Kit Review

Straight build

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Super Robot War 1/144 Gesterben Kwai [Serena] (1/7)

Super Robot War 1/144 Gesterben Kwai [Serena] (2/7)

Super Robot War 1/144 Gesterben Kwai [Serena] (3/7)

Super Robot War 1/144 Gesterben Kwai [Serena] (4/7)

Super Robot War 1/144 Gesterben Kwai [Serena] (5/7)

Super Robot War 1/144 Gesterben Kwai [Serena] (6/7)

Super Robot War 1/144 Gesterben Kwai [Serena] (7/7)

Super Robot War 1/144 Gesterben Kwai [Serena] - Detail shots (1/4)

Super Robot War 1/144 Gesterben Kwai [Serena] - Detail shots (2/4)

Detail shots

Super Robot War 1/144 Gesterben Kwai [Serena] - Instead of Gesterben's blade railgun, the wings added to the sides of the leg

Instead of Gesterben's blade railgun,
the wings added to the sides of the legs serve as weapons called the Khairy Cleaver.

The gray section can be detached and reattached as a handle,

Super Robot War 1/144 Gesterben Kwai [Serena] - and by using a separate joint part, it can also be configured into boomerang

and by using a separate joint part, it can also be configured into boomerang mode.

Super Robot War 1/144 Gesterben Kwai [Serena] - You can also pull out the wing, rotate it, and plug it back in to get the fol

You can also pull out the wing, rotate it, and plug it back in to get the folded form.

A total of 9 hands are included.

Super Robot War 1/144 Gesterben Kwai [Serena] - There are sooooo many leftover parts it's almost hard to spread them all out

There are sooooo many leftover parts it's almost hard to spread them all out on the floor ;;;

Super Robot War 1/144 Gesterben Kwai [Serena] - The articulation is the same as the original Gesterben, but probably due to t

The articulation is the same as the original Gesterben,
but probably due to the chunky design, leg articulation isn't great...

The wings, on the other hand, move quite flexibly.

Super Robot War 1/144 Gesterben Kwai [Serena] - Let's strike a pose first~ (1/3)

Let's strike a pose first~

Super Robot War 1/144 Gesterben Kwai [Serena] - Khairy Cleaver action (1/3)

Khairy Cleaver action

Super Robot War 1/144 Gesterben Kwai [Serena] - Aerial pose using the Kotobukiya display stand (1/4)

Super Robot War 1/144 Gesterben Kwai [Serena] - Aerial pose using the Kotobukiya display stand (2/4)

Aerial pose using the Kotobukiya display stand

Super Robot War 1/144 Gesterben Kwai [Serena] - Khairy Cleaver boomerang mode action (1/3)

Khairy Cleaver boomerang mode action

Together with the limited edition Gesterben.

The Gesterben that was released as a Kotobukiya Dengeki Online Shop exclusive has now gotten a general retail release as the Kai version — Gesterben Kwai [Serena]. Serena was originally the heroine of the PS2 version of SRW Alpha 3, and she reappeared as the protagonist of the PS3 version of OG 2. The unit she brought along for that was none other than the red Gesterben — the Gesterben Kwai (Kai/modified) version.

In terms of specs, most of the base unit is the same as the original Gesterben, with the biggest change being the switch to red molded colors. On top of that, the head design has been revised, and the one-piece front skirt has been changed to a split design. The large blade railgun from the original has also been replaced by a new weapon — the Khairy Cleaver — mounted on both sides of the legs.

The newly added Khairy Cleaver can be detached, fitted with a handle, and used like a dagger, or combined into a boomerang. That said, it's the only weapon included, so there's not a whole lot of variety when it comes to action poses with weapons ^^;

The overall characteristics are the same as the original Gesterben — the chunky design means articulation isn't great, but the sheer presence that comes from the proportions is no joke. The color separation is well done, so straight-build satisfaction is pretty high, and the joints are solid, making it easy to hold poses. The main body is very sturdy, but the Khairy Cleavers that plug into the sides of the legs don't hold on very well... It feels less like they're plugged in and more like they're just resting there, so a light tap will knock them right off — a bit of a shame.

And this kit still has that Kotobukiya mystery (?) going on — you assemble it with an enormous number of parts, but the finished product somehow feels a little small for all that effort. Part of it is probably because so many leftover parts end up sitting unused, but the high part count also drives the price up to ¥7,800, which is a bit of a stretch.

It's a niche item either way, so for fans it's probably a kit worth being grateful just exists! It's a chunky, colorful build that's genuinely fun to put together, so if you're an SRW fan, this seems like a worthy recommendation :-)

Gesterben Kwai [Serena] | 2014.6 | ¥7,800

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.