Kit Review

Straight build + Panel lining

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel

1. Dendrobium

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Size comparison with a cigarette pack. It's a nice compact size — n

Size comparison with a cigarette pack. It's a nice compact size — not too big, not too small.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel (1/9)

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel (2/9)

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel (3/9)

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel (4/9)

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel (5/9)

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel (6/9)

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel (7/9)

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel (8/9)

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel (9/9)

Close-up shot of the main body

GP03 Gundam Collection loaded onto Den-chan

Weapon container seals

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - The I-field generator section. Unlike the HGM, the gray parts are a

The I-field generator section. Unlike the HGM, the gray parts are all painted out of the box.

Rear of the weapon container. Pretty complex detail, right?

Thruster section

Mega beam cannon section

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - The nozzle section. The red parts come pre-painted from the factory

The nozzle section. The red parts come pre-painted from the factory.. and the quality is great.

Underside

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Claw arm section. Very precise. (1/4)

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Claw arm section. Very precise. (2/4)

Claw arm section. Very precise.

Underside of the verniers

The Stamen docking section with the weapon container removed

The Stamen docking section articulates like this.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Even the inner frame has meticulous detail.. Is this really a Gunda

Even the inner frame has meticulous detail.. Is this really a Gundam Collection?

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - The I-field generator on the left can be assembled in two different

The I-field generator on the left can be assembled in two different configurations.
The propeller-shaped part has a different front and back, so you can flip it around depending on the situation.

Interestingly, the mega beam cannon can swing left and right.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Unlike the HGM, the claw arm deployment is fully articulated rather

Unlike the HGM, the claw arm deployment is fully articulated rather than a parts-swap system.
The gimmick where the claw arm slides out in an L-shape is excellent.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - The mega beam cannon's grip is articulated too. It's different from

The mega beam cannon's grip is articulated too. It's different from the HGM, I tell you...

The weapon container also opens and closes.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - The interior detail is great too.. but above all, the weapon storag

The interior detail is great too..
But above all, the weapon storage function is the best!
Each container holds 2 large missiles and 3 micro missiles.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - The function of storing 2 types of Stamen weapons per container is

The function of storing 2 types of Stamen weapons per container is also perfectly reproduced.
That's a beam rifle, a shield, and 2 types of bazookas.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - So the total number of externally launchable weapons is 10. The des

So the total number of externally launchable weapons is 10. The design specs are perfectly reproduced.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Those little yellow circles on the micro missiles.. every single on

Those little yellow circles on the micro missiles.. every single one comes pre-painted.
The most impressive(?) painted parts in this kit. Painting those yourself would be a nightmare..

Large missiles

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - The insides of the verniers on the launched weapons are all painted

The insides of the verniers on the launched weapons are all painted red. Now that's some seriously thorough paintwork;;;

The Gundam Collection Stamen holding a bazooka in each hand..

Weapon launch shot. Looks absolutely stunning..

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel (1/2)

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel (2/2)

Weapons everywhere

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - All things considered, with the paint quality on top of everything

All things considered, with the paint quality on top of everything else, this kit looks even better than the HGUC which is just big for the sake of being big.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Den-chan's dedicated stand. Includes 5-step height adjustment and a

Den-chan's dedicated stand. Includes 5-step height adjustment and angle adjustment for the mounting section.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - The underside of the stand has storage space for various accessorie

The underside of the stand has storage space for various accessories.

Beam saber attached to the claw arm.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Fully armed shot with beam sabers attached to the claw arms (1/4)

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Fully armed shot with beam sabers attached to the claw arms (2/4)

Fully armed shot with beam sabers attached to the claw arms

Stamen weapons bay, deploy!

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Swapping the Gundam Collection Stamen's arms even reproduces the we

Swapping the Gundam Collection Stamen's arms even reproduces the weapon retrieval sequence.
Though the arms are so short I'm not sure it could actually reach in real life.. ^^;
Either way, this kit goes to incredible lengths to reproduce the design specs.

