Kit Review

Straight build + Panel lining + Decals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack — the universal standard reference

1/20 ATM-09-ST Scopedog Metal spec ver. (1/2)

1/20 ATM-09-ST Scopedog Metal spec ver. (2/2)

Upper and lower body close-up shots

The largest of the scopes gets swapped out for a metal part.

1/20 ATM-09-ST Scopedog Metal spec ver. - The bolts on the sides of the body are metal. If you zoom in close, you can see t

The bolts on the sides of the body are metal. If you zoom in close, you can see text engraved on the bolt heads.

1/20 ATM-09-ST Scopedog Metal spec ver. - The front skirt armor is made of metal etched parts.. I got a bit sloppy with the

The front skirt armor is made of metal etched parts..
I got a bit sloppy with the glue and some spots ended up a little gloopy. T_T

1/20 ATM-09-ST Scopedog Metal spec ver. - For the right side of the front metal skirt, you get to choose between two option

For the right side of the front metal skirt, you get to choose between two options.
You can either attach just the etched part with the text stamped on it, or you can layer an additional etched part on the back plate.

1/20 ATM-09-ST Scopedog Metal spec ver. - Here's what it looks like with the etched parts doubled up. Since these things we

Here's what it looks like with the etched parts doubled up. Since these things weren't cheap to include,
it feels like less of a waste to go ahead and stick one more on the back plate.. ^^;
The look changes quite a bit depending on the angle, doesn't it?

The side skirt armor done up in etched parts. Lots of metal bolts used here.

As expected, the shine looks different depending on the angle.

1/20 ATM-09-ST Scopedog Metal spec ver. - The rear skirt armor is etched parts too... and yeah, you can see some glue marks

The rear skirt armor is etched parts too...
And yeah, you can see some glue marks here as well. OTL
It's the kind of armor that really doesn't stay put unless you glue it down.

1/20 ATM-09-ST Scopedog Metal spec ver. - Just like the front right skirt armor, the rear armor also gives you the option t

Just like the front right skirt armor, the rear armor also gives you the option to layer an additional etched part on the back plate.
Leaving off the back etched part does make the text more readable, but.. it still feels like too much of a waste to just leave it unused..;

1/20 ATM-09-ST Scopedog Metal spec ver. - The metal part for the rifle muzzle. It's the heftiest part of the bunch. The one

The metal part for the rifle muzzle. It's the heftiest part of the bunch.
The one slightly disappointing thing is that the heat sink or whatever it is covers up about half of the metal part.

Shiny and gorgeous.

1/20 ATM-09-ST Scopedog Metal spec ver. - Comparison shots with the standard version. At the end of the day, the key questi

Comparison shots with the standard version.
At the end of the day, the key question in any review of this kit is: how much of a difference does it actually look compared to the standard version?

Comparison of the scope area.

Comparison of the metal bolt area on the sides of the body.

Comparison of the front and rear skirt armor.

Comparison of the side skirt armor.

Rifle comparison. Two metal bolts are also used on the stock section.

1/20 ATM-09-ST Scopedog Metal spec ver. - The cockpit instrument panel is also attached using an etched part. The detail is

The cockpit instrument panel is also attached using an etched part. The detail is nothing to write home about though...

1/20 ATM-09-ST Scopedog Metal spec ver. - Now.. the biggest gripe I have with this kit is right here. There are several mor

Now.. the biggest gripe I have with this kit is right here.
There are several more areas where the bolts and outer armor could just as easily have been done as etched parts..
Like the back-of-hand armor, the top-of-foot armor, the leg cylinders, and so on.
None of those got any metal or etched parts at all, which makes things look a bit unbalanced.
The reason is probably that the panels are a bit too thin to fit metal bolts in..
But if they'd gone full metal coverage on those areas too, this could've been an absolutely killer kit. Such a shame.

1/20 ATM-09-ST Scopedog Metal spec ver. - Even after using all the etched parts as instructed in the manual, you end up wit

Even after using all the etched parts as instructed in the manual, you end up with quite a few left over.

There's one extra etched part meant for the cockpit instrument panel.

There's also an etched part that looks like a nameplate left over.

Feels like it could be used somewhere.. but I just left it as-is.

1/20 ATM-09-ST Scopedog Metal spec ver. - A cute little etched part.. would look great attached as decoration inside the co

A cute little etched part.. would look great attached as decoration inside the cockpit.

1/20 ATM-09-ST Scopedog Metal spec ver. - There's also a Votoms-world alphabet chart left over. This was probably included

There's also a Votoms-world alphabet chart left over.
This was probably included for use as a stencil.
The idea is you arrange those letters, lay them down, and paint over them — and you get a clean printed-text effect.
The fact that they thought to include something like this for advanced users.. Bandai really did put some thought into this one.

There are also about 3–4 metal bolts left over.

1/20 ATM-09-ST Scopedog Metal spec ver. - Leftover parts after swapping in the metal/etched parts. Since the kit basically

Leftover parts after swapping in the metal/etched parts.
Since the kit basically includes 100% of the standard Scopedog's parts, you do end up with some leftover parts.
The plastic bolt sections in particular go completely unused, so they could've been left out..
But in mass production, pulling just certain runners from the standard version probably would've actually driven up the unit cost, which is likely why they kept them in.

