Aura Battler Dunbine

This piece has been a real exercise in frustration for me. For awhile I’d wanted a nice Aura Battler Dunbine toy but wasn’t a big fan of the vintage diecast designs. I’d seen Bandai’s MG kit in pictures but didn’t want to risk spending the money on it since I was not experienced in model building. Well, after successfully completing 3 or 4 MG Gundam kits and being given a gift card that I needed to spend, I figured I’d take the plunge and pick this up.

Probably the biggest problem with the construction of it for me was that a few of the pieces that needed to be screwed together were very small so that it was difficult to keep a good firm grip on them with one hand while applying the needed pressure to sink the screw in all the way with the other. I’ve always hated screwdrivers anyway so this really started to annoy me and I really should have stopped rather than work in that mood. I didn’t and ended up breaking a couple of integral pieces. But I really wanted to finish it so I bought another one, this time out of my own pocket, and set about completing it. The second time around I made sure to work in small, anger-free sessions and really take my time with it. I was able to complete it without further incident.

The completed model is extremely nice looking but not without its flaws. The biggest problem, literallly, is the back. It’s too heavy for the rest of the model and makes it extremely difficult to pose. The side of the box shows an “action pose” which as far as I can tell is completely impossible.

I like the internal detail and had no problem with the rubber parts, but the hand which is designed to hold the sword is just awful. Rather than have a fist that can actually grip the sword like the Gundam kits do, this hand is in two pieces and would really need to be glued together. Otherwise, it comes apart at the slightest touch. I haven’t glued mine so I really don’t know how easily the sword could be added or removed once that is done, but frankly, it seems like just an awful idea from the start. Furthermore, the index finger on the hand the holds the sword is pointing for some reason. Doesn’t make any sense to me.

Dunbine stands 8″ tall. The cockpit opens to reveal the pilot, Show Zama and the sword can be stored in it’s sheath on the back. Most of the pieces are molded in the appropriate color (though it has a more lavender-ish hue than the blue in the anime). You simply have to add two stickers for the markings on the head. Overall, it’s a nice looking model and I suppose I’m happy to have it, but in the end it really just leaves you wanting more.