Kit Review

Straight build + Stickers

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

HG GBB Gundam Helios - Detail shots (1/4)

HG GBB Gundam Helios - Detail shots (2/4)

Detail shots

Weapons & Accessories

HG GBB Gundam Helios - Just like the Gundam Double X, you can pull out the beam saber handle from the Double Satellite Cannon

Just like the Gundam Double X, you can pull out the beam saber handle from the Double Satellite Cannon mounted on the back.

The energy radiator blades on the arms and legs also deploy just like the Gundam Double X.

To attach the shield, remove the small parts on the forearm and mount it in their place.

The hands use the same sculpt as the HGCE Destiny Gundam, and come in two types: open hand and fist.

The High Energy Beam Rifle can be stored on the rear skirt.

HG GBB Gundam Helios - It's back-heavy, so balancing it upright on a flat surface can be tricky — one option is to extend the

It's back-heavy, so balancing it upright on a flat surface can be tricky —
one option is to extend the tips of the Satellite Cannons on the back and use them as a stand.

Leftover parts

Excellent limb articulation

The inverted Freedom wings deploy downward.

Satellite Cannon deployment

HG GBB Gundam Helios - High Energy Beam Rifle firing pose (1/3)

High Energy Beam Rifle firing pose

HG GBB Gundam Helios - Large beam sword & beam shield action pose (1/3)

Large beam sword & beam shield action pose

HG GBB Gundam Helios - Signature pose with all equipment deployed. The wings, weapon mounts, and joints are all solid, so you

Signature pose with all equipment deployed.
The wings, weapon mounts, and joints are all solid, so you can pull off stable poses.

Together with the HGCE Freedom/Destiny Gundam that served as its base.

Together with the HGAW Gundam X that inspired the body design.

This kit is the HG Gundam Helios, the first entry in the Gundam Breaker Battlogue plastic model series. Gunpla battles are a classic Build series concept, but this time it came out without the "Build" title — that's because the source material draws its inspiration from the "Gundam Breaker" game. It still follows the same Build series approach though, reusing existing kits in variation form.

Looking at the runners, four runners from the HGCE Freedom Gundam and two from the Destiny Gundam have been reused, with the remaining four being new runners. Even among the new parts, the torso borrows from Gundam X, while the energy radiator blades and Double Satellite Cannon reuse the Gundam Double X's design. The end result is a mashup of Gundam X's body, Double X's gimmicks and Double Satellite Cannon, Freedom's inverted wings, and Destiny's hands and weapons. You could call it a creative collaboration if you're being generous, or a bizarre chimera if you're not.

Sure, it's a blend of multiple designs, but the final product actually comes out looking pretty sleek and impressively large. It's a solid HG kit with great articulation and sturdy joint strength. All the original gimmicks from each source kit carry over intact — Freedom's wing deployment and plasma beam cannons work just as before, and Double X's Double Satellite Cannon and energy radiator blade deployment are both faithfully reproduced. On top of that, the palm-mounted plasma fiorina beam cannon brought over from Destiny joins the mix, making it possible to strike a seriously impressive pose with every single weapon deployed at once.

One thing to note: the newly designed shoulder structure has a bit of an awkward joint strength balance, and the shoulders can pop off during posing. The joint that raises the arm sideways is stiffer than the ball joint connecting the shoulder to the torso, so when you try to lift the arm out to the side, the shoulder tends to come off. Shoulder popping is a well-known issue with HG polycap joints in general, but it feels a bit more pronounced on this kit. Also, since it carries a heavy load on its back, you'll need to be careful about balancing the center of gravity when standing it upright.

Anyway, it's definitely a mashup kit, but the end result looks pretty great — and it's especially worth praising for how well everything stays locked in place despite having so many deployment gimmicks. The overall build quality is more than good enough, so if the design appeals to you, it's definitely worth picking up. :-)

HG GBB Gundam Helios | 2021.11 | ¥2,300

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.