Still, it can reach the mega beam cannon grip just fine.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - The weapon container has 8 storage slots in total — 5 for launched

The weapon container has 8 storage slots in total — 5 for launched weapons and 2 for Stamen weapons.
So what's the last one for??

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Ta-da.. Remove the cover and you can recreate the explosive bolt (爆

Ta-da.. Remove the cover and you can recreate the explosive bolt (爆導索) ejection scene.
With this, 100% of the Dendrobium Weapon's design specs have been reproduced.
Even the 1/144 HGUC couldn't pull off a complete reproduction, but the Gundam Collection Den-chan is truly perfect..

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - The Gundam Collection Stamen included with Den-chan boasts the most

The Gundam Collection Stamen included with Den-chan boasts the most extensive options in Gundam Collection history.
Between the replacement arm parts and the weapons stored in Den-chan, there are 12 options in total.

Four pairs of replacement arms alone..;

The weapons stored in Den-chan.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - The Gundam Collection Stamen itself is also great quality. And bein

The Gundam Collection Stamen itself is also great quality.
And being a Gundam Collection, it comes painted unlike the HGM.. ^^;

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel (1/3)

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel (2/3)

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel (3/3)

Equipped with standard weapons

Equipped with dual bazookas

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - The folding arm deployment for retrieving weapons from the weapon c

The folding arm deployment for retrieving weapons from the weapon container is also reproduced.
The Stamen is also a perfectly faithful reproduction.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Comparison with the HGM Den-chan. Something's a bit off though.. th

Comparison with the HGM Den-chan.
Something's a bit off though.. the HGM is 1/550 and the Gundam Collection is 1/400, yet they're almost the same size -_-;
That means one of them has the scale all wrong — and from a rough measurement, it looks like the HGM came out a bit too large for its scale.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - There's a big difference in detail between the HGM and the Gundam C

There's a big difference in detail between the HGM and the Gundam Collection.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Compared to the plain HGM, the Gundam Collection's detail is far mo

Compared to the plain HGM, the Gundam Collection's detail is far more precise and refined.
Gundam Collection kits are generally made in Chinese factories and have typically been considered inferior in detail..
But this Den-chan is the complete opposite. The plastic quality, detail, and molding are all on a completely different level from the HGM.
And the key thing is — that Gundam Collection is unpainted, while the HGM has had some serious partial painting done on it..;

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - The Den-chan trio, assemble! The sheer presence of the 1/144 HGUC D

The Den-chan trio, assemble! The sheer presence of the 1/144 HGUC Den-chan is still something else..;;

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Among these three Den-chans, the Gundam Collection Den-chan has the

Among these three Den-chans, the Gundam Collection Den-chan has the highest quality..

2. Neue Ziel

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Size comparison with a cigarette pack. It's a lot bigger than you'd

Size comparison with a cigarette pack. It's a lot bigger than you'd expect.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel (1/8)

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel (2/8)

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel (3/8)

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel (4/8)

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel (5/8)

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel (6/8)

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel (7/8)

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel (8/8)

Close-up shots of the upper body, front and back

The detail is packed with panel lines everywhere.

The head section. The detail extends all the way down to the neck.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Close-up shots of various body sections. (1/3)

Close-up shots of various body sections.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - The shoulders are nice and solid. All the red parts come pre-painte

The shoulders are nice and solid. All the red parts come pre-painted.

Arm section

Verniers on the back of the forearms

Back section,

The markings on the back are quite elaborate.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - There's some molding on the inside of the armor panels too. (1/2)

The armor panels have some decent molding on the inside too.

The mold on the inside of the butt skirt is a bit sparse though..

Unlike the HGM, the waist can rotate 180 degrees horizontally.

Shoulder and arm articulation range

The claw hands can open slightly.

Remove the claw hands and fold the arms in..

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - You can put it in cruise mode for movement. Though all it really do

You can put it in cruise mode for movement. Though all it really does is fold the arms..

