Around the time the PG Strike Gundam was released, the already-announced Sky Grasper + Aile pack kit finally hit shelves six months later. You could think of it as something like a PG custom set, but it's not officially called that — and it's not quite treated as a full PG lineup entry either. Kind of an awkward one. And honestly, looking at the kit's quality, it's equally awkward. ^^; Anyway, just think of it as a PG accessory and move on.
1. First off — a suspicious runner
lineup
This kit is a combined release of the Sky Grasper and the Aile pack, and while the runners from both might seem like they're just mixed together, if you look closely you'll see that the two kits are actually completely separable thanks to system injection. What this means is that Bandai clearly had plans for one of the two to be split off and bundled elsewhere (a standalone release seems unlikely) for a future re-release. There are several possibilities for how that might play out.
1. A variation release in the style of Sky Grasper + Sword/Launcher
2. A limited event release of Strike Gundam + Aile pack as a PG Aile Strike Gundam
3. A Strike Gundam + Aile pack release as a proper PG lineup entry — PG Aile Strike Rouge
Right now, option 3 seems the most likely. Here's why...
If you look at the runner numbering, the PG Strike Gundam's runners run neatly from A through T. But this kit doesn't start from A — instead, the runner numbers pick up right where the PG Strike left off, running from U through Y. And on top of that, if you look closely at the runner numbers for the Aile pack and the Sky Grasper, here's what you get:
Aile pack runner numbers: U1, V, W1, W2, X, Y
Sky Grasper runner numbers: U2, WA, WB, WC, WD, WE, WF (U2 is separated via system injection)
Right. The Aile pack follows a clean sequential alphabetical numbering, but the Sky Grasper runners are branching off from W like they were just squeezed in as an afterthought. In other words, they're runner numbers that wouldn't be missed if they were gone — which strongly suggests that Bandai is very much planning a release of PG Strike + Aile pack without the Sky Grasper. And if they're going to release it anyway, the most likely bet is that it'll come in the popular Rouge color as a molded color variation..
2. Sky Grasper
It kind of feels like building a Bandai aero kit — and it actually borrows some elements from that style, making it a really unique kit. After always building mecha-heavy robot kits, putting together a Bandai aircraft is genuinely refreshing~
First off, as befitting the top-tier PG grade, the color separation and parts breakdown are impressively thorough, which I really appreciate. The two-tone color treatment on the wings — something that used to always get covered up with seals — is perfectly separated here, and even the deep yellow sections inside the verniers are broken out as separate parts. The complex, intricate weapon bays on both sides are rendered in great three-dimensional detail, and the movable wing flaps are a really nice touch.
The overall detail is just clean — nothing excessive, well-balanced design and molding, and the panel lines have a nice MS-like feel to them. The one thing that's a bit disappointing, despite the PG title, is that there's almost nothing you could really call an inner frame. The cockpit instrument panel detail is decent enough though..
Even at PG, color separation has its limits — the black trim around the canopy is one area where you'll inevitably need at least some hand painting. And since the cockpit interior is pretty visible given the aircraft's structure, the relatively bare-looking pilots do stand out a bit. ^^; The pilot figures included are Cagalli and Flay, but Tooru — who appeared as another pilot in the anime (and didn't last long;) — isn't included, probably because he's a minor character. Though honestly, since both Cagalli and Flay are wearing helmets, you can barely tell them apart except by their outfits.. and if they were in standard uniform, Flay and Tooru would probably look identical with helmets on (Flay might be a bit taller though;;) — so you could argue all three are basically in there and nobody could really say otherwise;
One thing a lot of people have been complaining about is the landing gear.. The detail is acceptable, but everyone was hoping for die-cast, and it ended up being plain plastic. Personally, I had my own expectations since the PG Zeta's die-cast landing gear looked absolutely fantastic, so this is a bit of a letdown. I mean, it's PG, so you kind of expect more.. T_T And the landing gear isn't retractable either — you swap out a cover panel and attach the wheels separately, which is another minor disappointment. (Maybe I was expecting too much?)
The weapon bays on both sides use the same gimmick as the PG Strike's shoulders, but in this combined kit with the Aile pack, they're essentially useless. They're meant for the Launcher and Sword packs, so it's a given that those will come out eventually — but looking at the MG precedent, the release will probably depend on how the market looks. The thinking was probably: build in the gimmick just in case, great if it comes out, no big deal if it doesn't.
Overall, the color separation is excellent, the detail and proportions are precise, and the quality is clearly very clean — but calling the Sky Grasper itself a PG feels a little iffy. Maybe it's the lack of an inner frame, which is the PG's trademark? It feels more like a high-end MG. That said, it's still a Bandai SF aero kit that looks great on its own and is a genuinely fresh building experience ^^
3. Aile Pack
The Aile pack — the Strike Gundam's primary striker. Unlike the no-grade days, the MG Aile pack with its large wings and sleek styling was already excellent. The PG Aile pack takes it several steps further in terms of detail, giving you that "PG is PG!" feeling all over again.
A lot of people have pointed out that the wings look smaller compared to the MG — and they actually are proportionally smaller. The MG 1/100 has a wingspan of 24cm, and the PG 1/60 has a wingspan of 34cm. But to match the MG's proportions at 1/60 scale, the wings would need to be around 40cm. So yes, they do look relatively shorter compared to the MG..
