Kit Review

Straight build + Stickers

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

HGBD Gundam Love Phantom - Detail shots (1/4)

HGBD Gundam Love Phantom - Detail shots (2/4)

Detail shots

Weapons and hand parts

HGBD Gundam Love Phantom - With the beam kama, if you grip it at the cross-shaped section in the middle, the angle stays fixe

With the beam kama, if you grip it at the cross-shaped section in the middle, the angle stays fixed pretty well.
If you grab the round part, it won't lock in place and just spins around..

The beam kama can be stored on the backpack.

The Striker Scythe can be detached from the Love Striker.

Leftover parts

The limb articulation is the same as the existing HGCE Strike Freedom.

HGBD Gundam Love Phantom - Beam kama action poses (1/4)

HGBD Gundam Love Phantom - Beam kama action poses (2/4)

Beam kama action poses

Striker Scythe poses

Love Striker deployed pose, Strike Noir Gundam style

HGBD Gundam Love Phantom - Love Striker fully spread out (1/3)

Love Striker fully spread out

Together with the HG Gundam 00 Diver Ace.

Together with the base kit, the HGCE Strike Freedom Gundam.

The Gundam Love Phantom has been released as a new HG entry in the Build Divers lineup. The base body uses the HGCE Strike Freedom as its foundation, with the Love Striker — a renewed version of the Noir Striker from Strike Noir Gundam — added on top.

First off, the overall color scheme has shifted to a deep purple, giving it a pretty different look from the Strike Freedom. Add in the large Love Striker and it does feel like a fresh new kit in its own right. Since the HGCE Strike Freedom was already quite high quality, this kit carries over that excellent articulation and joint strength, and the Love Striker holds its position surprisingly well for its size, making posing a comfortable experience.

The Love Striker can be deployed in a similar fashion to the Noir Striker, and the folding Striker Scythe on the lower section can be detached and used as a separate weapon. The standard armament includes beam kama with beam parts, though there's an issue where they tend to spin around if not gripped properly — that said, if you get the hang of holding them by the cross-shaped section, you can get them to stay in place well enough.

The design does feel a bit like a mashup of existing kits, but the overall build quality is solid — great stability and all — and it's capable of some really dynamic poses, so it's a Gunpla that pretty much anyone can enjoy without any hassle. :-)

HGBD Gundam Love Phantom | 2018.10 | ¥2,200

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.