OLD Endless Waltz 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom

Release 1997.4

Price ¥2,000

BANDAI BANDAI Japan product info

OLD 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom - Box side view (1/3)

Box side view

OLD 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom - Runners (1/7)

OLD 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom - Runners (2/7)

OLD 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom - Runners (3/7)

OLD 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom - Runners (4/7)

OLD 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom - Runners (5/7)

Runners

Lens-type stickers

OLD 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom - Parts diagram (1/6)

OLD 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom - Parts diagram (2/6)

OLD 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom - Parts diagram (3/6)

OLD 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom - Parts diagram (4/6)

Parts diagram

OLD 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom - Manual (1/12)

OLD 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom - Manual (2/12)

OLD 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom - Manual (3/12)

OLD 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom - Manual (4/12)

OLD 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom - Manual (5/12)

OLD 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom - Manual (6/12)

OLD 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom - Manual (7/12)

OLD 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom - Manual (8/12)

OLD 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom - Manual (9/12)

OLD 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom - Manual (10/12)

Manual

Straight build + Stickers

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

A pilot figure is included.

Heero Yuy figure

Shoulder machine cannon opening

The beam sabers are stored in the wings.

The Twin Buster Rifle's combining gimmick is a slight step up from the 1/144 version.

Articulated fingers

Limb articulation

Wing articulation

The small feathers on either side of the large wings are also articulated.

OLD 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom - You can insert an extension part into the middle of the small wings on the back to display t

You can insert an extension part into the middle of the small wings on the back to display them in a fully spread-out form.

Shoulder articulation gimmick

Wings fully spread out. The joint strength is solid so they hold their position well.

Twin Buster Rifle action

Twin Buster Rifle combined firing pose

Beam saber action

OLD 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom - Lower the shoulders and fold the wings together to recreate atmospheric re-entry mode — ther

Lower the shoulders and fold the wings together to recreate atmospheric re-entry mode — there's a pin structure at the point where the wings meet that lets them lock together in an interlocking position.

Atmospheric re-entry mode. You'll need a display stand to keep it upright properly.

Together with the 1/144 W Gundam Zero Custom.

Together with the MG Wing Gundam Zero Custom released in 2004.

Together with the 1/100 Gundam Nataku.

This is the 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom released as part of the old-style Gundam W Endless Waltz series. Compared to the 1/144, the proportions are a bit more stable, and taking advantage of the larger scale, gimmicks like the shoulder machine cannon opening and the beam saber storage in the wings have been added. On top of that, the feather sections on the large wings are articulated and the Twin Buster Rifle's combining gimmick has been upgraded a notch — so in a number of ways, it does come out with a higher level of polish than the 1/144.

Articulation is pretty average for an old-style kit, and the joint strength is a step up from the previous Gundam Nataku, though it's still not quite satisfying. The knee joints in particular are a bit weak, making it tricky to hold poses — but at least the large wing sections lock into place quite firmly, which is a relief. The small wings on the back also have a feature where you can insert an extension part in the middle, and the large wings double as a support from behind, which does help with pose stability.

The iconic Wing Zero Custom pose — both hands gripping the Twin Buster Rifle for a combined firing shot — is surprisingly hard to pull off here. Getting the right angle between the hands and the body just doesn't come together easily, so posing it that way is a real challenge. Maybe that's why this pose is even absent from the manual's sample poses. If you use the large wings as a support, you can sort of hold the pose without a stand, but it's still a bit of a letdown.

On top of that, the beam sabers stored in the wings have a loose fit and tend to flop forward or fall out frequently — so despite the large and impressive-looking exterior, there are a few nagging issues when you actually handle it. That said, the atmospheric re-entry mode recreation — complete with a locking gimmick — and other feature implementations aren't bad at all.

At this point, there's already a great MG version out there, so there's not much reason to go out of your way for the old 1/100 W Gundam Zero Custom. The articulation and joints leave something to be desired, but the visuals are decent enough — so if you're an Endless Waltz fan, it's probably worth building at least once at the bargain price of ¥2000. :-)
[ Updated at 2018.6.8 ]

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.