Customer Reviews

Gundam NRX-044 Asshimar HGUC 1/144 Scale

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No AEUG pilot is safe with this bad boy around... except for Kamille Bidan, but he's an exception.

History:
Appearing in the TV series Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, the NRX-044 Asshimar is a Mobile Suit (MS) built by the Titans that was able to fly in atmosphere without the aid of a sub-flight system (like the Dodai that Goufs flew around on in the One Year War). For high speed maneuvers, it can transform into a Mobile Armor (MA) configuration in a saucer shape. It has magnetic coating in its joints that reduce friction and allow it to move/ transform very quickly. It also has very thick armor, making it a tough nut to crack. Its biggest drawback is that due to its transformation ability, it is limited to only being able to carry a large beam rifle. This is a nice weapon, but without a melee weapon, the Asshimar has to keep a safe distance from its enemies.

The Model:
Zeta Gundam brought a wide range of transformable mobile suits into the Gundam story and the Asshimar has always been one of my favorites. This is because the transformation has always been very logical and sturdy-- making it very legitimate for a war machine. I love the VF-1 Valkyries as much as the next guy, but when you think about it, it's not perfect for stress and stability-- in Battroid mode for example, the Valkyrie's legs are attached to what is the nose cone of the plane mode! Yikes! OTOH, the Asshimar is very sturdy and utilitarian in its transformation-- just what you want in a combat mecha.

The model reproduces this transformation perfectly. Everything slides into place like a dream and is very sturdy. No flopping parts like on so many other kits. It even reproduces the Asshimar's "weakness" as shown in the TV show: when transforming from MA to MS, there is a split second where the two armor doors close over the chest to protect the fragile interior mechanisms. With his Newtype abilities, Kamille fires a shot into this opening at just the right moment to hurt the Asshimar-- a one in a million shot made by a one in a million pilot. On the model, the two armored doors open just like in the show, setting up cool possibilities with your HG AEUG mobile suits.

Obviously, this is a model, not a toy, and isn't meant to be played with-- but for display posing, it's perfect! It comes with a very nice stand to mount the finished model on. The stand has a movable joint on it that allows you to position your Asshimar in different positions, either in MS mode or MA mode. The stand even contains slots on the bottom to stow extra pieces like the MA holder, stand peg hole cover, and the extra "shooting" hand for when you want the Asshimar to hold its gun.

The coloring of the plastic is perfect and everything goes together like a dream. The antenna on the head is made of a more flexible material (like what some Gundam V fins are made of on some kits) that will bend pretty far before breaking. This is a good idea since the antenna gets moved between transforming modes, so it's safer from breaking. One other great feature is the inclusion of clear plastic to go over the mono eye sticker. This simulates the glass on the real mobile suit that protects the mechanics and rails that the mono eye moves around on. This is a great touch that adds more realism instead of just the typical mono eye sticker with no protective "glass".

I have been building Gundam models since 1981 (that is not a typo), so I've seen plenty of mecha kits. But I can honestly say that in my opinion, this is one of the best all around kits of any grade in any year.

I love *ALL* Gundam Action Figure Model Kits, but I'm more partial to 1/100 scale or Master Grade kits because of the amount of detail the increased surface area allows. HOWEVER, this is the first High Grade (1/144) model kit I've ever bought, and I love it, especially for the amount of detail they fit into it! If you love Gundam as much as I do, I recommend taking a look at other model kits from the HGUC (High Grade Universal Century) series including the Gabthley and the Gaplant.

ON THE OTHER HAND: The price of this kit is a bit too high. I purchased from this particular merchant because it was more convenient at the time, but there are other merchants on the web that sell this particular kit for [...] (shipping and taxes not added). This kit, along with other model kits and toys, is *WAY* overpriced here on Amazon. I implore you to be wary of the price you're paying. ALWAYS compare.