Gunpla

Gunpla Chronicles OVA 2 - Weapons 2017-02-01

The Epyon comes with only two weapons, so this part should be easy.

The sword is made up of three main components - a large hilt (which itself resembles a short sword), a large beam blade, and a red pack that attaches to the mobile suit. A length of thick wire connects the pack to the hilt.

I’m not sure how I feel about this weapon. I don’t understand the need to make the blade so large beyond wanting it to look cool. Does it offer any practical benefit? Whatever the reason, I’ve never seen anything like it.

Gunpla Chronicles OVA 2 2017-01-17

Picture it - Christmas Eve, 2016. I open a gift from my younger brother. It is roughly the same size package as the Master Grade Proto Zero I got from my older brother a few weeks prior. And it comes in the same kind of gift wrap. Could it be … ?

…. ohhhhhhkay, that is definitely not what I expected. Is it conspiracy or coincidence that the Proto Zero’s arch nemesis, the Gundam Epyon, appears before me? I don’t remember either of my brothers being a huge fan of the Epyon (little bro was always a Heavyarms guy through and through). And yet here it is.

After the initial feelings of surprise washed away, I was left with three thoughts.

Just like with the Proto Zero, regardless of the intent of this gift (or my feelings on this particular mobile suit), it leaves me with warm and fuzzy memories of the past, so for me they’re both winners.
This is another Katoki Hajime redesign, and once again he works his magic. I used to hate the Epyon. It was my least favorite mobile suit design in all of Gundam Wing. But this? This looks kinda cool.
Seriously, where am I gonna store these two models?

Gunpla Chronicles OVA - Bonus Short 2017-01-16

In 2001, Cartoon Network aired multiple UC-era Gundam TV shows and OVA’s all at the same time. None of them did well, and it looked to be the end of Gundam on North American television.

Except it wasn’t. In 2003 they began to air a new, kid friendly show based on SD Gundam. It felt like a slap in the face to me and everyone else who actually supported the UC shows, and it left me feeling childishly resentful of anything related to SD Gundam for many years.

Gunpla Chronicles OVA 1 - Thrusters 2017-01-10

Thrusters

The Wing Zero’s thrusters are the biggest “backpack unit” I’ve ever assembled for a model kit, and naturally it is also the most complicated. This isn’t to say that it is difficult to build, merely that it is more involved than usual.

They begin with an actual backpack unit, which is quite large. It also boasts two “arms” which can expand out to the sides (presumably for flight mode) or fold back in. I spray painted it with the last of my Testor’s paint, and while there wasn’t enough in the can for a full coat, I actually like the worn, semi-unfinished look it gives to this part of the kit.

This photo shows off the two positions the control arms can be placed in

Gunpla Chronicles OVA 1 - Legs 2017-01-08

Unlike with a Real Grade kit, I had to build the inner frame of the legs piece by piece. I wondered how exactly that would work in regards to articulation. The pre built frame pieces of a Real Grade kit are fairly complicated, full of pistons and joints that slide in and out to give them their range and flexibility.

With this Master Grade kit, that same flexibility is brought about via the use of the same kind of “inner rail” system that I encountered in the shoulder armor. You start with two pieces, each with a railing along the inside. Another piece, with pegs on each side, is placed between them, such that the pegs slot into the rails. This allows the inner piece to not only slide up and down, but also rotate. And when that inner piece is essentially the unit’s knee, it becomes clear how it achieves the excellent articulation associated with this grade.

The inner frame showing a bit of bend

Gunpla Chronicles OVA 1 - Lower Torso 2017-01-02

Lower Torso

The lower torso is the first section of the Proto Zero that really gives the impression that this is a 1/100th scale kit. Take a look at the back plate alone. It’s huge!

Construction wasn’t particularly hard, though with decals and panel lining it took me an entire night of building to complete it. A few things stand out as I look at the finished piece. The first is that all the skirt armor attaches to the torso via hooks, which I found to be absurdly difficult to work with; the armor doesn’t attach easily, and the pieces don’t offer a large range of movement. I’m afraid of what might happen once the legs are attached and I attempt any sort of pose that brings a leg forward or backward.

Gunpla Chronicles OVA 1 - Misc 2016-12-18

I decided to build a few more … miscellaneous items before getting to the mobile suit itself.

Figurines

OK, so I didn’t really build these things - I just cut them out. This isn’t my first time getting a figurine in a model kit, but it is the first time I got two. The second one, not shown here, is sitting down, and I’m going to embarrass myself by revealing that at first I didn’t understand what it was for. More on that later.

Gunpla Chronicles OVA 1 - Weapons 2016-12-13

I am sure there are exceptions, but I believe that in general most model kits can be assembled in any order you choose. I personally tend to start with the weapons first. They’re smaller, simpler, and hide mistakes better than the mobile suit itself, which makes them a great as a warm up.

As is typical of Gundam Wing mobile suits, the Wing Zero’s arsenal is simple; two beam sabers, two beam rifles, and a shield. In this post we’ll take a look at all of them.