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If you've
been a long time fan of the ever-so-slightly Nietzchean, heavily
bushido-influenced anime Mobile Suit - Gundam Wing, then the show's
success on Cartoon Network will have come as no surprise. The
original show time of around 5pm might have caught you out (this
is not really a kids cartoon), but you should be happy that it's
now on at the back of the watershed time of 9pm.
You should
also be happy that Bandai UK kept the faith over the years and
continued to import the astonishing model kits manufactured by
their Japanese counterparts. The wide range of kits come in two
scales; 1/100 and 1/144. Box art is both colourful and, as a painting
guide, informative. The instructions are in Japanese with, effectively,
English subtitles.
Actually,
two of the kits reviewed came with the original Japanese instruction
booklet, complete with photos of the kind of paint job that just
makes your average model maker want to weep. Have no fear, average
and below average modellers, help is at hand.
 Exquisitely
well tooled (especially considering these are mass produced),
the kit parts snap together. The pieces are moulded in appropriate
colours, so even patient kids can end up with a good looking action
figure. If you're not a painter, then you will be happy to know
that the kits come with stickers, often metallic ones, for all
the key colour areas. Adults will need the help of a fine-fingered
kid to put some of those on. Assembly time averages at about 3
to 4 hours.
I did say
'action figure' quite deliberately. Even the 1/144 scale kits
have many points of articulation, loads of weapons, and many Transformer-like
configurations, wonderfully and accurately representing those
seen in the series. If these are to be played with, or handled
regularly, it's worth gluing where appropriate.
At around
£8 for the 1/144 scale, and about £14 for the 1/100,
these are well worth a look, whether you're a Gundam fan, or simply
a fan of big Japanese robots. Roleplayers will be happy to know
that all of the main characters and many of the cannon-fodder
extras' suits are available.
All model
kits should be this way! 8.5/10
Reviewed by
Iain Lowson
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