Cherudim Gundam, what to say. It has lots of guns, it's got awesome shield bits that not only fire and shoot beams but also defend, it's got an big, long sniper rifle, and it's got a lot of gimmicks and cool scenes. The Lockon trio had always appealed to me in some form, and yet I didn't seem to buy them often. The Trans-Am kits I found were extra hard to find, so when I saw this in the store for a good price, I decided to shoot.
The kit itself is honestly great for it's time, as it hits all the points you'd expect from a HG of its time and doesn't do anything truly wrong. Great color separation, tones of gimmicks, poseability is pretty damn good, but some joints and design choices of the MS can make posing look a bit awkward, like the suit's long feet and the wrist hinge. Still, it's pretty workable does everything that you'd want it to. The construction is a bit dated and experimental, but it's not bad nor is it difficult. It's a standard HG00 build for the most part, and that's a good thing. A positive thing that it's design has is that it's heels actually have a little fin that swings down, which allows for some really stable posing.
It has a lot to offer too as I've stated. For one it's got a handful accessories, the GN Sniper Rifle II, GN Beam Pistol II's that become small axes, and of course the awesome shield bits. With the former GN Sniper Rifle II, you can attach a clear piece onto two extensions from the backpack that swing forward, which replicates the holographic sniping display of the MS. There's also a stand and multiple parts to attach the shield bits to, and lets you get it into a variety of poses. There is one major problem with this kit though, and it's one shared by all trans-am kits. Due to the glossy and metallic injection these kits use, the nubs on this are atrocious and look horrible, and there's no complete remedy. Not even paint can replicate the wavy plastic sheen that the trans-am kits are meant to have, so you're pretty much screwed with them. However, the sheen itself looks great, and the wavy metallic plastic effect does a decent job at replicating the chaotic and iridescent nature of Trans-Am.
Verdict:
Overall though, the HG Cherudim Gundam Trans-Am Mode is a fantastic kit, especially for the time. Honestly while it may seem a hit cliched saying this, it really just doesn't do much wrong. It's got good balance due to the fins on the feet, great poseability, a ton of accessories and gimmicks, and of course it has good color separation for a HG of it's time. If you just want a representation of the second Lockon however, I'd recommend the original Cherudim over this one, as the nubs on the trans-am kit just ruin it a bit. However if you don't mind that and appreciate the wavy trans-am appearance and colors, this kit keeps all the good points of the original, and is an absolutely wonderful addition go any 00 collection.
Pros:
- Feet fins flip down for high stability. (!)
- Comes with a good amount of accessories and gimmicks, including the all the Shield Bits that have a stand to pose them. (!)
- Really nice poseability, although some joints look a bit awkward.
- Great parts separation, especially for HG00.
Cons:
-Trans-Am nubs are horrible looking due to the metallic Trans-Am plastic injection, and have no perfect remedy.
No comments:
Post a Comment