Kit Review

Straight build

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Bottom view

Frame and armor separated

This kit uses a gray-colored SD frame.

Weapons lineup.
The rifle has some serious sink marks going on.

The funnels can be detached.

The mono-eye, made from a clear part, can rotate horizontally —
but due to the angle, you can barely see it..

SD articulation so limited it's almost embarrassing to even call it limb articulation.

The binders rotate and move around a little.

Action pose

Together with the SDCS Crossbone Gundam X1 and First Gundam, released at the same time.

Together with the BB Senshi Sazabi.

Together with the RE/100 Nightingale.

Swapping in the separately sold CS White Frame.

SD Nightingale - After swapping to the CS frame, flip out the support peg hidden under the rear skirt to adjust the height an

After swapping to the CS frame, flip out the support peg hidden under the rear skirt to adjust the height and plug it in.

With the CS frame applied

Before/after comparison with the CS frame

SD Nightingale - Action pose with the CS frame applied (1/4)

SD Nightingale - Action pose with the CS frame applied (2/4)

Action pose with the CS frame applied

The third SDCS kit is the Nightingale, and true to its lore as a massive, hulking mobile suit, it comes out with a very chunky volume that almost feels too big to call an SD. It's a big boy, but it uses the same SD frame as the First Gundam and Crossbone X1 released alongside it — the difference being that it comes with a gray frame instead of white.

The frame itself is small, but layers of armor and internal skeleton parts pile on to build up that big silhouette, and thankfully the parts all lock together really solidly so everything holds its shape nice and firm. That said, the sheer bulk of it makes the already-limited SD articulation even more restricted, so pulling off any particularly dynamic poses is pretty tough. But then again, this is a kit that sells itself on the presence of that massive backpack, so even a simple pose makes for a great display.

Feature-wise, the mono-eye in the head does rotate, but structurally the eye itself is barely visible so it doesn't feel all that useful. The 10 funnels on the binders can also be detached. And like the other kits in the line, you can swap in the separately sold Cross Frame — but maybe because of how big this thing is, the proportional change after the frame swap isn't quite as dramatic compared to the other kits. The arm articulation does improve a little, but the chunky legs don't feel all that different.

That said, the presence and style of this kit are just outstanding, and the durability is impressive for its size, making it a highly recommended SDCS kit. Personally, I think the Nightingale looks great enough without even bothering with the Cross Frame :-)
--------------------------

SD Nightingale | 2018.6 | ¥1,400

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.