00 Gundam Seven Sword Presentation

As of late, the HG line of model kits are beginning to rival the MG line in terms of articulation and functionality, although the latter still win out in terms of detail. Every so often, I run into other Gunpla models that are exceptionally well-crafted and thus, merit mention. The Gundam today is the 00 Seven Sword, a variant of the 00 Gundam that gives it a different loadout compared to the traditional pair of GN Sword IIs, 00 Raiser and GN Sword III seen in the anime. Befitting its name, the 00 Gundam Seven Sword is armed with seven close combat weapons; the experimental GN Katars, the standarized GN Beam Sabers, the long and short GN Sword IIs, and the large GN Buster Sword.

• Technically, this isn’t a HG model per say: this is the Robot Spirits version of the Seven Sword. The design of the Seven Sword 00 Gundam is a highly pleasing one, giving rise to a machine that appears fully-equipped and ready for combat operations. Aside from weapons, the 00 Seven Sword bears one more aesthetic difference compared to the standard 00 Gundam: the knees are blue rather than white.

• While the original high grade has a brighter green clear parts for the katars and clear parts for the weapon scopes, the Robot Spirits version opted to go with a darker green. Unlike its HG and MG counterpart, the Robot Spirits version does not come with the GN Blaster II. The master grade itself uses a blue-green colour that looks fantastic.

The signature weapon of the 00 Seven Sword is the GN Buster Sword, a weapon that possesses nearly the same height as the Gundam itself. The GN Buster Sword is a massive weapon which serves multiple purposes: it was reverse engineered from the GNX-607T/AC GN-XII Sword by engineer Ian Vashti and is normally stored on the left GN Drive mount. Using the GN particles directly from the vernier, the GN Buster Sword can project a massive GN Field that can cover nearby allies. Despite the weapons system being highly optimised for Setunsa’s piloting style, the weapons configuration was unable to stablise the Twin-Drive system and ultumately, would be set aside in favour of the development of the separate support unit, the GNR-010 0 Raiser.

HG Sinanju Reflection

This is my completed third HG kit and my second HGUC (technically, fourth: I have the HG RX-78GP02A Gundam Physalis and the HG GX-9900 Gundam X still waiting to be built). The completed product could probably pass for an MG in a still photo if I don’t put a proper MG beside it to give it some scale, and that is saying something about just how well-designed the kit is. I got this kit on a cold December afternoon after picking up the results for my Primatology exam, and began the model on Christmas Day. However, I wouldn’t finish the kit until a few days later, as I was out capitalising on the Boxing Day sales and was installing a new LED TV on the 27th. The kit was finished on the 28th, and since then, has been complementing the Unicorn on my bookcase.

• The Sinanju looks impressive just standing there. Sticking it on an action base will, of course, diversify the number of poses it is capable of. There are many little details in the main body and weapons that makes the unit most amusing to assemble. Whether it is the fact that the hand-axes can form a double-edged weapon without requiring a separate handle or the additional grenade launcher for the rifle, the Sinanju simply offers details at what might be normal of a master grade kit. That said, from what I hear, the MG Sinanju is practically a perfect grade.

• The application of the gold-trim stickers is probably the most demanding phase of constructing the Sinanju. However, the gold stands out against the reds and blacks very nicely. The tomahawks are mounted on the interior of the shield: two clear effect parts transform the shield into a weapon reminiscent of Halo’s energy sword.

The Sinanju is perfect for juxtaposing the Unicorn: whereas the Unicorn is sleek and is defined by sharp angles, the Sinanju feels far more organic, boasting smooth curves. The sheer number of weapons that comes with the kit also contrasts the minimalistic loadout of the Unicorn Destroy mode. Whereas the Unicorn Destroy mode only comes with its signature beam magnum (the regular mode Unicorn is required to get the Hyper Bazooka and beam sabres), the Sinanju comes with a beam rifle, grenade launcher, two beam sabres, four tomahawk handles and their associated clear effect parts, giving rise to a unit that is fully loaded and ready for a combat operation. The end result is a model that succeeds totally in conveying the character and mannerisms of Full Frontal and his skill with a mobile suit.

