MegaHouse Gundam Military Generation - Earth Federation Soldier (Wave 2)

MegaHouse is still soldiering on with the GMG collection and we are up to the fourth wave of figures. Up until this point the pattern has been straight forward - each wave consists of three different figures and the designs have been alternating between the Principality of Zeon and the Earth Federation.


Wave four has been out since March 2022 but it always takes a bit of time to source these figures on the secondary market and the prices can fluctuate rapidly. This particular group I managed to find in a box set containing all three but it is also "common" to see the figures sold separately. Currently, single figures usually go for something like ¥3000 to ¥5000 (although recently I came across some for only ¥1500 so it can pay to shop around).


As usual the box set is only a thin white wrap around for three individually packaged figures. The format remains the same as previously with the really large boxes for some extra shelf presence I guess.


The theme for the previous set was Zeon mobile suit pilots so it seems fitting that the Earth Federation gets a suit team of its own. My biggest surprise was that Sayla Mass was chosen to bring some extra flair to the gang rather than Amuro Ray and I am all for it.


The first figure (number 04) is your average male mobile suit pilot. The parts come in two separate blister packages to create as much plastic waste as possible. Some of the smaller components come in typical compartmentalized plastic bags. As you can see he is pretty light on accessories, instead MegaHouse went for a bit of a diorama set-up instead.


The basic pilot follows the traditional anatomy of the GMG figures including double jointed elbows and knees. As always when handling these figures be really gently at first, until you figure out exactly what range of movement you can get from them or you risk breaking the joints. The most fragile part in my experience is the ball joint connecting the foot to the leg, be especially careful there.


Each figure comes with three face options. You can have the same guy wearing a helmet with or without the visor down, or without the helmet. The helmet itself can be opened up and reassembled and so works as an accessory if the pilot does not wear it. I always thought it would be cool if Bandai would ship the figure with different people's heads to encourage army-building but so far that has not happened.


You don't get a while lot of accessories to play with in this set. Each pilot has the same basic pistol (as well as a belt with a tiny holster and two pouches, presumably for ammo clips). Still, if you have been collecting the GMG figures you should already have quite a lot of spare weapons and gear to choose from.


The next soldier (number 05) is the big guy on the team. Bandai sure loves these big boned gentlemen in these GMG sets. Personally I would much have preferred a female pilot but I guess they thought it would be too similar to the Sayla Mass figure. Apart from different diorama components this guy has nearly the same gear as the first, except for a flight pack that attaches to his combat harness.


While there are some subtle differences at first glance the two generic pilot figures look similar. Because of the different proportions however this figure requires a differently sized harness accessory.


There is something funky going on with this pilot's face and he looks more at home on Wall Street than in the cockpit. That's an impressive hairstyle for a soldier by the way. :)


Attaching the harness to a GMG figure is always a bit of a pain because you have to pull off all limbs from the torso first. The harness itself is from very rubbery plastic and is then pulled over the shoulders from underneath. You then carefully reattach all the limbs again and hope that they stick elegantly in place again. Be gentle here as the pegs are delicate and sit in rotating sockets so if you apply to much pressure they can slide away to the side and you risk damaging them.


I generally decided beforehand which of my figures should wear the harness and then don't mess with them again. The effect of the extra layer can be really nice and this flight pack looks great.


If you opt to go for the helmeted heads of the suit pilots you can use the spare heads to customize some of your other GMG figures. This adds a bit of army building possibilities especially if you hide the pilots behind their visors. You can do the same with Sayla's head but her hairstyle is very one-of-a-kind and hard pressed to represent your average grunt.


Speaking about Sayla, here she is (figure number 06). Notice that she gets the same basic accessories and hands except the hands and belt are painted brown instead of white. Her unique accessory is a hinged gold bullion bag that can be opened or closed. This type of accessory is what I like best from the GMG series because they open up for so many creative ideas. I really loved the various combat rations and books that came with the previous figures, much more so than the larger diorama sets.


