Kit Review

Straight build + Partial paint + Panel lining + Decals

1/100 Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu - The universal size reference — a cigarette pack comparison. It's got more volume than

The universal size reference — a cigarette pack comparison. It's got more volume than other 1/100s.

1/100 Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu - I barely did any panel lining at all, so these shots are pretty much the same as a st

I barely did any panel lining at all, so these shots are pretty much the same as a straight straight build.

1/100 Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu - Upper body front. Gold plating plus glossy black molded color... it's dazzling. @_@ (

Upper body front. Gold plating plus glossy black molded color... it's dazzling. @_@

Those glossy, shiny legs.

One uniquely shaped head.

1/100 Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu - The red areas on the head, wings, weapons, and front/top of the shoulders are all han

The red areas on the head, wings, weapons, and front/top of the shoulders are all handled with seals.
The mismatch is actually not as bad as you'd expect.

1/100 Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu - Articulation is a bit worse than the normal Astray. The arms and legs are similar, bu

Articulation is a bit worse than the normal Astray.
The arms and legs are similar, but there's a big difference in ankle flexibility.

The hook weapon on the left arm called the Tsumuha no Tachi moves like this.

Action po~se!

The right arm weapon, Trikeros Kai, is similar to Blitz Gundam's armament.

Full-on power action!

1/100 Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu - Spreading both wings — called the Maga no Ikutachi — makes the overall volume absolute

Spreading both wings — called the Maga no Ikutachi — makes the overall volume absolutely massive.

The projectile weapon mounted on the wings, called the Maga no Shirahoko.

Menacing claw(?) action

Dual sword action

1/100 Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu - Beam saber action... technically it doesn't carry a beam saber in the lore, but I bor

Beam saber action... technically it doesn't carry a beam saber in the lore,
but I borrowed the soft-plastic beam saber from another Astray kit for the photo. :-)
The beam saber hilt is included as a leftover part, but the soft-plastic beam saber blade itself isn't in the box.

Rear view with the wing weapons removed. Looks super cool.

This kit comes with leftover parts like the ones shown above...

1/100 Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu - If you look closely, you can actually build the right arm in the gold frame + black a

If you look closely, you can actually build the right arm in the gold frame + black armor configuration too.

1/100 Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu - With the Blitz Gundam-style right arm swapped out, both arms replaced with gold frame

With the Blitz Gundam-style right arm swapped out, both arms replaced with gold frame arms.

1/100 Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu - However, the right arm is missing the rear shoulder duct parts, so it's not a perfect

However, the right arm is missing the rear shoulder duct parts, so it's not a perfect match. ^^;

Dropping the backpack and striking a pose~

1/100 Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu - Together with the Astray Gold Frame limited edition. The Amatsu is basically built on

Together with the Astray Gold Frame limited edition.
The Amatsu is basically built on the Gold Frame as its base.

1/100 Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu - Together with the Red Frame. The Amatsu is wearing platform shoes on top of all the s

Together with the Red Frame. The Amatsu is wearing platform shoes on top of all the stuff hanging off it,
so it looks way bulkier than a regular Astray.

The regular release Astray trio. All three are packed with personality.

All five 1/100 Astray siblings, including the limited editions.

1/100 Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu - A group shot of glossy black molded kits. The MG Gryphone is also molded in that same

A group shot of glossy black molded kits.
The MG Gryphone is also molded in that same dripping-with-gloss black just like the Amatsu.
But man, the MG Gryphone's sheer presence is something else. :-) A whole different level of volume compared to a regular 1/100.

1/100 Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu - The Amatsu, oozing demonic charisma. The fact that a straight straight build can look

The Amatsu, oozing demonic charisma.
The fact that a straight straight build can look this good is just incredible. ^^

The Astray has made a surprise return in the SEED Destiny 1/100 lineup. It's a side-story unit so it doesn't really matter whether it's under SEED or Destiny, but the timing of its appearance is a bit out of nowhere. ^^;

The Amatsu is the most complex-looking unit in the Astray line — the base is the Astray Gold Frame with black armor slapped on, the right arm is based on Blitz Gundam's arm giving it an asymmetrical design, and on top of that you've got weapons similar to Blitz Gundam's armament, a new head design, modified leg armor, and a massive pair of wings. It's an incredibly fusion-heavy machine. In a word, it's like a triple-mixed jjamppong with everything thrown in — sounds delicious~

Anyway, thanks to its cool style dripping with demonic charisma, this was a unit that many modelers had been putting out as custom builds ever since the 1/100 Astray was released — and it finally got an official kit release.

The gold-plated parts have the same feel and quality as the previously released Gold Frame limited edition, and with the black armor parts molded in a glossy finish like the MG Gryphone and Qubeley Mass Production Type, the overall color scheme is absolutely dazzling. Aside from the joints, the entire body is glossy, so it's shining from head to toe.

On top of that, as is well known, the frame parts with gold plating all use undergates, so gate marks are barely visible — and the glossy black molded color also hides gate marks well due to the nature of the color itself. With all these premium features packed in, this might just be one of the only kits — outside of plated parts versions — where a straight straight build delivers this level of visual quality!

Also, the joints on the 1/100 Astray that always felt a bit weak have been inadvertently improved here — the plating on the frame reduces the polycap play, tightening up the joint strength across the whole body. In short, everything is just the right amount of stiff, so it holds any pose well despite that big backpack. The fact that the ankle and knee joints in particular are solid is a real relief. ^^

The head is bigger, the overall volume is larger, big wings have been added, and the feet have been changed to high heels — all of this makes it look so much more impressive than the original 1/100 Astray. Especially when the wings are fully spread out, it boasts a wingspan of 35cm, and all these elements combined give it an incredibly powerful presence.

The downside is that despite being a variation of the Astray — which was once the king of No Grade articulation — the added leg armor and redesigned foot structure mean it can't pull off the same flashy poses as the old 1/100 Astray. The narrower foot soles in particular give it noticeably less stability compared to before. It's not like it'll topple over easily, but you do need to be a bit more careful when posing it. The limited articulation is a bit of a shame, but honestly it looks so cool even in a simple pose that it all kind of cancels out. ^^;

It's gotten pretty pricey for a 1/100 No Grade, but the gold plating, gloss-molded parts, and sturdier joints make it feel well worth the price. Once you've finished building it, it genuinely looks "expensive."

Either way, there's no doubt this is a high-quality kit that shows off incredible presence and charisma even as just a straight build. On the flip side, there aren't that many spots that really need panel lining, and the plated sections are tricky to panel line anyway — it looks plenty sharp without it. If you like the style, this is a highly recommended gem of a kit that you can pick up without worrying about quality. :-)

1/100 Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu | 2006. 7 | ¥3,800

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.