Kit Review

Straight build

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

HG Gundam AGE-1 Full Glansa - Upper body front/rear and arms (1/3)

Upper body front/rear and arms

Legs

With the Glaston Launcher removed from the back

HG Gundam AGE-1 Full Glansa - As you can see, this is an enhanced armament unit based on the existing AGE-1 Normal, fitted wi

As you can see, this is an enhanced armament unit based on the existing AGE-1 Normal, fitted with additional armor and large-scale weaponry —
it's a heavily armed variant.

HG Gundam AGE-1 Full Glansa - The missile launchers on both shoulders are opened by detaching and reassembling the parts to r

The missile launchers on both shoulders are opened by detaching and reassembling the parts to recreate the open mode.

The missile launchers on the front of the knees open via a movable mechanism.

The added armor does cut into the articulation compared to the AGE-1 Normal.

The Glaston Launcher can rotate forward as shown above.

HG Gundam AGE-1 Full Glansa - Beam saber action (1/3)

Beam saber action

Double beam saber action

HG Gundam AGE-1 Full Glansa - Glaston Launcher firing! Looks pretty impressive, I'd say. (1/4)

HG Gundam AGE-1 Full Glansa - Glaston Launcher firing! Looks pretty impressive, I'd say. (2/4)

Glaston Launcher firing!
Looks pretty impressive, I'd say.

HG Gundam AGE-1 Full Glansa - Shield rifle firing pose with both arms (1/4)

HG Gundam AGE-1 Full Glansa - Shield rifle firing pose with both arms (2/4)

Shield rifle firing pose with both arms

Together with the HG AGE-1 Normal.

This kit is the HG Gundam AGE-1 Full Glansa, the heavily armed variant of the Gundam AGE-1 Normal. Some people casually call it the "Full Granser," but the actual spelling is Glansa, which really should be read as "Glansa"... so honestly, going with the anime pronunciation Gransajust feels more natural. ^^;

As you can see, this kit is essentially the existing HG AGE-1 Normal with four additional armament runners added, and it does feel more packed than your average HG kit. Attaching the extra armor isn't particularly difficult, but the additional armor pieces that layer onto the front and rear skirts have a somewhat weak hold and kept popping off during posing, which got a little annoying.

The Glaston Launcher — the Full Glansa's signature feature — has nice color separation and is well-designed for easy articulation. The open/close function on the shoulder and knee missile launchers is also included. The knee missile launchers work via a movable mechanism and look pretty decent, but the shoulder ones require you to disassemble and reassemble them to switch modes, which is a bit of a hassle.

The added outer armor does reduce articulation compared to the AGE-1 Normal, but the bulky silhouette loaded up with massive weaponry gives action poses a seriously commanding presence. The Glaston Launcher firing pose in particular comes out looking really dynamic and powerful.

One thing to note — the waist ball joint on the original HG AGE-1 wasn't all that tight to begin with, and on the Full Glansa, with all the extra armor and weapons hanging off it, the waist kept coming apart. In my case I wrapped some tape around the ball joint to tighten things up, but it still feels like the waist just isn't strong enough to handle all those added parts.

Overall the look is pretty solid, but between the armor pieces that don't hold well and the weak waist joint, the build quality does feel a step down from the original HG AGE-1 Normal. That said, this kit is really all about the style, so as long as you keep those connection issues in mind, it should make a great pick for any AGE fans out there. :-)

HG Gundam AGE-1 Full Glansa | 2013.4 | ¥1,600

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.