Kit Review

Straight build

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Upper body close-up

Head section. The face was painted at the time of release.

Non Scale Grapearl ~ Gimmy Custom - Arms and shoulder shield (1/3)

Arms and shoulder shield

Non Scale Grapearl ~ Gimmy Custom - The verniers on the back can open and close. (1/3)

The verniers on the back can open and close.

Non Scale Grapearl ~ Gimmy Custom - There's something called a "Tobidama" in the center of the back — it's a kind of flight un

There's something called a "Tobidama" in the center of the back —
It's a kind of flight unit.

Non Scale Grapearl ~ Gimmy Custom - Legs and weapons (1/3)

Legs and weapons

Weapons shot

Gimmy's custom unit comes with two handguns and a weapon called the Tornado Shield Gun.

Non Scale Grapearl ~ Gimmy Custom - Three sets of hands are included: open hands, weapon-gripping hands, and fists. Pretty muc

Three sets of hands are included: open hands, weapon-gripping hands, and fists.
Pretty much the standard Bandai-style hand configuration.

Non Scale Grapearl ~ Gimmy Custom - Articulation. The limbs bend a straightforward 90 degrees, and the shoulders can swing for

Articulation. The limbs bend a straightforward 90 degrees, and the shoulders can swing forward and back.
The predecessor Gurren Lagann had fully bendable knees, but the Grapearl only gets 90 degrees, which is a bit disappointing..

The legs do split pretty well though..

Non Scale Grapearl ~ Gimmy Custom - The side skirts don't hold on very well and fall off constantly;; Kotobukiya kits still ha

The side skirts don't hold on very well and fall off constantly;;
Kotobukiya kits still have some issues with part retention.

Non Scale Grapearl ~ Gimmy Custom - Action poses. Whoa.. is this really a Kotobukiya kit?! The range of motion is limited, but

Action poses. Whoa.. is this really a Kotobukiya kit?!
The range of motion is limited, but the proportions in poses look better than the Gurren Lagann.

Non Scale Grapearl ~ Gimmy Custom - Tornado Shield Gun action poses (1/5)

Non Scale Grapearl ~ Gimmy Custom - Tornado Shield Gun action poses (2/5)

Non Scale Grapearl ~ Gimmy Custom - Tornado Shield Gun action poses (3/5)

Tornado Shield Gun action poses

A two-handed grip is also doable.

Handgun action. Somehow reminds me of Noir Gundam..

It's a bit of a stretch, but a kneeling pose is possible too.

Non Scale Grapearl ~ Gimmy Custom - This kit includes a dedicated stand, and the support structure works the same way as the o

This kit includes a dedicated stand,
and the support structure works the same way as the one included with the RMC helicopter kit.

Stand action

Non Scale Grapearl ~ Gimmy Custom - Despite being a small kit, the front of the feet are articulated. (1/4)

Non Scale Grapearl ~ Gimmy Custom - Despite being a small kit, the front of the feet are articulated. (2/4)

Despite being a small kit, the front of the feet are articulated.

Together with Gurren Lagann. Both are colorful, as you'd expect from Kotobukiya kits.

Following the Gurren Lagann with its excellent color separation, a set of three Grapearl kits has been released.
The first of these is Gimmy's custom unit — a kit done up in a blue and red color scheme. In the show, it's a mass-production unit based on the Gurren Lagann.

The kit itself has a similar feel to the Gurren Lagann, but the overall package is a bit more modest in comparison. There are fewer runners and parts too. Despite that, the price is the same at ¥3,800 — maybe to keep it consistent with the Gurren Lagann? The biggest issue with this kit is the price. It's roughly HG-sized with a comparable part count, yet it costs as much as a mid-range MG.. By Bandai standards, this would probably be around a ¥2,000 kit, so it's literally double the price.

The fact that it's manufactured in China and still costs twice as much as a Bandai kit is.. a bit hard to swallow. I try to chalk it up to Kotobukiya being a smaller player that doesn't turn the same profit as Bandai, but on the flip side, it really makes you appreciate just how affordable Bandai's Gunpla has stayed over the years without major price hikes.

Setting the price aside, the kit itself is pretty sharp, as you'd expect from a Kotobukiya kit that's been steadily improving. The color separation goes without saying, and now they're splitting parts to hide seam lines on most pieces, just like Bandai does — things like one-piece forearm armor and parts divided along panel lines. Sure, there are still plenty of visible seam lines, but the key areas have been thoughtfully handled to minimize them.

The articulation isn't as good as the Gurren Lagann, but thanks to effective movement gimmicks and solid proportions overall, the action poses actually look more dynamic and cool than the Gurren Lagann. The main complaint is that the side skirt armor falls off way too easily.. which gets pretty annoying when you're trying to pose it.

Kotobukiya does advertise snap-fit assembly, but you'll still run into issues in various spots if you build it without glue. Parts popping off during posing is pretty common.. and when small parts go flying, they're a pain to find. Honestly, it's probably better for your sanity to just glue everything except the moving joints.

Anyway, it's clear that Kotobukiya is improving at a rapid pace, and if you're a fan of the Gurren Lagann anime you don't really have much of a choice.. so if you want an injection-molded Grapearl, this is a kit you can be pretty satisfied with. (As long as you can overlook the price..)

Non Scale Grapearl ~ Gimmy Custom | 2008. 9 | ¥3,800

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.