Robobox: 1/100 MG Gundam

Saturday, July 7, 2007

1/100 MG Gundam

Bandai: 1/100 Master Grade Zaku I

In the anime and manga Mobile Suit Gundam universe, the MS-05 Zaku I was the first successful mobile suit design to be developed by the Zeonic Company in the Principality of Zeon's quest to develop a combat-capable mobile suit that used the AMBAC System and the Minovsky ultracompact fusion reactor. The Zaku I was first designed and built in U.C. 0075, as the MS-05A Zaku winning the arms war against the EMS-04 Zudah. It wasn't put into mass-production until later that year, as the MS-05B Zaku I. The last production run of the MS-05B is in U.C. 0077, before it was replaced by the newer MS-06 Zaku II unit.

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Master Grade 1:100 kits, MG (Master Grade) models were first introduced in the summer of 1995. These are designed and produced to higher standards than most other models, with corresponding superior quality. Appropriately, these take much longer to construct and can easily cost a lot more. MG models are very presentable even straight from the box, but like previous grades can be improved through further detailing and painting. A notable design difference from earlier grades is that MG models are supported by a detailed internal "skeleton", whereas lower quality models have no such feature. These may require screws and usually come with decals. The vast majority of MG offerings are from Gundam, with the rest coming from other properties such as Patlabor. (Master Grade for a complete list of MG models.)

Perfect Grade 1:60 kits, PG (Perfect Grade) kits are unmatched in sheer quality. First released in late 1998, these are made of even higher quality plastic and metal components than the MG kits. These kits include parts that have to be secured with screws, and often require some minor wiring for small LEDs. The market for the Perfect Grade models is limited due to their high cost, often topping $150. Highly-complex design makes PG models a true challenge and their construction can take a few days.

Revoltech

Revoltech is an action figure line from the Japanese company Kaiyodo. The main selling point of the line is the 'Revolver' joint, which all of the figures utilise. This gives the figures a high degree of poseability, allowing for many dynamic and varied poses. The subject matter for the Revoltech line can be broadly split into 3 categories - Real Robot, Super Robot and Humanoid, with the Real Robot line being the best served at present. Thus far, only mecha/characters from anime and video games have been covered.

Soul of Chogokin

Soul of Chogokin is a popular line of collector's toys produced by the Japanese company Bandai. The line, which began in 1997, focuses almost exclusively on mecha (robots) taken from various 70's/80's anime series, although the line has diverged from this on a number of occasions, most notably the release of several mecha from the popular mid-90's anime phenomenon, Neon Genesis Evangelion. More recently, the line has expanded further to include mecha from 70's Super Sentai and Tokusatsu series, such as the Battle Fever Robo from Battle Fever J and the Leopardon from Spider-Man. Also, more recently, Gunbuster and Ideon.

Gundam Fix Figuration

The Gundam Fix Figuration series of collectible toys was started based on the Gundam mechanical designs of Hajime Katoki and his 'Gundam Fix' illustration artbook and are released by Bandai. Gundam Fix toys share similar features as those found in the MSiA series, but are considerbly more detailed and often include more accessories. Changeable parts and variant models are often utilized throught the line, offering the collector a wide variety of display abilities. The collectible toys use PVC (with some ABS plastic) for construction materials, and a recently introduced expansion to the line use metal in the skeleton of the toy. Gundam Fix toys are designed to be true to Hajime Katoki's vision, and as such often adopt design elements and styling found throughout his artwork. The Fix series caters to Gundam fans who enjoy the scale, posibility and durability of the MSiA line, but seek the extensive details and variations that can oftentimes only be found in the Master Grade Gundam model-kits. Bandai also created two similar toy lines; Zeonography that showcases mobile suits from the Zeon forces, and Cosmic Region that showcases mobile suits from Gundam Seed.

Zoids ゾイド

Zoids (stands for Zoic Androids) is a franchise based around a series of plastic toy models designed and produced by Japanese toy company Tomy (now Takara-Tomy). The models resemble a range of creatures (including mammals, dinosaurs, and insects), and depending on the particular continuity are either metal-based lifeforms or are constructed with metal-based lifeforms as the base design. The vast majority of the models are designed in roughly 1:72 scale, with a wind-up or battery motor to power moveable features, and a snap-together construction. The models were first released in 1982, with the most recent line released in early 2006.