Kit Review

Straight build

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

S.R.D-S Cybaster - I forgot to push the rear skirt back down before taking the photos — sorry about that T_T (1/6)

S.R.D-S Cybaster - I forgot to push the rear skirt back down before taking the photos — sorry about that T_T (2/6)

S.R.D-S Cybaster - I forgot to push the rear skirt back down before taking the photos — sorry about that T_T (3/6)

S.R.D-S Cybaster - I forgot to push the rear skirt back down before taking the photos — sorry about that T_T (4/6)

I forgot to push the rear skirt back down before taking the photos — sorry about that T_T

S.R.D-S Cybaster - The center of gravity is heavily shifted toward the back, so you need to prop it up with the tail to get i

The center of gravity is heavily shifted toward the back, so you need to prop it up with the tail to get it standing upright.

Three types of hands are included in total.

Two Hi-Familiar scout drones are included as accessories — the same ones that came with the 1/144 Cybaster.

S.R.D-S Cybaster - A unique stand joint part is included that grips the waist firmly, letting you display it on a stand nice

A unique stand joint part is included that grips the waist firmly,
letting you display it on a stand nice and securely.

The basic articulation is roughly at this level, but…

There's a hip up/down movement gimmick — lowering the hip joint
lets you raise the thigh to a higher angle.

Each individual skirt panel moves independently.

The wings move in three separate sections.

Action pose 1

Action pose 2

Action pose 3

Transformation

To transform, you first need to push the head down into the body.

S.R.D-S Cybaster - Separate the upper and lower halves of the backpack's center section, then tilt the upper body slightly fo

Separate the upper and lower halves of the backpack's center section, then tilt the upper body slightly forward…

Pull out the forearm extension gimmick to allow the elbow to fold 90 degrees.

Fold the elbows, then detach the tail and plug it into the slot in the crotch area.

Finally, close up the claws and the transformation is complete.

S.R.D-S Cybaster - Transformed into Cybird mode (1/6)

S.R.D-S Cybaster - Transformed into Cybird mode (2/6)

S.R.D-S Cybaster - Transformed into Cybird mode (3/6)

S.R.D-S Cybaster - Transformed into Cybird mode (4/6)

Transformed into Cybird mode

Together with the non-scale Cybaster.

Together with the S.R.D-S Dygenguar.
Within the same series, the Cybaster is on the smaller side.

Cybaster has been released as the 4th entry in S.R.D-S, the SD series dedicated to Super Robot Wars. The S.R.D-S line isn't just a simplified SD version of the original design — what makes it special is that the parts count is kept at a similar level to the normal version, with only the proportions changed to an SD style. The S.R.D-S Cybaster lives up to that, faithfully recreating its complex shape in three dimensions with a solid number of parts.

That said, since the limbs and even the torso are shorter than the normal version, the parts themselves are smaller, which makes assembly feel a bit trickier. And even after putting together all those parts, the finished kit ends up being surprisingly small — which can catch you off guard. ^^;

Either way, this is the S.R.D-S version released 10 years after the non-scale Cybaster from 2006, so setting proportions aside, the overall quality feels like a step up. There was also a renewal release in the form of the non-scale Elemental Lord version a year prior (2015), and since the timing is fairly close, the quality level comes out pretty similar to that version.

Articulation isn't something to get too excited about — probably due to the shortened limbs — but it's decent enough to pull off a reasonable pose. That said, the joint tension is inconsistent, with some joints being stiff and others loose, so the balance isn't great. There are also parts that tend to fall off without glue, so you'll want to be careful during assembly.

The biggest issue is that the large wings on the back throw the center of gravity way off toward the rear, making it quite tricky to get the kit standing upright. You can get it to hold a pose by angling the tail down to the ground for support, but honestly, displaying it in the air on a separately sold stand is going to be a lot easier. On the plus side, the stand joint part connects to the waist in a clear material and locks on firmly, so once it's up on the stand, it feels very stable.

The transformation into Cybird mode is also well-reproduced at a level comparable to the normal version, and the two Hi-Familiars are included as accessories — so feature-wise, it holds its own against the normal version without any complaints. Cybaster is one of the more popular units in Super Robot Wars, so it's no surprise it got the S.R.D-S treatment. Overall quality is a bit of a mixed bag, though.

The kit itself has a clean look, but the assembly process is tight and hard on your fingertips, which makes building it a bit of a grind. The center of gravity is off, so standing it on a flat surface is a pain, and it keeps tipping backward when you try to pose it — which can get a little frustrating. On the other hand, the sense of volume and sculpt quality are outstanding — exactly what you'd expect from Kotobukiya — so if you're a fan of Super Robot Wars and Cybaster in particular, it's definitely worth recommending. But if you're just looking to try out a kit from the S.R.D-S line, I'd point you toward the Dygenguar instead — it's bigger and the overall quality is better. :-)

S.R.D-S Cybaster | 2016. 4 | ¥6,000

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.