OLD First Gundam 1/100 Char's Z'Gok

Release 1981.12

Price ¥800

BANDAI BANDAI Japan product info

Note that some runners are not individually bagged in plastic.

Two springs are also included.

Parts diagram

Manual

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

The soles of the feet are plain/smooth.

OLD 1/100 Char's Z'gok - Multi-stage internal joints. There are a lot of joint sections, but the range of motion is

Multi-stage internal joints. There are a lot of joint sections, but the range of motion is pretty limited..;;

Inside the claws, there's a spring-loaded plate mechanism.

It's a gimmick for giving the claws a snappy, springy action.

OLD 1/100 Char's Z'gok - The claws can move narrow or wide as shown, and thanks to the internal spring plate gimmic

The claws can move narrow or wide as shown, and thanks to the internal spring plate gimmick, they snap into position with a satisfying *twang* as you adjust the angle step by step. It also doubles as a lock to keep the claws in place whether they're closed or spread open.

The shoulder joints use that old-school fixed pin and glued rotating plate style.

OLD 1/100 Char's Z'gok - The hip joints work by fitting T-shaped pins together, and you need to be careful when ass

The hip joints work by fitting T-shaped pins together, and you need to be careful when assembling the lower body so that the two parts holding those T-pins in place inside are properly secured.

The range of motion at the elbows and knees is much more limited than it looks.

On the other hand, you can spread the arms and legs out wide like that.

The multi-stage segment joints also have less range of motion than you'd expect..

On the plus side, the waist rotates, just like the Gelgoog.

OLD 1/100 Char's Z'gok - The waist also tilts side to side to some degree, but the hold is weak so it ends up feeli

The waist also tilts side to side to some degree, but the hold is weak so it ends up feeling loose.

OLD 1/100 Char's Z'gok - Claw action pose (1/2)

OLD 1/100 Char's Z'gok - Claw action pose (2/2)

Claw action poses

OLD 1/100 Char's Z'gok - More dynamic claw action pose (1/3)

More dynamic claw action pose

Another thrusting pose

Together with the 1/144 Char's Z'Gok.

Together with the MG Char's Z'Gok released in 2003.

1/100 old-kit Char's custom MS collection.

Following the Zaku and Gelgoog, the last 1/100 pink mobile suit to come out was Char's Z'Gok. First off, aside from the eyes and chest ducts, the color separation is actually pretty solid overall. The proportions are chunkier than the MG, but it doesn't look embarrassingly old-school — it came out pretty well.

One thing that's genuinely impressive is that the Z'Gok's signature multi-joint sections are actually built up from individual segmented joints. That said, they're really just stacked together in multiple stages — the range of motion at each individual segment is very limited, so the articulation feels pretty frustrating. The MG Z'Gok's segment joints are actually similar in that regard, but the 1/100's bigger problem is that even the main joints like the elbows and knees have a narrow range of motion.

On the other hand, the waist does rotate and tilt side to side to some degree — but the side-to-side movement is so loose that the body keeps leaning to one side, which just ends up ruining the proportions..;;; With the joints being this stiff and limited, the poses you can pull off are pretty restricted too, and that classic Z'Gok low-stance thrusting pose just doesn't come together the way you'd want. ^^;

The claw articulation, though, is put together in a pretty clever way. There's a spring-loaded tension plate inside the claws that gives them a satisfying snap as they open and close, and it also does a good job of holding the claws in whatever position you move them to. Honestly, if the claw joints were just made sturdier to begin with you wouldn't need this at all — but it's a fun little springy joint gimmick that's hard not to appreciate.

Anyway, you can give it credit for the relatively good color separation, the fact that the multi-joints are actually built up segment by segment, and the unique claw gimmick — but in terms of articulation and joint strength, it's hard to score this kit well. The waist is way too loose, and the hip joint connection is so vague that the kit has a talent for falling over on its own front or back. T_T

That said, most of these issues could be fixed with just a bit of modification, so if you're looking to enjoy some light customization work without too much effort, it's actually worth recommending for that. It's a visually solid entry among the old kits, and it feels like a shame to write it off completely — so it ends up being one of those awkward kits that sits right in the middle. :-)
[ Updated at 2016.4.5 ]

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.