Cockpit hatch open. Naturally, no difference from the standard version whatsoever..

1/20 ATM-09-ST Scopedog Metal spec ver. - I tried to recreate the action pose from the Metal Spec version manual cover.. an

I tried to recreate the action pose from the Metal Spec version manual cover..
And it absolutely does not come out looking as natural as the manual's pose. ^^;

1/20 ATM-09-ST Scopedog Metal spec ver. (1/3)

1/20 ATM-09-ST Scopedog Metal spec ver. (2/3)

1/20 ATM-09-ST Scopedog Metal spec ver. (3/3)

Punch action

Down form

Anyway, as a fan-service item for Votoms fans, it's not bad at all.

Straight build

This is the Metal Spec version Scopedog, released alongside the standard 1/20 Scopedog. At its core, this kit keeps 100% of the standard version's parts and contents intact, with just a selection of metal parts and etched parts added on top. So technically you could build it as the standard version.. but surely nobody's buying this just to build it that way. ^^;;;;;

Since this is essentially just the standard kit with a handful of parts swapped out, the basic structure, frame, articulation, and so on are all the same — 1/20 Scopedog standard version review— so please refer to that for those details. The 1/20 Scopedog itself is already a high-quality kit that Bandai put real care into, and with the special metal parts added on top, it's stepped up to an even higher level of quality.

The parts added in the Metal Spec version are as follows:

1. Metal large scope
2. Metal rifle barrel
3. Metal bolts
4. Etched parts (skirt armor, instrument panel, and accessories)

With those additions, the price is ¥3,000 more than the standard version. ¥3,000 is basically the price of one MG kit, so it's no small difference. Of course, when you consider the typical cost of etched/metal parts, it's not an unreasonable markup — but that price gap is inevitably going to be the main thing people agonize over.

The quality of the etched and metal parts is great, naturally. ^^; The thing is.. these are added purely as a detail-up for certain specific areas — it's not a full-on metal conversion by any means. What I mean is, there are other areas where metal armor and metal bolts could have been applied (the back of the hands, tops of the feet, legs, etc.), yet the metal parts are concentrated almost entirely on the body — and specifically just the lower body's skirt sections.

In a word, the coverage feels a bit half-hearted, and I can't help thinking it would've been a truly stunning kit if all the similar areas had been fully metalized as well. (Though the price would've gone up even more, which might be exactly why they drew the line where they did..)

Personally, my favorite of the added metal parts is the metal bolts. The bolt assembly is actually one of the freshest and most satisfying parts of building this 1/20 Votoms kit — it genuinely feels like you're assembling a real robot, and the end result has incredible depth and dimensionality. Even with plastic bolts that feeling is there, but with metal bolts, that sense of freshness hits even sharper and more satisfyingly.

Honestly, it would've been great if they had just included the metal bolts in the normal version and released it as a "normal + metal bolt" edition for around ¥5000 — about ¥1000 more. That would've been like, a hundred times more impressive... hmm..

In the Metal spec ver., the metal bolts are partially hidden by the etched parts, so they don't stand out as much. Those tiny, gleaming metal bolts have this brilliant shine and intense visual punch that paint simply can't replicate. But once they're mounted on top of the etched parts, they do lose a bit of their impact. ^^;

Some people might actually fall so hard for the metal bolts that they ditch the etched parts entirely and just go with the metal bolts alone. Or, if you buy two Metal spec ver. kits and swap out all the remaining bolts on the arms and legs — the ones that aren't included as separate parts — with metal ones, it'd turn into a seriously dripping luxury kit. (Two Metal spec kits would run you ¥14,000, so yeah, definitely luxury...;;;;) But that's a bit of a stretch price-wise, so it's probably better to just pick up the metal bolts separately as optional parts.

Anyway, while the metal/etched parts aren't applied completely throughout, from a partial detail-up standpoint, it's still plenty effective. You could say it takes the already high-quality Scopedog kit and cranks the luxury factor up to the max. Of course, die-hard Votoms fans will probably buy both the normal and Metal spec ver. — and might even grab multiple copies to build a whole squad — but for most people, choosing between these two versions is going to be a tough call.

Bottom line: if you want to experience the absolute pinnacle of a high-quality luxury kit, the Metal spec ver. is something you absolutely cannot pass up. Bandai doesn't put this level of effort into a kit very often. The Metal spec ver. alone is more luxurious than an MG — and honestly, even more so than a PG, which ironically doesn't have that many metal parts to begin with. If you've got the budget, building the Metal spec ver. is definitely the way to go.

That said, it's also true that the normal version alone is more than enough to appreciate just how excellent the Scopedog kit really is.
I've laid out plenty of comparison material, so the decision is up to you! (Hahaha, even more confused now, aren't you? ^^;;)

1/20 ATM-09-ST Scopedog Metal spec ver. | 2007.6 | ¥7,000

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.