Gunpla Build - High Grade Barzam (Final)

The Barzam is done. I’ve been iffy on this design, so how does it fare in the end?

Articulation

The articulation is bad in a way that lets you know that it isn’t limited by technology so much as the shape of the mobile suit.

For example, the head moves every which way because nothing is there to get in its way:

This armlift is also impressive, especially since there isn’t a lot of space between the shoulder and the torso:

But then you get to the elbow bend, and the armor just gets in the way:

No, seriously, that’s the elbow bend.

On a similar note, the lack of skirt armor means a full split is easy:

But this is the best bend you’ll get out of the bulky legs:

And due to its construction, there is literally nothing in the way of torso bending or twisting.

Now I’m not going to sit here and claim that I take great advantage of any torso articulation in my model kits. I definitely know I should use it more often, and to greater effect. But I also know that a little can go a long way, and when you can’t get any, you really start to miss it.

And that’s where I’m at with the Barzam. It feels unbelievably stiff. And not in a “this is a low quality model kit” kind of way, but rather “this is inherent in the design of the mobile suit. Who in the world would ever want to pilot something like this?”

So, with that being said … how well does it fare at action poses?

Action Poses

The bad elbow bend, coupled with the lack of cross body articulation, coupled further with the fact that the gun is tethered to the arm, means this is your basic forward firing pose:

There’s just nothing to this. So I had to get creative:

Basically, I had to use the articulation I did have - be it in the head, the legs, or even the Action Base itself - to create angles. Anything to give it a sense of being in motion. It doesn’t really matter whether or not it looks like it’s firing as long as it looks like it’s moving.

Same idea with the beam saber - you don’t need a perfect slashing motion as long as it looks like it’s coming toward you:

Though I will say it looks pretty solid in these still poses:

Good Detail

I will say this about the HG Barzam - it’s a very fine looking High Grade. It’s pretty big, it’s nicely color separated, and it has some nice details to boot:

In a lot of ways it doesn’t look like a High Grade. Nor did feel like one during assembly. Which isn’t to say it feels closer to a Master Grade or a Real Grade (maybe a Reborn One Hundred?)

Or maybe it’s just that the design leads to such a crisp, clean, colorful look.

Zeta Squad

To wrap things up, let’s look at the Barzam next to some other Zeta Gundam mobile suits:

Here it is next to the Mk II in Titans colors. I still think it’s weird that one of these is the mass production version of the other.

And here it is next to the Zeta, AKA The Great Barzam Destroyer.

What to Think?

I just don’t know what to think about this one. I feel like I managed to make it look cool in some of these poses, but there are other times where the design feels lacking. I guess I’d say that it’s in a weird, purgatorial middle zone. It needs to be a little bit less goofy to give it something closer to “proper” articulation and proportions. But it’s goofiness is also what gives its appeal.

Overall, I don’t think it’s a bad design; it just needed some tweaks. But without those tweaks, it’s in this limbo where my opinion of it changes based on things like:

• The angle I view it at
• The current lighting
• My mood
• The time of day
• And more!

It’s … an interesting kit, for some definition of “interesting”. Let’s just leave it at that.

Other Thoughts

This lineup of all my Zeta model kits really drives home just how tall and wide the Barzam is:

This further emphasizes that the Barzam is a weird design. Grunt suits aren’t usually this big. That’s kind of cool! But then the design is so stiff and awkward looking that it robs it of some of that intimidation factor.