highlights in this set just keep on coming. After two Gundams the next contender is no less familiar or iconic, it is the MSM-07S Z'Gok amphibious mobile suit of Zeon fame, here in its red Char's Custom livery. Whenever a new line of Gundam figures is born, you can be sure that the Z'Gok is not far off, a true survivor. Perhaps mainly due to its exotic appearance as well as the fact that its features give the modellers an easy break from all the intricately detailed Gundams. This is not to say that the Z'Gok is a bad design, and as a STANDart model it truly shines. Bandai and Volks added so many nice features to this figure, the least obvious being the super-detailed soles of its feet.

As for articulation the figure has arms rotating at the shoulder, and since the head is firmly in place on the torso the entire torso can be made to twist to the sides instead. You insert the claws into slots in the hands and due to their configuration they can only be inserted so that they point straight ahead. Where both Assault Kingdom and Ultimate Operation figures featured extra hands with open claws the STANDart figure does not. I have only ever seen this particular figure on one single occasion, and promptly grabbed it. I would advice you to do the same.

035 : The final figure in the set is the standard blue colour variation of the Zeon MSM-07 Z'Gok. Save for the colour scheme its features are completely identical to the red version. Blue Z'Goks can also be found in several other figure lines but I would argue this is one of its better appearances. Just look at all those nice details in the shots above. As with Char's Z'Gok, I only ever managed to find a single of these available for sale, luckily I grabbed it. I would seriously recommend STANDart collectors to be truly vigilant in the case of sourcing Z'Goks for your collections.

032 special : The last figure covered in this review will be the limited edition RX-0 Unicorn Gundam (Unicorn Mode), which comes in a black version of the box with a blotch stating "for overseas only". As usual it is not exactly clear what is meant by "overseas", but the figure has found its way to sellers in Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea, which means you'll stand a good chance to find a nice deal on this particular Gundam.

Anyway, the overseas only edition of the RX-0 does differs from the standard version in two ways. The most obvious is the fact that the mobile suit now features a nice and shiny metallic coating, as can hopefully be seen in the comparison shots above. This is a rather common feature for the limited versions of figures in the STANDart and Converge lines. The second change is the revised weaponry. Much like the original RX-0 in the anime, the RX-0 has been upgraded from one to two Beam Gatling guns. The limited version also attaches these two Gatling Guns directly to the shield, changing the mount from righthanded to lefthanded. This is a nice and simple way of tweaking a limited version to make people go the extra mile and grab it I suppose. If you only want one Unicorn in your collection either will do, both are exceptionally good looking figures.

Size comparison: The Unicorn Gundam stands about 9 cm tall (including the horn). The ZZ Gundam comes in at around 9,5 cm (tip of the beam sabres) and the Z'Gok is about 7,5 cm tall.

All in all, there is a lot to like about STANDart volume 9. In fact the only major letdown is the now relative scarcity of these figures, so interested readers would do well to keep both eyes and ears open.

Gundam Converge vol. 13

Converge seems to be doing quite well at the moment. There are already two figure sets announced for the first half of the year, and there are a couple of specially packaged figures to be released in parallell, including two high end figures and a set of six old figures now reissued (which by the way will appear in a limited edition version as well). In any which way, Converge volume 13 was released in December 2013 and it features a very strong line-up of mobile suits.

Just look at these guys. A very varied set including some really unusual types. This is exactly what I like the most about Converge; the chance to encounter a lot of odd mobile suits and not just the usual suspects. I really hope Bandai will keep this line alive for as long as they can, it is turning out to be a very well stocked figure line. Now if they could only get to work on doing some Wing Gundam figures...

75 : The poster boy for this set must surely be the beefy looking MSA-0011 "S"-Gundam. I would hazard a guess that this is the figure that will sell best out of the seven in this set. And as you can see from the above pictures it is not without merit. It is a very detailed figure with attractive colour configuration, as long as you can overlook the fact that its head looks like that of a chicken. There is something slightly disturbing about how you cannot see its eyes when the figure is facing you, perhaps this could have been tweaked a bit by Bandai. Overall though, an awesome little compact figure for your Converge collection.

76 : Here is the unexpected highlight for me in this set; the awesome, unheard of, RMS-141 Xeku Eins. If you are unfamiliar with the type, it is because it was featured in a novel called Gunam Sentinel only. It is well worth to check this out as the original design is awesome, a very Marasai looking thing. Apparently there are three different types of the RMS-141 and here we are looking at the third type, an assault configuration, which is recognized by its large shoulder-mounted ammo drums. Due to its compact appearance there is not much in the way of articulation here. In addition, when assembling the few pieces of this figure I was left with two white parts that puzzled me greatly, I could not figure out where to attach them. I ended up having to look through pictures on the Gundam Wiki to figure out that they were boost tanks which fit onto the backside of the legs. Still, a true favourite for me, one of the best figures in the line in my opinion.

