Here it is, fully assembled and ready to go.
This model may make some tweaks to the chest armor, but everything else is exactly as it should be. This is such a classic look, and I am happy to have it finally join my shelves.
Here’s the monoeye after a bit of adjustment. I hate how I have to do it manually, but in some cases it is worth it.
The mono eye is the main thing that gives the Zaku a lot of its charm and personality. You can make it go from menacing to goofy with a simple turn of the head.
The articulation on this kit is quite good. The arms can be positioned almost straight up in the air, and the legs adjust well enough to accommodate different poses. It is also fairly well balanced, and can stand on one foot without fuss.
Now that we’ve seen it clowning around, let’s strap some weapons to this bad boy, starting with the machine gun.
I’m still very nervous that the ammo belt is going to break. There’s one section in particular where it does not bend so much as it folds at an angle. I can’t tell if this means it is on the verge of coming apart. I tried deliberately bending it at other points, and I could not replicate the same behavior.
Seeing the Zaku actually wield the machine gun, it doesn’t look as bad as I thought. It still has some of that badass, Rambo-eqsue vibe, and the belt doesn’t get in the way as much as I thought. I still plan on putting it in storage, since I’m now afraid of the belt snapping in two.
Switching to the bazooka, we see just how big the darn thing is. It feels very different than even other bazookas. It reminds me of a torpedo plane from World War II, in that I imagine the bazooka makes the Zaku significantly slower and more vulnerable, but if it can get within range of a fleet of capital ships it can use its payload to inflict massive damage. Overall, I quite like it.
Now let’s look at the anti-ship rifle. I knew this thing was long, but it isn’t until I equipped it on the model that I realized just how long.
I mean look at this. Stick it up in the air and it escapes the boundaries of my lightbox.
Side note: notice how the arm doesn’t sag under the weight of the rifle. It just stayed put like that for minutes at a time. Very impressive.
I really like the way this gun came out. The touches of gunmetal grey against the black body really stand out and give it a much more realistic vibe. I’m particularly pleased with the trigger and the bolt.
One other thing I like about this kit is that you can position all of the guns such that it looks like the Zaku is actually aiming using their scopes. Even if those scopes are actually cameras, and it doesn’t really need to aim down them, it’s the way people expect someone, humanoid or mecha, to aim a firearm.
Lastly, we have Heat Hawk. I find it challenging to come up with good poses for this weapon. It is both small and one handed, and feels more like a last-ditch defensive item than an aggressive, offensive one.
My solution is to try and treat it like a knife. Most films/games/etc that portray knife combat emphasize that the user’s off hand is positioned so that it can grab/block/punch/whatever. Thinking of it this way helps me come up with poses in which the off hand is not sitting around looking limp.
Of course, you can also go with the desperate leap attack.
Remaining Thoughts
- There is a small clip that you can attach to the backpack which allows for the bazooka to be carried around. Typically kits carry their bazooka by strapping it on horizontally at a point just below the backpack. This makes the model far wider than normal, and in some cases the attach point is very fragile. This vertical solution is much easier and looks better.
- This model is so very sturdy. Nothing comes off, nothing feels fragile. I can’t think of many other kits that were this easy to work with.
- I almost forgot about the wrist-mounted gun. Here’s the Zaku doing its best imitation of Mega Man X.
Conclusion
This may be the result of Bandai’s money grubbing, but it is also a knockout kit. So many weapons, so many customization options … I couldn’t ask for more. Even better, the kit is stable, sturdy, and poseable, and it captures the iconic look of the Zaku II while adding a few modern touches. The Gundam F91 may be the best mobile suit I’ve built in years, but this might take the crown as the best kit. A winner all around.
If you want to see all of my photos for this build - check out the album here