Kit Review

Straight build

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Outer armor removed

The Cross Silhouette Frame 2 is the same as the Mazinger kits.

A total of 5 hands are included.

The only weapon included is a single Dividing Driver.

SD GaoGaiGar - To pull off the Hell & Heaven pose with both hands clasped together, you need to pull out the forearm part

To pull off the Hell & Heaven pose with both hands clasped together, you need to pull out the forearm parts hidden on the outer sides of the shoulders.

Limb articulation

Action poses

SD GaoGaiGar - Just like Mazinga Z, you can remove the elbow and knee joints and swap out the eyes to switch to SD mode. For

Just like Mazinga Z, you can remove the elbow and knee joints and swap out the eyes to switch to SD mode.
For the eyes, the black area around the pupils is just slightly larger.

SD mode

SD mode vs. CS mode comparison

SD mode action

Together with SDCS Mazinga Z.

Together with Kotobukiya D-Style GaoGaiGar.

GaoGaiGar has joined the SD Cross Silhouette lineup. It covers similar ground as the Kotobukiya D-Style GaoGaiGar, but being a Bandai release, it ends up feeling quite different in a number of ways.

First off, unlike the Kotobukiya kit, transformation functionality has been boldly dropped in favor of a straight action kit — and as a result, the overall stability and proportions feel better for it. You can also really feel that Bandai quality in the smooth straight build, the articulation, and the excellent color separation and molded colors.

The frame uses the Cross Frame 2 from the Mazinger line, and the method of switching to SD proportions by removing the elbow and knee joints is the same as well. Swapping out the eyes when going between CS and SD frames is also identical — in SD mode the black area around the pupils is a bit wider, but once it's all built up it's honestly hard to tell the difference.

The Dividing Driver is included as a weapon, and to pull off the Hell & Heaven pose with both hands clasped together, you need to pull out an extra forearm hidden inside the shoulder armor and lock the arms in an outstretched position. On top of that, five hands are included so you can strike a variety of poses, though the range of poses you can pull off in SD frame mode — without the elbow and knee joints — is naturally a bit limited.

This is hands-down the cleanest quality GaoGaiGar model kit we've seen so far — it trades away the transformation gimmick in exchange for solid stability. Either way, if you're a GaoGaiGar fan, this is a fantastic kit I'd highly recommend. :-)

SD GaoGaiGar | 2019.11 | ¥1,800

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.