This kit is the Fukuoka Side-F exclusive Hobby Hi-Zack (A.O.Z. Reboot Ver.). It's the mobile suit that made a brief appearance in the theatrical film "Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack." Unlike the previously released standard HGUC Hi-Zack, this is a 100% new mold kit with nothing carried over.
The original HGUC Hi-Zack came out 23 years ago and was one of the earliest kits in the series — honestly one of the lowest-quality entries in the HGUC lineup. So it's no surprise that the new-mold Hobby Hi-Zack shows a massive leap in technology. First off, the Hobby Hi-Zack's distinctive colorful scheme is well-realized through color separation. Stickers are used on some parts like the shield, but most of the body is handled through parts separation. Articulation is also top-notch, with the limbs folding up completely, and thanks to the generous hip slide gimmick, kneeling poses are now possible too. Joint strength is solid as well, so poses hold up nicely.
On the downside, there are no weapons or accessories at all — just the main body — so posing options are pretty limited. To be fair, in the source material the Hobby Hi-Zack is portrayed not as a combat unit but as an unarmed transport-type mobile suit. One thing that did bother me is that the assembly feel is a bit rough around the edges. It doesn't have that smooth, satisfying snap-fit quality you'd expect from Bandai's high-end Gunpla — quite a few parts need to be forced together with real effort.
It feels like the final mold adjustments weren't quite finished, because by the time you're done building, your hands are sore from all the forcing. It's the kind of assembly experience you rarely see with modern Bandai Gunpla, so some people might be caught off guard. Being a limited release, I suspect the precision design and quality control were just a little lacking. Either way, just be aware that the build process is surprisingly tight and may require a fair amount of physical force and grip strength — and sometimes your teeth... — to get through.
That said, being a 100% new mold kit even as a limited release is a pretty big selling point. It looks great, and the overall construction is based on modern engineering. The assembly feel is unexpectedly old-school, which is a bit of a shame, but if the design speaks to you, it's definitely a worthwhile limited kit worth pushing through. :-)
HGUC Hobby Hi-Zack (A.O.Z. Reboot Ver.) | 2023. 7 | ¥2,800
AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.
