Kit Review

Straight build + Stickers

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Size comparison with HGUC and MG.
The volume is close to MG level.

Various angles

Detail shots

HG Cybaster - The center of the backpack needs to fit together snugly, but due to the structure, it's not easy t

The center of the backpack needs to fit together snugly, but due to the structure, it's not easy to get it to sit flush without any gaps.

Two Hi-Familiars and a Discutter are included.

A total of 3 sets of hands are provided.

A standard Action Base and two auxiliary stands are included.

You can use the holes on the bottom of the Hi-Familiar to mount them on the auxiliary stands.

Leftover parts

Limb articulation

HG Cybaster - The knees extend in two stages to an almost absurd degree, which allows them to bend completely. I

The knees extend in two stages to an almost absurd degree, which allows them to bend completely.
It's probably due to the transformation gimmick, but they stretch out so much it looks almost freakish.

HG Cybaster - The front and rear shoulder ornaments also move forward and backward. On the Kotobukiya Cybaster,

The front and rear shoulder ornaments also move forward and backward.
On the Kotobukiya Cybaster, these parts were fixed in place, which made them a bit of a nuisance.

The forward and backward range of motion on the shoulders is quite generous.

The elbows are ball-jointed, so they're nice and flexible.

HG Cybaster - Even a simple pose gives off a real sense of presence. (1/5)

HG Cybaster - Even a simple pose gives off a real sense of presence. (2/5)

HG Cybaster - Even a simple pose gives off a real sense of presence. (3/5)

Even a simple pose gives off a real sense of presence.

Aerial action poses

HG Cybaster - Poses with the two Hi-Familiars (1/3)

Poses with the two Hi-Familiars

TRANSFORMATION : CYBIRD

HG Cybaster - To transform into Cybird, raise the front and side shoulder structures upward and tilt the head do

To transform into Cybird, raise the front and side shoulder structures upward and tilt the head down.
Remove the hand parts at this point.

Position the arms appropriately to achieve the pose shown above.

Bend the knees forward 90 degrees and bring the toe claws together.

HG Cybaster - Rotate the head — which was hanging off the back like a tail — 180 degrees and position it facing

Rotate the head — which was hanging off the back like a tail — 180 degrees and position it facing forward.

HG Cybaster - Extend the top and bottom of the backpack to complete the transformation. At this point you need t

Extend the top and bottom of the backpack to complete the transformation.
At this point you need to insert the peg on the underside of the backpack into the small hole at the back of the waist...
The clearance is tight, making it hard to get in, and the waist can pop right out during the process, so be careful.

Cybird mode

Alongside the Kotobukiya Cybaster released in 2006.
The Bandai version is slightly more voluminous.

The color separation inside the binders is better on the Kotobukiya version (left).

HG Cybaster - A comparison of the Discutters. Kotobukiya relies almost entirely on color separation with barely

A comparison of the Discutters.
Kotobukiya relies almost entirely on color separation with barely any seals,
while Bandai uses seals in various places (the green areas in the photo above).

Super Robot Wars plastic models used to feel like Kotobukiya's exclusive territory, but now Bandai has entered the scene with a non-scale HG lineup. Leading the charge is the ever-popular Cybaster, making its return as a Bandai kit 15 years after Kotobukiya first released one back in 2006.

First off, this is a typical Bandai-style mecha model kit — efficient parts breakdown and a smooth, satisfying build. No polycaps are used, but the joints are solid and smooth across the board. Articulation is excellent too, especially thanks to the knee joints that extend dramatically in two stages, allowing the legs to fold up completely. As for accessories, you get the Discutter, two Hi-Familiars, a standard Action Base, and two auxiliary stands.

The transformation into Cybird mode is reasonably well implemented, though getting the arms and legs positioned at exactly the right angles is a bit ambiguous. That's more of an issue with the original design and its specs, so you just have to find a good spot for the arms, legs, and binders and call it a day. That said, the instructions tell you to bend the waist forward and lower the bottom of the backpack to lock it into the hole at the back of the waist — but the clearance is so tight that the whole waist tends to pop out. In short, the transformation is full of vague steps, so you're basically left to just go "Red Sun!" and arrange everything however looks good to you. Still, once transformed, the parts hold together solidly, so you don't need to worry too much about stability in Cybird mode.

Either way, the non-scale Kotobukiya Cybaster from 2005is an inevitable point of comparison. There's naturally a big gap between Bandai's latest release with their top-tier molding technology and a Kotobukiya kit from 15 years ago when they were just getting started with plastic models. For starters, the overall volume — led by those large binders — is noticeably fuller on the Bandai version, and there are clear differences in three-dimensionality and detail molding as well. In particular, compared to the Kotobukiya version where the generally loose joints make things feel unstable, Bandai delivers rock-solid, reliable joint strength. Also, the sharp, pointy parts that are characteristic of Kotobukiya have been softened somewhat on the Bandai version — which is actually related to safety regulations around plastic model exports.

That said, the Kotobukiya Cybaster has the advantage of achieving all the design colors through color separation alone, without a single seal. In terms of color separation — such as inside the binders — it's actually more thorough than Bandai's. The Bandai Cybaster, on the other hand, inevitably uses seals for certain areas, and the resulting inconsistency in finish is hard to ignore. The biggest difference of all, though, is that the Bandai version offers transformation into Cybird mode, backed by those sturdy joints. Kotobukiya did eventually catch up when they released the large-scale 1/144 Cybasterwhich also features Cybird transformation. (The design height is 28 meters, so even 1/144 comes out pretty big.)

Anyway, compared to the Kotobukiya kit — which felt rough around the edges and technically limited, yet had a certain craftsman's spirit to it — it's hard to shake the feeling of eating a very well-made instant meal with the Bandai version. Still, being able to get a Super Robot Wars kit again at this level of clean, polished quality is genuinely something to be happy about. :-)

HG Cybaster | 2021. 6 | ¥4,000

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.