Kit Review

Straight build + Stickers

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

HGGT Psycho Zaku Thunderbolt Ver. - That backpack is absolutely massive... (1/7)

HGGT Psycho Zaku Thunderbolt Ver. - That backpack is absolutely massive... (2/7)

HGGT Psycho Zaku Thunderbolt Ver. - That backpack is absolutely massive... (3/7)

HGGT Psycho Zaku Thunderbolt Ver. - That backpack is absolutely massive... (4/7)

HGGT Psycho Zaku Thunderbolt Ver. - That backpack is absolutely massive... (5/7)

That backpack is absolutely massive...

It comes with an insane amount of weapons.

The upper propellant tank stores 3 bazookas and 8 various magazines.

The lower propellant tank stores the heat hawk and Zaku machine gun.

The base body with the propellant tanks removed

HGGT Psycho Zaku Thunderbolt Ver. - Close-up shots of the base body (1/6)

HGGT Psycho Zaku Thunderbolt Ver. - Close-up shots of the base body (2/6)

HGGT Psycho Zaku Thunderbolt Ver. - Close-up shots of the base body (3/6)

HGGT Psycho Zaku Thunderbolt Ver. - Close-up shots of the base body (4/6)

Close-up shots of the base body

HGGT Psycho Zaku Thunderbolt Ver. - A dedicated stand is included because of the massive backpack, but even on the stand, the

A dedicated stand is included because of the massive backpack,
but even on the stand, the backpack is so heavy it droops all the way down to the floor -_-

HGGT Psycho Zaku Thunderbolt Ver. - The propellant tanks don't just plug straight in — probably because that wouldn't hold se

The propellant tanks don't just plug straight in — probably because that wouldn't hold securely enough,
so you align them with the pegs and then rotate 90 degrees to lock them in place.

The sub-arms on top of the backpack are reproduced as swappable parts.

Using a separate joint part, it can also be mounted on the Zaku II Thunderbolt Ver.

Leftover parts.

The articulation is slightly worse than the Zaku II Thunderbolt Ver.

HGGT Psycho Zaku Thunderbolt Ver. - Even a slight pose looks incredibly dynamic. (1/3)

Even a slight pose looks incredibly dynamic.

HGGT Psycho Zaku Thunderbolt Ver. - Dynamic action poses using the sub-arms (1/6)

HGGT Psycho Zaku Thunderbolt Ver. - Dynamic action poses using the sub-arms (2/6)

HGGT Psycho Zaku Thunderbolt Ver. - Dynamic action poses using the sub-arms (3/6)

HGGT Psycho Zaku Thunderbolt Ver. - Dynamic action poses using the sub-arms (4/6)

Dynamic action poses using the sub-arms

Sturm Faust + heat hawk action

Together with the Zaku II Thunderbolt Ver.

Rear view comparison with the propellant tanks removed.

It holds its own against the Big Gun in terms of sheer presence.

Together with the Full Armor Gundam Thunderbolt Ver. and GM

HGGT Psycho Zaku Thunderbolt Ver. - Together with the HGUC High Mobility Zaku — Johnny Ridden's custom. The Thunderbolt Ver.

Together with the HGUC High Mobility Zaku — Johnny Ridden's custom.
The Thunderbolt Ver. high mobility type is also 100% new tooling with a completely different structure.

The Psycho Zaku Thunderbolt Ver. — the crown jewel of the distinctive Thunderbolt series — has finally arrived. As you can see in the photos above, it's loaded with an enormous backpack and weapons, earning it the nickname "Zaku Deep Striker." It feels like the ultimate expression of a design that throws out existing lore and just runs wild with imagination.

The basic joints reuse parts from the standard Zaku Thunderbolt Ver., but nearly all of the outer armor and components are new parts. Compared to the regular HGUC High Mobility Zaku, it's a very different design in just about every way. The base body has plenty of personality on its own, but the real highlight of the Psycho Zaku is definitely all those weapons hanging off the massive propellant tanks.

The upper propellant tank stores 3 bazookas and 8 various magazines, while the lower tank holds 3 Sturm Fausts, a Zaku machine gun, and a heat hawk. The sheer presence and visual impact are just fantastic -_-)b On top of that, the massive backpack itself is pretty stylish, and the dozens of small verniers spread across the entire body each have their own color separation, making for a wonderfully unique color combination.

The massive backpack is considerably heavier than the base body, but as you can see, the lower propellant tank actually touches the ground and acts as a support, so surprisingly there's no issue standing it up in display mode. A dedicated stand is also included for more dramatic displays, but as shown in the photos above, if you stand it upright on the stand, the backpack is so heavy that the lower propellant tank droops backward until it hits the floor. So if you really want to display it in a proper airborne pose, your only option is to tilt the stand slightly forward so it leans into a hunched position ^^;

Also, the propellant tanks don't just plug straight in — you have to align them with the pegs and rotate 90 degrees to lock them from the inside. This sturdy locking mechanism was probably adopted to prevent them from falling out under the weight of all the weapons. Thanks to this, there's absolutely no issue with the propellant tanks coming loose, though the Zaku machine gun and heat hawk on the lower section feel like they're just loosely resting in place, so they do occasionally fall off during posing.

All in all, this is a kit that boasts incredible presence and visual impact for an HG, with parts count rivaling an MG and a hugely satisfying straight build experience. It's the crown jewel of the Thunderbolt lineup — a series that's already set a new benchmark for MSV with its striking designs — and it's a kit I'd happily recommend to any Gunpla fan :-)

HGGT Psycho Zaku Thunderbolt Ver. | 2014.2 | ¥2,700

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.