Master Grade Gouf 30th Anniversary Version

I got this Master Grade Gouf on impulse when I went to the local hobby store and saw a 30th anniversary logo printed on its box.

The 30th anniversary edition basically means it comes with clear molded plastic parts that allow you to display your kit with the inner mechanism showing. I paint all my Gundams and ended up not using any of the clear plastic parts.

I had always wanted a Gouf Custom but never got it so I was inspired to paint this with the colour scheme of the Custom.

I experimented with mixing some faskolour paints (usually used for polycarbonate bodies) and they came out pretty good. I especially loved the creamy light blue.

This mech looks great. The body proportions make it look bigger and tougher than it really is. It features an eye mechanism that automatically swivels when you move its head.

It is quite basic when it comes to armaments. It has finger canons, a beam sword and shield and a heatrod.

It was fun to build but sanding many of the round parts (such as the head rod pieces and the pipes) was tiring and can become a chore.

This kit uses the 2.0 frames so posability of this kit is good but the larger and bulkier pieces of its leg armor will prevent you from modelling it in extreme poses. It has no problems kneeling or 'tebowing' though.

There is nothing fancy about this MG Gouf kit but there is just something about it that manages to engage and hold your attention.

It looks great and there is just so much u can do with it despite its limited weapons and gimmicks. A true surprise for me as it has quickly become one of my favourite kits.

Verdict: Highly Recommended - Its beauty lies within its simplicity

Master Grade Blitz Gundam

The Gundam Seed and Seed Destiny series featured some of the more original and unique Gundams to exist in the Gundam anime universe.

The mechs there and those featured in Gundam Wing had been on my Master Grade wish list ever since their animes came out so when these mechs were given the MG treatment, it was a no brainer for me to snap them up as soon as they were released.

The Blitz featured here is one such kit. In the anime, it was armed with some of the weirder and overpowered/underused armaments. This gave it a strong presence and it quickly became a fan favourite.

The ill-fated Blitz was also iconic in that its death was the trigger of the all out war between Athrun and Kira - the two protagonists of the show.

This is one of the newer MGs released by Bandai at the time of writing so it is equipped with top of the line articulation. From the head to the shoulders and legs, almost every joint can be moved, twisted and posed. It has far more articulation than the average person... definitely more than me.

I painted this kit true to its anime colours but those looking for a straight out of box build will be pleased. The kit is molded with excellent colours and most of the spruemarks (nips leftover after removing the plastic piece from the tree) is covered by other parts of the armor.

It comes equipped with a grappling hook, a shield that houses missiles and a beam sabre and a cloaking system. In the anime, the cloaking system engages particles that help to camouflage the Gundam but in the MG kit, certain parts of the armor can open up to simulate the release of said particles.

As I've said, I am a big fan of the Seed/Seed Destiny mechs and this one looks great but I was disappointed with it after the build. It feels a bit lacking and I initially thought it was due to the lack of gimmicks. Then I remembered the MG Dom and MG Gouf have less to offer in terms of gimmicks but they were much more pleasing to own.

I came to the conclusion that the MG Blitz just isn't that interesting as a kit. Maybe it was due to my high expectations but it just did not feel like a kit that I would take down and admire during my spare time. It was given the MG treatment but it did not do enough to stand out amidst Bandai's other MG kits.

An amazing kit to build and look at but one that will be left on the shelves...

Verdict - Only if you really need one to complete your collection

HG 1/100 Akatsuki Oowashi Pack/ Shiranui Pack Full Set

High Grade 1/100 Akatsuki Oowashi Pack/ Shiranui Pack Full Set

This, in my opinion, is the best 1/100 HG grade Gundam kit you can buy. The Astray red frame is a distant second.

The Akatsuki is gold... not yellowish with a tint of gold but reflective gold, making this kit stunning to look at. My wife rates this as the most good looking Gundam kit i own. I hope this is more of a reflection on how good the Akatsuki looks, as opposed to my painting skills.

As the name implies, this Akatsuki comes with both the Oowashi and Shiranui packs.

The Oowashi back pack looks similar to the winged back pack found on the Aile Strike Gundam but in gold with minor differences. The wings are foldable and it has a pair of energy rifles that you can maneuver to allow the Akatsuki to shoot from the hips.

The Shiranui pack meanwhile comes with seven remote rifles that can be detached from the pack. The kit comes with an action base which allows you to position the Gundam in a flying pose. The base is not adjustable and is quite tall.

Apart from the two back packs, the Akatsuki comes with an energy shield, a beam rifle, and two sabres that can be combined to make it a double sabre, like the one used by Darth Maul.

Posability is mediocre in this kit, especially if you are comparing it to Master Grade models. You can still put it in exciting poses but more adventurous modelers might get frustrated trying to get anime accurate action.

My biggest issue with this Gundam is that you cannot get it to stand and pose properly with the huge backpacks it comes with. It naturally is not as well built and designed as Master Grade kits so it struggles to balance itself properly. It also suffers from weak joints, especially over time.

Despite this, I rate ths as the top non MG kit I own. It looks great and has plenty of equipment to keep it interesting. I just can't wait until they release a Master Grade version of this.

Verdict - Recommended