Arblade Custom
Review by Anavel
Intro
Another in Kotobukiya's line of Super Robot Wars plastic model kits. This is number 21 in the line which is currently up to 37. This kit is very good overall with a few minor problems. The mecha appears in Super Robot Wars Alpha 3 and is piloted by Ryusei Date.
Contents
A standard 31x19cm box. Artwork is uncredited this time but I assume it is still Yuji Kaida.
A total of 21 runners molded in various colors, polystyrene and abs plastic.
Construction
This kit can be built in two different modes which drives up the parts count. The kit can be swapped between the two modes freely. As usual for Kotobukiya there is no inner frame, but it is not necessary. Almost no painting is required except for some blue and gray on the wings and tonfas. No glue is required but it will help in some places. Most parts go together well, a few pieces were a tad difficult to assemble.
Features + Accessories
As mentioned earlier this kit can be swapped between two modes. It has extra armor and a different backpack that can be attached. It also comes with a rifle that can be changed from long to short, and pistols and tonfas which can be stored on the hips. Several hands are also included.
When in the armored mode there are cannons that flip up over the shoulders. The wings can flip up into flight mode or into the front to act as a shield.
Articulation
The kit is pretty well articulated and moves everywhere you would expect. The only problem is that the ankles and elbows are somewhat loose. This can make posing difficult at times. The elbows can't hold the weight of the large gun. and the figure sometimes falls over due to the loose ankles. Balance can also be problematic at times due to the weight of the backpack.
Conclusion
Overall this is a pretty good kit. I recommend it to any fan of the design but it certainly isn't a must have design or anything groundbreaking.
Comments
24 comments postedLooks like a gundam.
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CollectionDX Admin
Looks like a Gundam.
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CollectionDX Staff
It's basically a Gundam. Only not. Most of the "real robot" type mecha in the SRW OG games follow a very Gundam-like archetype (especially the Huckebein series)
to paint in up in Gundam colors and really screw with people LOL!
Leonardo Flores
CollectionDX Staff Writer-West Coast Bureau
looks like a gundam, smells like a gundam, but it's not a gundam.
Quacks like a Gundam...?
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CollectionDX Staff
[looks at his RX-78-5] True, this is very Gundam-like, but today it's pretty hard to make a real mecha that doesn't resemble at least one of the known mobile suits.
A good review, though I'd love to see a size comparison with something like a Gundam model kit or a Transformer, I;d know what 1:144 scale means in this case.
1/144-scale for a Gundam usually means 5-6" tall, 1/100 is 7-8", and 1/60 can mean anywhere from 11-14"... all depending on backpack and weapon kibble, of course.
"...today it's pretty hard to make a real mecha that doesn't resemble at least one of the known mobile suits."
(*looks at his SOC EVA Unit-04*)
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CollectionDX Staff
What elements define "real mecha"?
"Real Robot" is a term that defines the change that robot shows made in the early 80s. Mostly it's to separate them from "Super Robot" shows like Mazinger and the like. Super Robot shows were based on fantastical technology and or magic science that made the robots larger than life with almost limitless potential.
Real Robot shows took a "realistic" approach to the technology and design with some base in real-world science. While it was easy to pass it off as alien technology or set it in the distant future, the tech was at least believable and could be construed as possible at some point. Gundam and Macross are prime examples of early Real Robot shows.
The line between them has blurred over time, with shows like Evangelion and more recent Gundams, we see Real Robots with "magic" abilites and Super Robots that run on batteries and use guns with ammunition.
As for looks, Real Robots for the most part tend to share the "vent and nozzle" look propagated largely by Gundam designers. This in particular looks a lot like a cross between the Victory and Gundam F91.
...wow- that's almost word-for-word Wikipedia's definition.
]:)
But yes, you are correct. One of the other things is that Super Robot(s) also have a tendency to have personalities of, and move on, their own without having a pilot sitting inside.