On the other hand, some argue that the MG Aile's wings were abnormally long to begin with. It's ultimately a matter of personal taste, but in terms of sheer size, the PG Aile pack is still quite large, so in person it doesn't really look tiny or anything. If anything, going even bigger would've been a nightmare for display and storage.
Setting aside the wing size debate, the external detail on the PG Aile pack is outstanding. It matches the segmented design concept of the PG Strike perfectly, so when you combine the two, the sync rate is 200%. Areas that couldn't be expressed in the MG are sharply detailed down to every corner, and the large flaps on the wings are even movable — impressive stuff. ^^
Compared to this flashy, well-crafted exterior, the internal mechanics feel a bit lacking for a PG. The mechanical frame inside the tail verniers is up to PG standards, but the inner frame of the Aile pack body itself is a bit sparse. The frame only runs along the top, and the detail is surprisingly plain — it actually feels like a step down from a high-end MG. On top of that, the inner armor surface detail that's become standard on recent MGs is omitted here too.. It gives the impression that not quite as much effort went into it as you'd expect from a PG.
The biggest issue with the PG Aile pack is the gimmick designed to adjust the height when docking with the Sky Grasper versus attaching to the Strike Gundam's back. As you could see in the Aile pack review photos, when combining with the Sky Grasper in flight mode, the Aile pack flattens out, and when plugging into the Strike's back, it opens up slightly to widen. It uses a somewhat complex internal linkage mechanism that moves three sections simultaneously, but..
The problem is that this section is a bit tricky to assemble (you'll run into trouble if you don't follow the manual carefully), and even after building it, the movement feels oddly unsatisfying. Instead of snapping cleanly into place with a satisfying click, it's a strange mix of looseness and extreme stiffness that makes it all too easy to break if you apply too much force. It seems like they put some thought into the linkage gimmick, but durability-wise, it's going to draw complaints... I'd recommend: 1. Follow the manual carefully during assembly, and 2. Don't force it when handling this section.
There are these un-PG-like shortcomings, but in terms of overall appearance and style, it deserves high marks. Especially the incredible synergy it creates once attached to the Strike!
4. Stand & Aile Strike Gundam
This kit includes the first-ever stand designed for displaying a PG. It adjusts to three height levels, and since it's made for a PG, it's bigger than any stand released up to this point. The MG Aile Strike Gundam's launch pad stand is already large, but compared to this one...
The PG Strike is already known as the king of kings when it comes to articulation, and once it's up on the stand, it shows off all kinds of dynamic poses with its limbs bent and extended to the fullest. The connection between the stand and the PG Strike's backside is especially tight and secure, so even at the lowest position, it holds firm. That's what makes those low-angle action poses like the ones in the photos above possible.
That said, the PG Strike + Aile pack combo is pretty heavy, so the stand's support arm does wobble a bit, which can feel a little nerve-wracking. The stand itself isn't exactly flimsy, but I guess there's no fighting gravity. Still, as long as you balance the weight properly when setting it up, it shouldn't be a problem for display purposes.
The stand is so big that when you put just the Aile Sky Grasper on it, the stand looks a bit oversized and unbalanced — but once you put the PG Aile Strike Gundam itself on there, the proportions finally look right. ^^; On either side of the stand, there are spots to temporarily store the beam rifle and shield, and they use the same parts that attach the weapons to the sides of the Sky Grasper.
When the PG Strike Gundam first came out, there was that polycap on the backside that seemed pointless at the time — but that was already a hint that a stand was coming, and sure enough, it showed up included with the Aile Sky Grasper just as expected. Looking at the runner layout and how it's actually used, the stand itself is part of the Sky Grasper's runner group, not the Aile pack. So if a kit like a PG Aile Strike loose version without the Sky Grasper gets released down the line, there's a chance the stand might not be included. Wonder how Bandai will handle that one?
5. Overall Impressions
The PG Strike Gundam launched without any weapon packs at all — which did make it feel a bit more affordable for the quality, but still left you wanting more — and now we can finally add a weapon pack to it. Attach the Aile pack and the PG Strike, which was already awesome on its own, shines even brighter. Especially as you can see in the photos, the view from the back is arguably the best of any Gunpla out there, and once you put it up on the stand, that presence gets even more powerful.
For that reason alone, if you already own the PG Strike, this kit is absolutely worth picking up just for the Aile pack and stand. And of course, the Sky Grasper itself is a really unique and fresh kit that's pretty tempting to own in its own right.
To sum things up, here are the downsides that stand out:
- The internal frame feels a bit lacking overall. >> But the exterior is excellent.
- The landing gear isn't diecast, and on top of that, it's not retractable either.
- The Aile pack wings look smaller compared to the MG version. This one comes down to personal preference.
- The stand feels a little unstable at times.
- The connection mechanism between the Aile pack and the Strike's body is a bit underwhelming.
Whether you can really call this a PG is something a lot of people will probably disagree on. The internal frame — which is basically the PG's signature feature — feels a bit thin, so that's probably the main reason. But if you set aside the PG expectations and just look at it for what it is, it's a genuinely excellent quality kit. And sure, there are various flaws here and there, but you get so swept up by the overall quality and feel that the flaws just don't really register — that strange magic that only PG kits seem to have. The fact that you can feel that here too is probably proof that yes, this is indeed a PG. ^^;
PG Sky Grasper | 2005.6 | ¥5,000
AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.
