Kit Review

Straight build + Panel lining + Seals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - Various angles (1/10)

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - Various angles (2/10)

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - Various angles (3/10)

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - Various angles (4/10)

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - Various angles (5/10)

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - Various angles (6/10)

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - Various angles (7/10)

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - Various angles (8/10)

Various angles

Wings folded

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - Close-up detail shots. The detail is incredibly intricate. (1/8)

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - Close-up detail shots. The detail is incredibly intricate. (2/8)

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - Close-up detail shots. The detail is incredibly intricate. (3/8)

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - Close-up detail shots. The detail is incredibly intricate. (4/8)

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - Close-up detail shots. The detail is incredibly intricate. (5/8)

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - Close-up detail shots. The detail is incredibly intricate. (6/8)

Detail shots.
The detail is incredibly intricate.

Even the engine section on the inside of the wings is properly molded.

The wings operate by cross-linking two pieces together.

Two canopy options are included: a clear version and a plain frame-only version.

Cockpit detail.

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - The clear canopy can also be displayed in an open position. It's not a hinged mechanism — you

The clear canopy can also be displayed in an open position.
It's not a hinged mechanism — you just prop up the front clear part and plug it in like that.

With the frame-only canopy (no clear part) fitted on.

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - This kit can be built in two main configurations: Pattern A and Pattern B. The parts on the le

This kit can be built in two main configurations: Pattern A and Pattern B.
The parts on the left are Pattern A for Luke's ship (Red 5), and the parts on the right are Pattern B for a generic fighter.

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - Pattern A (Luke's ship) has slightly more pronounced molding on the underside. Strictly speaki

Pattern A (Luke's ship) has slightly more pronounced molding on the underside.
Strictly speaking, it looks like the difference between the 1979 version and the 1999 version, but the manual explains it based on which pilot you're building.

One of the nozzles on the Pattern B generic fighter is rendered in a shorter form.

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - Luke's ship comes with R2-D2, while the generic fighter gets a different droid head. Though th

Luke's ship comes with R2-D2, while the generic fighter gets a different droid head.
Though they're so tiny the seals just don't go on cleanly T_T

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - To load R2-D2, you need to remove the rear section of the fuselage and slide open the top cove

To load R2-D2, you need to remove the rear section of the fuselage and slide open the top cover.

There's even detail underneath the sliding top cover.

The inside of the nose section has a bit of detail too.

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - The much-talked-about Star Wars base. It's modeled after the surface of the Death Star, and I

The much-talked-about Star Wars base.
It's modeled after the surface of the Death Star, and I imagine collecting several of them would look pretty awesome... (ahem)

There's even a cover included to plug the hole left when you remove the stand.

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - To recreate the scene from the film where the main reactor exhaust port — the Death Star's wea

To recreate the scene from the film where the main reactor exhaust port — the Death Star's weak point — is attacked,
a secondary stand for the reactor port opening is also included.
It connects using joint parts just like an Action Base.

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - And there are also tadpole-shaped (lol) effect parts included to recreate the attack on the ma

And there are also tadpole-shaped (lol) effect parts included to recreate the attack on the main reactor.

Pilot figures.

Underside view

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - Underside detail. Since the top and bottom look pretty similar on this thing, there's not a wh

Underside detail.
Since the top and bottom look pretty similar on this thing, there's not a whole lot to note...

The landing gear is reproduced as a removable attachment.

With the landing gear attached.

Landing gear detail.

1/72 X-wing Starfighter - Sitting on the ground. (1/3)

Sitting on the ground.

Straight build

2014 Hobby Show. The hottest item of the show was Bandai's Star Wars plastic model. Who would've thought Bandai would step into the Star Wars model kit market, which had largely been Fine Molds' territory!! In a way it kind of looks like a big corporation muscling out a smaller one (-_-), but there was a lot of excitement around what Bandai — the undisputed king of mecha model kit quality — would come up with.

Having finally cracked it open and built it, my impression is: yep, that's Bandai alright. As is already well known, in terms of detail this boasts some of the most precise and densely packed molding of any Bandai kit. It has that distinctly Bandai feel — intricate yet not sharp or harsh. The mold quality is something any mecha modeler would cheer about.

They've also clearly put a lot of effort into accuracy, going as far as capturing the subtle parts differences between Pattern A for Luke's ship and Pattern B for the generic fighter. The canopy comes in two versions — a clear material one and a frame-only part — and the quality of the stand, which models the Death Star's surface and main reactor, is excellent as well.

One particularly nice touch — just like the old Macross Frontier series — is that both premium seals and waterslide decals are included to cater to both casual and experienced builders. Very Bandai of them.

The overall build process and feel are very Bandai through and through — the high-quality snap-fit means assembly is smooth, solid, and hassle-free. Honestly, I think this is where Bandai stands apart from other manufacturers more than anything else. You can't help but be impressed all over again by Bandai's ability to engineer molds that go together this cleanly and smoothly without a single drop of glue.

The molding is intricate, but the overall tone is fairly monotone, so panel lining is strongly recommended. In my case, since it's a light-colored craft, I deliberately applied a light wash all over — and it suits it better than a heavy panel line would. What's nice is that after applying the wash, just rubbing it off with your finger not only brings out the panel lines but also gives the molded surface a slight weathering/brushing effect. With so much molding to cover, the panel lining actually takes longer than the build itself — but it'll definitely be a rewarding process even for casual builders.

That said, ¥2,400 feels a touch pricey for Bandai given the overall volume of the kit — it looks like it'd come in around the mid-¥1,000 range if it were a Gunpla. Though compared to other manufacturers it's still cheap, so... ;;

Anyway, this is a hot item that's sure to grab the interest of every mecha modeler out there. If you're a Star Wars fan, it's an obvious must-buy — or rather, you'll probably want to build several and field an entire squadron of Red 5s. And for anyone curious about Bandai's ambitions in expanding their mecha model kit business, this is a great kit worth recommending to all of you :-)

1/72 X-wing Starfighter | 2014. 11 | ¥2,800

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.