Kit Review

Straight build

Size comparison with a cigarette pack.
It's about 32cm long.

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - Various angles (1/6)

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - Various angles (2/6)

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - Various angles (3/6)

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - Various angles (4/6)

Various angles

Underside

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - Upper section detail shot (1/10)

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - Upper section detail shot (2/10)

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - Upper section detail shot (3/10)

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - Upper section detail shot (4/10)

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - Upper section detail shot (5/10)

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - Upper section detail shot (6/10)

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - Upper section detail shot (7/10)

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - Upper section detail shot (8/10)

Upper section detail shot

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - Side mold detail shot (1/5)

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - Side mold detail shot (2/5)

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - Side mold detail shot (3/5)

Side mold detail shot

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - Underside detail shot (1/3)

Underside detail shot

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - Includes a stand made by joining two of the existing small Star Wars stands toget

Includes a stand made by joining two of the existing small Star Wars stands together.

Also includes a same-scale miniature Blockade Runner and Millennium Falcon.

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - The Blockade Runner can be attached to the underside of the ship, just like in th

The Blockade Runner can be attached to the underside of the ship, just like in the movie.

Leftover parts

Together with the Vehicle Model Star Destroyer.

Together with the 1/72 Millennium Falcon.

~~~~~~ Lighting Model ~~~~~~

The same LED unit as the 1/72 Millennium Falcon is included, and it takes 3 AAA batteries. (sold separately)

A total of 6 cords are used.

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - Before inserting into the main body, the cords are secured in place by direction

Before inserting into the main body, the cords are secured in place by direction using stickers.

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - After placing the LED units throughout the body, gloss-injection-treated light gu

After placing the LED units throughout the body, gloss-injection-treated light guide parts are fitted over the top and bottom.

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - The light diffused through the light guide parts shines through the small holes i

The light diffused through the light guide parts shines through the small holes in the body.

The rear nozzles use transparent guide parts to channel the light.

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - Reflective stickers are also applied to the inside of the upper cover to concentr

Reflective stickers are also applied to the inside of the upper cover to concentrate the light.

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - Additional LEDs are placed on the large cover, then the LED unit is fitted over t

Additional LEDs are placed on the large cover, then the LED unit is fitted over them.

Black seals are applied as shown to prevent light leakage.

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - You have to remove the bridge unit and the white cover to turn the switch on, and

You have to remove the bridge unit and the white cover to turn the switch on,
and since the space is tight, a dedicated auxiliary part for the switch is included as shown.

Clear parts included as a first-run limited bonus.

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - Viewed from various angles with the lights off. The light bleed effect is more sp

Viewed from various angles with the lights off.
The light bleed effect is more spectacular than expected.

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - Detail shots (1/3)

Detail shots

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] - There aren't many LED light points on the underside, but the hangar bay area is n

There aren't many LED light points on the underside, but the hangar bay area is nice and bright.

A video walkthrough of the lighting effect (apologies for the shaky cam T_T)
(If it won't play in your browser, head over to YouTube > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_szi_3Sv30 )

The 1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] has arrived as yet another major release in Bandai's Star Wars model kit lineup. This kit comes in two versions — a standard edition (¥7,000) and a Lighting Model (¥12,000) — and this review covers the Lighting Model. I felt it would be a shame to just do panel lining on it, so I reviewed it as a straight build with future painting in mind. (Someday... ^^;;)

Starting with the standard edition — true to Bandai form, the sculpting and detailing are incredibly precise, making this one of the most finely crafted model kits ever released. The panel lines on the body, the bridge deck, and the side molds are all rendered in exquisite detail. The assembly process is relatively straightforward, and it does a great job of conveying a sense of depth with a fairly modest parts count.

The stand is made by joining two of the existing small stands together, and you can display the same-scale miniature Blockade Runner and Millennium Falcon alongside it. A picture is worth a thousand words — just check the review photos for the exterior detail.

The Lighting Model comes with the same LED unit used in the 1/72 Millennium Falcon, with 12 LEDs included. It requires 3 AAA batteries sold separately, and turning it on requires removing the bridge deck and inner cover first, which is a bit of a hassle. The switch space is also quite tight, so a separate stick-like part for adjusting the switch is included as well.

The lighting mechanism itself is pretty straightforward — LEDs are placed throughout the interior of the body, with gloss-injection-treated light guide parts and reflective stickers positioned above and below each LED. When the LEDs are on, the entire enclosed interior space — sealed by the gloss-injection reflective surfaces — lights up, and the light bleeds through the hundreds of tiny holes all over the body. The wiring placement is a bit tricky though, so it's worth taking your time and following the manual carefully.

As a first-run limited bonus, two clear runners are included along with a modeling guide based on them. It's a modification that uses fiber optics to add even more light points, though it looks a bit challenging for beginners.

The end result is a lighting effect that's genuinely stunning — far beyond what I expected. If you've built this kit yourself, you'll probably sense it from the review photos, but honestly the photos don't do justice to how spectacular it looks in person. (T_T) Night photography is notoriously difficult to begin with, and the tiny, subtle pinpoints of light tend to bloom and look blurry in photos, so it ends up looking less crisp than it really is.

So I can say with confidence that it looks far better in person than these photos or the video suggest — arguably better than any other LED lighting kit released to date. At ¥12,000, it feels like great value for money, and even without any modifications, just building it straight out of the box gives you an incredible lighting display. The standard kit without LEDs is great too, but if you're a Star Wars fan, this is one kit I'd strongly recommend building as the Lighting Model. :-)

1/5000 Star Destroyer [Lighting Model] | 2019.8 | ¥12,000

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.