Kit Review

Straight build + panel lining + decals

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack - The universal size reference — a cigarette pack comparison. The big back l

The universal size reference — a cigarette pack comparison.
The big back load makes its build look even more substantial.

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack - This kit is a full-option set that combines both of the Akatsuki Gundam's

This kit is a full-option set that combines both of the Akatsuki Gundam's option packs — the Oowashipack and the Shiranuipack.

Shiranui Akatsuki Gundam

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack (1/2)

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack (2/2)

Shiranui backpack

Using 7 bit weapons

The color separation is pretty solid, as you'd expect from a 1/100.

Dry decals are applied as serial numbers.

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack - Now for the size comparison with the Oowashi Akatsuki Gundam. It's wide si

Now for the size comparison with the Oowashi Akatsuki Gundam.
It's wide side-to-side but not so much in height..

Just a soft-focus glamour shot for the heck of it..

The Oowashipack can transform into a plane-like form.

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack - The black and white sections on the wings are all separate color-separated

The black and white sections on the wings are all separate color-separated parts.
Pretty premium color separation! :-)

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack - Oowashipack with wings folded (1/3)

Oowashipack with wings folded

Side profile comparison. The Shiranuipack is slim and light so it stands up straight easily,
but the Oowashipack has such large wings that you need to shift the body's center of gravity slightly forward to get it to stand properly.
The joints are very sturdy to begin with, so as long as you get the balance right it'll stand just fine.

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack - Close-up front shot. Gorgeous sheen. The chin and chest areas have differe

Close-up front shot. Gorgeous sheen.
The chin and chest areas have different coating colors.

The face turned out looking pretty good.

The gleam from the back is something else. Definitely worth clicking! ^^;

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack - The side of the head, shoulders, and more.. dry decals are included, which

The side of the head, shoulders, and more..
Dry decals are included, which you wouldn't normally expect from a No Grade 1/100.

The legs look nice and clean too.

The shield's color separation is perfect too.

A beam saber and beam rifle can be mounted on the sides.

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack - Normal mode with the backpack removed. The back of the body looks very sim

Normal mode with the backpack removed.
The back of the body looks very similar to the Strike.

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack - Articulation is a bit better than your average 1/100. The elbows have doub

Articulation is a bit better than your average 1/100.
The elbows have double-jointed movement too, though they don't fold all the way..

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack - Whoa.. the shoulder joint up-and-down movement gimmick usually reserved fo

Whoa.. the shoulder joint up-and-down movement gimmick usually reserved for high-end MGs is right here on this kit.

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack - Stand-on action! The action stand that's a staple of SEED 1/100 limited ed

Stand-on action!
The action stand that's a staple of SEED 1/100 limited editions is included with this kit.

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack - A beam saber can be attached to the underside of the beam rifle like a bay

A beam saber can be attached to the underside of the beam rifle like a bayonet.

Bayonet action

The railgun on the Oowashipack is slide-action.

Energy beam cannon, ready!

Now, action shots with the Shiranui backpack equipped.

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack - The Shiranui backpack can also be used like a cannon, as shown above. (1/3

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack - The Shiranui backpack can also be used like a cannon, as shown above. (2/3

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack - The Shiranui backpack can also be used like a cannon, as shown above. (3/3

The Shiranuipack can also be used like a cannon, as shown above.

Classic action pose. Click recommended.

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack - Beam saber action. Both beam sabers can be mounted front and back at the s

Beam saber action. Both beam sabers can be mounted front and back at the same time.

Just a random soft-focus glamour shot.

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack - Comparison shots with the HG Shiranuipack Akatsuki and Oowashipack Akatsuk

Comparison shots with the HG Shiranuipack Akatsuki and Oowashipack Akatsuki.
The 1/100 is obviously in a completely different league quality-wise.

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack - The Oowashipack Akatsuki looks much better viewed from above. You can real

The Oowashipack Akatsuki looks much better viewed from above.
You can really see the difference between the HG wings done with seals versus the perfect color separation on the 1/100.

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack - Straight build shots (1/4)

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack - Straight build shots (2/4)

Straight build shots

The Akatsuki Gundam that always felt like it deserved a 1/100 release has finally arrived. And not just that — it comes as a full-option package with both the Oowashipack and Shiranuipack included together. Packed with content and featuring under-gate gold coating throughout, it launched at ¥6500, which puts it at the top of the price range among No Grade 1/100 kits.

The basic build quality is on par with recent No Grade 1/100 releases, and the coating quality is about what you'd expect — decent, nothing surprising. Thanks to the under-gate design, gate marks are barely noticeable, but the plated surfaces do pick up fingerprints like crazy. ^^; That's why I shot all the review photos while wearing those thin vinyl gloves people use for kimchi-making... yeah.

A few things really stand out: the color separation on the wings and bit weapons is nearly MG-level — impressively well done — and the shield's subtle color combination is also properly separated. It's a whole different world compared to the HG Akatsuki, which needed a lot of partial painting. Thanks to the gorgeous plated surfaces combined with the excellent color separation, this kit looks seriously impressive even as a straight straight build.

I especially want to give it credit for the joint strength — it's remarkably solid. The joints are actually far more reliable than those on MG kits with their elaborate internal frame mechanisms, which makes sense given that the No Grade 1/100 structure is inherently simpler. The one weak point is the side-mounted beam sabers, which tend to fall off regardless of which kit you're dealing with — and the 1/100 Akatsuki is no exception. The Energie beam cannon mounted under the Oowashipack also has a somewhat loose fit and tends to drop off. Set those aside, though, and the joint strength is a solid 120 out of 100.

Articulation is decent enough. Arm and leg bend is a bit better than your average 1/100, and the MG-style shoulder raise mechanism is a nice touch that really helps bring action poses to life. That said, one thing that bugs me when posing it is the limited hip joint range of motion — the legs just don't spread sideways very much, so truly dynamic poses are pretty much off the table. Given how noticeably restricted the leg spread is compared to everything else, it kind of feels like Bandai has their own philosophy (?) that No Grades should stay in their lane. ^^;

This kit includes the action stand that's been a regular bonus with the first-run limited editions of the 1/100 SEED Destiny kits. The joints are sturdy enough that you don't really need the stand, but with all the gear hanging off this thing, displaying it on the stand definitely makes it look that much cooler.

One thing to keep in mind — a common issue with plated kits is that panel lining with a panel liner pen is a real pain. The ink just doesn't want to stick to that glossy surface. So yeah, panel lining this kit is quite the ordeal for various reasons. ^^;

Overall, it's a clean, solid coated 1/100 with no major complaints. There's not much else to say really — just sit back and enjoy the photos. ^^;

1/100 Akatsuki Gundam ~ Shiranuipack/Oowashipack | 2007. 3 | ¥6,500

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.