HG 00 Raiser+GN Sword III Reflection

My original curiosity about constructing a model kit originated from a friend who was quite into Gundam, wherein I had asked how the flat plates and pieces in the box could be built into something. His response was simple: this lay in the magic of constructing a model, and the associated experience. With this in consideration, I decided that I would try my hand at building a model kit, and thus, settled on buying either Exia R2 or 00 Raiser.  Thus, on Christmas Eve, I entered the world of Gunpla when I acquired the HG 00 Raiser with the GN Sword III, and completed the model the next day.

• As a standalone, neither 00 Gundam nor 0 Raiser are worth purchasing, but in a single package costing around 2000 yen (around 30 dollars at most Canadian model kit stores), this changes everything. The fact that this model comes with the GN Sword III only furthers its value: the previous 00 Raiser came with the GN Sword IIs only, and given those are included in this model, it rather painfully defeats the purpose of the previous model.

• The 00 Raiser spoiled me with its included stand: I was surprised that most kits do not come with a stand, making aerial poses impossible. As shown by previous entries, I have built several other models since then.

This HG 00 Raiser is awesome, including (to the chargin of many collectors) the GN sword III. Following its completion, I noted the exceptional articulation on the model; this is the most posable kit I have (even beating out the MG 00 Qan[T] in terms of flexibility). Of course, it’s been just a little more than two years since I built it, so I don’t really have much to review about the kit’s various aspects, but this was the kit that has the coveted position of “first Gundam ever built”. Did I mention it has the superbly-awesome GN Sword III?

HG Unicorn Gundam Reflection

Having just completed watching “The Bottom of the Gravity Well”, I am compelled to look back on the nature of the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam, and how fitting that it is named after the ‘beast of possibility’. Indeed, having seen what the Unicorn represents, I decided that it would be another unit I would be pleased to add to my existing collection. Contrasting the 00 Raiser and 00 Qan[T] (I’ll talk about the former in a later post), the Unicorn is a very clean, pure white Mobile Suit, compared to the blues and red found on more traditional lead Gundams. I made my purchase on the day of Otafest in May 2011; having decided against attending, the funds that I had initially accumulated were suddenly freed, and I found myself in the possesion of the HG Unicorn Destroy Mode with the 1/48 Head-display-base. However, as I was quite busy with my first simulation for my summer research, I did not actually build the kit itself until the last Sunday in July. The end result is one awesome Gundam with a display base that is supposedly sold only in Japan and America.

• The Unicorn is reasonably articulated for a model of its design, while nowhere near as flexible as something like the 00 Raiser, the unit does allow for a moderate range of poses to be done. I was ultimately very impressed with its engineering, especially with respect to the omnipresence of the physco-frame, which is present on every region of the model. People have likened the unit’s colour scheme to a strawberry sundae.

• It is actually somewhat of a challenge for me to tell the MG and HG Unicorn models just from an image, attesting to how well done the HG models are. While the Destroy Mode kit lacks the blades to the beam sabres and does not have the Hyper Bazooka, it nonetheless comes equipped with its signature weapon, the beam magnum. For good measure, a spare pack of E-caps were also included and ultimately gives the completed Unicorn a sense of preparedness for combat.

As an HG kit, the Unicorn Destroy Mode was completed over the course of an afternoon, and I assembled the base the next day. The HG Unicorn is essentially a 1/144 kit with the level of detail found in maybe a Master Grade 1/100 kit. This in itself is impressive, considering the smaller size of the Unicorn, and while it goes require some painting to get all of the details, it nonetheless looks highly impressive following a simple assembly. Whether it be the details in the model or the way the parts are engineered, it is apparent that effort went into designing the model.