Kit Review

Straight build + Stickers

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

HGUC Gundam Aesculapius - High-mobility mode from various angles (1/6)

HGUC Gundam Aesculapius - High-mobility mode from various angles (2/6)

HGUC Gundam Aesculapius - High-mobility mode from various angles (3/6)

HGUC Gundam Aesculapius - High-mobility mode from various angles (4/6)

High-mobility mode from various angles

HGUC Gundam Aesculapius - Detail shots (1/4)

HGUC Gundam Aesculapius - Detail shots (2/4)

Detail shots

Weapons loadout

The two newly added beam rifles can be stored on the rack underneath the backpack.

The beam sabers are stored inside the large binders on the shoulders.

HGUC Gundam Aesculapius - The hand configuration and the stand joint parts that attach to the hip joint are the same as the

The hand configuration and the stand joint parts that attach to the hip joint are the same as the existing HGAC Gundam Geminass.
Also, a fixed (non-articulated) hip joint part (far right) is included in the new runner,
but the manual treats it as a leftover part. (Then why include it in the first place?)

HGUC Gundam Aesculapius - To transform into close-combat mode, first detach the beam sabers from the shoulder binders, then

To transform into close-combat mode, first detach the beam sabers from the shoulder binders,
then rotate the inner verniers 90 degrees and push them deeper inward.

HGUC Gundam Aesculapius - Unfold and extend the shoulder binders. At this point, the connecting sections are linked joint b

Unfold and extend the shoulder binders.
At this point, the connecting sections are linked joint by joint with lead wire.

Wrap the binders around the arms and connect them to form the Python Claws.

HGUC Gundam Aesculapius - Lower the foot armor downward so the ankle guard touches the ground, then detach the armor pieces

Lower the foot armor downward so the ankle guard touches the ground,
then detach the armor pieces on the sides of the ankles.

HGUC Gundam Aesculapius - Move the connector of the detached armor one slot over, then rotate it 180 degrees from its origi

Move the connector of the detached armor one slot over,
then rotate it 180 degrees from its original orientation and plug it back into the leg.

HGUC Gundam Aesculapius - Remove the head, raise the backpack up to cover the top, and fold up the backpack binders like th

Remove the head, raise the backpack up to cover the top, and fold up the backpack binders like the shoulder armor — transformation complete.

Close-combat mode

Python Claw articulation

HGUC Gundam Aesculapius - Here it is with the head from the Club G HGAC Gundam Geminass attached. This recreates the scene

Here it is with the head from the Club G HGAC Gundam Geminass attached.
This recreates the scene in the show where the Aesculapius has its head destroyed by the Hydra Gundam and gets replaced with a Geminass head.
As a side note, the Geminass head parts are all left over as leftover parts in this kit, so you can build and reuse them as-is —
though there are no Geminass head stickers included, which makes things a little awkward.

HGUC Gundam Aesculapius - Leftover parts. (Note that the new fixed hip joint part mentioned earlier is also classified as a

Leftover parts.
(Note that the new fixed hip joint part mentioned earlier is also classified as a leftover part, just so you know.)

Arm and leg articulation is almost identical to the HGAC Gundam Geminass.

The articulated hip joint and waist joint from the Geminass carry over as well.

HGUC Gundam Aesculapius - High-mobility mode poses (1/5)

HGUC Gundam Aesculapius - High-mobility mode poses (2/5)

HGUC Gundam Aesculapius - High-mobility mode poses (3/5)

High-mobility mode poses

HGUC Gundam Aesculapius - Close-combat mode poses (1/6)

HGUC Gundam Aesculapius - Close-combat mode poses (2/6)

HGUC Gundam Aesculapius - Close-combat mode poses (3/6)

HGUC Gundam Aesculapius - Close-combat mode poses (4/6)

Close-combat mode poses

Together with the HGAC Gundam Geminass that served as its base.

HGUC Gundam Aesculapius - Together with the old HG Gundam Aesculapius released in 1997. The silhouette is similar, but the

Together with the old HG Gundam Aesculapius released in 1997.
The silhouette is similar, but the detail and proportions are quite different.

This kit is the HGAC Gundam Aesculapius, released as a Club G (Premium Bandai) online exclusive. It's a full HGAC remodel coming a whopping 25 years after the original HG released in 1997. True to the source material, it uses the previously Club G-released HGAC Gundam Geminass as its base, but more than half of the exterior armor parts are provided as new molds.

The look is clearly different from the Geminass, but the internal joint structure is the same, so the articulated hip joint, solid articulation, and joint strength all carry over. There's a lot more stuff hanging off it now, which makes handling it a bit trickier, but overall it holds together pretty well. The one thing to watch out for is the ankle guard and ankle cover — part of the transformation gimmick — which can pop off depending on how they're positioned.

Two new beam rifles have been added as new weapons, storable under the backpack, and the transformation from the default high-mobility mode to close-combat mode is implemented smoothly enough. The Python Claw connection that moves from the shoulders to the arms features a three-joint linkage connected by lead wire, and there's also a gimmick where the tips of each of the three claws move individually. The stability after transformation isn't particularly bad, but the Python Claw wrapping around the arms connects a bit loosely, so the middle section can gap open during posing.

All in all, this is a fantastic renewal kit that takes the already flashy image of Gundam Aesculapius and cranks it up even further. As long as you watch out for the stability issues in a few spots, it's not really a difficult kit to handle despite its complex look. If you're a fan of the Gundam W dual story, this is definitely a kit worth welcoming, and anyone who loves flashy-styled kits should find plenty to be happy about too. :-)

HGUC Gundam Aesculapius | 2022.1 | ¥3,800

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.