Soooooo yeahhhhhh ….
This is where things get ugly. Or at least they got ugly for me while I was taking these photos. If any of these shots look pretty good to you, know they took a lot of time to get.
Also, I broke things. A lot of things (more on that later).
As it turns out, while the Revive Zaku may be great at posing without weapons, it sucks at posing with them. So far I’ve been highly positive about this model kit, but this is where some of the goodwill starts to chip away.
The Revive Zaku has the same problem I encountered with the Zaku II C6. There’s a tiny tab in the gun, and a long notch in the hand that it’s supposed to plug into.
But since the tab and the notch are different sizes, it isn’t a very tight fit. The gun can and will move around, and eventually that will cause it to force the hand apart.
I also ran into problems with the extra ball joint in the wrists. There is not a ton of friction between the ball joint and the arm, so the joint easily loosens up and pops out of place. This is especially true when holding a gun, due to the added weight.
On top of all this, it turns out that the trigger finger holding hands are molded at an angle:
This makes it very, very hard to pose. You have to bend the arm in all sorts of angles just to straighten out the weapon, or to hold the weapon in two hands. Too much fiddling inevitably causes the trigger finger hand to pop open, and for the gun to fall out, and at that point you have to start all over.
You can put it in a firing pose, but a natural one is too much to ask:
I guess this one is a little better?
At least it looks great in poses where it isn’t trying to fire:
The bazooka is even harder to worth with than the machine gun. Rather than pivoting forward and backward, its front grip pivots up and down. This means that the left hand needs to reach a lot further to grab on, and that tends to cause problems:
I found that the best way to equip the bazooka was to start by putting the grip in the left hand, pointing the weapon in the direction of your choice, and then contorting the right arm in whatever fashion is necessary to get it to grab on:
Even a pose like the one below was a struggle. The wrist joints kept popping out every time I tried placing the left hand on top of the weapon:
In other news, the model comes with two trigger finger hands, so you can dual wield if you wish:
In the end, the only weapon that was easy to work with was the Heat Hawk. It is the only one that slots into the regular, non trigger-finger closed fist, and once it is there, it stays in place:
Breaking Stuff
The Revive Zaku comes with a special Action Base adapter, and this is one of the last shots I got before it broke:
The connection wasn’t terribly secure, so the model frequently fell off the adapter (and thus off the base). That meant I had to fiddle a lot with it, and the Number One Rule of Gunpla is “the more you fiddle with something, the more likely it is that it will break”.
And that is exactly what happened. The peg on the Action Base snapped clean off.
I tried fixing it by literally drilling out the broken peg, but the new hole was a bit too large. Then the adapter fit too loosely around the Action Base peg - it worked for some poses, but for others, gravity got in the way and pulled the model down.
And that’s not all that broke while taking photos. Here is a full inventory:
- The Action Base adapter (sort of fixed)
- The Action Base Peg (unfixable)
- The Action Base itself (broke while trying to remove the remains of the peg. Unfixable)
- The U-shaped holster for the Zaku C6’s bazooka (fixed with glue)
- The antenna on the Zaku I Sniper (fixed with glue. Don’t ask how I broke something on an unrelated model)
One of my most many personal flaws is that I live my life with too heavy a hand. Here’s a funny example - way back in grade school, I couldn’t play badminton in gym class because I tried to swing like I was holding a tennis racquet.
I also destroy toothbrushes because I apply too much pressure, and it takes all my effort not to walk up and down stairs without sounding like a stampede of elephants. I’m just not good about having a gentle touch.
Now I can’t say for sure, but I’m wondering if may this is one reason why I break so many things on so many model kits.
But maybe not? When I broke the Action Base, I was just pulling up on the peg. I wasn’t trying (at least not intentionally) to put any torque on it, or any sort of downward pressure.
I understand that plastic can get brittle over time, but that can’t be the reason, can it? I guess I just need to be extra extra careful going forward. If I manage to break less stuff breaks, then maybe then I’ll have my answer.
Comparisons to other Zaku
Let’s compare to my small but hearty collection of other Zakus. First, the most obvious comparison:
Honestly, my biggest takeaway here is that I hate that clear plastic shield in front of the monoeye on the Real Grade. It catches a lot of glare from the light.
Beyond that, putting these two side to side makes the Real Grade feel a lot busier than I remember it being. For example, the panel lining on the right shoulder just seems so unnecessary (though the lining on the left shoulder is fantastic).
These shots do a great job of highlighting the color of the Revive Zaku. I used to think the Real Grade looked bold, but standing next to its sibling, it looks so dull (though maybe that’s also due to it being nine years old).
I forgot that the backpack on the RG looks so … different. I like it!
I hate saying it, but I’m less amazed with the Real Grade than I used to be. That’s a tough thing to say - back in 2012, I used to just stare at it and marvel at its detail and complexity. But again, maybe it’s just because it’s old and worn. If I were to do a fresh build with my current tools and skills, it would be a more fair comparison.
This is a more interesting comparison. I think the Zaku II C6 might be my favorite variant. It has more detail than the Revive Zaku, but not too much like the Real Grade. I think it strikes a perfect balance.
Take a look at the right shoulder, for instance. On the C6, you get two small marks, rather than the squares and arches on the Real Grade. And the thrusters built into the rear legs are so much smaller and more subtle.
Yeah, this is making love the C6 even more than I already did. I think it’s my clear Number One.
I know the Bugu is not a Zaku, but it’s close enough, right? I like this comparison just because of the color contrast.
This final comparison is an important one. The Zaku I Sniper is one the oldest kits I own, at least in terms of its original release date. It is from all the way back in 2006. Yet there are still some areas where it has more detail than the Revive Zaku. That’s how you know that its simplicity really, truly is intentional.
Let’s get the full lineup:
I have way, way more Gundams than I have Zakus, but these guys are among some of my very favorites. They may be outnumbered, but they’re number one in my heart 🥰.
Best Friends Forever
Now it’s time to finally bring together the two bestest pals in the whole wide world, who are totally not eternal rivals and dreaded enemies:
Do they look good together? Certainly. But do they look like a pair, like they were designed to go together? Not really (despite the fact that they totally were).
I think the Revive Zaku does a better job of hiding all the seamlines, and that joint that sits right below the Revive Gundam’s skirt armor really compromises the look. It’s not bad, per se, but I think the Revive Zaku does a better job at nailing that truly retro look and feel.
And now, ladies and gents, we’ve come to the part we’ve all been waiting for. Well, everyone but Gundam, that is:
Now, now Gundam. Best to give the people what they want.
Conclusion
Is the Revive Zaku great? Yes, mostly. I think it looks phenomenal, and its articulation is also (mostly) tops. But between the Action Base adapter, the wrist joints, and the holding hands, it is far too difficult to put it in any sort of good, expressive pose.
If you have no other Zakus, my recommendation is to get any of the ones from the Origin line, as they have the best combination of detailing, articulation, and accessories. Meanwhile, check out the Revive Zaku if its super classic feel is something you actively want, or you’re just looking for a neat variant.