OLD Gundam ZZ 1/144 Ga-Zowmn

Release 1986.8

Price ¥600

BANDAI BANDAI Japan product info

Box side view

Runners

Parts diagram

Manual

Straight build

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

OLD 1/144 Ga-Zowmn - Being such a unique transforming unit, the articulation of the arms and legs works on a completely diffe

Being such a unique transforming unit, the articulation of the arms and legs works on a completely different concept from other kits.

There's also a wrist joint that bends inward.

Hyper Knuckle Buster action

To transform into Mobile Armor mode, start by positioning the arms as shown above.

After plugging the Hyper Knuckle Buster onto the back..

Rotate the shoulder binders forward, and spread the back-mounted binders out horizontally.

OLD 1/144 Ga-Zowmn - Rotate the Hyper Knuckle Buster forward, then swing the lower body backward and spread the legs front an

Rotate the Hyper Knuckle Buster forward, then swing the lower body backward and spread the legs front and back — transformation complete.

Mobile Armor mode — top and bottom views

OLD 1/144 Ga-Zowmn - Mobile Armor from various angles (1/5)

OLD 1/144 Ga-Zowmn - Mobile Armor from various angles (2/5)

OLD 1/144 Ga-Zowmn - Mobile Armor from various angles (3/5)

Mobile Armor from various angles

With the 1/144 Gaza-D.

With the 1/144 ZZ Gundam.

This is the 1/144 Ga-Zowmn, released as the 8th kit in the old-style ZZ Gundam series. This unit is one of ZZ's more obscure entries, and as of 2017 it still hasn't received an HGUC release — making this kit the one and only Ga-Zowmn plastic model out there.

In terms of lore, it was originally going to be called the Gaza-E as the successor to the Gaza-C/D, but the differences in appearance and performance were significant enough that it ended up with the Ga-Zowmn name instead. Like many ZZ units, it also features transformation into MA (Mobile Armor) mode.

First off, it has a pretty distinctive look that sets it apart from other units. Probably due to the transformation gimmick, the overall proportions have that stiff, old-kit feel to them. The joint articulation is also unusual, which makes it hard to compare directly with other kits — and honestly, it's not the most pose-friendly joint layout. The shoulder rotation is a bit loose, but the rest of the joints are fairly solid, so holding poses isn't really a big issue.

The MA transformation isn't overly complicated, and the resulting Mobile Armor form has enough personality to make the transformation genuinely fun. The MA mode holds together reasonably well once transformed, but the shape of it makes it awkward to display without a separate stand. In my case, I ended up propping it up with a clear stand to get the photos taken.

This kit's value lies in being the one and only Ga-Zowmn plastic model, with its unique design and transformation gimmick. If you're a fan of ZZ's more obscure units, this old-style kit is definitely worth picking up and building. :-)
[ Updated at 2017.7.15 ]

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.