Oh hey look, it’s the GM Custom!
Who could have predicted that this would be my next build? It’s not like there were any clues or anything.
I love the GM Custom. You love the GM Custom. Everyone loves the GM Custom.
You do love it, right? I mean, it ranks up there with the GM Sniper II as one of the best GM variants of all time. It has that special something that lets it rise above its station, becoming far cooler than just any old grunt suit.
About the GM Custom
The GM Custom is a design that may or may not have come out of the Newtype Labs at Augusta. Deployed in UC 0083, it was a candidate to become the next generation mass production unit for the Earth Federation. However, as far as I can tell, this did not come to be. The Federation decided instead to bet on the GM II, which was such a minor upgrade over the original GM that the latter could be upgrade into the former. So I guess the answer boils down to “because cost”.
While certainly more than one GM Custom was manufactured, there is no evidence that it became the backbone mobile suit for any fleet. At best, it became a unit designated to squadron leaders and other ace pilots.
That’s because the GM Custom is a beast. There is a lot of debate among fans about which is the most capable and performant model of GM, and while no one knows for sure, the GM Custom is one of the most widely nominated candidates (alongside the GM Sniper II of course). In other words, don’t listen to Kou Uraki here:
No, Kou, the GM Custom is remarkable. Why, you ask? If you’ve ever seen 0083: Stardust Memory (the source of the above image, and the only Gundam story to really feature the GM Custom), you will know that the OVA is the equivalent of a mobile suit snuff film. Mecha (and capital ships) get blown up and torn apart like they’re made of tissue paper, especially in its final stretch. If you’re a pilot in _Stardust Memory_’s final battle, you have at best mere minutes before you end up dead.
And yet. And yet …
Near the start of the story, three GM Customs are assigned to crew of the Albion. By the end, only one is destroyed, and even then, only due to a post-battle mechanical failure. In a conflict that chews through mobile suits at as fast a clip as any other Gundam story, the GM Custom survives. A GM. Survives.
That, folks, is remarkable.
About the Design
The GM Custom looks is both very familiar and very weird. It’s still clearly a GM, but it puts a unique spin on the basic design. It has a bulkier, armored look that gives it a bit of an edge compared to its predecessors. I especially love those gorgeous shoulders. They flare out at the tips, almost like it has a set of tiny wings.
And take a look at that head!The classic GM head looks like a robot’s head, but the GM Custom’s looks more like a helmet. That may sound like a distinction without a difference, but to me it’s like comparing a human with a bare head, and a human wearing tactical gear.
And don’t forget the visor! It looks straight up mean, like its brow is constantly furrowed. And the color - a sort of orange-gold depending on how it is drawn - is quite striking, and stands in perfect contrast to the color of the body.
Speaking of which, I’m not entirely sure what color the body is supposed to be. Is it grey? Blue? Bluish-grey? Greyish-blue? It’s different from every other GM, and it is a rare example of a mobile suit that actually benefits from being monochrome. It feels simple in the way a good piece of military gear should, and all the vents stand out against in a way that wouldn’t be possible if the unit was multicolored.
It’s just a cool looking take on the GM, one that isn’t quite as deviant as the GM Sniper II, and which manages to be different without really being different.
About this Model
While I may happen to love this mobile suit, a cursory glance of what’s inside the box suggests that this particular model kit isn’t anything special. By all appearances it is a standard GM model kit, like all the others that have come before. Most of the pieces look very familiar, even if they aren’t exactly the same. It comes with a standard “sword, board, and gun”, without any additional accessories. And there’s quite a lot of painting to do. All in all, I don’t expect any surprises.