OLD Gundam Sentinel 1/144 Full Armor ZZ Gundam

Release 1987.7

Price ¥1,000

BANDAI BANDAI Japan product info

OLD 1/144 Full Armor ZZ Gundam - Box side view (1/3)

Box side view

OLD 1/144 Full Armor ZZ Gundam - Runners (1/6)

OLD 1/144 Full Armor ZZ Gundam - Runners (2/6)

OLD 1/144 Full Armor ZZ Gundam - Runners (3/6)

OLD 1/144 Full Armor ZZ Gundam - Runners (4/6)

Runners

2 new runners added specifically for the Full Armor ZZ.

2 spring pipes are included in the box.

OLD 1/144 Full Armor ZZ Gundam - Parts diagram (1/4)

OLD 1/144 Full Armor ZZ Gundam - Parts diagram (2/4)

Parts diagram

OLD 1/144 Full Armor ZZ Gundam - Manual (1/5)

OLD 1/144 Full Armor ZZ Gundam - Manual (2/5)

OLD 1/144 Full Armor ZZ Gundam - Manual (3/5)

Manual

Straight build

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

This kit adds Full Armor weaponry to the existing 1/144 ZZ Gundam kit.

OLD 1/144 Full Armor ZZ Gundam - The ammo belt is built by linking individual segments together — the movement is fairly natu

The ammo belt is built by linking individual segments together — the movement is fairly natural, but the connectors are loose and keep popping apart.

The double beam rifle is fixed underneath the right forearm.

Spring-material pipes are used for the waist power lines.

The missile pod on the left side of the chest can be covered by attaching a cover part.

Only the right hand comes in 2 different types.

OLD 1/144 Full Armor ZZ Gundam - Some parts from the 1/144 ZZ Gundam kit end up as leftover parts. The manual suggests reusin

Some parts from the 1/144 ZZ Gundam kit end up as leftover parts. The manual suggests reusing the shield too, but it doesn't attach very well in practice, so it's basically leftover parts as well.

The limb articulation is pretty much the same as the regular 1/144 ZZ Gundam.

OLD 1/144 Full Armor ZZ Gundam - Basic action poses. With all that bulk packed on, even a slight pose looks pretty decent. (1

Basic action poses. With all that bulk packed on, even a slight pose looks pretty decent.

Beam saber action pose

Together with the 1/144 ZZ Gundam.

Together with the MG Full Armor Gundam.

Following the 1/144 scale Gunpla releases of the Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ series in 1986, the Gundam Sentinel series — which was being serialized in Model Graphix — was made into 1/144 scale Gunpla the following year in 1987. The first one out of the gate was the Full Armor ZZ Gundam, released as a variation kit that added 2 Full Armor weaponry runners to the previously released 1/144 ZZ Gundam runners.

Since the base kit is the 1/144 ZZ Gundam, the overall quality is right at that level — but the added Full Armor plating and the massive mega launcher give it a much bigger visual punch. Sure, the molded color combination isn't great, so the straight build alone doesn't leave much of an impression, but it has this heavier, more powerful look that really makes you want to break out the paints.

The basic articulation is naturally the same as the 1/144 ZZ Gundam, and since it wasn't great to begin with, adding the armor doesn't really cut into the range of motion much either. On the flip side, with all that weaponry piled on, even a simple pose carries some serious presence thanks to the sheer bulk. And despite the added volume, the polycaps are doing their job well, so it's reassuring that the joint strength holds up nicely.

The linked ammo belt on the mega launcher looks pretty convincing since each segment is a separate part, but the connecting pins between segments are flimsy and tend to pop out easily. The spring-based waist power lines have a strong visual presence, but they also feel oddly out of place and stick out in a weird way. On top of that, the mega launcher on the right shoulder interferes with the head antenna, which means you're basically forced to keep the head turned to the left at all times — a surprisingly annoying blind spot.

That said, this is the only Full Armor ZZ ever released in 1/144 scale, so if you want to build one at this scale, there's really no other option. In the history of Gunpla, it also holds the distinction of being one of the last glue-assembly kits right before the snap-fit era. Either way, the retro look is a charm in its own right, but this is definitely a kit I'd recommend building with painting in mind. :-)
[ Updated at 2017.7.30 ]

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.