Kit Review

Straight build +
panel lining

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Full Mechanics Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex (1/7)

Full Mechanics Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex (2/7)

Full Mechanics Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex (3/7)

Full Mechanics Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex (4/7)

Full Mechanics Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex (5/7)

Full Mechanics Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex (6/7)

Full Mechanics Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex (7/7)

Full Mechanics Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex - Detail shots (1/4)

Full Mechanics Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex - Detail shots (2/4)

Detail shots

Full Mechanics Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex - Left armor removed & frame shots (1/3)

Left armor removed & frame shots

The forearm frame alone has gotten noticeably bigger.

Two big, beautiful hands are included.

The grip is solid since the palm locks onto the spikes of the giant mace.

Full Mechanics Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex - Both the front spear tip and the rear handle of the giant mace are extendable, but

Both the front spear tip and the rear handle of the giant mace are extendable,
but the spear section — which wasn't on the HG — has a loose fit, so it's hard to keep it straight once extended.

Other accessory parts.

Full Mechanics Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex - A thick wire for the tail blade is included, and it holds whatever shape you bend

A thick wire for the tail blade is included, and it holds whatever shape you bend it into really well.

Full Mechanics Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex - The sub-arm on the back of the forearm is also reproduced, and compared to the HG,

The sub-arm on the back of the forearm is also reproduced,
and compared to the HG, the tip has one extra segment that moves.

Mounted on the rear skirt using a joint part

Full Mechanics Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex - A new action base is included as a first-run limited bonus — it's a much-improved

A new action base is included as a first-run limited bonus —
it's a much-improved version with stoppers on every moving joint for better stability.

Full Mechanics Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex - A sticker is included to put on the stand, but in my case I left it off since I'm

A sticker is included to put on the stand..
but in my case I left it off since I'm planning to reuse the stand for another kit review. ^^;

Leftover parts.

Articulation is pretty decent overall.

Full Mechanics Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex - Action pose with arms spread wide. The arms are so much bigger now that just sprea

Action pose with arms spread wide.
The arms are so much bigger now that just spreading them out looks dynamic.

Full Mechanics Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex - Ultra Large Mace action pose using the support stand. The connection between the support

Ultra Large Mace action pose using the support stand.
The connection between the support stand and the giant mace is poor, so it's not very easy to use..

Full Mechanics Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex - Holding the giant mace with both hands in mid-air. There's absolutely no way to ho

Holding the giant mace with both hands in mid-air.
There's absolutely no way to hold it with just one hand. -_-

Full Mechanics Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex - Pose with the giant mace resting on the shoulder (1/3)

Pose with the giant mace resting on the shoulder

Full Mechanics Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex - Ultra Large Mace charging pose (1/4)

Full Mechanics Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex - Ultra Large Mace charging pose (2/4)

Ultra Large Mace charging pose

Together with the 1/100 Full Mechanics Gundam Barbatos Lupus.

Together with the HG Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex.
Personally, I like the HG better.

Straight build shots before panel lining

Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex has been released as a 1/100 Full Mechanics kit following the HG. The base frame is reused from the previous Barbatos kits, but most of the exterior has been updated with new parts alongside those chunky forearm frames. Thanks to the long, ape-like arms and the elongated tail blade, this kit has a look that's clearly distinct from the previous Barbatos kits.

The reproduction of the design's gimmicks is on par with or better than the HG — the forearm sub-arm deployment, the giant mace's extension and rear skirt mounting feature, and the tail blade using a wire are all well done. A new extension gimmick has been added for the spear tip at the end of the giant mace that wasn't on the HG, and the claws on the sub-arm now move individually as well. A support stand for propping the heavy giant mace on the ground has also been newly added.

That said, the overall durability is a bit worrying compared to the previous kits or the HG. The basic articulation is decent enough, but the already-questionable joint strength has really come back to bite it here (...). The shoulder and arm joints are nowhere near strong enough to support those heavy forearms and the massive giant mace, and on top of that, the lower body has become increasingly unstable trying to hold up the heavy upper body as well.

The bottom line is that striking a cool one-handed pose with that massive mace is completely out of the question, and even holding it with both hands is a struggle. Unless you're resting it on a shoulder or dragging it along the ground, holding it up at all is pretty much a lost cause. There is a support stand included to prop up the giant mace, but the connection between the two isn't great, so even when it's set up, if the center of gravity shifts it all comes crashing down. T_T

Almost as if they anticipated these complaints, the first-run limited edition includes an improved new action base. It's the same one that came with the MG Fenice Rinascita a while back — a version with stoppers on all the angle, height, and length joints for much better stability. It's a hard item to find separately, so it's a nice little bonus. That said, having it doesn't really fix the shaky hold caused by the sheer weight...

I've been pretty harsh on the durability side of things, but in terms of pure looks, this is hands-down the best of the Barbatos lineup. It's just a shame that pulling off dynamic poses with that oversized mace is so difficult — because the design itself is genuinely awesome.

Anyway, this is a kit I'd recommend to anyone who wants to build a big Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex without expecting too much in the way of flashy posing. For overall build quality though, I'd honestly point you toward the HG kit instead — it's lighter and just handles better. :-)

Full Mechanics Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex | 2017. 2 | ¥3,200

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.