Kit Review

Straight build

Frame Arms Frame Architect Type001 - Size comparison with a cigarette pack. It's a bit smaller than an MG, but noticeably big

Size comparison with a cigarette pack.
It's a bit smaller than an MG, but noticeably bigger than an HGUC.

Frame Arms Frame Architect Type001 (1/2)

Frame Arms Frame Architect Type001 (2/2)

Upper body

Legs

The face section lets you choose between 2 options during assembly.

Two face options.

Hands are included on separate runners — 4 sets in total.

Frame Arms Frame Architect Type001 - The detail and proportions on the open hands seem to be a cut above Bandai's, as expecte

The detail and proportions on the open hands seem to be a cut above Bandai's, as expected.

Fists

Weapon-holding hands

Rifle hands
You can choose between two versions: index finger bent or extended.

Frame Arms Frame Architect Type001 - The pre-assembled frame can be taken apart pretty easily. Honestly, they could've just i

The pre-assembled frame can be taken apart pretty easily.
Honestly, they could've just included these as regular injection parts...
Though I guess it does save a bit of assembly work.

There are quite a lot of leftover parts.

Frame Arms Frame Architect Type001 - The leftover parts fall into roughly 3 categories, and they look like various fixing par

The leftover parts fall into roughly 3 categories, and they look like various fixing parts that'll be used in future releases.

Frame Arms Frame Architect Type001 - Despite being called pre-assembled, the snap-fit connections on the body aren't great. -

Despite being called pre-assembled, the snap-fit connections on the body aren't great. -_-
The forearms, hip joints, and knee connection pins in particular are loose,
so even the slightest movement causes the frame to fall apart.
I get that their snap-fit technology still has room to grow,
but having a pre-assembled frame that does this is pretty frustrating.
Gluing certain parts is pretty much unavoidable.

As expected of an action frame, the articulation is excellent.

The shoulders can raise up this far...

The shoulder joints fold 90 degrees forward and backward.

The wrists also bend 90 degrees.

Frame Arms Frame Architect Type001 - The double-jointed waist is something else — it can bend a full 90 degrees both forward

The double-jointed waist is something else...
It can bend a full 90 degrees both forward and backward.
Of course, once you put the armor on, there's no way it'll move anywhere close to that...

The ankle range of motion is impressive too.

Frame Arms Frame Architect Type001 - Thanks to the excellent articulation, it can even pull off a fully crouched pose like th

Thanks to the excellent articulation, it can even pull off a fully crouched pose like this.

Frame Arms Frame Architect Type001 - The body twisted as far as it'll go. Almost contortionist-level flexibility. (1/3)

The body twisted as far as it'll go.
Almost contortionist-level flexibility.

Frame Arms Frame Architect Type001 - Action pose (1/3)

Action pose

The legs split well,
and the ankles are flexible enough for good ground contact too.

Frame Arms Frame Architect Type001 - The articulation as an action frame is really impressive. (1/4)

Frame Arms Frame Architect Type001 - The articulation as an action frame is really impressive. (2/4)

The articulation as an action frame is really impressive.

Kotobukiya has suddenly started rolling out a frame-based mecha series, launching it ambitiously under the title Frame Arms. The concept is to use a pre-assembled frame as the base, then release various mecha by swapping out the armor and weapons. It's a product lineup that emphasizes production and assembly efficiency — and perhaps because of that, the overall price point seems to come in about 30% cheaper than Kotobukiya's existing offerings.

Anyway, as the first release in the line, they've put out just the bare frame on its own — though honestly, the frame alone doesn't make for much of a display piece. The reason for releasing just the frame is probably to give people who do kitbashing or scratch builds a solid skeleton to work with, but either way, I think it's a pretty fresh concept.

First off, the articulation as an action frame is outstanding. It's more poseable than most Bandai MG frames, and I'd say the overall look as a mecha frame is pretty solid too. It stands about 15cm tall — slightly larger than the midpoint between an HGUC and an MG.

That said, the one thing that might bug you right off the bat when you actually handle it is that the parts connections on the pre-assembled frame aren't great. T_T If you start moving the limbs around because the articulation is so good, arms and legs just start falling off;; Their snap-fit technology is still a fair bit behind Bandai's — which is considered the gold standard in mold engineering — so even with a pre-assembled frame, there's not much they can do about it. In the end, it's really just injection-molded frame parts assembled through mass-production labor, and expecting any kind of finished-product sturdiness seems like a stretch. Personally, I'd rather they skip the pre-assembled frame gimmick that drives up the cost, and just share the frame runners to bring the price down further.

Anyway, a bit of glue will fix most of the connection issues. The parts that tend to pop off are the neck joint, the forearm parts, the hip joint parts, and the upper/lower knee fixing pins — gluing those down takes care of the problem. The hip joints in particular are a must-glue situation: if you put the armor on without gluing them, they'll come apart inside later and cause a real headache. So gluing isn't just recommended — it's basically required.

Joint strength-wise, nothing feels particularly loose, but there's no satisfying tightness to it either. Everything moves with a sort of just-right smoothness overall, so as long as the armor has a well-balanced center of gravity, it shouldn't be a major issue. On the flip side, if the backpack is heavy or it's holding a heavy weapon, the joints probably won't hold up all that well. It's just... adequately average.

This Frame Architect kit is really just a preview of all the frame-based mecha that'll be coming down the line. For anyone who's been looking for a frame to use in kitbashing or scratch builds, this is going to be a fantastic find. And for those who prefer regular assembly, it offers the appeal of building Kotobukiya mecha at a somewhat lower price point. It's definitely a lineup worth keeping an eye on. :-)

Frame Arms Frame Architect Type001 | 2009. 10 | ¥1,200

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.