This review is for the Mecha Fan Club. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/view/Escapist-Mecha-Fans] This review now has a video part.
[HEADING=1]Welcome to this review of the 1/60 Perfect Grade Gundam Astray Red Frame[/HEADING]
For those un-initiated Perfect Grade is BanDai's highest grade of model kit they make. The Perfect Grade is not for the beginners, and is made to give regular model builders a bit of a challenge due to the level of detail they put into the kit. Astray fits that bill very, very well.
For starters the box for Astray is enormous, and rather heavy when compared to PG Wing Gundam Zero Custom, and once opened you'll find 36 runners, 3 die -cast parts, 2 decal sheets, and the 3 booklets it comes with (Instruction Manual, Construction Manual, and comic book).
Aside from the staggering amount of runners you'll get with PG Astray Red Frame the construction for the kit is pretty standard in terms of difficulty for Perfect Grades. The construction manual breaks down the construction of the kit so that you build from the ground up, but instead of moving on to the arms right after finishing the head and torso you'll start construction of the weapons instead which is pretty odd.
While the construction of the kit is standard difficulty for PG's it still doesn't mean that the model will go easy on you. Some parts of the kit after painted and assembled won't really want to move, and the hands in particular will be rather problematic to get moving since they come pre built and on a runner making the joints rather tough to move.
If you are planning on painting this kit I do highly suggest you prime every part you have in order to prevent the paint coming off your hands, especially since you're going to be working with red and white at the same time, and it may rub off.
[image width=350]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs084.ash2/37548_1570525903440_1244259310_1589399_6514209_n.jpg[/IMG][image width=350]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs088.ash2/37733_1570526863464_1244259310_1589414_4666041_n.jpg[/IMG]
The articulation of this kit is superb with both the arms and legs being double jointed, and the feet built to bend drastically for dynamic sweeping poses. However this all does come at the issue of balance. With Astray's torso being unable to bend back and forth you can't really balance the kit too well unless you spend some time arraigning the poses. Aside from the double joints the arms are built wonderfully by being able to rotate in 2 places, and still hold a pose steady without being affected by gravity.
As normal for Perfect Grades go Astray does have an LED light inside his head unit with the switch being hidden by a back panel that is applied later on, and is easy to remove. For this LED battery you will need to go out and buy a CR1220 battery to fit the container (which can be found at most battery stores) if you don't buy one you won't be missing out on anything as the LED isn't all that powerful.
The accessories that come with PG Astray are some of the best I've ever seen out of a model kit. Astray will come with a shield and beam rifle handed straight down from the Strike Gundam, but he will also come with 2 beam sabers with wonderful sparkly pink fluorescent beams, 2 miniature switch blades, 1 1/60 Lowe figure, and his signature Gerbera Straight. Out of all of the accessories here the Gerbera Straight holds the title of the best one as it stands at 12 inches, and has this "sharpness" look to it that is molded straight into the piece.
Now I was personally shocked to find that Astray came with more decals than the standard "Lowe" insignias on Astray's body, but I was even more shocked to find that he also came with dry-transfers. The sticker decals that come with Astray are by far the best I've ever seen since once they are applied to the kit you can't really tell that they aren't dry-transfers because the side excess just disappears into the kit. The "Lowe" insignia decals deserve special thanks as I expected to have to cut the decal in order to fit the leg and shoulder unit, but instead they came as 3 separate stickers, and they were made so you could tell without a doubt where they went on the leg/shoulder.
[image width=350]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs164.snc4/37548_1570525983442_1244259310_1589401_4576053_n.jpg[/IMG][image width=350]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs184.snc4/37548_1570526023443_1244259310_1589402_1964963_n.jpg[/IMG]
Finally I must mention how tough this kit is; from time of completion to time of writing this review Astray has fallen off my desk (5 1/2 feet), my dresser (3 feet), and my table (4ish feet), and not one single piece has been broken, bent, or shows any sign of damage minus a paint chip. THAT is what you call some strong plastic, as any other kit I have would have easily broken after all of that.
Recommendation: If you've been doing Gunpla, or models for a long time and you love Astray Red Frame go out and buy this kit, if not? Buy it anyways as it's easily the best kit I have so far.
What is Gunpla? Gunpla in short is the term used for giant robot models. Gunpla usually can't be found outside of Asia as it's built mainly for the Japanese in tandem with various anime series. While there is a good bit of Gunpla out there it is mostly dominated by BanDai as they hold the contract with Gundam.
