I was all set to take a nice break from building model kits. I was going to focus on my video game backlog, or my book backlog, or the multiple Gundam shows I have on DVD and Blu Ray that I haven’t finished watching.
It didn’t last long. I hate (hate) to admit it, but I think this modern world of smartphones and social media have ruined my ability to just sit down and watch a piece of passive media. And while I’m not done playing video games, the older I get, the more they feel like a waste of time. Why sit there and go through the motions in some poorly designed virtual experience when I could be making something with my hands?
So I’m back at the workbench, ready to finish a kit I started months ago:
In the words of Bluey Heeler - “let’s doooo this …”
About the Zaku II
Should do a background bit about the Zaku II? I mean, it’s at least as iconic as the original Gundam, if not more so. It is the quintessential “bad guy” mobile suit, and a design that has inspired other cannon fodder mecha for decades.
But what’s better than a Zaku II? Why that would be Char Aznable’s custom commander type Zaku II. It’s reddish/pinkish color scheme is unlike anything else in Mobile Suit Gundam, even to this day.
The only other thing I feel like saying about it is that I like how it is the Zaku II, rather than the Zaku I, that became Zeon’s mainstay mecha. There’s something about that that feels very true to life, having subsequent revision that finally nailed the design.
About the Visual Design
There are a lot of reasons why the Zaku II is such a great design.
Reason #1 is that it is unquestionably, unmistakeably intended to evoke the image of World War-era shock troopers:
If you want to make it crystal clear who the bad guys are in your war, you can’t do much better than that1.
Beyond that, compared to the Gundam and other Earth Federation designs, the Zaku II looks a lot less like a robot and more like a person wearing a suit of armor. Maybe this is a stretch, but I feel like this gives just a bit of humanity.
I also think the Zaku looks a lot bulkier than Feddie mobile suits. That’s not to say that it is fat, just that it feels a bit heavier and well armored. It looks like it can take a hit and brave the elements, and that in turn makes it feel more like a legit piece of military machinery.
Last, but certainly not least, there’s the monoeye. I think the monoeye is an absolutely brilliant touch, because it can singlehandedly change one’s perception of the mobile suit. In some scenarios it looks extremely creepy and intimidating, a lone dot in a dark void, uncaring and unflinching.
But in other scenarios, it can look downright cute. The monoeye can give the appearance that the Zaku is wide eyed, enthusiastic, and maybe even a little innocent:
All of which is to say that the monoeye gives the Zaku II a ton of character. It allows a good artist to depict emotion in a way that you shouldn’t be able to with a machine.
About this Model Kit
There have been a lot of High Grade Zaku II’s in recent years, largely due to the Gundam: The Origin line of kits. Those were all excellent, so why make another one in 2020?
Answer - those Origin models are based on the Zaku II as it appears in the Origin manga and OVA. This one, however, is the Revive Zaku. If the word “Revive” rings a bell, you’re on the right track. This Zaku is the companion to the 2015 Revive Gundam.
If you remember (or just read) my posts on the Revive Gundam, you will know that it was an attempt to replicate the mecha’s original 1979 appearance, and served as a showcase of the state of the art in High Grade articulation. The same two things are true of the Revive Zaku. When it’s all built, it should look pretty much exactly like this:
And if this promo shot on the box is any indication, I’d say they really nailed it:
In fact, Bandai went the extra mile with a creative extra. This kit comes with something I’ve never seen before - an alternate skirt armor made out of rubber.
You see, back in 1979, the original animators weren’t all that concerned about being realistic, so the Zakus often look and move less like robots and more like humans in rubber monster suits. They do things (including bending their limbs) that simply shouldn’t be possible. The most iconic example is the so called “Zaku Kick”:
The only way this works is if the skirt armor was somehow pliable, like a fabric. So that’s exactly what this model kit does. If you choose to use the rubber skirt, it will bend and flex and move out of the way during any action pose, including the kick:
Granted, it is entirely optional, but a cool idea nonetheless.
How to Color a Zaku
When it comes to replicating the original look of Char's Zaku, perhaps nothing is more important than nailing the color scheme. It isn't always the same! For example, the Gundam: The Origin design uses a dark red and a dark pink:
While the Real Grade model kit version goes for a much lighter salmon pink:
Meanwhile, the original color scheme is somewhere in between. It's tough to get it exactly right, but as far as I can tell this model has it figured out.
There are a few other things of note regarding this particular kit. First, they added an extra joint into the wrist, which gives the hand a bit more bend. Second, while it comes with all of its standard accessories, it is entirely devoid of decorational decals (save for the monoeye decal of course). This makes sense, considering it is a throwback design, but nevertheless it means that this Zaku is a little on the plain side. The question for me becomes whether or not to add some shading.
Other Thoughts
One of my kids is getting into Gundam (as much as a three year old can), and she refers to the Zaku as the “Zuka”, just like she calls the Gundam “Gingum”. I find myself referring to them using these mispronunciations far more often than I use their correct names.
- Despite the fact that more recent Gundam content has gone out of its way to depict the Zeon in a more sympathetic light, it is abundantly clear that series creator Yoshiyuki Tomino considered them the bad guys, under no uncertain terms. The Zeon were his direct condemnation of the fascist and imperialist governments of the Empire of Japan, the Soviet Union, and Nazi Germany. While he was obviously interested in depicting individual soldiers as being good and honorable, I don’t think there is any ambiguity that Tomnio believed that these systems and governments were on the wrong side of history. [return]