In this final post, we’ll see the fully built Tryon 3 in all its glory.
Folks, I fully admit that I’ve been skeptical and cranky during this build. I kept thinking a High Grade kit was somehow below me, and complained about things being too simplistic. I apologize for my hubris, because this sucker looks freaking cool.
There are a few things going on here. The color scheme is definitely a huge plus. The Tryon 3’s primary colors are perfect for a mobile suit intended to be a throwback to old-school 70’s mecha shows (not to mention the placement of each color feels just right). There’s also the fact that the Tryon isn’t hyper detailed. All its parts are big and chunky, and once again it feels like the perfect aesthetic choice.
The Tryon also has much better articulation than I expected. The kit may not have an inner frame, but apparently High Grade joint technology has reached a point where it might not matter all that much. I had no trouble making the Tryon perform all sorts of crazy, Giant Robot moves.
Lastly, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the Tryon 3’s sword, which the Internet tells me is named the “Hyper Minovsky Chouhoken”. It’s a long, wide, clear plastic blade coming out of the beak of the Sora Tryon’s head.This is the quite nearly the Platonic ideal of 70’s Mecha Ultimate Weapon. Just look at it in these pictures. It is huge!
The Tryon is surprisingly good at holding onto the sword, provided you don’t attempt any crazy poses. The hilt has to be placed a certain angle, so that a notch in the handle slots into kit’s hand, while the other hand supports it from below. Any attempt to deviate from this sword grip will cause it to drop.
I don’t have much else to say about this one. It’s badass, nostalgic, and mighty. No wonder the Internet fell in love with this mobile suit when it appeared in Gundam Build Fighters Try. I take back everything I said about High Grades. If they can make something this sweet, consider me a fan.
Final Notes:
The Tryon 3 is actually taller than all of my Real Grade models. That was surprising, and yet it makes perfect sense.
I love the stupid fins on the arms and the shoulders of the Tryon. I spent way too much time playing around with their positioning while attempting poses.
While the Tryon looks like it is fully capable of punching its way to victory, you can swing out the guns on the Riku Tryon so that they appear above the Tryon 3’s head. Overkill? Nahhh
I mentioned this while talking about the Umi Tryon, but the big chunky pieces of this kit made it much easier to paint. I think it looks quite gorgeous with the top coat applied, though if I could do it over again, I think I would have opted for a glossy, rather than matte paint. This seems like the kind of mobile suit that needs to be shiny.
The Tryon 3 is based on the Double Zeta Gundam, and once you get past the Liger head and the color scheme, it becomes pretty obvious. While I don’t have a Double Zeta, I do have a Real Grade version of the Zeta, so there was at least a small chance to compare the two, to get a feel for the differences between the two grades. The best area for comparison are the legs and feet. The feet of the RG Zeta are made of multiple pieces, which allows it to bend. The Tryon’s feet, however, are a single, rigid piece. Looking at the legs, the Tryon often opts for one big piece where the Zeta would use several smaller ones. For the purpose of the Zeta, the extra detail is welcome, but for the Tryon I honestly think the simpler approach is better..
Now that the Tryon 3 is all wrapped up, it’s time to take a break. I’m not sure what I’ll build next, but I’m thinking at trying out a Master Grade. I don’t aim to make a habit of it - I wouldn’t have the space for more than one - but I’d like to see how much the change in size affects the build, as well as how the detail really stacks up next to a Real Grade.
The trouble, however, is that I haven’t found a Real Grade kit for sale that I really like. Maybe that’s because of my picky tastes in mobile suits. For now, I’ll keep looking.
Oh, and here’s a gallery with even more pictures of the Tryon-3.