Kit Review

Straight build +
panel lining + decals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack.
Those long shoulder wings make it look pretty bulky.

Upper body close-up

Head

Back section and rifle

1/100 Arios Gundam - The rainbow stickers on the shoulder wings look absolutely stunning.. Depending on the angle, they just

The rainbow stickers on the shoulder wings look absolutely stunning..
Depending on the angle, they just blaze with brilliant rainbow colors...

On the Arios, the GN Drive is hidden behind the crotch.
Now that's a real man..

Leg section

Articulation. The elbows and knees bend quite a lot.

1/100 Arios Gundam - To mount it on the Action Base, you connect it using a dedicated attachment piece that fits behind the G

To mount it on the Action Base, you connect it using a dedicated attachment piece that fits behind the GN Drive in the crotch area.

1/100 Arios Gundam - Action poses using Action Base 1. Pretty dynamic, right? (1/3)

Action poses using Action Base 1.
Pretty dynamic, right?

1/100 Arios Gundam - Flight pose with the shoulder wings spread out. In person, those rainbow stickers alone make it look rea

Flight pose with the shoulder wings spread out.
In person, those rainbow stickers alone make it look really cool..

1/100 Arios Gundam - Pull out the forearm armor, slide it over slightly and plug it back in, and the GN Submachine Gun is rev

Pull out the forearm armor, slide it over slightly and plug it back in, and the GN Submachine Gun is revealed.

GN Submachine Gun action

The beam saber is stored behind the front skirt, which allows for a unique draw shot like you see here.

Beam saber action

To transform, you first need to tilt the head down and fold the shoulder wings up and lock them in place.

1/100 Arios Gundam - Unlike the HG which uses a detachable system, here you can rotate the rear skirt 180 degrees. At that po

Unlike the HG which uses a detachable system, here you can rotate the rear skirt 180 degrees.
At that point, you raise the locking pin that was hidden under the skirt hem and plug it into the hole on the shoulder to lock it in place.
The lock itself is solid, but the angle is a bit off so you need to adjust it carefully before plugging it in.

Rotate the legs 90 degrees and fold in the wings and feet.

1/100 Arios Gundam - Raise the stopper on the heel and then push the foot in. There's a mechanism where you press the stopper

Raise the stopper on the heel and then push the foot in.
There's a mechanism where you press the stopper inward to lock the ankle so it doesn't slide in and out while extended —
It's a really handy gimmick for keeping the ankle secure.

Fold the wrists as shown above, then..

1/100 Arios Gundam - To mount it on the Action Base in flight mode, you'll need the dedicated attachment piece that plugs int

To mount it on the Action Base in flight mode, you'll need the dedicated attachment piece that plugs into the belly section.

Flight mode

It's quite slim and elongated~ — the total length reaches 40cm.

Bottom view.

The front of the rifle can also be spread open like this..

1/100 Arios Gundam - The front section can also be used like a claw arm. (1/4)

1/100 Arios Gundam - The front section can also be used like a claw arm. (2/4)

The front section can also be used like a claw arm.

1/100 Arios Gundam - Together with its Season 1 predecessor, Gundam Kyrios. The difference in panel lines is really striking.

Together with its Season 1 predecessor, Gundam Kyrios.
The difference in panel lines is really striking.
The Season 2 1/100 went back to a simpler style, and honestly, the clean look beats the cluttered panel lines of the Season 1 kit..

Comparison with Kyrios in flight mode.

1/100 Arios Gundam - Comparison with the HG Arios Gundam. Aside from the wings having better color separation on the 1/100, t

Comparison with the HG Arios Gundam.
Aside from the wings having better color separation in the 1/100, the colors are pretty much the same.

Comparison with HG Arios flight mode

The three Season 2 Gundams together.
Just need Seravee now.

Straight build.

The Arios Gundam is the third 1/100 release among the Season 2 Gundams from 00. It seems like the four Celestial Being Gundams have a pretty clear pecking order, whether we realize it or not... ^^;

The overall feel and concept of the kit is the same as the other Season 2 1/100s. Compared to Season 1, the panel lines are significantly reduced and the polycaps are beefed up, which makes the whole build feel really solid. Every joint locks in nice and tight without any wobble, and the parts breakdown is a clear step up from the HG.

This kit has a really impressive presence and sculpt once it's built. It's hard to convey through photos alone, but the sculpture quality is far more elegant than the 00 or Cherudim. The hip joints feel a bit too wide-set given the design, but the overall proportions are still great.

The HG Arios is already a pretty solid kit, but the 1/100 has better color separation on the wings unlike the HG, and the rainbow stickers on those long shoulder binders look really sharp. Just like the Cherudim, the GN Drive and eye stickers are rainbow stickers, so they give off a really gorgeous shimmer depending on the lighting. On the 1/100 Arios specifically, these rainbow stickers extend to the inside of the shoulder binders too, making them even more dazzling.

Overall, this is a 1/100 kit that delivers above-average quality with stable joints, a smooth transformation, and excellent sculpting. For the price, it does everything it needs to do and then some — I'd say it earns a little bonus on top. :-)

1/100 Arios Gundam | 2009. 2 | ¥2,600

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.