Sayla's yellow flight suit is really good looking and there are very few figures ever made for it (it is usually the light red crew uniform). We've had female figures with each of the GMG sets before but they never felt quite so flimsy and unstable as this figure does.


The multiple head options are great but honestly I don't know why anyone would opt for the helmeted options here. it was the same thing with the Char Aznable figure from the previous set except in his case I doubt many people would want to display him without his helmet...


Here are all the cockpit components grouped as they come with each figure. Figure 04 has the instrument panel and flight controls, figure five features parts of the seat and the heads up targeting system while figure 06 comes with the floor panel. Notice also that each figure has their own seat belt with sizes intended to fit their different body shapes.


I might not be completely sold on the idea of a cockpit chair instead of action accessories but it certainly looks the part. The attention to detail is great and there are some practical gimmicks. The chair for example has three different positions relative to the controls and the optical sight system can be folded back to the side when not in use. The latter actually involves replacing the extended arm with a short arm, which attaches to the camera component. I decided not to mess with it for fear of damaging something or wear out the joint.


Arm yourself with a lot of patience to get your pilot seated in place. First you have to figure out exactly how to bend the joints to make a believable pose. Then you have to actually get it into the chair without having the cockpit come to pieces. Next you have to fiddle to get the arms and hands into some interesting positions and lastly, when you think you are done, you have to try to get that four-point seatbelt in place. The seatbelt itself is made from really soft rubbery plastic that does not like to go into the peg holes so easily so have some fun with that. I have to give credit though, the end result is pretty cool, especially if you build something up around it. If you decide to get two sets you could probably build an interesting airplane-style cockpit.


I love all the GMG figure sets although I felt that this one was not quite as interesting as the others. I guess this mainly stems from wishing for more smaller action oriented accessories but if the series continues to live on we should be inundated with them anyway. The next release will be something really special. Rather than the standard three-figure wave we will get some special sets focusing on Ramba Ral's soldiers. One pack will contain Ral himself together with Crowely Hamon (who will sadly not be articulated but a statue type figure... wtf?) and another will feature a Zeon solider on a motorcycle. There will also be an option to buy just the motorcycle. These sets are actually supposed to come out now in August if I am informed correctly.

Mobile Suit Ensemble EX 28 : ZGMF-X09A Justice Gundam

Collecting Ensemble figures can be a bi painful at times. Some figures are just hopeless to come by. The Justice Gundam figure was released over a year ago in June 2021 and I have been seeing this sucker getting swiped from underneath my hand several times on the secondary market. The price has skyrocketed too. It started out at Bandai at ¥4180 and by now you can see them going for double that. Quite spicy considering this is an average size figure with an accessory suite that while great isn't THAT impressive. Still, finally I have a unit to cherish as my own (and I hope to eventually catch a break also with the Virtue Gundam figure...).


The box is similar in style to the previously released Freedom Gundam figure. The two Ensemble figures actually have a lot of shared anatomy between them as well.


The Justice itself is a basic Ensemble figure built with the same anatomical design first pioneered by the Freedom, including the special hip-joint that has the connecting peg in the torso section. The remainder of the components in this box are split between the Fatum-00 high mobility flight pack (which has a lot of small components) as well as the usual oversized action base gunk we tend to see in the EX packs. The typical assembly instruction is just as messy as they always are some of the 3D-render views can be quite hard to make out but usually you have a left and a right component so you can mirror the work on the one part that is easier to see. Seriously, model kit assembly instructions have been a thing for half a century at this point; I don't see why these have to be so muddled.


Here is basic Justice Gundam figure. It has a really decorative pink colour scheme that sits really well with me because I just love figures with unique colour schemes (I am pretending that it does not recycle the Aegis' scheme here...). The beam rifle and shield are nicely painted and especially the rifle has a tremendous amount of effort put into it, similar to the rifles used by the Freedom. I always love when Bandai go the extra mile to paint up the multi-colour rifles, it is such an easy way to make the figure look all the better.

