Kit Review

Straight build + Panel lining + Seals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

A combo kit of R2-D2 and R5-D4.

1/12 R2-D2 & R5-D4 - The oh-so-familiar R2-D2. (1/3)

The oh-so-familiar R2-D2.

R5-D4

The body structure is completely identical — only the head differs.

1/12 R2-D2 & R5-D4 - Leg articulation. It doesn't topple over even when leaning to one side. (1/3)

Leg articulation.
It doesn't topple over even when leaning to one side.

Remove the head and push the inside of the body and...

The center leg (!!) hidden under the body pops out.

Rolling pose using the center leg.

Everyone roll~ roll~

1/12 R2-D2 & R5-D4 - Remove the head cover and you can attach the periscope and scanner antenna as shown. (1/3)

Remove the head cover and you can attach the periscope and scanner antenna as shown.

1/12 R2-D2 & R5-D4 - There are 4 covers on the chest that can be removed, but they don't hold very well and can pop

There are 4 covers on the chest that can be removed.
They don't hold very well and can pop off with just a light tap. -_-
(In my case, I eventually just glued them on with solvent-free cement.)

You can then swap in the open-type covers.

1/12 R2-D2 & R5-D4 - Looking at the open structure from the front, you can see there are 8 holes in total where arms

Looking at the open structure from the front, you can see there are 8 holes in total where arms can be inserted.

1/12 R2-D2 & R5-D4 - A total of 5 arms are included. From left to right: 1. Universal Computer Interface Arm 2. Powe

A total of 5 arms are included. From left to right:
1. Universal Computer Interface Arm
2. Power Recharge Arm
3. Grip Arm
4. Circular Saw
5. Multi-Function Utility & Interface Arm

R2-D2 with all 7 accessories fully equipped.

R5-D4 with arms attached.

Remove the cover on the back and there's a stand hole there too.

Together with the 1/12 Stormtrooper.

Straight build

The 7th kit in Bandai's Star Wars series is the all-too-familiar R2-D2 and R5-D4 combo set. These two mechs share the exact same body — only the heads are different. Thanks to Bandai's trademark precise color separation, even a straight build comes out looking incredibly convincing in terms of color and detail.

I honestly expected R2-D2's complex head color scheme to be mostly covered by stickers, so I was genuinely impressed by how they cleverly split the parts to achieve the silver and blue coloring through various methods. The body sections also layer multiple internal parts to match the color layout in different areas, though the smaller details are covered with seals. That said, while the body does have plenty of molded detail, the white base color means you'll really want to do at least some panel lining to make it look its best.

As for other features — you can remove the head, push the inside of the body, and extend the center leg outward. You can also swap the chest covers to the open type and selectively plug the 5 arm accessories into any of the 8 holes. On top of that, R2-D2 can have 2 additional accessories swapped onto the head section. The one downside is that the cover parts over these attachment points don't hold very well, and even a slight bump sends them falling to the floor. To prevent this, it might help to leave the gate marks on the cover parts slightly less cleaned up before assembly, as that can improve the fit — worth keeping in mind if you haven't built yours yet.

Being able to build our beloved R2-D2 as a high-quality injection kit like this is just genuinely exciting. The loose cover parts were a bit annoying, but with color separation, detail, and functionality this good, those minor flaws are easy to overlook...

One thing worth noting — the overall feel, detail, and finish of this kit is remarkably similar to the Macross VF-1 that came out not too long ago and got absolutely roasted before fading into obscurity. The molded color tone, the parts breakdown, the detail, the delicate feel of the parts... (even some of the same flimsy fit issues ;;). If the earlier Stormtrooper and Darth Vader felt very Bandai-like, then this R2-D2 and R5-D4 feels closer to a Hasegawa SF kit — like the VF-1 — where precision is the main selling point. I suspect it might've been developed by the same team as the VF-1, though at least the overall quality feel is much better than the VF-1.

Anyway, if you have even a little love for Star Wars, this is an absolute must-have — no excuses! :-)

1/12 R2-D2 & R5-D4 | 2015. 3 | ¥2,400

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.