Here it is folks, the Entry Grade RX93-ff:
Prior to owning this kit, I’d seen plenty of pictures of the standard Entry Grade Nu Gundam, and I wasn’t at all impressed by what I saw. It seemed a little too … plain. The lack of surface detail, while certainly movie accurate, didn’t really impress in three dimensions.
I realize now what the problem was. Most of the pictures I saw were straight builds, without a lick of panel lining. And while the model doesn’t have that many panel lines, they all turn out to be crucial to making it look right.
Consider the one single panel line that separates the knee from the ankle. Or the line running along the back of the ankle. Or the ones running on each side of the shoulder armor.
These small, simple lines add so much extra depth and complexity to the design. And if you add in a few additioanl details (like filling in the insides of all the yellow bits with black paint), suddenly the model takes on a whole different look. I’m in love with the way this thing came out.
Articulation
Personally, I don’t care about the articulation on this kit, since I only plan on putting it into standing poses. But let’s test it out anyway, just to see what this particular Entry Grade can do.
The double jointed neck is pretty large, and if you pry it out of the neck you can get some nice movement:
The arm flex is largely middle of the pack:
The arm is not going to get high enough to perform the Final Shot, but it’s good enough:
There is something of an ab crunch, but not as much as I’d like:
Though it does rock back and forth pretty well:
The leg kick is slightly better than 90 degrees:
And the knee bend is pretty bad:
And the leg split is about 45 degrees:
All in all, it’s not what I’d call great, but then again, when I think of the Nu Gundam, I don’t think of it performing acrobatics.
Comparisons
Let’s compare to some of its siblings, starting with the Entry Grade Grandaddy:`
It’s taller, which is to be expected, but other than that I’m not sure what to say. They both look good, but the Nu looks and feels a little … better? I’m not sure if that’s just due to recency bias.
Now for the slightly more interesting comparison, with the Real Grade Nu:
I’ve noticed a pattern, in which Entry Grades are slightly smaller than 1⁄144 scale, so I’m not surprised about the height difference here. I can also confirm that yes, the Entry Grade does have a better looking head.
Other than that, they’re just different, interesting depictions of a classic mobile suit. I love seeing them next to each other.
The Funnel
All these photos and we still haven’t brought out the funnel.
Unlike the real life statue, this Nu Gundam doesn’t need the funnel as a third leg. But it sure looks cool regardless. It’s such a case of overkill that it loops back to being awesome.
How about some action poses? First we have the funnel wrist mounted:
If the joints get as loose as I fear they might, this pose may end up eventually being impossible, but it’s nice while it lasts.
How about over-the-shoulder?
This one feels more natural to me, since it’s still connected to the backpack. My only complaint with this pose is that the funnel looks a bit goofy in its firing mode. You can very clearly tell it’s a partsformation. For what it’s worth, something tells me it may look better on the Real Grade version.
Accessories and Stuff
The model comes with three different adapters for each of the three positions for the funnel. It also comes with a pair of open palm holding hands (though only one pair of white backings for the hands). This is a lifesaver; without any other weapons to hold, the open palms add a much needed bit of expressiveness.Anything Else?
I tried using the beam saber blades from the Real Grade Nu, and while they don’t fit perfectly, you can kind of make it work if you really want to:
Conclusion
I wouldn’t want this to be my one and only model of the Nu Gundam. But as an alternate version - and as a showcase for a cool alternate weapon - it’s just about all I can ask for.