[HEADING=1]Welcome to this review of the 1/60 Perfect Grade Gundam Astray Red Frame[/HEADING]
[image width=350]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs129.snc4/36828_1570525703435_1244259310_1589398_2099867_n.jpg[/IMG]
Wow. If I could describe this kit in one word it'd be that right there, this Perfect Grade by far is the best one I've built so far. Amazing articulation, sturdy frame, strong plastic, amazing accessories... You get the point.For those un-initiated Perfect Grade is BanDai's highest grade of model kit they make. The Perfect Grade is not for the beginners, and is made to give regular model builders a bit of a challenge due to the level of detail they put into the kit. Astray fits that bill very, very well.
For starters the box for Astray is enormous, and rather heavy when compared to PG Wing Gundam Zero Custom, and once opened you'll find 36 runners, 3 die -cast parts, 2 decal sheets, and the 3 booklets it comes with (Instruction Manual, Construction Manual, and comic book).
Aside from the staggering amount of runners you'll get with PG Astray Red Frame the construction for the kit is pretty standard in terms of difficulty for Perfect Grades. The construction manual breaks down the construction of the kit so that you build from the ground up, but instead of moving on to the arms right after finishing the head and torso you'll start construction of the weapons instead which is pretty odd.
While the construction of the kit is standard difficulty for PG's it still doesn't mean that the model will go easy on you. Some parts of the kit after painted and assembled won't really want to move, and the hands in particular will be rather problematic to get moving since they come pre built and on a runner making the joints rather tough to move.
If you are planning on painting this kit I do highly suggest you prime every part you have in order to prevent the paint coming off your hands, especially since you're going to be working with red and white at the same time, and it may rub off.
[image width=350]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs084.ash2/37548_1570525903440_1244259310_1589399_6514209_n.jpg[/IMG][image width=350]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs088.ash2/37733_1570526863464_1244259310_1589414_4666041_n.jpg[/IMG]
The articulation of this kit is superb with both the arms and legs being double jointed, and the feet built to bend drastically for dynamic sweeping poses. However this all does come at the issue of balance. With Astray's torso being unable to bend back and forth you can't really balance the kit too well unless you spend some time arraigning the poses. Aside from the double joints the arms are built wonderfully by being able to rotate in 2 places, and still hold a pose steady without being affected by gravity.
As normal for Perfect Grades go Astray does have an LED light inside his head unit with the switch being hidden by a back panel that is applied later on, and is easy to remove. For this LED battery you will need to go out and buy a CR1220 battery to fit the container (which can be found at most battery stores) if you don't buy one you won't be missing out on anything as the LED isn't all that powerful.
The accessories that come with PG Astray are some of the best I've ever seen out of a model kit. Astray will come with a shield and beam rifle handed straight down from the Strike Gundam, but he will also come with 2 beam sabers with wonderful sparkly pink fluorescent beams, 2 miniature switch blades, 1 1/60 Lowe figure, and his signature Gerbera Straight. Out of all of the accessories here the Gerbera Straight holds the title of the best one as it stands at 12 inches, and has this "sharpness" look to it that is molded straight into the piece.
[image width=350]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs117.ash2/39186_1570526463454_1244259310_1589409_7230077_n.jpg[/IMG]
[image height=350]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs168.snc4/37733_1570526783462_1244259310_1589412_7553976_n.jpg[/IMG]All of Astray's accessories
Now I was personally shocked to find that Astray came with more decals than the standard "Lowe" insignias on Astray's body, but I was even more shocked to find that he also came with dry-transfers. The sticker decals that come with Astray are by far the best I've ever seen since once they are applied to the kit you can't really tell that they aren't dry-transfers because the side excess just disappears into the kit. The "Lowe" insignia decals deserve special thanks as I expected to have to cut the decal in order to fit the leg and shoulder unit, but instead they came as 3 separate stickers, and they were made so you could tell without a doubt where they went on the leg/shoulder.
[image width=350]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs164.snc4/37548_1570525983442_1244259310_1589401_4576053_n.jpg[/IMG][image width=350]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs184.snc4/37548_1570526023443_1244259310_1589402_1964963_n.jpg[/IMG]
The decals that are split into 3 separate parts
Finally I must mention how tough this kit is; from time of completion to time of writing this review Astray has fallen off my desk (5 1/2 feet), my dresser (3 feet), and my table (4ish feet), and not one single piece has been broken, bent, or shows any sign of damage minus a paint chip. THAT is what you call some strong plastic, as any other kit I have would have easily broken after all of that.
Recommendation: If you've been doing Gunpla, or models for a long time and you love Astray Red Frame go out and buy this kit, if not? Buy it anyways as it's easily the best kit I have so far.
MG Wing Gundam [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.197182-Gunpla-Review-MG-Wing-Gundam]
MG Nu Gundam [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.210862-Gunpla-Review-MG-Nu-Gundam]
MG Nu Gundam [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.210862-Gunpla-Review-MG-Nu-Gundam]
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