OLD MSV 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star)

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) Box

Release 1983.10

Price ¥2,500

BANDAI BANDAI Japan product info

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Box side view (1/3)

Box side view

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star)

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Runners (1/6)

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Runners (2/6)

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Runners (3/6)

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Runners (4/6)

Runners

Cellophane parts used in front of the mono-eye

Waterslide decals

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Parts diagram (1/6)

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Parts diagram (2/6)

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Parts diagram (3/6)

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Parts diagram (4/6)

Parts diagram

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Manual (1/8)

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Manual (2/8)

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Manual (3/8)

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Manual (4/8)

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Manual (5/8)

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Manual (6/8)

Manual

Straight build + wet decals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) (1/2)

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) (2/2)

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Rough armor surface texture on various parts of the body (1/4)

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Rough armor surface texture on various parts of the body (2/4)

Rough armor surface texture on various parts of the body

The high-mobility type legs are nicely done.

High-mobility type backpack.

There's actually an inner frame inside the legs too.

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Just like the previous 1/60 Zaku, it includes a mono-eye light-up system that uses

Just like the previous 1/60 Zaku, it includes a mono-eye light-up system that uses a separately sold LED or light bulb.

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - The head structure has been completely redesigned, with a semi-transparent celloph

The head structure has been completely redesigned, with a semi-transparent cellophane part that slots in front of the mono-eye light-up unit.

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Due to the structure though, rotating the head doesn't actually turn the mono-eye

Due to the structure though, rotating the head doesn't actually turn the mono-eye light-up unit with it ^^;

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - The Zaku machine gun's shoulder stock has been changed to a sliding mechanism, but

The Zaku machine gun's shoulder stock has been changed to a sliding mechanism, but it's pretty loose..;;

Two types of hands are included.

1/60 pilot figure

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Compared to the previous 1/60 Zaku, the joint structure has been changed but the l

Compared to the previous 1/60 Zaku, the joint structure has been changed but the leg articulation has actually gotten worse (...)

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - On the plus side, a joint that lets the shoulders raise out to the sides has been

On the plus side, a joint that lets the shoulders raise out to the sides has been added.

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - The shoulder connection to the body has also been revised, allowing forward and ba

The shoulder connection to the body has also been revised, allowing forward and backward movement as well.

The feet can also splay out horizontally, which does improve the proportions a bit.

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Action Pose (1/3)

Action pose

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Thanks to the improved shoulders, posing with the Zaku machine gun held in both ha

Thanks to the improved shoulders, posing with the Zaku machine gun held in both hands is a lot easier now.

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Zaku machine gun firing pose (1/3)

Zaku Machine Gun firing pose

Together with the previous release, the MSV 1/60 Gelgoog Cannon.

Together with the 1/144 and 1/100 high-mobility type Zakus.

OLD 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star) - Together with the 1/60 Char's Zaku. The overall design has been revised, resulting

Together with the 1/60 Char's Zaku. The overall design has been revised, resulting in a greatly improved proportion.

This kit is the MSV 1/60 MS-06R Zaku II (Black Tri-Star), and it's a completely different design from the existing 1/60 Zaku. The shoulder joint structure in particular has been improved, giving it better articulation — though oddly enough, the leg articulation actually feels like it got worse. On top of that, the overall proportions have been revised, making it possible to strike more convincing poses.

The head design has been changed in a rather unique way — a translucent cellophane part is fitted over the front of the mono-eye, with a separately sold light-up unit placed behind it. It looks pretty stylish in its own right, but since the light-up section doesn't rotate when you turn the head, it does feel a little off. Just like with this kit, 1/60 Char's Zaku Reviewas shown there, I purchased an LED separately to implement the light-up unit, and thanks to the translucent cellophane, the lighting effect feels like a bit of an upgrade too.

One thing I really want to praise about this kit is how much the joint strength has improved relative to its size. Compared to the 1/60 Zaku as well as other MSV 1/60 kits, it holds poses with a noticeably solid stability, making it an easy-to-pose large kit regardless of articulation. Maybe that's why — no matter what pose you put it in — it has some of the best proportions among old-release kits, and it looks far sharper than the 1/144 or 1/100 versions.

Anyway, as a large Zaku that feels like a major step up from the old 1/60 Zaku, this is one I'd highly recommend even among old-release MSV kits. The fact that a kit of this quality came out in the early 1980s makes that ¥2,500 price tag feel like an absolute steal. :-)
[ Updated at 2017.2.1 ]

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.