OLD Z Gundam 1/100 Hi-Zack

Release 1985.6

Price ¥1,200

BANDAI BANDAI Japan product info

Box side view

Runners

1/100 Hi-Zack dedicated polycap/soft parts runner

Waterslide decals

Parts diagram

Manual

Straight build + wet decals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Soft vinyl pipes are used all over the body in large quantities.

OLD 1/100 Hi-Zack - Just like the 1/100 Mk-II, articulated fingers are included, but the difference here is that no wire core

Just like the 1/100 Mk-II, articulated fingers are included, but the difference here is that no wire core is used and even the thumb is movable.

Polycap joint structure inside the limbs

OLD 1/100 Hi-Zack - The shoulder assembly uses an old-school connection method. The pin that fits into the polycap is short, s

The shoulder assembly uses an old-school connection method. The pin that fits into the polycap is short, so you need to glue a bolt-type part to the end of the pin to secure it.

OLD 1/100 Hi-Zack - The sole of the foot splits and moves front/back just like the Mk-II, but the ground contact is better com

The sole of the foot splits and moves front/back just like the Mk-II, but the ground contact is better compared to the Mk-II.

The mono-eye is applied using a wet decal. (Part of it tore while I was applying it T_T)

The beam tomahawk is a single part, and you can see some sink marks on it..

1/48 Jerid figure.

Articulation is quite a bit worse compared to the Mk-II.

OLD 1/100 Hi-Zack - The arms in particular are heavily restricted in both rotation and raising due to the soft vinyl pipes con

The arms in particular are heavily restricted in both rotation and raising due to the soft vinyl pipes connecting to the body.

Firing pose

Beam tomahawk action

Together with the 1/100 Mk-II.

Together with the 1/144 Hi-Zack.

Together with the 1/100 mass production Zaku.

Together with the MG Hi-Zack released in 2004.

Together with the Kamille figure from the 1/100 Mk-II.

The second kit in the old-style Z Gundam 1/100 line is the Hi-Zack. As you can see from the review photos, despite being an old kit, the color separation is remarkably well done — the straight build's accuracy to the design colors is so good it could almost be mistaken for an MG at a glance. The yellow power cables in particular are meticulously reproduced in soft parts, giving it an even more striking visual appearance.

That said, these soft power cables severely restrict the arm articulation, and the overall articulation isn't great either, so it's not a kit that's easy to pose. On the flip side, just standing it up on display is enough to show off that satisfying 1/100 volume and impressive snap-fit visuals, and the proportions feel surprisingly un-old-kit-like — almost on par with the MG. (Though some would say that's because the MG Hi-Zack's proportions aren't all that great to begin with..)

The fingers are actually an upgrade over the 1/100 Mk-II — all five fingers including the thumb are articulated without needing any wire core. The grip is also a bit tighter than the wire-core approach, so it holds weapons better than the Mk-II does.

Either way, in terms of color separation visuals, this is hands-down the most impressive kit in the entire old Z Gundam 1/100 lineup. Sure, the articulation is frustrating, but it's honestly amazing that a snap-fit kit with this kind of appearance existed back in the day. And at just ¥1200, it's cheap enough that any old-school fan might want to give it a go just for the fun of it. :-)
[Updated at 2017.4.6 ]

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.