Kit Review

Straight build

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Underside

Sharp nose detail, as expected from an EX kit.

Wing detail. There are quite a lot of panel lines.

Vertical stabilizer detail

Thruster detail.

EX Model Cosmo-Zero - Cockpit. The level of detail feels somewhere between a Gunpla and a dedicated aero kit.. (1/4)

EX Model Cosmo-Zero - Cockpit. The level of detail feels somewhere between a Gunpla and a dedicated aero kit.. (2/4)

Cockpit. The level of detail feels somewhere between a Gunpla and a dedicated aero kit..

EX Model Cosmo-Zero - Two seat options are included — one with a seatbelt molded in and one without. So they've covered both

Two seat options are included — one with a seatbelt molded in and one without.
So they've covered both the piloted and unpiloted looks.

Underside detail.

Bottom vertical stabilizer

To attach the landing gear, you need to swap out the tall vertical stabilizer for the shorter one.

Landing gear attached.
It's a swap-on type, not retractable, of course.

Landing gear detail is pretty good.

The braking air brakes on either side of the vertical stabilizer can be posed open.

EX Model Cosmo-Zero - The cockpit hatch isn't a hinged open/close type — you have to choose the appropriate part and glue it

The cockpit hatch isn't a hinged open/close type — you have to choose the appropriate part and glue it to the body.. ;

EX Model Cosmo-Zero - Landed on the ground. (1/6)

EX Model Cosmo-Zero - Landed on the ground. (2/6)

EX Model Cosmo-Zero - Landed on the ground. (3/6)

EX Model Cosmo-Zero - Landed on the ground. (4/6)

Landed on the ground.

The pilot figure is pretty well detailed.

Slap on the included waterslide decals and it'll look even better~

In January 2007, alongside the release of the landmark 1/350 Yamato kit, Yamato kits quietly started showing up in the EX lineup as well. The EX lineup originally kicked off as something almost exclusively for Gundam, but it's been sneaking in some unexpected series here and there — and the timing feels like a pretty smart marketing move.

The first Yamato EX release turned out to be the Cosmo-Zero, which is one of the most iconic fighter craft from the Yamato anime. Since this is a proper EX series kit, it stays true to the EX concept rather than following the old vintage kits. That means a pricey tag relative to what you get (-_-;), refined detail, waterslide decals, and a philosophy that favors fixed poses over articulation.

In other words, it approaches a nostalgic, fictional old fighter craft the same way you'd tackle an aero kit. You get fine panel lines, a relatively detailed cockpit, and nice decals — but the cockpit hatch, landing gear, flaps, and pretty much everything else are all swap-out parts that need to be glued, which is classic aero kit style. In other words, painting is basically mandatory, so it might be a bit of a tough ask for the average builder..

This kit was aimed at longtime Yamato fans from the start, targeting adult modelers who have fond memories of the Cosmo-Zero — so the parts breakdown probably won't be a dealbreaker for them. It's essentially "that kit" from back in the day, now reborn with modern tooling and a clean release. At that point, even the steep ¥3,500 price tag for what's included might not feel like an issue.

Either way, this is a kit with a clear concept, and personally, as someone who has a soft spot for the Yamato anime, it was a pretty moving item for me. Building a detailed space fighter like an aero kit is definitely a fun experience. :-)

EX Model Cosmo-Zero | 2007.1 | ¥3,500 | 1/100

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.