To elaborate a little on one point:
Evangelion Units have to be repaired and maintained, run on batteries [and external power sources], and they use more-or-less scaled-up human weapons with limited ammo. That is the Real Robot-side of them.
However they are proportionately faster, stronger, agile, jump higher, etc. than humans (and most giant robots), create invisible force fields, and have the ability- under the right circumstances- to instantly regenerate their biological components, and move on their own without pilot input. That is the Super Robot side of them.
Super Sentai also bounces back and forth regularly between Real and Super Robot, though it leans more towards Super.
Silly question: are Transformers(c) considered Super Robot?
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CollectionDX Staff
For example, let's take the original TV show. They turn into Earth-styled vehicles with (mostly) perfect transformations. Most of their weapons are simple guns or cannons, and they need an energy source to sustain themselves. That's pretty real, but then you consider concepts such as Unicron, and the Pretenders, and then Masterforce, and stuff starts gettin' super.
Then you watch Beast Wars II and GIANT SPINNING LION HEAD OF DOOM ASSAULT.
So, there's your answer.
Super Sentai, though? Unless you haven't watched a single Sentai since Jetman, they are unabashedly super (with the exception of Timeranger (sufficiently advanced reals... well, until V/Q-Rex) and maybe GoGoV). The clue's in the name.
don't forget about boukenger, those mechs are basically reals down to the first main mech come on how many times do we see their mechs on the repair bay?
Yeah, Boukenger is kinda real. I mean, the whole concept of a giant combining mecha is pretty damn super to begin with, but I guess Boukenger is the realer side of the super world- well, ignoring the giant neon vehicles and Zubaan, and then some of the... interesting things towards the end of the series (DaiVoyager, I'm looking at you). That being said, I haven't really watched Boukenger or most post-Abaranger Sentai, so I might not be the best person to ask.
It's a nice old school type of sentai which are hard to come by nowadays
Generally, I don't like most new school sentai as there's too much fighting without enough camp. The reason I like the old Kamen Riders and Sentai is because, for all the dull fighting, there's always something so bizarre and entertaining (Colonic Irrigation Kamen, Starfish Hitler, basically the whole of V3) that it kinda makes up for it. Bokuenger just seemed kinda 'meh' to me- I found nothing in the slightest interesting about it. I always want my lead characters being interesting or different, you see, and that's one reason I like Timeranger (well, who was the main character? Still, though, both a female lead and a conflicted rich heir were pretty interesting), Megaranger (he plays video games for a living) and Abaranger (young single parent (well, kinda)? Srsly? That's pretty different. And AbaYellow was awesome).
I've seen a few Gundam shows where they have light saber like weapons and fists that glow with power ups. Not very different from the old school robot series I'd say. Gaiking would give any Gundam an ass whippin' anyday. What I see is Gundam and Macross being more aesthetically pleasing to some at least.
Naw- beam sabers-and-the-like are used by both genre, but are more reflective of Real Robot. But when you get into stylistic finishers/super-powering and warping (like distinctly-shaped whips & axes), then it becomes Super Robot.
Also, the idea of pitting a Real Robot against a Super Robot is usually not applicable, since by their very nature Super Robots are over-powered.
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CollectionDX Staff
Word up! To the super robots... My new favorite super robot weapon is in Evangelion 2.0 when unit 02 goes into "secret mode" very cool.
It's real robot down the core, but the mech itself would always think that it is a super... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U6du3sbHPE seriously...
I had that Super Robot Wars model the blue version. Sold him on E-bay very cool robot. Gungrust was another I wanted but never got. Do they sell that video game here in states my Japanese is a bit rusty?
The Gameboy Advance versions of Original Generations 1 and 2 are both available in english from Atlus.
which version do you want? most versions are not available barring the OG games for GBA and on the DS OG saga Endless Frontier and hopefully the sequel. For the consoles I suggest you go get SRWZ for PS2 but you gotta order from stores such as play-asia hope that helps
It's ok Anavel. I like your review.