Kit Review

Straight build

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Full Armor Mode from various angles (1/6)

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Full Armor Mode from various angles (2/6)

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Full Armor Mode from various angles (3/6)

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Full Armor Mode from various angles (4/6)

Full Armor Mode from various angles

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Full Armor Mode detail shots (1/4)

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Full Armor Mode detail shots (2/4)

Full Armor Mode detail shots

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Light Armor Mode with the Full Armor weapons removed (1/3)

Light Armor Mode with the Full Armor weapons removed

Parts exclusive to Light Armor Mode

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Costume Mode with the weapons further removed (1/3)

Costume Mode with the weapons further removed

Parts exclusive to Costume Mode

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Base Body Mode with the costume removed as well (1/3)

Base Body Mode with the costume removed as well

Parts exclusive to Base Body Mode

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - To switch between Costume Mode and Base Body Mode, you'll need to disassemble and reassemb

To switch between Costume Mode and Base Body Mode, you'll need to disassemble and reassemble the body.

In Base Body Mode, you can also swap in feet that have toes sculpted on them.

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Three facial expressions are included, along with three additional faces for water-slide d

Three facial expressions are included, along with three additional faces for waterslide decals.

You can also swap in a plain hairband with no decorations.

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Only three hand options are included in total — that's on the fewer side for a Kotobukiya

Only three hand options are included in total — that's on the fewer side for a Kotobukiya girlpla.

Two guns are included as weapons.

Hook parts for mounting the weapons are also included.

There are also parts that plug into the feet for standing poses in Base Body Mode.

A variety of joint parts are included as a bonus.

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - A stand of a type I've never seen before is included — it can be bent freely in four segme

A stand of a type I've never seen before is included.
It can be bent freely in four segments, and the hold is excellent.

Leftover parts

Limb articulation

You can pull the hip joints downward to extend the range of articulation.

Forward and backward shoulder articulation

The waist is pretty flexible too.

Articulation of the twin tails

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Poses in bare mode (1/4)

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Poses in bare mode (2/4)

Poses in bare mode

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Poses in costume mode (1/4)

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Poses in costume mode (2/4)

Poses in costume mode

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Light Armor Mode poses (1/8)

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Light Armor Mode poses (2/8)

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Light Armor Mode poses (3/8)

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Light Armor Mode poses (4/8)

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Light Armor Mode poses (5/8)

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Light Armor Mode poses (6/8)

Light Armor Mode poses

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Full Armor Mode poses (1/6)

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Full Armor Mode poses (2/6)

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Full Armor Mode poses (3/6)

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - Full Armor Mode poses (4/6)

Full Armor Mode poses

Together with the Assault/Scout, the very first Megami Device kit.

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner - A comparison of Sōsai Shōjo Teien Yuki Madoka Summer Uniform ver. and Costume Mode. Same s

A comparison of Sōsai Shōjo Teien Yuki Madoka Summer Uniform ver. and Costume Mode.
Same sailor uniform, but the vibe is quite different.

Together with the previous release, Megami Device Chaos & Pretty Queen of Heart.

This kit is the Buster Doll Gunner, the first release in the Buster Doll series — a new sub-lineup under Megami Device. The Buster Doll series is based on a new platform called Machinika Block2-M, which standardizes the base body and lets you attach a variety of different armor sets in a modular, block-style fashion.

Right off the bat, the manual and runner layout are unusual. The runners are split into Group 1 and Group 2 — Group 1 contains only the base body (minus the head), while Group 2 covers the head and all the additional weapons. Separate manuals are provided for each group as well, so it looks like the Group 1 body runners and their manual will likely be included as common components across future Buster Doll releases. Because of this modular parts structure, the kit ends up split across a whopping 34 runners, which honestly makes hunting down parts during the build a bit of a mess. -_-

On the flip side, whether it's improved plastic quality or advances in molding technology, the build feel has gotten noticeably better. It feels like a step up from previous Frame Arms Girl and Megami Device kits — almost on par with Bandai, honestly. On top of that, the excellent articulation is paired with joints that are both smooth and solid, making this the highest-quality girlpla I've seen to date. Parts fit together well so nothing pops off unexpectedly, and the overall finish is pretty much flawless.

On the weapons side, only two guns are included, and there are just three sets of hands, so the accessories feel a bit sparse overall. That said, unlike older girlplas that were simply structured around a base body and weapons mode, this kit lets you build four distinct modes: Base Body, Costume (sailor uniform), Light Armor, and Full Armor. Each mode has its own strong personality, so it's genuinely fun to try them all out. You might worry about parts staying put when swapping all these armor pieces on and off, but the overall fit is solid enough that it shouldn't be a real concern.

Also included is a poseable clear stand unlike anything I've seen before. With four articulated joints, you can position it freely at all sorts of angles, and the hold is strong enough that it should handle just about any kit of reasonable weight. As a bonus, there are various collaboration joint parts that can be attached to the head, arms, and legs, plus the option to mount the guns using hooks — so the extras are pretty generous overall.

As befits an ambitious release from Kotobukiya, the Buster Doll lineup kicks off with what is honestly the best-quality girlpla they've ever put out. It feels like a clear response to Bandai's 30 Minutes Sisters line, and it absolutely holds its own against them. On top of that, at ¥5,400 it's relatively affordable compared to other recent Kotobukiya girlplas that are creeping up toward ¥10,000 — which is another big point in its favor. If you're into girlplas and the style appeals to you, this is a highly recommended kit, and I'm really looking forward to seeing where the Buster Doll series goes from here. :-)

Megami Device Buster Doll Gunner | 2024.1 | ¥5,400

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.