Real Grade 00 Qan[T]

Review by Rob

This sample was provided by BlueFin Distributions and is available at Amazon!

The GNT-0000 Gundam 00 Qan[T] is the final Mobile Suit developed by Celestial Being appearing in the feature film “Gundam 00 –Awakening of the Trailblazer.” The 00 Qan[T], pronounced as “Quanta,” is designed around its pilot Setsuna F. Seiei’s ability to focus his quantum brainwaves and uses an improved Twin-Drive system that increases its capabilities nearly beyond measure.

When the Earth was under attack from a mysterious alien race called the ELS (Extraterrestrial Living-Metal Shapeshifters), it was left to Setsuna and the 00 Qan[T] to engage the first dialogue between humanity and aliens, blazing a trail towards the future.

As the 21st model in the 1:144 scale Real Grade line, the 00 Qan[T] was released in 2016 and marks the third Mobile Suit from the Anno Domini universe produced.

Out of the box, the 00 Qan[T] is built from 12 plastic runners molded in the Gundam’s primary colors of red, white, blue, and yellow plastic accented by the clear green parts for the Gundam’s GN Particle Condensers and GN Sword Bits.

True to the Real Grade color pattern, the model uses two shades of blue plastic and a light gray plastic to contrast where moving plates intersect.

The Gundam’s inner frame and joints are molded in two shades of gray plastic with Bandai’s common gray for the exposed areas and a darker gray used in the Advanced Joint parts.

The Real Grade Qan[T] uses Bandai’s Advanced Joint #7 part set that was designed for the “Gundam 00” series which was first introduced with the Gundam Exia and used again for the 00 Gundam.

However the 00 Qan[T] does not use the entire set of parts and replaces the prebuilt hips and arms with new assemblies that better match the Gundam’s more articulated frame and minimalist armor design.

The model also come with a series of “real detail” decals which include stylized striping patterns and warning labels, but there is also a set of chromed decals that fit over joint areas and panels on the completed kit.

I chose not to use them, and instead I painted these areas with silver enamel that I also used on a couple of other areas.

Because they are a key element of the Gundam’s design, the only decals I used were the ones for the GN Particle Condensers on its head, arms, legs, and chest. The way the metallic decals glow against the clear green plastic is impressive in creating a sort of holographic effect.

The model’s full color injection looks fantastic and there’s virtually little need to paint it.

Counting the series as a whole, the Mobile Suit designs from “Gundam 00” suffered greatly from being simplified as the show progressed.

In Real Grade form, the 00 Qan[T] is given more treatment in its paneling, which breathes some much needed detail to the Gundam especially after using Gundammarkers and a Rapidoliner.

Compared to my Real Grade GP01, the 00 Qan[T] still comes off as having a very smooth surface even with the more rigid, accenting panel lines.

While working on this model, I chose to use paint sparingly. I limited myself to using Testors Model Master “Gunship Gray” acrylic to match certain points on the model’s surface with the inner frame color.

This was mostly on the exposed undersides of the armor and where two different colored parts connected without blending. An example of this would be the backsides of the knee armor which are molded in blue plastic and noticeably visible against the gray inner frame.

In a rapid sense of start to finish, building the model could easily be done in a few hours. This isn’t a bad thing, as the precision molding and details of the incredibly small parts for this model are fantastic!

As Real Grades have more elaborately molded parts, there is a tedious amount of trimming plastic debris. Some of the parts are molded onto the runners using Bandai’s under-gate injection, which is good to hide nub marks but there are several parts that are molded across folded surfaces and tight angles.

For such a compact model in 1:144 scale, this can be a bit of a chore but the work speaks for itself.

Fully built, the 00 Qan[T] stands at 5 inches tall from heel to v-crest.

Against other model kits from the same series and scale, the 00 Qan[T] is a compact and nimble looking design. The 00 Qan[T] is one of the most athletic Mobile Suit designs in recent times, and is very flexible like a natural human body and I’m just as impressed with how the armor moves fluidly around it.

This is where the model excels as a part of the Real Grade line, sacrificing realistic details in favor of improved articulation thanks to the Advanced Joint frame.

The overall look of the 00 Qan[T] combines Setsuna’s original GN-001 Gundam Exia with the GN-0000 00 Gundam into a single mechanical form.

