Kit Review

Straight build
+ seals + panel lining

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Upper body and head

HGFC Shining Gundam - Arms and back (1/3)

Arms and back

Legs

Includes 2 heads for normal and Super Mode, so you can swap between them.

The forearm covers aren't articulated, but they can be removed and deployed.

HGFC Shining Gundam - The side leg covers aren't articulated either — you pull the panel off, stand it up, and plug it back i

The side leg covers aren't articulated either — you pull the panel off, stand it up, and plug it back in.
They don't hold very well and tend to keep falling off. ㅡ_ㅡ;

The shoulder covers are also deployed by removing and re-attaching them in the open position.

HGFC Shining Gundam - Super Mode configuration (1/3)

Super Mode configuration

Core Lander detachment.
It's tiny, but the cockpit actually moves as you plug it in.

Core Lander

Core Lander underside

True to its G Gundam roots, the kit comes with all sorts of clear parts.

HGFC Shining Gundam - The large fluorescent hand fits over the small fluorescent hand.. but the hold is a bit weak on that to

The large fluorescent hand fits over the small fluorescent hand.. but the hold is a bit weak on that too.

The two beam sabers stored on the sides also have weak retention and tend to fall out easily.;;

The articulation is excellent for an HG-class kit.

Shoulder forward/backward range of motion

HGFC Shining Gundam - Double beam saber action (1/4)

HGFC Shining Gundam - Double beam saber action (2/4)

Double beam saber action

HGFC Shining Gundam - Beam Sword action — this wasn't even included with the MG, yet here it is bundled with the HG-class kit

Beam Sword action
This wasn't even included with the MG, yet here it is bundled with the HG-class kit.

HGFC Shining Gundam - Action poses using Action Base 2 (1/3)

Action poses using Action Base 2

Poses using the large fluorescent hands

HGFC Shining Gundam - Big hand poses~ (1/5)

HGFC Shining Gundam - Big hand poses~ (2/5)

HGFC Shining Gundam - Big hand poses~ (3/5)

Big hand poses~

Comparison of small hands and large hands

Together with the HGFC God Gundam and Nobel Gundam, which share a very similar color scheme.

Together with the MG Shining Gundam.

Straight build

Following God Gundam and Nobel Gundam, Shining Gundam has now joined the HGFC lineup. It probably should have come out before Nobel Gundam, honestly, but for various reasons (the Gunpla world being very much a boys' club..) it seems like the female-type Gundam got released first.

The basic style and quality are very similar to the HGFC God Gundam, and true to its G Gundam origins, it delivers top-tier articulation for an HG-class kit. The shoulders, arms, hip joints, knees, and ankles all have a great range of motion while still maintaining solid joint strength, so it's really satisfying to pose.

As you can see in the photos above, the straight build and panel-lined versions look quite different, so you'll really want to at least do some panel lining. Overall the color separation is pretty good for a 1/144, but some of the parts handled with seals feel a bit off. The cover seals on both sides of the legs in particular could easily have been done with actual color separation — a bit of a missed opportunity there.

Shining Gundam's signature Super Mode can be fully recreated, and to that end the kit includes two heads — one for normal mode and one in the deployed state. The head, shoulders, forearms, and side leg covers are all removable so you can configure it in Super Mode. On top of that, fluorescent hands and a Beam Sword are included as standard — and that Beam Sword is something that wasn't even in the MG. The large fluorescent hands are especially impressive; they work by fitting over the existing smaller fluorescent hands. The Core Lander is also reproduced with a minimal number of parts that allow for attachment and detachment, and overall the design specs are faithfully recreated.

The one downside is that while joint strength is generally good, a few areas don't hold together very well. In Super Mode, the side leg covers tend to shift out of position or pop off easily, and the two beam sabers clipped to the sides are especially prone to falling out — practically a recipe for losing them. ^^; The large fluorescent hands also have a tendency to come loose, so there are a few nagging issues here and there.

Overall, this is a very clean, high-quality HG-class G Gundam kit. If you were happy with the HGFC God Gundam, you'll definitely have a good time with this one. And even if you're not particularly into G Gundam.. if you enjoy posing action figures, this is worth recommending. Looking forward to seeing the HGFC lineup continue to grow. :-)

HGFC Shining Gundam | 2011.8 | ¥1,800

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.