OLD Gundam X 1/144 Gundam Ashtaron

Release 1996.6

Price ¥800

BANDAI BANDAI Japan product info

Box side view

Runners

Parts diagram

OLD 1/144 Gundam Ashtaron - Manual (1/4)

OLD 1/144 Gundam Ashtaron - Manual (2/4)

Manual

Straight build + Stickers

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Limb articulation

The arms barely raise to the side, which makes the articulation feel pretty limiting.

Atomic Scissors Claw deployment

Atomic Scissors Claw action

Beam saber action

OLD 1/144 Gundam Ashtaron - Fold the legs back, rotate the backpack section 180 degrees, then lower the Atomic Scissors Claw

Fold the legs back, rotate the backpack section 180 degrees, then lower the Atomic Scissors Claw — and the transformation is done.

Mobile Armor mode

Underside

Together with the 1/144 Gundam X.

The fifth kit in the old-release Gundam X 1/144 lineup is Gundam Ashtaron. It's a bigger unit compared to the others, so the box is larger too, and it comes in at ¥800 — a bit pricier. That said, the chunky, distinctive silhouette of the design is captured pretty well.

The color scheme is reproduced nicely, but it leans more on seals than actual parts separation, and the seals look pretty out of place, which is a bit of a shame. The limb articulation is nothing special, and the shoulders barely raise to the side at all, which really limits your posing options. Still, the joint strength is surprisingly solid for such a bulky kit, so poses hold up well once you get them set.

The signature Atomic Scissors Claw deployment gimmick is reproduced well enough, but the joints don't hold their position very firmly, so when you spread them out horizontally they tend to slowly droop downward. As for the Mobile Armor transformation, the design itself is so straightforward that it's reproduced without any issues on this kit too.

So overall it's a pretty average kit in terms of quality, but it's got its own distinct personality as an old-release, and if you're a Gundam X fan it's definitely worth picking up for some fun. :-)
[ Updated at 2018.3.30]

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.