Random Mecha Photos: Gundam Strike Brothers

Since we're coming into the age of the Gundam Build Fighters anime, I figure that I should take some random photos of all the stuff I kitbash.

Here's two of them: Strike Sword and Launcher units with some additional parts.

More about Gundam Build Fighters at the Gundam Wiki

Here's a promotional video for Gundam Build Fighters:

Review: Perfect Strike - Final Entry

This is my final entry on teh HGGS 1/144 Perfect Strike Gundam. I'll have some observations after the photos. As it is, enjoy!

I attempted to pose it as if it were charging into an enemy.

Tried to imitate the manual's action pose.

Close up

Using the sword as the primary weapon.

Using the claw system and the beam boomerang

Strike Noir can use the backpack, but nothing else in the system. Actually looks like a Destiny protoype.

The Dagger mecha barely works with the backpack. On the other hand, it can use the Launcher shoulder weapon.

The Akatsuki has trouble with the shoulders.

Observations:

1) The Strike itself is a Recolored variant, with a surface shine similar to the GFT types. The grey has been replaced with a metallic grey color.

2) It's actually difficult to maneuver the cannon into a good pose - and you'll have to remove the grip to do it, then just reattach the gun grip with the hand in place. As for the shield - you can't open the claw of the shield and keep it attached to the main body - it always has to be launched, with the line attached.

3) The original beam boomerang had a swivel-open handle, this new does not. That means you have to really open the top part of the first to fit the weapon in.

Final Word

It's a great kit to get, if only for the visual impact. However, do remember that it is by nature an older kit with a new weapons system. Also, if you wish for it to be more posable, I would suggest that you find the Grand Slam Sword Custom Kit Set, so you can upgrade the base Strike kit.

Update: Click on the following links for the other parts of this multi-part review:

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3



Click here for more reviews of other kits.

Review: Perfect Strike - Almost there...

 

I've been working a bit on the Perfect Strike. Observations:

1) I'll take back the idea that the mounting arm of the Launcher Cannon is less maneuverable than the FG version. It practically has the same range of motion, just a new way of distributing the joints and swivels.

2) The stickers are a pain. They are the best argument for just painting all the details.

3) The gaps between moving parts at the shoulder and the weapon mounts of that backpack are pretty close - proper posing is required.

4) The Sword system's claw shield is now attached using the shield clamp/posts. In the original, the shield was just clipped on to the arm - definitely a nightmare for painters at the time. However, this also means that you can;t use the standard Aile shield and the Sword Shield at the same time (If you really wanted to, though it would make the look more cluttered than it already is....).

5) It may be just my imagination, but I think the old HGGS Strike pieces are showing their age, in terms of sharpness of detail, as compared to the new Perfect parts. It's acceptable - the Strike kit has been around for a long time.

I'll be finishing this snap-build soon, before returning it to the owner (and having it exhibited...).

Update: Click on the following links for the other parts of this multi-part review:

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 4


Click here for more reviews of other kits.

Review: Perfect Strike - A Closer Look

I've gotten to the meat of the kit, so to speak, and that's how they integrated the Aile, Launcher and Sword packs into one unit.

In the first two photos, I compare the size of the backpack to the old HG Aile pack.

As can be expected, the new enlarged wings and the two pack systems just made it look bigger and meaner. I also get a lot of the Destiny Gundam vibe from this backpack.



However, one of the amazing things is that the main bulk of the backpack is essentially the same Aile pack parts. So what did they change? That's what the next pics are for.

It's here, at the final pic, that you can see what it really was all about. This one part ( the black horizontal piece that connects the weapons systems to the main pack, and also is the main connector to the Strike back area) makes the modification possible.

Update: Click on the following links for the other parts of this multi-part review:

Part 1 - Part 3 - Part 4







Click here for more reviews of other kits.

Review: A Perfect Strike...

Wings are based on a mix of the MG and PG. Perhaps it refers to the incoming MG Ver.2? Also, the Launcher's stabilizer arm has less articulation than the original version (came with an FG). Not sure if you can swap out parts (I need someone's help on that one, will contact ASAP).

The sword can't be used with the old FG - it doesn't have the peg hole for the mount. Still, it looks like they used the old FG parts as the basis for the weapons systems.

I was actually writing a bit, when a friend dropped this off at my place. Yes, It looks like a Perfect Strike, indeed.

Observations: 
1) Main kit really is the old HGGS Aile Strike. It has all the old parts for it, with slight recolors - the grey has become Metallic grey, for example.

2) The new parts are minimal, in the sense that there are no extra parts to change the Launcher and Sword pieces into searpate weapons systems (I guess they were happy enough with the RG versions).

I'll be assembling this by sections over the next few days.

Update: Click on the following links for the other parts of this multi-part review:

Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4
 
Click here for more reviews of other kits.

Gundam Review: HGGS Strike Frames (Test Article)

Hello, all! This is my first post, just testing the waters. The picture says it all, however, as this site will be dedicated to Gundams, mostly. I'll probably be posting reviews and observations, as I will leave the breaking news to others like Dalong, Ngee Khiong and the others.

So for now, cheers!