77 : The RX-78GP03S Gundam GP-03 "Stamen" is perhaps the least succesful figure in this set. Being a typical blue and white Gundam, what sets it apart from the others are its wing-like skirts with thrusters for extra mobility. While the sculpting came out reasonably well the colour scheme is really basic; plain white with a few specks of colour on the torso. The legs, skirts and backpack are all boring white. This reminds me of the GP-03, which was recently released in the Assault Kingdom volume 3 a little while ago. That figure also suffered from an air of boring white and blue. Comparing these to the old GP-03S from the Ultimate Operation line the two modern counterparts look awfully pale, whereas the FWUO figure had an attractive light grey and blue colour scheme. This is a figure for the completists only.

78 : At slot number seventy-eight we find a perfect army-builder figure. Specifically it is the updated RGM-86R GM III Earth Force mobile suit. Looking quite similar to a typical Gundam it has a rich colour scheme with several nice details, especially the blue helmet visor. Due to its large shoulder pads this figure is very compact in appearance (especially when compared to its original counterpart) and as a consequence this limits articulation to a little bit of rotation at the shoulders. If I should moan about something I guess it would be the fact that the legs are nearly completely plain white. This was the case also with the GM III that appeared recently in STANDart volume 18. There is however a much more colourful variant in the now somnolent Ultimate Operation line which still is the benchmark unit for the GM III in my humble opinion.

79 : Another sure to be highlight of this set is the MS-05L Zaku I Sniper Type. Besides the fact that it is a Zaku (which automatically makes it popular) we're talking here about a very odd and customized version which has turned out very successful. Just look at all those tiny details! An absolutely incredible looking figure for Converge, and one of the few to hold his rifle in a more refined and natural looking pose. High marks all over and for those of you who only collect the absolute cream of the line; get this figure into your collections!

80 : The last figure of the set is a personal favourite of mine. It is the wonderfully odd-looking NRX-044 Asshimar, a transformable mobile suit operated by the Titans. Its odd looking head is intended to swivel sideways in between the shoulders and form part of a doughnut shaped segment. The Converge item of course has no such transformation. The head is firmly stuck in place and only the arms rotate at the shoulder. Although the figure turned out reasonably well, the antenna feels quite out of proportion to the rest of the figure. This gives the Asshimar a rather diminutive appearance when placed next to another Converge figure.

Secret : The secret figure for Converge thirteen is a variation on the RGM-86R GM III, the (Desert Color) variation in sand-toned colours. This mimics the recent line-up in STANDart volume 18, which featured the same GM III in these two colour variations. The secret Converge item however still equips the same Beam Rifle as the standard white type, being a simple colour variation only. Still, it is a welcome addition as an additional army builder and it would be nice to see more desert themed figures in the Converge line, such as the Ez8 Gundam or the DOM Tropen for example.

Random Post : Titans Strike Team

A formidable line-up of mobile suits from a Titans strike team. All figures belong to the Ultimate Operation line, from left to right: RMS-108 Marasai (FWUO Plus 1, released September 2005), the PMX-000 Messala (also from FWUO Plus 1) and the RX-110 Gabthley (FWUO Plus 2, released December 2005).

Gundam Converge 7-11 Selection

This time we will take a closer look at one of the more odd sets of figures to appear in the Gundam Converge line. Ten months down the line, in September 2011 to be precise, after three regular figure sets had been released there appeared a special set geared for sales in Japanese 7-11 shops. The set contained a selection of four repackaged figures from the previous three lines as well as two brand new repaint versions which were given the brand new numbers 19 and 20 in the Converge series. It is primarily these two figures that we will inspect in this review.

The entire 7-11 Selection set contains the six figures displayed in the image above, and are the following:

02 : RX-77-2 Guncannon (a repackaging from Gundam Converge volume one)
03 : RX-75 Guntank (a repackaging from Gundam Converge volume one)
11 : MS-06 Zaku II (a repackaging from Gundam Converge volume two)
12 : MS-07B Gouf (a repackaging from Gundam Converge volume two)
19 : RX-178 Gundam Mk-II (A.E.U.G) - A brand new version of this figure, unique to this set
20 : MSM-07 Z'Gok - A brand new version of this figure, unique to this set

As you can clearly see, the 7-11 set goes straight for the roots of Gundam and the really iconic old figures. Since the four repackaged figures are identical to their original counterparts (save for the boxes which now contain a small promotional leaflet and feature slightly different images of other figures on the back cover) these four will not be discussed here. Instead we'll dive into figures 19 and 20.

Above you can see the component sets for the two new figures. They come with the same old chewing gums as the original figures but also feature a small four page leaflet which shows the figures released so far in the Converge line.

