Kit Review

Straight build + Panel lining + Seals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Detail shots

Outer armor removed

RG Char's Z'gok - Inner frame shots (1/2)

RG Char's Z'gok - Inner frame shots (2/2)

Internal frame

RG Char's Z'gok - Frame detail shots (1/4)

RG Char's Z'gok - Frame detail shots (2/4)

Frame detail shots

The frame's articulation is excellent.

There's a gimmick where the hip joint moves up and down.

RG Char's Z'gok - The articulation of the forearm's solid joint. Complex gimmicks are linked together in a fascinat

The articulation of the forearm's solid joint.
Complex gimmicks are linked together in a fascinating way.

It's interesting how the wrist section bends 90 degrees.

The multi-jointed forearm moves in all four directions — front, back, left, and right.

The knee's linked gimmick.

The leg's multi-joints also bend in four directions.

In frame state, the waist bends 90 degrees forward.

The chest also moves a little side to side.

Frame articulation poses

RG Char's Z'gok - Frame kneeling pose (1/3)

Frame kneeling pose

The backpack also has an inner frame.

Cockpit hatch open

You can remove the head cover and rotate the mono-eye.
As a bonus, it also moves up and down.

Even the propellers are sculpted on the soles of the feet.

RG Char's Z'gok - Four claws are shared per arm, letting you configure them as either 3-fingered or 4-fingered claw

Four claws are shared per arm, letting you configure them as either 3-fingered or 4-fingered claws.

1/144 Char figure

Given the Z'Gok's nature, the articulation is just so-so.

It's interesting that the front skirt moves to give the hip joint a wider range of motion.

The multi-joint sections do bend sideways to some degree as well.

Compared to the frame-only state, the waist and chest range of motion is quite limited.

Elbow and knee linked gimmick

The toe tips and front of the feet also move slightly.

The backpack rotates as well.

RG Char's Z'gok - Natural kneeling attack pose (1/3)

Natural kneeling attack pose

RG Char's Z'gok - Standing attack pose (1/3)

Standing attack pose

RG Char's Z'gok - Aerial attack pose (1/3)

Aerial attack pose

RG Char's Z'gok - Underwater cruising pose (1/3)

Underwater cruising pose

RG Char's Z'gok - 4-fingered claw attack pose (1/3)

4-fingered claw attack pose

Together with the HGUC Char's Z'Gok.

Together with the RG Char's Zaku.

Together with the MG Char's Z'Gok.

Straight build

A non-standard MS — a seafood mecha, if you will — has finally made it into the RG lineup, and Char's Z'Gok is the one leading the charge. A mass-production version will obviously follow down the line, so it's a pretty natural kit to get some extra mileage out of. ^^;

First off, since this is a unit with a completely different joint structure from your typical MS, the solid frame that's become synonymous with RG had to be built entirely from scratch. The multi-jointed forearms and thighs in particular are made up of three-stage special joints, allowing them to bend not just in one direction but in all four. It's a bold idea that's very much in the RG spirit, and while the gimmick itself is well-executed, having so many moving points means joint strength is on the weaker side. On top of that, the multi-joint armor pieces that clip together front-to-back don't hold super securely, so the segment armor can pop off during posing. That said, the fresh approach to this new solid-joint design still deserves some credit.

Probably because of all that multi-joint armor, assembly is a bit trickier than other RG kits — though honestly, getting the armor back off is even harder than putting it on. That makes it quite a challenging kit for reviewers like me who need to take frame shots. :-)

In terms of articulation, it's noticeably behind other RG kits, but that's more a limitation of the design than anything technical. On the flip side, the front skirt uniquely moves and the hip joint has a sliding gimmick, which lets you pull off a very natural kneeling pose. Beyond that, since there aren't really any weapons to speak of, getting a wide variety of poses out of it is a bit of a challenge.

Given RG's characteristic of splitting the outer armor into multiple pieces, the Z'Gok's pinkish exterior armor is also made up of a combination of 4 different colors, so the overall look after the straight build is definitely very RG-like. There are fewer panel lines compared to other RGs, which gives it a somewhat simple feel, but the colorful exterior keeps it from looking plain. A couple of other notable features: the backpack thrusters can rotate to change direction to some degree, and you can choose to build either 4-fingered or 3-fingered claws.

To sum it up, this is a fresh and creative RG that stands out with its unique structure and gimmicks compared to previous RGs — but the somewhat limited articulation and the shakiness of the multi-jointed parts are a bit disappointing. That said, the fact that we're getting a Z'Gok in 1/144 at this level of quality is genuinely moving as an old-school fan, so if you've got any nostalgia for the One Year War, I'd love for you to join me in marveling at how far things have come. :-)

RG Char's Z'Gok | 2014. 7 | ¥2,800

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.