Kit Review

Straight build

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Upper body

Head

Arms and Shoulders

Hip Joints and Knees

Armored Core Next Unsung - Weapons (1/4)

Armored Core Next Unsung - Weapons (2/4)

Weapons

Armored Core Next Unsung - Back section (1/3)

Back section

Unique Legs

Leftover parts

Armored Core Next Unsung - Articulation shots... this is one style that's honestly hard to make sense of. The arms being ident

Articulation shots... this is one style that's honestly hard to make sense of.
The arms being identical to Ariel is one thing, but the range of motion on the legs is something else entirely.

Armored Core Next Unsung - The reverse-jointed legs move like that, and it looks like there are two knees. Depending on how yo

The reverse-jointed legs move like that,
and it looks like there are two knees.
Depending on how you use the leg joints, the actual length of the legs can change dramatically.

There's quite a big height difference between fully folded and fully extended legs.

Comparison from the back

Armored Core Next Unsung - Transformation of the back-mounted weapon gimmicks. The gimmick that spreads out the 4 PM missiles

Transformation of the back-mounted weapon gimmicks.
The gimmick that spreads out the 4 PM missiles is pretty cool.

Armored Core Next Unsung - Back weapon deployment poses (1/6)

Armored Core Next Unsung - Back weapon deployment poses (2/6)

Armored Core Next Unsung - Back weapon deployment poses (3/6)

Armored Core Next Unsung - Back weapon deployment poses (4/6)

Back weapon deployment poses

Armored Core Next Unsung - Action pose (1/4)

Armored Core Next Unsung - Action pose (2/4)

Action pose

Action pose 2

Armored Core Next Unsung - Double firing action (1/4)

Armored Core Next Unsung - Double firing action (2/4)

Double firing action

Just like the other NEXT series kits,
you can attach Ariel's stabilizers to the rear end.

Together with the original Ariel.

Basically the head, upper body, and arms are identical to Ariel.

Armored Core Next Unsung - The lower body and legs are completely different though, which gives it a totally different feel as

The lower body and legs are completely different though,
which gives it a totally different feel as a unit.

This kit is the Ariel Unsung, which can be considered an upgraded version of Ariel. The head, upper body, and arms are the same as the original Ariel, while the lower body, legs, and back weapons have all been changed. At first glance you might think it's only half a different unit, but the redesigned lower body is so large and uniquely shaped that it feels like a completely different machine altogether. The color scheme shifting to a deep black especially changes the kit's overall silhouette dramatically.

The redesigned lower body features massive reverse-jointed legs, and thanks to the unique double-knee joint structure, the leg length can vary quite significantly. The range of motion itself isn't anything to write home about, but that unusual articulation gives off a pretty grotesque vibe, and the feet being roughly twice as large means ground contact is much better. The reverse-joint structure does make you a little worried about joint strength... but while they're not super tight, they're not loose either, so they hold poses just fine.

The 4-barrel PM missiles added to the back also put out a seriously imposing presence, and the deployment mechanism works well enough that it looks really cool. Along with the massive reverse-jointed legs, they definitely contribute to giving the kit that grotesque silhouette.

The overall molded color combining black and red is really nice — it feels a touch more premium compared to other Armored Core/NEXT kits with metallic color schemes. The deep colors give it a strong presence, and the color combination feels more striking than Ariel's.

In the end, it's essentially just a color change and a new lower body, yet it's been reborn as something that feels completely different from the original Ariel. The design is a showcase of grotesque aesthetics at its finest, and the unique build experience makes it impressive in a lot of ways. If you've been feeling a bit bored with your typical robot kits, this is one I'd highly recommend. :-)

Armored Core Next Unsung | 2009. 12 | ¥5,200

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.