MS-07B-3 Gouf Custom

Review by Prometheum5

Robot Spirits Gouf Custom comes courtesy of Hobby Link Japan!

The MS-07B-3 Gouf Custom from Mobile Suit Gundam: 08^th MS Team is a design that has caused a lot of arguments.  On one hand, it takes what was already one of the most infamous and fearsome bad guys from the original Mobile Suit Gundam and cranks up the ferociousness to eleven.  On the other hand, it is a bit too ‘super duper’ for the series it came from, going against a lot of the grounded, ‘realistic’ feel 08^th MS Team was aiming for.  Love it or hate it, the Gouf Custom makes for one heck of a toy.

The Robot Spirits Gouf Custom is a Hardpoint spec release like the previously reviewed MS-06 Zaku II, meaning that it comes with a ton of interchangeable parts.  Included in the package are:

• MS-07B-3 Gouf Custom
• Big, meaty hands (2x fists, 2x gripping, 2x open)
• 2x Deactivated Heat Sword Type D III
• 1x Activated Heat Sword
• 1x Heat Wire with mount
• 2x Gatling Shields (left and right) made of the following:
  • 3-Barrel 35mm Machine Gun
  • Shield
  • 75mm Gatling gun with mounting parts and ammo drum

The Gouf itself is chunky and powerful, but still nicely articulated.  Everything that should move does, including a nicely articulated torso, jointed skirts, jointed shoulder armor, and a really expressive head.

One thing I did not realize before getting this figure was how modular the weapons were.  The Gatling shields are made of numerous removable parts for different configurations.  The Gatling gun systems can be removed entirely, leaving a more traditional Gouf shield and the 3-barrel machine gun, which I always thought made much more sense than the gun hand on the normal Gouf.

As a basic, mean looking Gouf, this figure is a blast.  For such a chunky, imposing sculpt, it moves great, and looks dangerous doing just about anything.  It’s posable enough to draw the Heat Sword from behind the shield.

The activated Head Sword is bigger than the deactivated ones, since it does not have to fit behind the shield.  It features a metallic orange paint job that looks great.

The sword is hard plastic and sharp.

The Gouf looks awesome pitted against another poor mobile suit.

The Heat Wire mount on the wrist swaps for a second mount with the deployed Wire, which is bendable.  It is very fine and easy to pose, but stiff enough to support itself and the claw end.

I think this is my favorite loadout, since the Heat Wire is so fun and expressive…

…and dangerous!  A GM Sniper is pretty much the worst place to be when an up close and personal Gouf shows up.

The basic weapons are cool, but I know what everyone wants to see is that nasty Gatling shield setup that made Norris Packard’s machine so infamous.  This figure does not disappoint.

Secure or not, the setup looks gnarly.  All of the articulation on the figure is nice and snug, and has no problem supporting the gun system in whatever pose you come up with.

An unexpected surprise from Bandai was a whole second Gatling shield system for the right arm.  The Double Gatling Gouf is a hulking brute of raw firepower.  It looks awesome in this configuration, but suffers from twice as many parts being easily dislodged.

Still, this is a figure not to be trifled with.  It’s just bullets everywhere.

The chunky styling of the Gouf Custom matches its appearance in 08^th MS Team perfectly.

The Gouf Custom also looks great next to the Robot Spirits Zaku II.  Since they are both Hardpoint releases, you can mix and match accessories.  The Gatling Shield system won’t mount straight on the Zaku, but you could get creative and find a way to make it work.

I love this figure.  At first, I was fixated on the double Gatling Shield configuration and was getting frustrated by all of the parts, but I like that it comes with enough parts and options to pick your own favorite configuration and have it still look good.  My preferred setup is the shield and Heat Wire, or the Heat Sword, but it looks good and is fun to handle however you set it up.  The hefty sculpt perfectly matches the over the top badassness of the Gouf Custom in the anime, and it looks great giving your other figures what-for.  Here’s hoping for some more 08^th MS Team Robot Spirits soon, because I would probably buy multiple squads of GM Ground Types!

You can pick up a Gouf Custom from Hobby Link Japan!