Kit Review

Straight build

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Head

Ion Turbo Booster on the back

Tail section

Front legs

Rear legs

Small wings on the sides

Underside

Underside of the jaw and paws

Zoid HMM Liger Zero - The Zoid Core can be removed from the chest, but the fit is loose so it keeps falling out;; (1/2)

Zoid HMM Liger Zero - The Zoid Core can be removed from the chest, but the fit is loose so it keeps falling out;; (2/2)

The Zoid Core can be removed from the chest..
The fit is loose so it keeps falling out;;

Zoid HMM Liger Zero - This is the first Kotobukiya Zoids kit to officially feature an armor removal system. You could always

This is the first Kotobukiya Zoids kit to officially feature an armor removal system.
You could always pull the armor off before, but it was never really a designed-in feature.

The armor is fairly easy to remove and reattach.

Frame shots

Head frame

Zoid HMM Liger Zero - Leg and back frame (1/3)

Leg and back frame

Leftover parts

Zoid HMM Liger Zero - Cockpit hatch open. You're supposed to seat the painted pilot figure of Bit Cloud like on the right...

Cockpit hatch open.
You're supposed to seat the painted pilot figure of Bit Cloud like on the right..
But I took the photos a good while after building it, and the pilot had apparently made his escape.. T_T

The side mane opens in two stages.

Zoid HMM Liger Zero - When you pull the booster section of the Ion Turbo Booster outward, the top and bottom covers automatic

Ion Turbo Booster deployment
When you pull the booster section outward, the top and bottom covers automatically spread open.

The side wings can be laid flat and pulled further outward.

The tail cover is articulated, which helps extend the tail's range of motion a bit more.

Zoid HMM Liger Zero - Neck up/down range of motion — you need to move the cover on the lower part of the neck depending on th

Neck up/down range of motion
You need to move the cover on the lower part of the neck depending on the pose to get the full range of motion.

Zoid HMM Liger Zero - Tail up/down range of motion — the joint strength is a bit loose, so it's hard to hold the tail stiffly

Tail up/down range of motion
The joint strength is a bit loose, so it's hard to hold the tail stiffly in a horizontal position.

Leg up/down range of motion

Zoid HMM Liger Zero - The shoulder armor pieces move independently, which both widens the range of motion and makes the poses

The shoulder armor pieces move independently, which both widens the range of motion and makes the poses look better.

Zoid HMM Liger Zero - The armor on the mid-joint of the front legs can move slightly as well, giving a little extra range of

The armor on the mid-joint of the front legs can move slightly as well,
giving a little extra range of motion.

Leg side-to-side range of motion

The head and waist have a somewhat limited side-to-side range of motion.

Zoid HMM Liger Zero - Dynamic threatening pose. (1/8)

Zoid HMM Liger Zero - Dynamic threatening pose. (2/8)

Zoid HMM Liger Zero - Dynamic threatening pose. (3/8)

Zoid HMM Liger Zero - Dynamic threatening pose. (4/8)

Zoid HMM Liger Zero - Dynamic threatening pose. (5/8)

Zoid HMM Liger Zero - Dynamic threatening pose. (6/8)

Dynamic threatening pose.

Zoid HMM Liger Zero - Pouncing pose using a cigarette pack (1/7)

Zoid HMM Liger Zero - Pouncing pose using a cigarette pack (2/7)

Zoid HMM Liger Zero - Pouncing pose using a cigarette pack (3/7)

Zoid HMM Liger Zero - Pouncing pose using a cigarette pack (4/7)

Zoid HMM Liger Zero - Pouncing pose using a cigarette pack (5/7)

Pouncing pose using a cigarette pack

Zoid HMM Liger Zero - Together with the original Shield Liger. They're roughly similar in size, but Liger Zero has a more ref

Together with the original Shield Liger.
They're roughly similar in size, but Liger Zero has a more refined look.

Together with Blade Liger.

Together with Saber Tiger.

Zoid HMM Liger Zero - Together with the recent Lightning Saix. They're all pretty similar in size, just with slightly differe

Together with the recent Lightning Saix.
They're all pretty similar in size, just with slightly different body shapes. ^^

Liger Zero has arrived as a completely new kit in the Kotobukiya Zoids lineup. Not only does it have a really sleek style, but it's also notable for being the first kit in the Zoids lineup to feature an official armor removal system.

Of course, you could remove the armor on previous Zoids kits too, but that was really just part of the snap-fit assembly process rather than an intentional design feature. With this Liger Zero, the main armor pieces have been designed with removal in mind from the start — so unlike earlier kits, they come off easily, and you can tell more attention was paid to the inner mechanical frame as well. It's also worth praising the fact that even though the armor is designed to be removable, it doesn't just fall off while the kit is on display.

The overall articulation is pretty decent — the legs fold well, the side-to-side and up/down range of motion is solid, and the neck moves up and down through a wide range. The individually articulated shoulder armor in particular helps poses look really natural... but the downside is that the wider shoulder joint range of motion comes at the cost of weaker ball joint strength in the shoulders, so the overall feel is anything but tight.

And while the removable armor panels don't fall off too easily, the attachment points are kept to a minimum, so there's a slight looseness to everything overall. On top of that, the mid-joint on the tail doesn't hold its position well enough to stay stiffly upright, and the Zoid Core that sits in the chest tends to pop out since it doesn't lock in securely. All these little issues add up, and the overall lack of stability is what leaves me feeling a bit disappointed with this kit. T_T)/

In the end, Liger Zero is a fresh and fun kit thanks to its enhanced frame detail, armor removal feature, and sleek styling... but it does leave something to be desired in terms of durability and stability. That's especially noticeable when you compare it to a more recent release like Lightning Saix — the exterior looks so polished and modern that the wobbly, early-Zoids-era feel of the build feels all the more out of place. Then again, that might just mean expectations have gone up. New ideas always come with a bit of trial and error, right? :-)

Zoid HMM Liger Zero | 2010. 11 | ¥5,800

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.