Kit Review

Straight build

Size comparison with a cigarette pack.
It's a large kit with a wingspan of nearly 40cm.

Zoid HMM RZ-029 Storm Sworder - Detailed shots of the body (1/4)

Zoid HMM RZ-029 Storm Sworder - Detailed shots of the body (2/4)

Detailed shots of the body

Zoid HMM RZ-029 Storm Sworder - The small feet on the wings can move into a sub-arm deployed position, and the foot section c

The small feet on the wings can move into a sub-arm deployed position, and the foot section can be swapped out for a twin pulse laser gun.

The Zoid Core can be detached from the chest area.

Opening the mouth reveals a deployable cockpit. (Feels like you're about to get eaten alive..)

The wing sword and top sword can be deployed from the wings and head respectively.

The engine pod underneath the backpack can be extended slightly.

Zoid HMM RZ-029 Storm Sworder - A clear joint part is included for mounting on the separately sold Flying Base Neo. Note that

A clear joint part is included for mounting on the separately sold Flying Base Neo.
Note that it's not compatible with the standard universal Kotobukiya stand.

The wings fold in two stages.

Leg articulation

The neck moves across a wide range for the flight mode.

Zoid HMM RZ-029 Storm Sworder - The tail has a triple-jointed structure, but the range of motion is narrower than you'd expec

The tail has a triple-jointed structure, but the range of motion is narrower than you'd expect.

Zoid HMM RZ-029 Storm Sworder - Action pose (1/4)

Zoid HMM RZ-029 Storm Sworder - Action pose (2/4)

Action pose

Zoid HMM RZ-029 Storm Sworder - Landed pose (1/4)

Zoid HMM RZ-029 Storm Sworder - Landed pose (2/4)

Landed pose

Zoid HMM RZ-029 Storm Sworder - Aerial pose with top sword and wing sword deployed and twin pulse laser guns equipped (1/4)

Zoid HMM RZ-029 Storm Sworder - Aerial pose with top sword and wing sword deployed and twin pulse laser guns equipped (2/4)

Aerial pose with top sword and wing sword deployed and twin pulse laser guns equipped

The legs can be folded as shown on the right for flight mode.

Top and bottom views of the flight mode with legs and wings fully spread

Zoid HMM RZ-029 Storm Sworder - Flight mode on the stand (1/3)

Flight mode on the stand

Together with the Pteras Bomber, which was previously the only pterosaur-type Zoid.

After a year-long wait, Kotobukiya's HMM Zoids series is back with a new release — the Storm Sworder. It's the second pterosaur-type Zoid to get the kit treatment after the Pteras Bomber, and with the wings spread out it boasts an impressive volume of up to 40cm.

First off, in terms of overall buildability, this kit is top-tier even among Kotobukiya kits. It holds together perfectly with 100% snap-fit — no glue needed — and it doesn't have that stiff, resistant feel that Kotobukiya kits are known for, so the building experience is really satisfying.

There are also virtually no structural stability issues despite its large size, and the joint strength is solid across the board with no noticeably loose joints — that's definitely worth praising. The one thing to watch out for is that the polycap in the neck, which moves quite freely, tends to pop out during posing.

Feature-wise, you can deploy the top sword from the head and the wing swords from the wings, and the feet — which extend out in sub-arm fashion — can be swapped for twin pulse laser guns. The Zoid Core in the chest is also removable, and the cockpit is located inside the mouth, so you have to pose the pilot like they're being swallowed whole. On top of that, there's a slide-out gimmick for the engine pod at the bottom of the backpack, and a clear joint part is included for use with the separately sold Flying Base Neo.

For a pterosaur-type Zoid, the articulation is decent enough. The knee and tail movement is notably limited, but the flexible wings and neck more than make up for it and you can get some great poses out of it. You can also fold the legs back and straighten the neck out for a flight mode display. Best of all, whatever pose you put it in, it holds firm!

All things considered, this is one of the better quality kits in the Kotobukiya lineup, and it's something I can easily recommend to any Zoid fan who's been interested in a pterosaur-type — but as always, the ¥8,300 price tag for what feels like Bandai's ¥4,000-level content is still a sticking point. That said, if you can get past the value-for-money concern, this is easily an A-grade kit as a plastic model. :-)

Zoid HMM RZ-029 Storm Sworder | 2017. 11 | ¥8,300

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.