OLD Gundam W 1/100 Altron Gundam

Release 1996.2

Price ¥1,800

BANDAI BANDAI Japan product info

OLD 1/100 Altron Gundam - Box side view (1/3)

Box side view

Runners

Seals and chrome runners

OLD 1/100 Altron Gundam - Parts diagram (1/5)

OLD 1/100 Altron Gundam - Parts diagram (2/5)

OLD 1/100 Altron Gundam - Parts diagram (3/5)

Parts diagram

Manual

Straight build + Stickers

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Just like the 1/144, the beam trident is also included in its folded form.

The Dragon Hang deploys the same way as on Shenlong Gundam.

Beam cannon articulation

Articulated fingers

Leftover parts from the 1/100 Shenlong Gundam.

Limb articulation

Beam trident action

Beam trident two-handed action

Dragon Hang + beam cannon deployed

Dynamic Dragon Hang action

Together with the 1/144 Altron Gundam.

Together with the 1/100 Shenlong Gundam.

The sixth kit in the old Gundam W 1/100 series is the Altron Gundam. Since it's based on the Shenlong Gundam in the lore, it reuses some runners from the 1/100 Shenlong Gundam, and its standout feature is the Dragon Hang on both arms.

The Dragon Hang deployment gimmick itself holds firmly in place just like on the Shenlong Gundam, but ironically the shoulder and knee joints are pretty weak, making it tricky to hold poses. The grip is also a bit iffy, so the beam trident doesn't stay secure — it feels a little nerve-wracking.

And unlike the other 1/100 W series kits that came loaded with beam parts, this kit has none at all — though the chrome parts are still included as usual. As for option parts, there's really nothing special beyond the folded beam trident, same as the 1/144.

So compared to the solid quality of the 1/100 Shenlong Gundam it's based on, this variation kit feels oddly like a step down in quality. That said, the look you get when everything is fully deployed — Dragon Hang and beam cannon all out — is pretty uniquely impressive in its own right.

It did eventually get an MG release as a Club G exclusive, but since it never got a general retail MG release, it does have a certain rarity to it. Either way, if you fix up the loose joints, it's actually a pretty decent-looking old kit style-wise. :-)
[ Updated at 2018.3.10 ]

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.