The Xi Gundam is big, bad, and ready to take flight … eventually. I’ve got a few standing poses to get through first.
This is one of those models that’s just fun to look at, pose or no pose. There’s so much to take in, and so many interesting little (and not so little) details. I took a bunch of zoomed-in shots so you can take it all in for yourself (or you could just look closer to judge the quality of my work. You do you princess!)
The more I look at it and think of the visual design, the more I appreciate just how much it looks like a warped, corrupted, cancerous version of a Gundam. Whatever ideals or beliefs it might have once stood for can no longer be found in this monstrosity.
It’s also a commentary on Anaheim Electronics. They spent years making mobile suits bigger and more heavily armed, the culmination of which is this hulking pile of missiles and wings and thrusters. Compared to something like the Nu Gundam, which is both powerful and elegant, they’ve clearly lost the plot here.
But don’t take that as a criticism. This is a case where I enjoy all the excess.
Let’s equip some weapons:
Yeah … I don’t like the weapons. Neither of them look or feel like a good fit visually.
Also, I feel like this is one of those designs that looks like it shouldn’t need handheld weapons - or at least looks better without them.
Still, I’ll shot a couple of action poses:
I guess it looks somewhat better when it looks like it’s in motion.
The Beam Saber has a different problem. It looks cool, but the Xi is so big, and its articulation so limited, that you run into one of two problems:
- You can’t see the beams because the Xi is in the way
- You can see the beams, but the pose isn’t cool
I guess this one is decent:
This one not so much:
And here’s a couple more for good measure:
Honestly, I think it looks best in simple flying poses. You can enjoy looking at all the detail, and it still looks plenty intimidating:
Transforming into Flight Mode
Yes, the Xi has something called a “Flight Mode”, though it’s not something that’s so obvious and transformative that you’d necessarily be able to identify it. For example, here’s a screenshot I used in the intro, where the Xi just so happens to be in Flight Mode - but would you have known that if I didn’t tell you?
All it is is that the shoulder armor and rear wings move to be perpendicular to the body; I’m guessing that this is to amplify the propulsive effect of the Minovsky Flight Unit, rather than because it needs the wings to achieve lift. But whatever the reason, it’s a transformation that’s a little bit more involved than you might think. Not complicated mind you, just involved.
First, we have to fold the feet down like so:
The instructions recommend that you pull the little wing thingies off of each foot before doing this, since they can get in the way. It is possible to leave them on, but you have to be careful, or they might bend (or break!).
Next, you have to pull the rear wings completely off, including some of the parts that mount them to the body. If you do it right, the rear of the model should look like this:
Now we do the one little bit of partsformation. We swap out the original grey parts that mount the wings to the body, and replace them with these two longer ones (which also plug in at a different angle, so as to change the orientation of the wings):
Before we plug them back in, there are a couple more things we need to do. First, the mounts for the beam sabers have to be rotated and flipped downward, so that the beam sabers themselves lie flat against the Xi:
Next, the rear shoulder armor can be pulled out slightly to expose some grey vents:
During the build we saw how the two plates that make up this shoulder armor are attached by a very small hinge; it’s this hinge that allows the sliding action.
Finally we can reattach the rear wings and flip up all the shoulder plates:
We are now in Flight Mode:
My feelings are mixed. The perpendicular shoulder plates kind of make it look like the Xi is wearing some big frilled collar around its neck, or like they bolted a set of aircraft wings in the wrong place.
But on the other hand, I like the rear wings in this position. They (properly) sell the idea of this mobile suit being capable of flight, and make it look extra fast and streamlined.
I came up with a compromise once I put it on the shelf - wings out, rear shoulder plates up, but front shoulder plates down:
To me, this is the best of all worlds.
Action Base Adapter
Considering how big this thing is for a High Grade, you won’t be shocked to hear that it has a special Action Base adapter.
Which brings us to an interesting caveat. The instruction manual tells you to mount the Xi Gundam to an Action Base 1, the largest type of base that is meant for 1⁄100 scale kits. And as far as I can tell, it’s not a mere suggestion; I don’t think the AB adapter would fit into an Action Base 2 or AB 5.
This might be annoying if you focus on 1⁄144 scale and don’t have such a large base lying around, but on the other hand, I understand. We already saw at the end of a previous post that the Xi is easily the size of a Master Grade model, so it makes sense that it would need the same kind of base.
Conclusion
I wouldn’t want to build models like this all of the time, but I’m glad I built this one. It answers an interesting question - what would a High Grade kit look and feel like it it were the size of a Master Grade?
The answer is that it doesn’t quite reach the level of detail of an MG, but because of its size it is able (and arguably requires) to be a little bit better than your typical HG. Yes, it still uses lot of stickers, just like other HGs, but it’s also true that the extra size and space in the model allows it to accommodate a higher than usual amount of part separation.
As for articulation, that’s one area where it drops the ball. Master Grades have full frames, and in some cases armor that will shift and slide out of the way to increase the range of joints. On the other hand, the Xi uses a partial inner frame that is arguably worse than other modern HGs. When combined with the sheer size of the mobile suit, and the bulkiness of its armor, you’re left with something that isn’t exactly a posing king.
But this is one of those cases where I think it’s okay. When you combine its size with its overall look and vibe, the Xi is one of those statement pieces that’s going to be a center of attention on your shelf. Find a nice little spot to show it off, and let it wow.
PS - Happy Anniversary Mrs. Wolfe. My love for you is bigger than even the Xi Gundam.
Other Thoughts
After finishing the build, the immediate question on my mind is, “Should I one day build the Penelope?”
Right now my answer is “no”, unless the price is really good. I don’t know if I need this kind of build experience again, nor do I think they would look good crowded together on a bookshelf.
Also, if you want to have both, you should probably try and look for the double pack that Bandai once released. Not only does it come with both mobile suits, but it also comes with a ton of missile effect parts so they can look like they’re shooting the hell out of each other:
If you’re going to spend the money, build time, and shelf space needed for both of them, this is the best way to present them. And that’s not really an option for me anymore.