Inside the shoulders, sub-arms are stored in a folded position.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - On the HGM they were detachable, but on the Gundam Collection versi

On the HGM they were detachable, but on the Gundam Collection version they're actually retractable.

Each of the four sub-arms can be equipped with a beam saber.

Beam saber action!

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - The thing is, these beam sabers... the center of gravity is heavily

The thing is, these beam sabers... the center of gravity is heavily shifted forward,
so getting them to hold a pose is really not easy.
If you don't balance the weight carefully, they just droop down like that.. T_T

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Anyway, even if it's hard to get the pose right, this is probably t

Anyway, even if it's hard to get the pose right, this is probably the most iconic action pose for the Neue Ziel.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - The claw arm can be pulled out along with the forearm to recreate i

The claw arm can be pulled out along with the forearm to recreate its in-universe function using the wire strands.
Again, the forearm is heavy so you really need to balance the weight carefully;;

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Claw arm action. Honestly, aside from stuff like this, there aren't

Claw arm action. Honestly, aside from stuff like this, there aren't really many action poses you can do with this kit..

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - The Neue Ziel's stand also has a function for storing various lefto

The Neue Ziel's stand also has a function for storing various leftover parts.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Comparison with the HGM Neue Ziel. The size difference is too large

Comparison with the HGM Neue Ziel.
The size difference is too large to just chalk up to the scale difference between the 1/400 HGM and the 1/550 Gundam Collection.
Compared to the Dendrobium where the two were almost the same size, it's a bit baffling..

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Together with the Gundam Collection Alpha Azieru. They're almost th

Together with the Gundam Collection Alpha Azieru. They're almost the same size.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Just to give a sense of scale.. a quick shot with the MG Gundam Ver

Just to give a sense of scale.. a quick shot with the MG Gundam Ver. O.Y.W. 0079. The Neue Ziel is definitely big.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - This is the GP04 Gerbera Tetra included for the Neue Ziel side (eve

This is the GP04 Gerbera Tetra included for the Neue Ziel side (even though it's all in one kit, if we're splitting hairs).

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - The detail is pretty good, and the limbs have some degree of articu

The detail is pretty good, and the limbs have some degree of articulation.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - There's a part you can attach to the tip of the Dendrobium's mega b

There's a part you can attach to the tip of the Dendrobium's mega beam cannon..

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - It's to recreate the scene where the Gerbera Tetra gets impaled on

It's to recreate the scene where the Gerbera Tetra gets impaled on the mega beam cannon. (Oh, the poor thing..)
But the actual holding piece has really poor grip.. so it's actually quite hard to keep the Gerbera Tetra fixed onto the mega beam cannon;

Skewered action~;;

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Together with the HGM Dendrobium/Neue Ziel. The scale difference be

Together with the HGM Dendrobium/Neue Ziel.
The scale difference between the two kits is truly unbalanced.
Overall, the Gundam Collection kits win by a landslide in terms of quality..

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - And finally, a beam saber showdown! In a 2-vs-4 fight, who will com

And finally, a beam saber showdown!
In a 2-vs-4 fight, who will come out on top..

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Straight build shots (1/4)

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel - Straight build shots (2/4)

Straight build shots

A combined kit featuring the Dendrobium and Neue Ziel — both large MAs — has been released as part of the Gundam Collection injection series, which is based on Chinese factories that produce painted figures. I'm not entirely sure why they bundled them together instead of releasing them separately, and at the steep price of ¥8500 no less, but I suppose they figured it'd be more profitable that way.

First of all.. when you open the box on this kit, you'll be blown away by the sheer amount of hand painting. It makes everything in the Gundam Collection injection series up to this point look like a joke — there's hand painting on an enormous number of areas, to the point where a straight build alone covers 99% of the official colors. Every single vernier interior is painted red, and all the gray sections scattered across the body are painted as well. The crown jewel of the hand painting has to be the Dendrobium's micro missile pods — each one has 108 tiny little yellow circles, and every single one of them is painted. That would be an absolutely brutal job to do by hand yourself. All the kits shown above were reviewed as-is, with no additional painting beyond panel lining.

