* This series is a standardized lineup, so most of the features are shared across kits — I'll cover the common points first, then get into what makes each one unique ^^
--- SD Sangoku Soketsuden common notes -----------------
In 2019, the SD Sangoku Soketsuden project kicked off to celebrate Gundam's 40th anniversary. The plastic models in this series are made at Bandai's Chinese factory rather than the Shizuoka plant, so the molded colors are a touch duller and the plastic feels a bit harder compared to Shizuoka-made kits. That said, the color separation is excellent, keeping seal usage to a minimum while still delivering a really striking look. The detail is a little soft, but the sculpting and sense of volume are impressive, and small gates are used throughout, making assembly a breeze. The proportions have also shifted from classic SD — the head is smaller and the overall silhouette is more slender, which seems to be the direction SD kits are heading these days. The sink marks you'd expect from SD kits show up mainly on the inner sides of the arms and legs, but they're positioned where they're not too noticeable, so it's not a big deal.
In terms of construction, a shared frame runner is included, though it only covers the torso and thighs. It almost feels like they were going for something like the SD Cross Frame but deliberately kept it simpler. Even so, this frame is a step up from older SD kits in terms of articulation. Knee joints have been added where there were none before, the shoulders can move slightly forward and back, and the waist can rotate on all of them. The frame structure also allows the upper body to lean forward a bit, which gives you more expressive poses than previous SD kits.
Accessories are kept minimal — most kits come with just one unique weapon. So while the contents are simple, the visual impact is anything but, and since these are made in China, the value for money tends to feel pretty good relative to what you get. One fun detail: when writing character names in English, they use Chinese pronunciation rather than Japanese — which is a nice touch for this kind of series. Overall, I'd call it "better than expected quality" — if the style clicks with you, it's a seriously addictive lineup.
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The 9th kit in the SD Sangoku Soketsuden series is Diao Chan Kshatriya. The biggest thing that sets this kit apart is that it uses a new frame runner different from the previous releases. For starters, the frame color has been changed to black, and aside from the shoulders, the overall structure is pretty much the same. That's probably because this kit has four large binders on the shoulders — it looks like a dedicated frame just for this kit.
Everything else stays true to the series concept, and the sink marks are only slightly visible on the inner sides of the forearms and thighs. The Snake Memory stores in the back of the calves, and the tips of the front large binders open up to lock weapons in place — a nice little gimmick. Those big binders also help you pull off more voluminous, dynamic poses.
As a bonus, you can detach certain parts and attach them to Lü Bu Sinanju as power-up parts for an even more imposing display. (Worth noting: the collaboration guide for this is actually explained in the Lü Bu Sinanju & Red Hare kit, not this one.) With its strong personality, great style, and cross-kit compatibility, this is easily one of the most recommended kits in the series :-)
AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.
