While I am pretty much out of my Gundam phase, one thing drew me to this figure - it has a metal chain weapon!

This is another one of those toys that adorned my cubicle, the product of being bored at lunch and having a ToyWorks store nearby.

After the G Gundam line had faded, the larger size (not DX) figures showed up at KayBee and ToyWorks stores. These were really some of the better Gundam figures available to the American market. They had harder plastic, better construction, and sometimes superior detailing.

While I am pretty much out of my Gundam phase, one thing drew me to this figure – it has a metal chain weapon!

Bolt Gundam is a nice figure, with decent poseability, and some good features. One feature is the removable core fighter – a car-like vehicle that inserts into the figures’ back. Another is the white staff weapon, which can be held on its own, stored, or the chain can be attached to it. Attached to the other end of the chain is the Graviton Hammer, a massive ball that can be swung or attached to the shoulder of Bolt Gundam.

Not a bad figure at all… but not much else to say about it really.

It's interesting to see how two toys in the same line can vary so much in quality. Take, for example, this Gundam Rose and the Haow Gundam. The Haow is a high quality toy. Sturdy, great action features, and solid. The Gundam Rose, on the other hand, is a piece of crap.

It's interesting to see how two toys in the same line can vary so much in quality. Take, for example, this Gundam Rose and the Haow Gundam. The Haow is a high quality toy. Sturdy, great action features, and solid. The Gundam Rose, on the other hand, is a piece of crap.

Why the harsh words you say? Well, first of all, the paint is terrible. Specks of paint, over spray, you name it. The plastic feels cheap and brittle, and there are sprue marks all over the toy. The toy is also top heavy, so it is such a pain to get it to stand up, never mind strike a dynamic pose. At 7.5" inches tall, it doesn't have far to fall.

Gundam Rose has a neat gimmick, where you lift his shoulder armor up in the back, and the front raises to reveal a missile launcher that houses rose shaped missiles that don't fire. you actually get quite a few rose missiles, but you can only store 2 on the figure. You also get 2 swords, and a lame lame core booster that plugs into the back. Oh, and you get an extra pointing hand, so the toy can mock you for buying it.

Haow Gundam is one of those toys that I probably wouldn't have bought, but I
ended up with as a gift. It's actually pretty cool.

Haow Gundam is one of those toys that I probably wouldn't have bought, but I ended up with as a gift. It's actually pretty cool.

Each Christmas, my Wife asks my kids what they want to get me as a present. They always say robots, which is of course fine by me. Now, I don't collect Gundam, but to a 9 year old girl, they all look the same. She saw the Haow, it looked cool, and that's all there is about that. As you can imagine, I get a lot of interesting toys that way.

I lucked out on the Haow. The G Gundam designs have always appealed to me because they break out of the typical Gundam look. There are actually some pretty crazy and inventive designs in the line. I don't know the backstory of the Haow Gundam, but from looking up the character on the official Bandai site, he appears to be the main mech of a character called Master Asia, who can destroy Gundams with his bare hands.

As for the toy itself, Haow is about 7.5 inches tall and is not as flexible as some others in the line due to the design of the character. Detail is nice, but most detail is molded into the color with paint applications being reserved for the armor. Haow comes with a small core booster which attaches to the back, and a large cloth like weapon. It may make sense in the show, but as part of the toy it's kind of lame.

What's not lame is the action feature. Swing the right leg out and the left leg kicks out as well. It enables Haow Gundam to strike some pretty cool poses.

Right now, Haow Gundam, along with the rest of the 7.5" line, are being clearanced in stores in the USA. pick them up for some great deals on a great toy.

Review forthcoming

God Gundam comes from the series Mobile Fighter G Gundam. In the series, the God Gundam was developed by Neo Japan to fight in the finals. It was designed to be the most powerful Gundam in the entire Gundam Fight.

Bandai released the God Gundam toy in 1996. It features a ton of gimmicks, such as:

• Machine cannons open
• Beam Sabers
• God Slasher action on forearms
• Light up chest
• Removable core fighter
• Moveable wings
• Back of legs open to reveal thrusters

This DX Gundam is made of a softer plastic than today's DX Gundams, and it is extremely white. It holds a pose nice, and it is less prone to parts falling off than the other DXs.

The removable core fighter lacks a lot of detail, but it is solid. It fits firmly into God Gundam's back.

The light up chest is not particularly bright, and suffers from a lack of an accompanying sound effect. see animation

You can lift up the panels on his shoulders to reveal the machine cannons, and you can simulate the GOD SLASHER attack by sliding his forearms down. The arms do look short on this figure. The beam sabers hilt can be placed in the side skirt armor when not in use. God Gundam has articulated hands, but not individual fingers. He can clamp his hand around the beam saber, but it is not a fight fit.

God Gundam was supposed to be released as Burning Gundam, but rumor has it that the re-release was cancelled. Right now, the only one you can get is the imported Japanese version.

Asura Gundam is an odd concept. He's a 6 armed gundam, that can be transformed into a floating torso and 2 snake legs.

The first thing you notice is the three sets of arms. You can remove the arms so it is only the standard two. It comes with numerous sets of hands, including praying hands, and hands to hold a gun or saber (although this figure does not come with either.)

The detail on the figure is fantastic. Numerous points of articulation, although the extra arms are limited in the poses they can achieve.

The transformation is pretty simple. Remove the legs, and attach the arms to the top of them to make the snake - crab - scorpion things.

In all, it's not a very interesting transformation. If you are a fan of the crazy G Gundam designs, i'm sure you will like it. But for the casual Gundam fan, you may not find enough to keep you interested.