Kit Review

Straight build

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

SD Sengoku Astray Gundam - Some of the outer armor can be removed — just like the SD Build Strike Gundam, this is to allow co

Some of the outer armor can be removed,
just like the SD Build Strike Gundam, this is to allow compatibility with Musha Gundam-type armor.

The compatibility base body

The back legs are seriously hollow -_-

The elbow joints do bend,
but the shoulder armor is so big that they can barely move in practice.

SD Sengoku Astray Gundam - The shoulder armor can be spread open as per the design specs, but the range of motion is very lim

The shoulder armor can be spread open as per the design specs,
but the range of motion is very limited.

Dual-sword action

SD Sengoku Astray Gundam - Aerial pose (1/3)

Aerial pose

SD Sengoku Astray Gundam - Pose using the shoulder armor like arms (1/3)

Pose using the shoulder armor like arms

SD Sengoku Astray Gundam - An SD BB Senshi original gimmick — you can combine the Oni Shield and shoulder armor together like

An SD BB Senshi original gimmick — you can combine the Oni Shield and shoulder armor together like this.

SD Sengoku Astray Gundam - Holding the original gimmick like a shield (1/3)

Holding the original gimmick like a shield

You can also plug the shield handle into the hole on the chest.

Together with the MG and HG Sengoku Astray Gundam.

Together with the previous BB Senshi Build Strike Gundam.

SD Sengoku Astray Gundam - Together with the BB Senshi Astray Red. They share the same base body in the lore, but the kits th

Together with the BB Senshi Astray Red.
They share the same base body in the lore, but the kits themselves are designed completely differently.

Following the Build Strike Gundam, the Sengoku Astray Gundam has now gotten the BB Senshi treatment too. Bandai is really pushing Build Fighters across every product line. Honestly, the previous SD Build Strike Gundam came out feeling a bit old-school in terms of quality, which was a little disappointing — but this Sengoku Astray has come out at a pretty solid quality level.

First off, the overall molding is a step up compared to the Build Strike — the edges are sharper and the sense of depth is much better. Sure, the source design itself is more complex, but the end result feels like a significant upgrade in terms of detail and proportions. ^^

Also, the Oni Shield that's so characteristic of the Sengoku Astray is large and nicely detailed — it almost feels like an MG part. The fist-shaped shoulder armor deployment is also implemented as a moving gimmick. That said, unlike the HG or MG versions, the range of deployment is limited, so you can't really position it in a wide variety of ways. And while the elbow joints do have a movement gimmick — as you'd expect from a BB Senshi on the larger side — it's a bit of a shame that the shoulder armor is so big it barely lets them move.

Just like the previous Build Strike Gundam, you can remove the helmet and some armor pieces to attach Musha Gundam armor — that same compatibility feature is included here too. With a gimmick like that, it almost feels like a Musha Gundam-series BB Senshi, but it is still part of an official Gundam anime lineup.

Anyway, even if you were disappointed by the previous BB Senshi Build Strike Gundam, this one comes out at a quality level that should satisfy you well enough. And even without striking any particular pose, the finished kit looks plenty cool just sitting there — it's a great SD kit. :-)

SD Sengoku Astray Gundam | 2014.4 | ¥600

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.