The design is practically split down the middle, with the longer shoulder armor and a forearm gantlet on the right arm, and the shield binder mounted to the back that hangs down over its left arm.

The GN Shield (or as the manual accidentally spelled SHILED) is modeled after the 00 Gundam’s support system, the 0-Raiser.

While the asymmetric design of the Qan[T] is a trait I’ve never personally cared for, I feel it adds a dynamic flair to the Gundam’s look.

The way the shield binder covers the left arm is reminiscent of a cape. In the case of the series, it seems like a throwback to when Setsuna repaired the damaged Gundam Exia at the end of the first season to cover its missing arm.

The Qan [T] is still a Twin-Drive model using two Solar Reactors, but the GN Drives are not mounted to the back pack like the 00 Gundam.

Instead, one Solar Reactor is built into the Gundam’s chest and the other in the shield binder.

The model does allow for the torso mounted GN Drive to be removed, just like its 1:100 scale Master Grade relative. However due to its size, there is no LED gimmick to go with it.

The arrangement of the Twin Drive centers on the Gundam’s “Quantum System” where the two Drives connect with each other for the Gundam’s “Quantum Burst” mode, which sadly is the only disappointing feature with this model.

While the two GN Drives can touch, they can’t make a perfect locking connection as say the Robot Spirits figure or even the Master Grade model can do. Even so, there’s nothing to really emphasize what this form means as there is no way to arrange the GN Sword Bits around the Gundam.

Luckily the effect can be recreated to some degree with one of Bandai’s Lightning Bases.

While the Real Grade kit for the Strike Freedom Gundam from “Gundam SEED” was given a Premium Exclusive upgrade to recreate its “wings of light” that also had display arms for its Dragoons, I’m disappointed that Bandai did not include anything for the 00 Qan[T]. Although it wouldn’t surprise me if there were a Premium Bandai Exclusive “Trans-Am” mode released later this year.

The 00 Qan[T] is a very self contained Mobile Suit with regards to its weapons, but it has a fair share of accessory parts.

In addition to the Real Grade’s incredibly articulated hands, the model comes with two pairs of hands molded in fixed poses. This includes closed fists and a set for holding the weapons and a single left hand with its fingers extended and spread out.

The model also includes a tab piece that connects the sword to the Gundam’s waist and a mounting bracket for connecting the 00 Qan[T] with a 1:144 scale Action Base 2.

Following in the tradition of Setsuna’s Gundams only using blades, the 00 Qan[T] carries the GN Sword V as its primary weapon and six GN Sword Bits that dock onto the shield.

The seven in total a nod to the Exia’s nickname “Gundam Seven Swords” and the Mobile Suit Variation of the 00 Gundam.

The overall use of clear parts for this model and especially its blades is sharp.

The six Sword Bits have folding handles to allow the Gundam to use them as hand held blades even though they are thought-controlled remote weapons.

While the 00 Qan[T] never actually used them like that in the film, the folding handles on the Sword Bits are more for their combined use with the GN Sword V.

The GN Sword V features the ability to combine with the Sword Bits to become the GN Buster Sword, a massive bladed weapon with an alternate Buster Rifle mode.

By far, the Real Grade’s Buster Sword is the best interpretation of it, far superior to even the Master Grade simply because the model can hold it! The Sword’s connection is reinforced by the tab in the guard piece that locks into the groove on the top of the forearm.

Even with the model’s arms being strong enough to hold the weight of the sword, Bandai did include for the Qan[T] to have alternate means of suspending it.

The model includes tab pieces that lock into grooves of the sword handles with the model’s articulated hands whereas the alternative fixed pose hands already have tabs molded onto them.

While the articulated hands are a staple of the Real Grade line as a whole, this is one time I prefer to use the fixed pose hands since the accessory tabs are so small they can be lost easily.

What is more useful is model comes with a jointed display stanchion to allow it to hold the Buster Sword with ease from ground level which can also be connected to an Action Base 2 for when the Gundam is suspended.
The stand balances the sword and still give the model freedom to move around it.

Overall, the Real Grade Gundam 00 Qan[T] is a fun, intricate build and a great representation of the Gundam that surpasses its Master Grade.

The crispness of the details in the 1:144 scale and articulation are phenomenal while albeit remaining a very simple model for its Grade. While it doesn’t break any new ground compared to other models, the 00 Qan[T] continues to blaze a trail towards the future for Gunpla!