OLD Gundam 0080 1/144 Zaku-FZ

Release 1989.4

Price ¥600

BANDAI BANDAI Japan product info

Box side view

Runners

The soft cable parts and polycaps are molded on the same runner.

Clear runner and seals

Parts diagram

Manual

Straight build + Stickers

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Detail view from below

Two head options are included: Type A (left) and Type B (right).

A dedicated hand part for holding the machine gun is included separately.

Leg articulation is pretty grim.

Unarmed pose

Machine gun pose

OLD 1/144 Zaku-FZ - Machine gun firing pose (1/3)

Machine gun firing pose

Together with the 1/144 Mass Production Zaku.

Together with the previous releases, the 1/144 Z'Gok E and GM Command.

Together with the HGUC Zaku-FZ released in 2008.

The third kit in the old 0080 series is the Zaku-FZ. Also known as the "Zaku Kai," it sports a coloring and style that feels like a middle ground between the standard Zaku and the Hi-Zack.

Instead of system injection, this kit comes with five separate runners in different colors, giving it a surprisingly solid straight build appearance. The color separation itself is decent, but the molded colors really show their age as an old-release kit. Put it next to the HGUC and you can definitely feel the difference in color tone — it's pretty much on par with the old 1/144 Hi-Zack in terms of color.

The proportions are also a bit on the stocky side, which gives it a sturdy, powerful look, but it lacks a certain sleekness. The 2008 HGUC Zaku-FZ has a slimmer upper body with much cleaner proportions, which makes the comparison even more apparent. To be fair, the old kit's proportions are actually closer to how it looks in the original anime — but when judging the kit on its own, opinions will vary depending on personal taste.

As for articulation, the leg range of motion is pretty grim, making it hard to pull off dynamic poses — honestly, it looks best just standing there in a static pose. At least the joint strength is solid, which is a relief. On the options side, just like the HGUC, you get two head variants — Type A and Type B — so you can choose which one to build.

Since the HGUC Zaku-FZ is a pretty high-quality kit, there's not much reason to recommend this one purely on quality grounds. That said, some folks might be drawn to the old kit's chunkier, more rugged proportions from the original anime. If that sounds like you, it's a fun little build at the very affordable price of ¥600. :-)
[ Updated at 2017.8.31 ]

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.