Kit Review

Straight build

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Size comparison with HGUC / MG

Armored Core Next Rayleonard 03-Aaliyah (1/7)

Armored Core Next Rayleonard 03-Aaliyah (2/7)

Armored Core Next Rayleonard 03-Aaliyah (3/7)

Armored Core Next Rayleonard 03-Aaliyah (4/7)

Armored Core Next Rayleonard 03-Aaliyah (5/7)

Armored Core Next Rayleonard 03-Aaliyah (6/7)

Armored Core Next Rayleonard 03-Aaliyah (7/7)

Upper body

Head

Armored Core Next Rayleonard 03-Aaliyah - The uniquely shaped arms (1/3)

The uniquely shaped arms

Backpack section

Side skirts

Armored Core Next Rayleonard 03-Aaliyah - Weapons (1/3)

Weapons

Legs

The legs have a pretty unique shape too.

Leftover parts

Articulation isn't all that great.

The backpack features three over-booster covers that can open up.

Armored Core Next Rayleonard 03-Aaliyah - Action pose (1/4)

Armored Core Next Rayleonard 03-Aaliyah - Action pose (2/4)

Action pose

Armored Core Next Rayleonard 03-Aaliyah - Firing pose with the shoulder cannons in action (1/5)

Armored Core Next Rayleonard 03-Aaliyah - Firing pose with the shoulder cannons in action (2/5)

Armored Core Next Rayleonard 03-Aaliyah - Firing pose with the shoulder cannons in action (3/5)

Firing pose with the shoulder cannons in action

Armored Core Next Rayleonard 03-Aaliyah - Action pose 2 (1/3)

Action pose 2

Armored Core Next Rayleonard 03-Aaliyah - Together with Gaia. They're similar in size, but the overall kit concept is quite di

Together with Gaia.
They're similar in size, but the overall kit concept is quite different.

In June 2007, a new Next (NX) series was added to the existing Armored Core lineup. Starting with the game Armored Core 4, the mechs are called NX (Next) rather than AC (Armored Core). Unlike ACs, NX units use over-boost, making them essentially flying mechs by design. So Kotobukiya's NX lineup can be thought of as a separate line from the existing AC kits — one dedicated to kitting up the Next-type Armored Core mechs.

The first release in this Armored Core Next series is the Aaliyah, and it has a more grotesque and complex look compared to the AC kits that came before it. The price reflects that too — it launched at ¥3,800, a full ¥1,000 more than the Gaia which was ¥2,800.

Like the existing lineup, it features an incredibly intricate parts breakdown and fine detail throughout. That said, the parts shapes have gotten even more complex, making it even harder to figure out where each piece is supposed to go just by looking at it. Some say the build difficulty has gone up a notch because of this, but then again, Armored Core kits have always been a bit tricky to begin with, so it's kind of par for the course..

It's hard to give high marks for articulation — the design itself is just so complex and oddly shaped that there's not much you can do about it. More than that though, maybe because it's a relatively early Armored Core kit (it came out right after AC06 Crest Close-Range Combat), the joint strength isn't all that satisfying. It's not so bad that it can't stand on its own, but you'll definitely need to be careful about balance when posing it for action shots.

All in all, it feels like an upgraded Armored Core kit in the sense that it brings the flashier, more popular Next units into the lineup over the older ACs. These are the kind of kits you build because you love the mech itself, not because you're scrutinizing the quality — and in that sense, this kit does a solid job of faithfully bringing the Aaliyah into three dimensions. :-)

Armored Core Next Rayleonard 03-Aaliyah | 2007. 6 | ¥3,800

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.