Kit Review

Straight build

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Not only the molded color, but the decal markings on the legs have changed slightly as well.

The newly revised weapons for the Great Sabre.

Cockpit hatch open

Tomy EPZ-003 Great Sabre - Articulation of the new weapon units (1/3)

Articulation of the new weapon units

Underside view

Leftover parts for the Saber Tiger.

Action pose 1

Tomy EPZ-003 Great Sabre - Action pose with weapons deployed (1/3)

Action pose with weapons deployed

Tomy EPZ-003 Great Sabre - Together with the Saber Tiger. The lore here is that the molded color has been changed along with

Together with the Saber Tiger.
The lore here is that the molded color has been changed along with the back weapons being swapped out for new ones.

Together with Kotobukiya HMM's 1/72 Great Sabre.

The Great Sabre has been released as the second variation kit in the Tomy-Tec MSS Zoids lineup, following the Shield Liger Mk-II. Since the concept is basically the Saber Tiger with the molded color shifted to a dark black scheme and more complex back weapons, about 80% of the parts are carried straight over from the Saber Tiger.

So the basic body construction and articulation characteristics are completely identical to the previous Saber Tiger — this is really a kit where you just check out the new molded colors, decals, and the new weapon units. One thing to note is that this kit doesn't include a diorama base. Looking at the release pattern so far... it feels like they're leaving the diorama base out of variation kits, just like they did with the Shield Liger Mk-II. Hmm.

The overall kit construction and features are the same as the previous releases — small but packed with neat little details, solid color separation, and pre-painted parts, so the straight build looks pretty decent. The Great Sabre's weapon units also move around in various places, letting you pull off slightly more dynamic scenes than with the Saber Tiger. That said, looking at how it's still smaller than a cigarette pack, you do start to wonder if this is really a ¥3,500 plastic model — basically Bandai MG territory ^^;

Anyway, due to copyright reasons Kotobukiya calls it "Sabre" while Tomy goes with "Saber," but either way it's a solid variation kit that carries on the RG Zoids tradition well. If you're after a tougher color scheme and flashier weapons, I'd recommend the Great Sabre over the Saber Tiger :-)

EPZ-003 Great Sabre | 2013. 9 | ¥3,500

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.