Kit Review

Straight build

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Straight build

SD RX-78 Gundam - Photos after applying seals (1/4)

SD RX-78 Gundam - Photos after applying seals (2/4)

SD RX-78 Gundam - Photos after applying seals (3/4)

SD RX-78 Gundam - Photos after applying seals (4/4)

After applying stickers

SD RX-78 Gundam - Huge sink marks visible on the back of the thighs, inner forearms, and soles of the feet..;; (1/3)

Huge sink marks visible on the back of the thighs, inner forearms, and soles of the feet..;;

Standard weapons.

SD RX-78 Gundam - The elbows rotate 90 degrees and the legs can spread forward/backward and side to side a little, but the an

The elbows rotate 90 degrees and the legs can spread forward/backward and side to side a little,
but the ankles are fairly flexible so you can get better poses than you'd expect.

SD RX-78 Gundam - Beam Rifle Firing Pose (1/3)

Beam rifle firing pose

Beam rifle + beam saber pose.
The shield can be mounted on the backpack.

SD RX-78 Gundam - Natural beam saber pose (1/3)

Natural beam saber pose

Airborne beam saber pose

Original gimmick A:
Beam rifle + head antenna + beam saber

Original gimmick B:
Shield + backpack + beam rifle

Original gimmick C:
Shield + backpack + beam saber

SD RX-78 Gundam - Alongside the BB Senshi First Gundam. The proportions have changed significantly, with a smaller head and t

Alongside the BB Senshi First Gundam.
The proportions have changed significantly, with a smaller head and torso and the addition of leg parts.

It's been 16 years since the old G Generation SD Gundam kits were upgraded into the BB Senshi series, and now a brand-new SD Gundam line called EX Standard has kicked off. And of course, the first release is the First Gundam — coming out with a completely redesigned set of proportions.^^

The standout feature of the EX Standard First Gundam is the addition of actual legs, something the older kits didn't have. Early SD Gundams had feet attached directly to the lower body with no legs in between, but more recent BB Senshi kits have started to include them. This is the first SD First Gundam to come with legs, and combined with the smaller head and torso, it feels like it's grown up a bit — from a toddler-like look to more of a kid-like appearance.

Beyond the change in proportions, the overall sculpt and design have been updated to a more modern style as well. In particular, the revised joint structure now allows for dynamic poses that were hard to pull off with older SD Gundams — things like a running slash with the beam saber, or a sideways beam rifle shot with the waist and legs bent. These kinds of realistic poses can now be pulled off pretty naturally.

That said, there are some areas where it falls short compared to older BB Senshi kits. Most notably, there are large sink marks on the backs of the legs, inner forearms, and soles of the feet — something you didn't see on older BB Senshi kits — and the color separation isn't great, so quite a bit of seal work is needed. Taking all of this into account, the concept of the new SD EX Standard seriescan be summed up as follows:

1. Keep the parts count as simple as possible — minimal parts breakdown, sink marks unavoidable
2. To compensate, use a large number of seals to replicate the intended colors
3. Slimmer, more modern proportions — smaller head and torso, longer legs
4. More flexible articulation and posing compared to older SD kits

Overall, the proportions, sculpt, and articulation are definitely a step up from the older BB Senshi kits. But in trying to keep the parts count as minimal as possible, the color separation has actually taken a step back compared to older BB Senshi releases, and there are now sink marks where there weren't any before — which is a bit of a shame. On top of that, a lot of seal work is needed to make up for the lacking color separation, and not only is it a hassle, but the end result doesn't look as good as the older BB Senshi series either, which is another letdown.

The sink marks and the lack of color separation requiring tons of seal work seem to be a result of the kit's "simplicity" concept, so it's really a trade-off kind of situation. Either way, it's not exactly a perfect upgrade, but it's clearly a fresh take on the SD kit format. Especially when you consider the more refined proportions and the improved articulation and posing, it's definitely worth picking up for a fun, casual build. :-)

SD RX-78 Gundam | 2015.10 | ¥600

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.