Kit Review

Straight build + Stickers + Panel lining

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

HGUC Bolinoak-Sammahn - Various angles (1/6)

HGUC Bolinoak-Sammahn - Various angles (2/6)

HGUC Bolinoak-Sammahn - Various angles (3/6)

HGUC Bolinoak-Sammahn - Various angles (4/6)

Various angles

HGUC Bolinoak-Sammahn - Detail shots (1/4)

HGUC Bolinoak-Sammahn - Detail shots (2/4)

Detail shots

HGUC Bolinoak-Sammahn - The backpack is big and heavy, so getting it to stand upright is a bit tricky. And beyond just the ce

The backpack is big and heavy, so getting it to stand upright is a bit tricky.
And beyond just the center of gravity, the hip joint retention is a little iffy..

A separate head (right) is included to represent the radome on top of the head in its lit-up state.

HGUC Bolinoak-Sammahn - The radome clear parts in the lit-up state feature a technology called "Reflection Cut," wh

The radome clear parts in the lit-up state feature a technology called "Reflection Cut," which gives off a beautiful, shimmering reflected light.

You can rotate the mono-eye by moving the pin at the bottom of the head.

Articulation of the scissors attached to the shield

Inside view of the shield

HGUC Bolinoak-Sammahn - The two weapons stored inside the shield can be detached and combined with beam parts to form a beam

The two weapons stored inside the shield can be detached and combined with beam parts to
form a beam gun / beam saber / beam tomahawk.

Opening gimmick for the incendiary launcher mounted on the shoulder.

Three hands are included.

Leftover parts

Limb articulation

HGUC Bolinoak-Sammahn - You can pull the shoulder joint out slightly and bend it forward, though the range of motion isn't ve

You can pull the shoulder joint out slightly and bend it forward, though the range of motion isn't very wide.

The neck moves quite a bit forward and backward.

The waist bends forward quite a lot.

Backpack articulation

HGUC Bolinoak-Sammahn - A natural kneeling pose (1/3)

A natural kneeling pose

HGUC Bolinoak-Sammahn - Scissors attack pose (1/3)

Scissors attack pose

HGUC Bolinoak-Sammahn - Beam tomahawk action (1/4)

HGUC Bolinoak-Sammahn - Beam tomahawk action (2/4)

Beam tomahawk action

Beam saber + beam tomahawk action

Alongside the HGUC Gundam Mk-II Revive.
It's noticeably bulkier than your average MS.

Straight build

The Bolinoak-Sammahn from Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam has been released as an HGUC kit. Since it was never made into a kit before — not even as an older release — this is essentially its first-ever plastic model. Despite its look that suggests raw power, it's actually a unit used more for reconnaissance than combat.

First off, the inverted-triangle gorilla-like proportions are pulled off really well. The color separation is solid too — aside from the small triangular yellow seal sections, all the design colors are achieved through parts separation. The green molded color is the kind of shade that could easily end up looking cheap and candy-toy-like, but it's been molded in a subtle, quality-feeling tone that doesn't come across as cheap at all. Thanks to that, the straight build looks better than expected, and the assembly process is smooth and satisfying.

For weapons, you get a shield with a movable scissors unit and two beam weapons. The beam weapons stored inside the shield can be detached and combined with additional beam parts to form a beam saber or beam tomahawk. On top of that, an extra head representing the radome in its lit-up state is also included. The radome clear parts feature a technology called "Reflection Cut," which gives off a beautiful, shimmering reflected light.

Structurally, unlike recent polycap-less HG kits, this one uses polycaps in some areas. The shoulders, wrists, hips, and waist use polycaps, while the elbows, knees, and ankles use polycap-less joints. Each individual joint on its own looks solid enough, but since the upper body is larger relative to the lower body and it's carrying that big backpack on its back, the overall joint strength balance feels a bit unstable.

In particular, getting it to stand upright in a neutral pose is a bit of a struggle due to the heavy upper body and backpack. The hip polycap retention is just slightly lacking, so if you don't get the center of gravity just right, the pose can slowly start to lean backward. Also, when placed on a small stand designed for HG kits, the weight of the kit makes it feel unstable — you'd probably be better off using a larger Action Base meant for MG-class kits rather than HG ones.

So while the joint balance is a bit of a letdown — sturdy in some ways but subtly off in others — the overall color separation and assembly feel are quite satisfying. For old-school fans like me who have fond memories of the Kongkong Comics days, this is the kind of kit that'll make you go "Bolinoak-Sammahn as an HGUC — no way!!" with pure excitement. Sure, the design has always been a love-it-or-hate-it kind of thing, but if the style suits your taste, I think it's a uniquely characterful kit that's well worth giving a shot. :-)

HGUC Bolinoak-Sammahn | 2024.11 | ¥3,200

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.