Kotobukiya D Style

Griffon

Kit Review

Straight build

D Style Griffon - Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

D Style Griffon (1/6) D Style Griffon (2/6) D Style Griffon (3/6) D Style Griffon (4/6) D Style Griffon (5/6) D Style Griffon (6/6)

D Style Griffon - Head and torso (1/2) D Style Griffon - Head and torso (2/2)

Head and torso

D Style Griffon - Wings and arms (1/2) D Style Griffon - Wings and arms (2/2)

Wings and arms

D Style Griffon - Legs (1/2) D Style Griffon - Legs (2/2)

Legs

D Style Griffon - The flight pack can be swapped out for the aqua pack. (1/2) D Style Griffon - The flight pack can be swapped out for the aqua pack. (2/2)

The flight pack can be swapped out for the aqua pack.

D Style Griffon - The arms bend to a decent degree, but the legs are solid pieces so they don't bend at all — only the ankles

The arms bend to a decent degree,
but the legs are solid pieces so they don't bend at all — only the ankles move a little.

D Style Griffon - Wing articulation. (1/2) D Style Griffon - Wing articulation. (2/2)

Wing articulation.

D Style Griffon - Two sets of open hands and fists are included.

Two sets of open hands and fists are included.

D Style Griffon - Hiyah! Shooting pose (1/5) D Style Griffon - Hiyah! Shooting pose (2/5) D Style Griffon - Hiyah! Shooting pose (3/5) D Style Griffon - Hiyah! Shooting pose (4/5) D Style Griffon - Hiyah! Shooting pose (5/5)

Hiyah! Shooting pose

D Style Griffon - Action pose (1/5) D Style Griffon - Action pose (2/5) D Style Griffon - Action pose (3/5) D Style Griffon - Action pose (4/5) D Style Griffon - Action pose (5/5)

Action pose

D Style Griffon - Flight pose (1/7) D Style Griffon - Flight pose (2/7) D Style Griffon - Flight pose (3/7) D Style Griffon - Flight pose (4/7) D Style Griffon - Flight pose (5/7) D Style Griffon - Flight pose (6/7) D Style Griffon - Flight pose (7/7)

Flight pose

D Style Griffon - Together with the MG Griffon. Somehow the D Style proportions look better to me..

Together with the MG Griffon.
Somehow the D Style proportions look better to me..

D Style Griffon - Together with the D Style Ingram. Overall the Ingram feels like the higher quality kit of the two.

Together with the D Style Ingram.
Overall the Ingram feels like the higher quality kit of the two.

D Style Griffon - The D Style trio.

The D Style trio.

Kotobukiya's third SD/D Style kit is the Griffon from Patlabor. The MG release had the aqua pack and flight pack sold separately, but the D Style Griffon is generous enough (?) to include both in the box.

The overall concept of the kit feels closer to the Ingram than to the previous White Glint release. They're from the same series, so that makes sense, but either way the mechanical layout is similar — which probably adds to that impression. The joint construction and structure are the same, and the joint cover sections at each joint are pre-painted just like before.

Just like the D Style Ingram, the Griffon's articulation is nothing special, but the proportions are so good that even a simple pose ends up looking surprisingly sharp. The black molded color has a nice subtle sheen to it, and the pre-painted details are well done throughout, so it looks plenty impressive even as a straight build.

That said, somehow... the Ingram still feels like the better kit overall in terms of quality and impression. The Griffon is plenty nice-looking in its own right, but the D Style Ingram came out so impressively that the Griffon ends up looking a little overshadowed by comparison. Maybe it's just because the Ingram is the hero and the Griffon is the villain?

Anyway, true to Kotobukiya form, the ¥1800 price tag for the size does feel a little steep... but the kit itself is the kind of fun little fancy item you can enjoy both building and displaying. :-)

D Style Griffon | 2010.10 | ¥1,800

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.