Kit Review

Straight build
+ panel lining + stickers

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

HGUC Zeta Plus [Unicorn Ver.] - Various angles (1/7)

HGUC Zeta Plus [Unicorn Ver.] - Various angles (2/7)

HGUC Zeta Plus [Unicorn Ver.] - Various angles (3/7)

HGUC Zeta Plus [Unicorn Ver.] - Various angles (4/7)

HGUC Zeta Plus [Unicorn Ver.] - Various angles (5/7)

Various angles

HGUC Zeta Plus [Unicorn Ver.] - Detail shots. Please note that the left/right shoulder armor was accidentally swapped during

Detail shots.
Please note that the left/right shoulder armor was accidentally swapped during the shoot T_T

Articulation is pretty meh... probably because it's a transforming kit.

HGUC Zeta Plus [Unicorn Ver.] - Launch pose (1/3)

Launch pose

Firing pose

Double beam saber action

Transformation

To begin the transformation, first separate the body as shown above.

Dedicated parts for the Waverider transformation.

After attaching the rear skirt and stabilizers to the Waverider-specific body,

HGUC Zeta Plus [Unicorn Ver.] - Remove the shoulder parts, fix the arms to the underside, then attach the transformation shou

Remove the shoulder parts, fix the arms to the underside,
then attach the transformation shoulders and crotch cover.

Combine the shield and wings~

Fold the legs as shown and attach them, then

mount the rifle and the transformation is complete.

HGUC Zeta Plus [Unicorn Ver.] - The Waverider. (1/6)

HGUC Zeta Plus [Unicorn Ver.] - The Waverider. (2/6)

HGUC Zeta Plus [Unicorn Ver.] - The Waverider. (3/6)

HGUC Zeta Plus [Unicorn Ver.] - The Waverider. (4/6)

The Waverider.

Once the transformation is complete, the body and shoulders are left over.

Straight build

Waverider in straight build

The Zeta Plus, which felt like it was always just around the corner but never quite showed up, has finally been released as an HGUC. Though of course, thanks to the power of "Unicorn magic," the Unicorn version came out first. I'm sure the Sentinel version and Amuro version will follow down the line ^^

Compared to the original Sentinel version, the shield is a more subdued type and the weapons on the wings are missing, but the overall body composition and look don't stray too far from the Sentinel version's design concept. Sure, proportions have slimmed down a bit with the times, but either way it doesn't really give off any "Unicorn vibes" — it just feels like a plain old "Zeta Plus."

The overall platform follows the same concept as recent HGUC Waverider transformation kits — it uses a separate body and shoulder parts for a detachable transformation, but the proportions and stability in transformed mode are solid as always. Personally, I think at the HGUC level, this kind of clean proportion-focused swap transformation system is better than forcing a full transformation anyway.

That said, being a transforming kit, articulation and range of motion aren't great, so even on a stand it's hard to get a good pose out of it. Even a basic shooting pose looks a bit awkward — this is definitely a kit that's better off just standing still rather than being posed dynamically.

One thing worth mentioning — the HGUC Zeta Plus triggered a large-scale recall right after release. The reasons were a molding defect on the head parts and a design error on the crotch cover parts.
(View the related Bandai notice)

In my case I was lucky enough not to get the head parts molding defect, but I did receive the incorrect crotch cover design ^^; (a limited edition of sorts, I guess). Now, a molding defect is obviously a product fault, but doing a recall just because the crotch parts came out different from the original intent — I can't help but wonder if Bandai is going a bit overboard. Designs get changed all the time when things get turned into plastic kits anyway... Still, doing a full recall over a design error does show a pretty impressive sense of responsibility ;;

Anyway, this kit is significant simply for the fact that the Zeta Plus — a beloved icon for many old-school Sentinel fans — has finally made it to HGUC, and it came out with exactly the clean quality you'd hope for. Sure, it got off to a rocky start with the recall fiasco, but it's a sleek and cool kit that's got what it takes to be a steady seller :-)

HGUC Zeta Plus [Unicorn Ver.] | 2014.7 | ¥2,600

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.