Kit Review

Straight build + Panel lining + Decals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Size comparison with HGUC / MG
It's on the smaller side among Super Robot Wars kits.

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - This kit lets you build either the standard Arblade or the Custom model — the photos above s

This kit lets you build either the standard Arblade or the Custom model,
and the photos above show the Arblade Custom in fully armed configuration.

Upper body

Head

Backpack

Wing section

Legs

Comes with 3 sets of nicely detailed hands.

G Rail Gun Kai.

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - On each side of the waist, you can choose to mount either the G Revolver or the Blade Thumpe

On each side of the waist, you can choose to mount either the G Revolver or the Blade Thumper.

For a Kotobukiya kit, there aren't that many leftover parts.

Honest 90-degree articulation.

The wings are made up of various joint gimmicks.

Wings spread open

Wings spread even wider using the connecting joints

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - Action pose (1/4)

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - Action pose (2/4)

Action pose

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - Blade Thumper action (1/4)

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - Blade Thumper action (2/4)

Blade Thumper action

The Split Beam Cannon mounted on the backpack
can be swung over the shoulder to face forward.

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - Wings spread, G Revolver dual-pistol action (1/6)

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - Wings spread, G Revolver dual-pistol action (2/6)

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - Wings spread, G Revolver dual-pistol action (3/6)

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - Wings spread, G Revolver dual-pistol action (4/6)

Wings spread, G Revolver dual-pistol action

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - Dual-pistol action~ (1/3)

Dual-pistol action~

Remove the Custom armor parts and you can convert it to Arblade Normal mode.

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - The backpack + wings are completely different between the Normal and Custom types, so they'r

The backpack + wings are completely different between the Normal and Custom types, so they're reproduced as swappable pieces.

Arblade Normal type with all Custom armor removed.

The Custom armor pieces and backpacks..

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - The G Rail Gun changes its parts combination depending on whether you're building the Normal

The G Rail Gun changes its parts combination depending on whether you're building the Normal or Custom type..

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - On the left is the Custom-type G Rail Gun Kai configuration, and on the right is the Normal-

On the left is the Custom-type G Rail Gun Kai configuration, and on the right is the Normal-type G Rail Gun configuration.

The original G Rail Gun for the Normal type — shorter in length.

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - Arblade Normal type with the Custom armor stripped off. (1/7)

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - Arblade Normal type with the Custom armor stripped off. (2/7)

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - Arblade Normal type with the Custom armor stripped off. (3/7)

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - Arblade Normal type with the Custom armor stripped off. (4/7)

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - Arblade Normal type with the Custom armor stripped off. (5/7)

Arblade Normal type with the Custom armor stripped off.

Upper body

Normal-type wings

Normal-type G Rail Gun.

Legs slimmed down after removing the armor.

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - That fin-like piece on the backpack that resembles a vertical stabilizer can also move up an

That fin-like piece on the backpack that resembles a vertical stabilizer can also move up and down.

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - Shooting action (1/5)

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - Shooting action (2/5)

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - Shooting action (3/5)

Shooting action

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - Blade Thumper action that's actually pretty cool (1/3)

Blade Thumper action that's actually pretty cool

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - G Revolver dual-pistol action. (1/3)

G Revolver dual-pistol action.

Super Robot War Arblade Custom - Comparison with the Hückebein. The Hückebein is already small, but the Arblade Custom is eve

Comparison with the Hückebein.
The Hückebein is already small, but the Arblade Custom is even shorter — it's quite a compact little thing..

Despite being in the small 1/144 scale, the Arblade Custom was released as a kit with detachable and swappable armor. There have been a few transforming kits in Kotobukiya's Super Robot Wars lineup before, but this is the first time we've gotten a proper armor-swap type kit like this.

Since the mech itself is small by design, the kit is quite compact as well. The volume is similar to a standard Bandai 1/144 kit, which makes it noticeably smaller compared to other Super Robot Wars kits — but since it's wide rather than tall, it doesn't actually look all that tiny.

This kit can be configured in two forms: the standard Arblade, and the Arblade Custom with Custom armor added on top. You swap out the backpack, remove or attach the armor, and reconfigure the G Rail Gun to switch between Normal and Custom types. The conversion process is fairly smooth — everything pegs in securely and feels stable.

Since this is an armor-swap kit rather than a transforming one, there are no major issues with the joints — articulation is a solid 90 degrees and joint strength is perfectly fine. The shoulder wing gimmick looks like it could be fragile given how elaborate it is, but it's actually sturdier than expected and holds its position well at various angles.

One thing I personally like about this kit compared to other Kotobukiya releases is that the molded colors feel much closer to Bandai's quality in terms of stability. Compared to other kits that somehow looked a bit cheap in material, this one has fewer flow marks and richer colors — the straight build alone shows off quite impressive quality. Sure, Kotobukiya's characteristically intricate color separation plays a big part, but the color combination that could easily have looked garish has been molded surprisingly cleanly.

Since you're essentially getting two robot configurations in one kit, the parts count is quite generous, and at ¥3,500 it's a little on the pricey side for the size — but it doesn't feel nearly as expensive as other Super Robot Wars kits. How do I put it... if there's one Super Robot Wars kit that has a certain charming, well-crafted quality to it, this would be it. A solid, no-fuss kit. :-)

Super Robot War Arblade Custom | 2008. 1 | ¥3,500

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.