OLD Z Gundam 1/100 Hyaku-Shiki

Release 1985.10

Price ¥1,200

BANDAI BANDAI Japan product info

OLD 1/100 Hyaku-Shiki - Box side view (1/3)

Box side view

Runners

1/100 Hyaku-Shiki dedicated polycap/soft parts runner

Waterslide decals

Wire cores for fingers

OLD 1/100 Hyaku-Shiki - Parts diagram (1/3)

Parts diagram

Manual

Straight build + Waterslide decals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Sole mold detail

The beam sabers are stored in the rear skirt, but the design makes them pretty hard to take out.

The '百' kanji on both shoulders is provided as a waterslide decal.

Same wire-core articulated fingers as the Mk-II.

Polycap joint structure inside the limbs

Interestingly, this old-release kit leaves you with leftover parts.

Articulation is on par with the Mk-II — pretty impressive for an old-release 1/100.

The ankles also have a side-to-side tilt gimmick built in.

OLD 1/100 Hyaku-Shiki - When you raise the thighs up, they keep interfering with the side skirts that are glued in place, causi

When you raise the thighs up, they keep interfering with the side skirts that are glued in place, causing them to pop off repeatedly... T_T

The shoulder articulation range is also limited by the binders on the back.

Binder articulation

OLD 1/100 Hyaku-Shiki - Rifle firing pose (1/3)

Rifle firing pose

Beam saber action pose

Together with the 1/100 Mk-II.

Together with the 1/144 Hyaku-Shiki.

Together with the MG Hyaku-Shiki released in 2001.

Together with the MG Hyaku-Shiki 2.0 released in 2015.

OLD 1/100 Hyaku-Shiki - The evolution of the 1/100 Hyaku-Shiki (1985–2001–2015). Funny how it keeps getting smaller over time. (I

The evolution of the 1/100 Hyaku-Shiki (1985–2001–2015). Funny how it keeps getting smaller over time. (Is it shrinking with age..?)

This kit is the old-release Zeta 1/100 Hyaku-Shiki, and along with the 1/100 Mk-II, it's one of those kits that captured the hearts of many old-school fans back in the day — sold in Korea under the name "Baek-in Daejang" (Centurion).

First off, it's slimmer and taller than the Mk-II, and back in the '80s it really turned heads with what felt like a sleek, refined set of proportions. Sure, standing it next to an MG does give off that old-kit vibe, but even now it's got a pretty decent silhouette. On top of that, the color separation is solid overall — except for the soles — and in particular, the deep blue on the upper body and the yellow around the cockpit area are split into separate parts, which gives it a noticeably more impressive look than the 1/144.

Articulation is a bit of a letdown, though. The bend angle on the limbs is around 90 degrees, which is actually good for an old-release kit, but there are so many things getting in the way that posing it is just a hassle. The biggest issue is the hip joints — moving them forward and backward causes serious interference with the side skirts that are glued in place, and they can end up popping off. The side skirts already have a loose fit with the lower body and need to be forced on, so having them constantly fall off every time you move the thighs can get pretty frustrating.

On top of that, the backpack binders sit too far forward, so they get in the way when you move the arms back and forth — meaning that even setting aside the joint articulation itself, the overall setup just isn't great for posing. The end result is that natural-looking poses are hard to pull off, and it really does remind you that an old-release kit is an old-release kit.

That said, a lot of people aren't happy with how much the recent Hyaku-Shiki has been put on a diet, and as you can see in the comparison shots above, the old-release version is noticeably more beefy and imposing. Sure, it lacks that refined, polished feel by comparison, but depending on your taste, there are probably plenty of people who'd prefer the old-release Hyaku-Shiki for looking stronger and more solid.

So while the articulation doesn't escape the limitations of an old-release kit, for old-school fans who remember the sturdy, imposing Centurion rather than the slimmed-down Hyaku-Shiki, this is a great item to have. I myself always felt something was subtly off when I built the MG Hyaku-Shiki, and building the old-release 1/100 again made me realize why. (Right — our Centurion is supposed to look this strong and solid!)

Anyway, whether you snap-fit it or paint it up, this is a Hyaku-Shiki with proportions quite different from what we have today — and it's an old-release kit I'd recommend to anyone who wants to relive the memories of that big, commanding Centurion. :-)
[Updated at 2017.4.9 ]

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.