SD BB Senshi

Gundam Exia

Kit Review

Straight build

SD Gundam Exia - Straight build shots (1/2) SD Gundam Exia - Straight build shots (2/2)

Straight build

SD Gundam Exia - Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

SD Gundam Exia - Photos after applying seals (1/4) SD Gundam Exia - Photos after applying seals (2/4) SD Gundam Exia - Photos after applying seals (3/4) SD Gundam Exia - Photos after applying seals (4/4)

After applying stickers

SD Gundam Exia - The GN Drive is removable. (1/2) SD Gundam Exia - The GN Drive is removable. (2/2)

The GN Drive is removable.

SD Gundam Exia - Flip the front piece around and you can switch between normal mode and Trans-Am mode. (1/2) SD Gundam Exia - Flip the front piece around and you can switch between normal mode and Trans-Am mode. (2/2)

Flip the front piece around and you can switch between normal mode and Trans-Am mode.

SD Gundam Exia - The gear-shaped section of the GN Drive can also rotate.

The gear-shaped section of the GN Drive can also rotate.

SD Gundam Exia - GN Blades and mounting parts.

GN Blades and mounting parts.

SD Gundam Exia - The elbows are fixed (non-articulated).

The elbows are fixed (non-articulated).

SD Gundam Exia - GN Sword action (1/3) SD Gundam Exia - GN Sword action (2/3) SD Gundam Exia - GN Sword action (3/3)

GN Sword action

SD Gundam Exia - GN Sword rifle mode firing pose (1/3) SD Gundam Exia - GN Sword rifle mode firing pose (2/3) SD Gundam Exia - GN Sword rifle mode firing pose (3/3)

GN Sword rifle mode firing pose

SD Gundam Exia - GN Blade action (1/3) SD Gundam Exia - GN Blade action (2/3) SD Gundam Exia - GN Blade action (3/3)

GN Blade action

SD Gundam Exia - Beam saber action (1/2) SD Gundam Exia - Beam saber action (2/2)

Beam saber action

SD Gundam Exia - You can borrow a stand to pull off aerial action poses too. (1/2) SD Gundam Exia - You can borrow a stand to pull off aerial action poses too. (2/2)

You can borrow a stand to pull off aerial action poses too.

SD Gundam Exia - Together with BB Senshi First Gundam. The proportions changed after the SD SEED series.

Together with BB Senshi First Gundam.
The proportions changed after the SD SEED series.

SD Gundam Exia - Together with the 1/100 and HG Gundam Exia.

Together with the 1/100 and HG Gundam Exia.

The SD Gundam SEED lineup has wrapped up, and now the SD 00 lineup is kicking off. The first release is naturally Gundam Exia, and it comes with the updated proportions introduced after the SEED series applied in a similar fashion. That said, there is one change from the SD SEED series — the elbows are no longer articulated, and instead come fixed in place with a focus on proportions.

The 00 series generally has a pretty impressive arsenal, and Exia's weapons — the GN Sword, a set of GN Blades, and a set of beam sabers — are all faithfully reproduced here. The two GN Blades also come with side-mounting parts, so you can faithfully recreate all those signature Exia scenes.

That said, the more you handle it, the more it feels like the overall quality has taken a slight step back compared to the SD SEED series. ^^; The fixed elbows probably contribute to that feeling, but overall the finish, proportions, and general look all feel like a bit of a regression. The legs in particular have a pretty limited range of motion, which makes poses feel a bit stiff.

Anyway, as the first entry in the SD 00 lineup it's a decent enough kit, but it's a shame that it feels like the quality suddenly jumped back a few years. ^:-)

SD Gundam Exia | 2008.8 | ¥600

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.