OLD Z Gundam 1/100 Rick-Dias

Release 1985.8

Price ¥1,200

BANDAI BANDAI Japan product info

OLD 1/100 Rick-Dias - Box side view (1/3)

Box side view

Runners

1/100 Rick-Dias dedicated polycap/soft parts runner

Waterslide decals

Wire cores for fingers

OLD 1/100 Rick-Dias - Parts diagram (1/3)

Parts diagram

Manual

Straight build + wet decals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

The ball-type mono-eye can be rotated, but it doesn't turn very easily..;;

OLD 1/100 Rick-Dias - Like the 1/144, you can also build it with the head cover open and the vulcan gun exposed. (With glue,

Like the 1/144, you can also build it with the head cover open and the vulcan gun exposed. (With glue, of course)

Wet decals on the shoulders

Like the Mk-II, the fingers can be posed using wire cores.

Polycap joint structure inside the limbs.

Unlike previous kits, the soles of the feet are completely flat..

The bazooka can be mounted on the backpack, but the fit is loose and it wobbles around.

1/48 figure of that certain someone(!)

OLD 1/100 Rick-Dias - The arms bend a bit more than the worst-offender Galbaldy Beta, but overall articulation is still not g

The arms bend a bit more than the worst-offender Galbaldy Beta, but overall articulation is still not great.

The shoulder structure is unusual, making it hard to raise the arms out to the sides.

OLD 1/100 Rick-Dias - Bazooka action pose (1/3)

Bazooka action pose

Beam pistol action pose. The grip strength is so poor it's barely hanging on.

Beam saber action pose

Together with the 1/100 Mk-II.

Together with the 1/144 Rick-Dias.

Together with the 1/100 Dom.

Together with the MG Rick-Dias Quattro Custom released in 2004.

Together with the Kamille/Jerid/Lyra figures from previous kits.

This is the old-kit Z Gundam 1/100 Rick-Dias — Quattro's red unit. Just like its predecessor the Galbaldy Beta, the proportions turned out really well and don't feel particularly old-kit-ish at all. Compared to the MG, you might even feel like this one has a better overall presence.

The color separation is also nicely done using three molded colors, so it's a great old kit to enjoy as a straight straight build. That said, articulation is pretty poor and it's tough to get a variety of poses out of it. The shoulder structure in particular is oddly designed, making it hard to raise the arms out to the sides — though thankfully, the polycap joint structure keeps this big chunky kit standing without too much wobble, which is a relief.

The fingers are wire-core articulated just like the Mk-II, but again the grip strength isn't great, making it awkward to have it hold its weapons. The beam pistol in particular seems unusually small, and it basically just rests on top of the hand rather than being gripped properly. The beam saber is similarly just barely hanging on by the fingertips. On top of that, when mounting the bazooka on the backpack, the connection is so loose it's hard to get it sitting at a proper angle.

The mono-eye is a separate ball-type insert like on the 1/144, so in theory it can rotate — but in practice it's stiff and not easy to turn at all. In these ways, the internal joints and articulation gimmicks really show the limitations of an old kit. That said, if you go in without high expectations, it can feel like pretty good value as a simple straight build or painting project — it's that kind of old kit. :-)
[Updated at 2017.4.8 ]

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.