HG The Witchfrom Mercury

Gundam Aerial

Kit Review

Straight build + Stickers

HG Gundam Aerial - Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

HG Gundam Aerial - Various angles (1/6) HG Gundam Aerial - Various angles (2/6) HG Gundam Aerial - Various angles (3/6) HG Gundam Aerial - Various angles (4/6) HG Gundam Aerial - Various angles (5/6) HG Gundam Aerial - Various angles (6/6)


Various angles

HG Gundam Aerial - Detail shots (1/4) HG Gundam Aerial - Detail shots (2/4) HG Gundam Aerial - Detail shots (3/4) HG Gundam Aerial - Detail shots (4/4)

Detail shots

HG Gundam Aerial - There are some skeletal-style frame parts on the arms and legs. (1/2) HG Gundam Aerial - There are some skeletal-style frame parts on the arms and legs. (2/2)

There are some skeletal-style frame parts on the arms and legs.

HG Gundam Aerial - Chest piece with in-mold coloring applied

Chest piece with in-mold coloring applied

HG Gundam Aerial - You can also go with the normal look (left) by applying black seals instead.

You can also go with the normal look (left) by applying black seals instead.

HG Gundam Aerial - The eyes, head, shoulders, backpack, and thighs can also use black normal-state stickers instead of the gl

The eyes, head, shoulders, backpack, and thighs can also use black normal-state stickers instead of the glowing ones.
But I'd guess most people, like me, will go with the flashy glowing stickers as the default.

HG Gundam Aerial - Weapons loadout

Weapons loadout

HG Gundam Aerial - Beam rifle with beam effect parts attached

Beam rifle with beam effect parts attached

HG Gundam Aerial - You can mount the beam rifle onto the backpack using a joint part.

You can mount the beam rifle onto the backpack using a joint part.

HG Gundam Aerial - Shield (1/2) HG Gundam Aerial - Shield (2/2)

Shield

HG Gundam Aerial - The bit staves can be detached from the shield and mounted on various parts of the body. (1/3) HG Gundam Aerial - The bit staves can be detached from the shield and mounted on various parts of the body. (2/3) HG Gundam Aerial - The bit staves can be detached from the shield and mounted on various parts of the body. (3/3)

The bit staves can be detached from the shield and mounted on various parts of the body.

HG Gundam Aerial - The smaller bit staves can also be detached separately and plugged into the beam rifle. (1/2) HG Gundam Aerial - The smaller bit staves can also be detached separately and plugged into the beam rifle. (2/2)

The smaller bit staves can also be detached separately and plugged into the beam rifle.

HG Gundam Aerial - Excellent limb articulation

Excellent limb articulation

HG Gundam Aerial - Forward/backward shoulder articulation

Forward/backward shoulder articulation

HG Gundam Aerial - Waist articulation (1/2) HG Gundam Aerial - Waist articulation (2/2)

Waist articulation

HG Gundam Aerial - The hip joints swing out 90 degrees to the side, and the ankles have decent lateral flexibility too.

The hip joints swing out 90 degrees to the side, and the ankles have decent lateral flexibility too.

HG Gundam Aerial - A natural kneeling pose (1/2) HG Gundam Aerial - A natural kneeling pose (2/2)

A natural kneeling pose

HG Gundam Aerial - Action pose (1/2) HG Gundam Aerial - Action pose (2/2)

Action pose

HG Gundam Aerial - Pose with beam effect parts attached to the beam rifle (1/2) HG Gundam Aerial - Pose with beam effect parts attached to the beam rifle (2/2)

Pose with beam effect parts attached to the beam rifle

HG Gundam Aerial - Beam saber pose (1/2) HG Gundam Aerial - Beam saber pose (2/2)

Beam saber pose

HG Gundam Aerial - Pose with the shield's bit staves detached and mounted (1/2) HG Gundam Aerial - Pose with the shield's bit staves detached and mounted (2/2)

Pose with the shield's bit staves detached and mounted

HG Gundam Aerial - Together with the HG Gundam Lfrith.

Together with the HG Gundam Lfrith.

The HG Gundam Aerial — the main unit from the 2022 new anime Mobile Suit Gundam "The Witch from Mercury" — has been released. The overall build is similar to the previously released HG Gundam Lfrith— just a different design, but the same system of detaching bit staves from the shield and mounting them on the body.

First off, the polycap-less construction means joint strength is solid overall, but without that characteristic softness of polycaps, everything feels a bit stiff to move. Articulation is above average though, and it's easy to pull off and hold all kinds of dynamic poses.

The 11 bit staves on the shield can be detached and mounted on various parts of the body, with 2 of them also attachable to the beam rifle. The beam rifle also accepts dedicated beam effect parts, and you can rack it on the backpack using a joint part. On top of that, like the Gundam Lfrith, the chest part is made with in-mold coloring, and you can choose between a black normal state or a flashy glowing state using the included stickers.

Overall it's a quality kit, but the stiffness of the polycap-less joints might be a dealbreaker for some people. The proportions and design are also a matter of taste, so it's a bit hard to recommend unconditionally. That said, it's got great color separation and that clean, fresh feel you get from a new release — so if you're a fan of the Gundam Aerial's design, this should be a pretty fun build. :-)

HG Gundam Aerial | 2022.10 | ¥1,600

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.