Also included are a common beam saber and a dual saber, also similar to those used by the Freedom, but again they are clear colour which defies all reason and logic for an EX figure. From an engineering point of view the small feet really like to come off the ball joints as soon as you begin to posing the figure which is very annoying. The two Beam Boomerang weapons attached to the shoulders are also way larger than I think they need to be but they are quite prominent on the actual design too so I'll give it a pass.


Next we attach the Fatum-00 flight pack in its stowed configuration. The flight pack comes with a swiveling multi-part attachment assembly that goes into the Gundam's torso. This component was giving me a bit of grief but with repeated use the joint loosened a bit (perhaps it will become too loose if you play around with it a lot...). The figure can support the weight of the pack but you'll need to find a stable pose for it not to topple over. A special stand is included that slots in underneath the flight pack but I had such a hassle getting it to where it was supposed to be that I gave up and just balanced the figure without it. The Converge (and Assault Kingdom) method of using a peg under the figure's foot and put it on a platform is generally a more stylish option I think.


Each Beam Boomerang weapon has a gimmick where it can be removed and attached to a transparent effect part which in turn attaches to a small pedestal (in this comparison view I have only used one of the two pedestals). As usual with Ensemble you can't do anything interesting with these as the bases have no articulation and so the weapons just sit flat at hip-level, not exactly how you would want to pose a dramatic throw against an opponent. Pointless guff, if you ask me.


Next we have the dreadful action base. Or rather base as there is no action to it at all. Just like the Freedom got the top section of the Archangel's bridge as its base (which at least made a little bit of thematic sense as this is where it first spread its wings in the anime) the Justice gets the top segment of the Eternal's bridge and fin. A secondary support clips onto the fin to allow for the Fatum-00 flight unit to be displayed in its deployed mode. Here the Justice balances very loosely on top of the base because no way am I attaching it firmly and risking the peg breaking again. I learnt my lesson well with the Raider Gundam figure... As usual the Ensemble EX bases are overly complicated and accomplish little.


I was surprised that the figure can actually carry the deployed flight pack (yes I didn't extend the wings to the sides in these images) unaided but you won't be getting any interesting poses out of it this way. Most of the Fatum-00 unit is made of hard plastic by the way so the wings and fins all retain their crisp shape.


Personally I like the atmospheric flight mode where the Justice will can be seen casually surfing the glider like a surfboard, reminiscent of how some of the other Z.A.F.T. mobile suits also use sub-flight systems in atmosphere. We actually get a connecting piece that attaches to the figure's crotch and onto the flight pack to keep the figure securely in place but I caution against using these since they have a tendency to break very easily. As you can see the figure has no trouble standing on top of the fatum-00 anyway. Here I have built a little stand using Assault Kingdom figure bases to create a more interesting look, because you get nothing of the sort in this box which is a curious omission.


The Justice Gundam figure is also compatible with the Ensemble METEOR unit (EX 06B). I only have one of those and my Freedom Gundam figure is carefully attached to it and there is no way I feel like beginning to fiddle with that. Here you can see the concept at work based on the instruction sheet. The Fatum-00 pack also attaches to the METEOR Unit which looks quite cool but I doubt I will be purchasing a second unit. For one, they have become expensive and rare, and I think the Justice looks better on its own anyway.


My Archangel Trio is finally complete! Will we ever see a Perfect Strike Option Parts Set in the EX line? I'd imagine a reissue of the Strike with full weapons would sell quite well. Perhaps now that Gframe has shown the way with its own Perfect Strike there is a chance Bandai may want to recycle the design work also in Ensemble?


Athrun ruins the day for the Earth Federation Invasion Task Force - at least if you have a custom stand to spice things up a bit. I wonder if Bandai will ever construct a new backwards compatible figure base system so that we can finally begin to build some really cool Ensemble dioramas...




Conclusion

In summary, yet another competent Ensemble EX figure with a good range of features and hampered by the same old unimaginative action bases. Price is starting to turn ugly on this thing and it is rarely seen on the secondary market so if you didn't get yours yet finding one might be a bit painful. Still, one of the better Ensemble EX figures out there in my opinion.