Beyond the hand painting, the overall kit quality is also a step up from previous Gundam Collection releases. It's definitely not the same feel as injection molding from the original Shizuoka factory, but the molding quality is noticeably better than the Gundam Collection injection releases up to this point, which clearly had that mass-produced Chinese factory feel. The plastic flow marks are almost completely gone, and the rough surface texture has nearly disappeared as well.

The area where I really feel the improvement in molding quality is the fineness of the detail. The previous Gundam Collection Alpha Azieru already showed some impressively sharp molding, and this kit is no different — both the Dendrobium and the Neue Ziel are packed with crisp, sharp panel lines. It meant panel lining took an enormous amount of time, but the detail is excellent regardless.

The Dendrobium and Neue Ziel were previously released in the HGM 1/550 series, and they were pretty solid quality for the price. But with the combination of detail, molding, and hand painting, the Gundam Collection Dendrobium and Neue Ziel feel overwhelmingly superior.

The Gundam Collection Dendrobium blows away not just the HGM, but even the old HGUC Dendrobium — which was no small kit — in terms of detail, molding, and accuracy to the source material. What's particularly impressive is that all 16 weapon containers are reproduced without a single one missing. Unlike the HGM where all the moving parts were swap-out pieces, the Gundam Collection Dendrobium uses actual moving parts, and in many ways it implements every single function that exists in the Dendrobium's specs. Even with the massive presence of the HGUC Dendrobium, you could argue the Gundam Collection version is the most complete Dendrobium kit out there. Best-in-class detail, perfect paint, perfect spec recreation.. you could say the dream Dendrobium kit has finally arrived.

On top of that, the included Gundam Collection GP03 Stamen is also the most spec-accurate Gundam Collection figure ever made. It recreates all the arm configurations from the official specs, giving you a whopping 8 interchangeable arm options. And with 4 additional weapons that store inside the Dendrobium's weapon containers on top of that — it's truly a deluxe Gundam Collection release.

The Dendrobium's quality is so outstanding that the Neue Ziel feels a bit overshadowed, but it still shows far superior detail and spec recreation compared to the HGM. Perfectly accurate colors thanks to the extensive hand painting goes without saying, and the sheer density of panel lines gives it a very intricate look. The sub-arms inside the shoulder armor are also reproduced as retractable moving parts in the Gundam Collection version, unlike the HGM where they were detachable pieces.

Comparing with the HGM, there's something a bit odd — the size difference between the 1/550 HGM and the 1/400 Gundam Collection is kind of ambiguous. As you can see in the photos, the two Dendrobiums are almost the same size, while the Neue Ziel has a pretty dramatic difference. After measuring things out, it seems like the Gundam Collection's scale is actually more accurate. The HGM Dendrobium came out larger than its scale would suggest, and the HGM Neue Ziel came out smaller. Either way, the 1/400 version being bigger is expected, and the sheer size of the Neue Ziel in particular demands almost PG-level display space. ^^;

In conclusion, the overall impression of this kit is that it feels "incredibly luxurious." It's a kit that surprises you with quality beyond what you'd expect, and the almost obsessively thorough hand painting in particular really shows the power of Chinese manufacturing.. ^^; On top of that, you can feel the passion of Bandai's design team in their effort to recreate every single spec detail. In a word, it's an unexpected big catch. Personally, if I were to pick the top 10 masterpiece Gunpla from Bandai, I'd definitely want to include this one — it's a truly remarkable kit. Even if you never build it, just staring at the dazzling contents of the box is satisfying enough. A true masterpiece!

That said, given the nature of Gundam Collection kits with their labor-intensive hand painting, reprint cycles tend to be quite long and some variation in quality is to be expected. If you're interested, I'd strongly recommend grabbing it whenever you can find it. :-) The price is a bit high, but this kit is more than worth every penny.

1/400 Gundam GP03[Dendrobium] Vs. Neue-ziel | 2006.11 | ¥8,500

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.