SD Sangoku Soketsuden Zhou Yu Akatsuki

Release 2019.10

Price ¥800

BANDAI BANDAI Japan product info

Runners

Parts diagram

Manual

Straight build + Stickers

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Straight build shot before applying seals

SD Zhou Yu Akatsuki - After applying seals (1/2)

SD Zhou Yu Akatsuki - After applying seals (2/2)

After applying stickers

A shared frame runner is included. (Black molded color in this kit)

There's a bit of sink marks on the inner thighs.

The Flame Memory is stored inside the rifle, but the sink marks there are pretty noticeable.

The backpack can be reconfigured into a weapon called the Shiranui.

SD Zhou Yu Akatsuki - The four blades on the backpack can be used as individual weapons, or connected together to create a fl

The four blades on the backpack can be used as individual weapons,
or connected together to create a flame effect for the rifle.

SD Zhou Yu Akatsuki - Articulation covers the head, waist, shoulders, and hip joints, with the shoulders able to swing slight

Articulation covers the head, waist, shoulders, and hip joints, with the shoulders able to swing slightly forward and back.

Action pose

Together with SD Sun Jian Gundam Astray

Together with SD Zhen Zhou Yu Hyaku-Shiki.

* Since this series follows a standardized lineup format with most features shared across kits, I'll break the review down into common points and kit-specific highlights ^^

--- 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 produced at Bandai's Chinese factory rather than their 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 sense of volume and overall sculpt are impressive, and small gates are used throughout, making assembly a breeze. The head is also smaller than traditional SD proportions, giving the figure a slimmer silhouette — seems like SD-grade proportions are trending in this direction. The sink marks, a classic SD trait, show up mainly on the inner arms and legs, but they're positioned where they're not too obvious, so it doesn't really stand out.

In terms of construction, a shared frame runner is included, though it only covers the torso and thighs. It feels like they were trying to follow the SD Cross Frame concept but deliberately simplified it. 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 swing slightly forward and back, and the waist can rotate on all kits as standard. The frame structure also allows the upper body to lean forward slightly, 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 visuals are flashy, and being made in China, the value for money feels pretty good relative to what you get. It's also worth noting that the character names are written in Chinese pronunciation rather than Japanese when spelled out in English — a nice little touch. Overall, the verdict is "better quality than expected" — if the style appeals to you, it's an addictive lineup that's a lot of fun to build.
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The 23rd kit in the SD Sangoku Soketsuden lineup is Zhou Yu Akatsuki. It's based on the Shiranui Akatsuki Gundam from Gundam SEED, and its standout feature is the ability to combine the four blades on its back into a weapon configuration called the Shiranui.

Connecting all four blades in a chain lets you plug them onto the front of the rifle to create a flame effect, and the Shiranui itself can be used in two forms — rifle mode and shield mode. Hollow areas are relatively few overall, appearing only slightly on the inner thighs, and the rifle also stores the Flame Memory inside.

That said, the joints are a bit stiff throughout and the range of motion is oddly limited, making posing trickier than you'd expect. Still, the colors and styling are so eye-catching that the visual payoff once it's finished is excellent. :-)

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.