19 : The first of the two unique figures is the RX-178 Gundam Mk-II (A.E.U.G), flying the white colour of the Anti Earth Union Group. This is a colour variation of figure 15 which was painted blue in the Titans colour scheme. The equipment of the two is the same (although the Titans figure also has a secret variant which comes armed with a bazooka).

20 : The other unique figure is the MSM-07 Z'Gok in a blue repaint of Char's red version which originally appeared in Converge volume 3 as figure number 18 (I think this must be the first time a regular army builder unit is more rare than a custom Char machine). Again you need to assemble its claws which can be something of a pain if you don't have suitable tools to smoothen the pieces after you take them off the plastic runner

Looking at the bigger picture, the RX-178 mark two Gundam has now been released three times (four if you count the secret version of figure fifteen) in slightly different configurations. As you can see above, the bulkier A.E.U.G. version which appeared in Converge volume 7 (released May 2012) now also features the hyper bazooka and omits the bendable wrap-around headpiece. The later version was also remolded to make it combine with figure 41, the G-Defenser flyer.

As for Z'Goks, well there is a whole lot of them by now. Apart from the experimental MSM-07E Z'Gok (figure 60 from Converge volume 10) there have been four colour variations of the standard MSM-07 figure. Char's figure appeared as mentioned previously in volume 3, then came the 7-11 repaint and two years later the recently released olive coloured Zeon Remnants version (figure 73, Converge volume 12). Char's red version was also reissued in the Operation Jaburo multipack (released December 2012) which updates its look with a metal-style paint job. Colour apart, the Z'Goks are identical in all other aspects.

Whether you wish hunt down these two 7-11 exclusives is up to you of course, but beware that they are hard to find and when they do pop up are often priced prohibitvely expensive. The best bet is is probably trying to find them in a Japanese second hand shop, which is not exactly an easy thing for all of us who live in the rest of the world.

Gundam STANDart volume 19

The latest STANDart figure set is in town, and after having examined them for a few days it is time to come up with some useful blah-blah to describe them. My initial reaction when the set was introduced was, "What, another RX-78 again!?" but the three other figures looked more interesting. With only three types of mobile suits (typically for STANDart) it seemed a slot wasted on something we've already seen a gazillion times. Granted this time they tried a new approach with "open hatches", which all things considered seems more a novelty than anything else. Do we now have to brace for a Zaku II (Open Hatch version), RX-0 (Open Hatch version) and so on?

Anyway, I shouldn't moan too much, because as you can see above this is a fine set with four attractive figures although perhaps a little bit of imagination at the Bandai HQ wouldn't hurt. There are still so many mobile suits never seen in either of the Shokugan figure lines, and I tend to get the impression that once a figure pops up in one series the designs are milked by passing them over to Converge or Assault Kingdom. If so, perhaps the coming Converge Jagd Dogas will spill over to STANDart (wishful thinking mode I know).

Some assembly required...

After taking the figures out of the sandwiching plastic blisters you'll find that assembly required is at an all time minimum even for STANDart, one piece stands between you and completion. The only other loose piece dangling around in each box is the iconic chewing gum of course.

072 : Alright, we'll begin by taking a look at the much fussed about gimmick of the first mobile suit in the set, the granddaddy RX-78-2 Gundam with the added (Full Hatch Open Version) twist. The 78-2 is hardly a newcomer to STANDart, it has been featured twice before; first in Volume 3 in September 2008, then with the Hyper-Bazooka in volume 11, released in October 2011.

The first thing you notice is that the Open Hatch version is really slick, and admirably detailed. It is not so much the fact that it has a couple of hatches opened (and no, they are not moveable) as it is the amount of detail that has gone into this figure resculpt. While the STANDart 3 version was pretty detailed (the early STANDarts were in a class of their own compared to the later ones) it can't hold a breath against the open hatch version. Modelwise, small details such as the beam rifle having a proper handle, and the shield having a small porthole are now corrected, where earlier molds lacked these features. The figure itself is also taller and features more panel lining. The hyper bazooka-version of the figure now looks awfully toy-like in comparison. So, open hatches or not, the new RX-78-2 is a marked improvement upon the older two, and worth to get for this reason alone. I just hope this doesn't mean we will see the relaunching of updated old figures at the expense of never before seen ones.

073 : MSZ-006 A1 Zeta Plus A1 (Amuro Rei Color). It seems some guys get all the love around here. Not only is Amuro Ray the legendary pilot of the original RX-78-2 Gundam we just looked at, here STANDart 19 is showing off another ride of his, the Zeta Plus. Lore has it that the Zeta Plus is a scaled down mass-produced version of the Z Gundam, eliminating equipment for space flight and limiting it to use within atmosphere only.As leader of the 18th Tactical Fighter Aggressor Squadron our ace friend has the ignition keys to one of these puppies as well. Painted in a striking red and white livery of the Karaba Air Force this unit is the definitive highlight of volume 19.

