Out-Of-Box Review of a Bandi
Perfect Grade (PG) 1:60 scale Zeta Gundam
I have a question for you. What
is the largest model kit (part wise) that you've ever built? A Hasegawa F/A-18
Hornet, (that contains 246 parts)? Maybe it’s a Titanic ship. How about
Tamiya's huge Dragon Wagon? (It contains parts on 20 sprues along with 3 large
separately molded pieces).
Recently I purchased a Bandi
Perfect Grade 1:60 scale Zeta Gundam robot. This is the largest and most
detailed plastic kit that Bandi has ever produced! The outer box this kit comes
in reminds me more of a suitcase. It has a handle built in and has dimensions
of 25" by 15 3/4" by 5 1/4". There are two smaller boxes contained
within, both 15 1/2" by 12" by 5".
This massive modeling project
consists of 37 sprues containing 825 colored parts. (It is advertised as not
needing glue to assemble). Fifty locations are secured with metal screws. There
are a bunch of metal and die-cast metal landing gear parts also included.
The Zeta has full internal
detail, (which resembles a skeleton), and comes with five locations that light
up, (including the eyes, the tail fin, both wingtips and a beam saber). Lights,
electrical wires and batteries are all included.
There is a whole lot of detail
engineered into this kit, with such characteristics as articulated arms, hands,
fingers, and legs. (The fingers are individually jointed). There are also quite
a few opening hatches and doors. The Zeta, when complete builds up to a very
impressive 13 inches in height. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, this PG Gundam
converts into a very kool looking aircraft/spacecraft called a Wave Rider.
I had been eyeballing this
modeling gem for quite some time off and on at the HobbyLink Japan Website. I
even ended up running into one at an Anime and Collectible Toy Store located in
Center City, Philadelphia. (The pretty steep fee ended up dampening my
enthusiasm, though).
I finally "lucked" into
one for a "reasonable" price through an Ebay auction. A short couple
of weeks later this most coveted modeling prize arrived at my door. (IT WAS
FINALLY MINE, ALLLLL MINE!!!!!!!)
Before beginning work on this
monster I decided to take pictures of its parts still attached to the
sprue, along with doing a very quick Out-of-Box review on it.
Here it is: As I previously
mentioned, there are 37 sprues of parts that compose this kit. The parts are
molded in black, white, dark gray, red, blue, yellow, clear pink and clear.
The parts have no flash, have
very crisp recessed panel detail, and look very good!
In addition to the plastic pieces
the kit also contains white metal landing gears and other miscellaneous metal
pieces, five small light bulbs, wire and small screws.
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The kits comes with a 24 page
color Construction Manual, which is actually the instructional manual:
A 14 page color Instructional
Manual is enclosed as well, which contains tid-bits of "real" data -
written in Japanese - about the Zeta from the animation show:
Closing out the booklet list is a
3 page Transformation Manual, which gives detailed instructions on how to
convert the Zeta to the Wave Rider:
All in all, everything about this
kit is very impressive!
I hope to begin work on this
robot sometime soon. I will be writing a detailed review of the Zeta once its
construction has been complete. (Stay tuned…….)
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Copyright © 2008 by Anthony I. Wootson. No material may be reproduced without permission. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.