What the Open Hatch Gundam has in detail, the Zeta Plus has in style. And if you place it next to any of the other Zeta Gundam figures it will put them to shame. We're talking beautiful detail and markings on this figure, absolutely essential for a collection in my opinion. The only drawback of this figure is the wide stance of its feet. It makes the figure a little bit unbalanced and easy to topple, don't place him close to a shelf-edge unless you have something to anchor with. Considering that a couple of the STANDarts have in the past featured small transparent supports (the last I recall, was the Wing Gundam of volume 17) for the mobile suit to lean against, this was a curious omission.

074 : Here's another new aquaintance I was not familiar with before. Described as a late version, the MS-06F-2 Zaku II (F-2 Type) (Neuen Bitter's Custom) is the choice ride of ace pilot Neuen Bitter, featured in the 0083 Stardust Memory story-line (interestingly referred to as a "fictional character" on the Gundam wiki as opposed to all the other heroes walking among us, unseen). Bitter had the dubious glory of being stranded on Earth once the war against Zeon came to a close. STANDart 19 models his F-2 type Zaku II in a pale dark green livery with unit insignia on the shield. Unlike the other figure in this set he is armed with the classic Zaku type machine gun. The figure has lots of nice little details and panel lining, and is easily one of the better Zaku II:s to appear in STANDart as far as I am concerned. Wow, so far volume 19 is turning out to be a real winner!

075 : MS-06F-2 Zaku II (F-2 Type). Closing the set is the customary colour variation figure. In this case Bandai go the same route as in the previous set, making a E.F.S.F. variant sporting desert colours. This of course means bonus points if you got the GM III from STANDart 18 as you can display the two together, although they have slightly different sand tones. The E.F.S.F. version is similar to Bitter's Zaku II save for the lack of a Commander Type antenna and a different type of Zaku Machine Gun. I would say the figure's main purpose is army building as it does not come off as impressive as the other figures in this set. But on the other hand... you can never have too many Zakus.

As this set basically contained repaints and remodellings of older STANDart figures I figured we should add some pictures for comparison.

Above you can see the new Open Hatch version Gundam (far right) compared to the Hyper-Bazooka version from STANDart 11 (middle) and the RX-78-2 from STANDart volume 3. In this case, pictures really do speak louder than words. The refined sculpt of the open hatch version really relegates the previous figures to obsolete status.

Let's also take a closer look at the various Zeta Gundams. All of the Zetas released in STANDart so far are quite spectacular in their own right, and the new Zeta Plus fits the bill. From left to right are the MSZ-006 Z Gundam (with logo on the shield) from STANDart 4 released March 2009 (volume 4 also features a colour version, the white and purple Z Gundam Type-3). Next up is the MSZ-006C1 Zeta Plus C1 from volume 10 which was released in July 2011. March 2013 saw a reissue of the MSZ-006 Z Gundam in STANDart volume 16 (this time with an A.E.U.G. logo on the shield). And finally we are at the MSZ-006A1 Zeta Plus A1 of STANDart 19.

Talking about the Zaku II, above is a chronology of their appearances in STANDart. Missing in this shot, obviously, is Char Aznable's red Zaku II due to the simple fact that I do not yet have it. The other figures are, from left to right, the very detailed MS-06J Zaku II (ground type) from STANDart volume 1 (released November 2007), a decidedly blander but classic and lean looking MS-06 Zaku II from volume 13 (released May 2012) and the two new F-2 Types from the latest set. As far as quality goes, the MS-06J type is the premier version here, released in a box with optional partsand superb details, though it looks quite bulky by comparison to its space flight-capable siblings.

There are also a couple of high mobility versions available that differ a bit with more thrusters and wilder colour schemes, they don't really belong in the comparison but here you go. From left to right: The Black Tristar Custom MS-06R-1A Type (STANDart 10, released July 2011), ace pilot Johnny Ridden's MS-06R2 (STANDart 16, released January 2013) and another MS-06R-1A Zaku II from set 10, this time Shin Matsunaga's Custom.

Size comparison: The Open Hatch RX-78-2 comes in at about 8.5 centimeters, the Zeta Plus at 10 centimeters (top of shield) and the Zaku II at about 8 centimeters.

Wrapping things up, although STANDart 19 does not contain many new surprised, it is an excellent set and especially so for recent collectors who can now get hold of several classic designs without having to search high and low for the original figures (which is a real pain in the back side I might add). So, all in all, STANDart volume 19 does come recommended, and as usual, get it while it is hot, these figures never seem to sit on the shelves for very long.