Gundam Model Kits

Torso

The body! The body! Red Frame should be called Gundam "The Body" Astray! The body is such a great piece of smart construction. It is thin and yet sturdy, stable, and durable. The amount of detail is beautiful. There is very little on the torso to confuse you this time around, besides the "backpack." Astray sports a very cool little gimmick in that the back thrusters can slide downwards over the lower torso. This makes Astray even more flexible and gives it a VERY cool array of poses to do. This adds a couple of steps to construction, just the creation of the arm that moves the pack. The body also allows the head superior movement and pose appearance to previous models. I am going to mention the design improvements in Astray a lot; they came up with some neat tricks.

The arms seem like a tough build on first glance ...Don't get scared on me now Little Missy!... They are actually deceptively easy. The shoulder pads are more than just a slip of plastic over the top of the arm this time. They are connected to a special joint that allows them to be move slightly forward and back, plus the traditional movement, and even more aesthetically pleasing! The upper arm swivel is back, along with a new set up for the forearm I like. The elbow joint is much more stable than usual, actually built into the model. PLUS! A second Elbow-style joint before the wrist that makes movement more realistic, and poseability is increased! Astray comes with hands for every occasion too: A trigger hand for the beam cannon, a hand set to hold the Gerbera Straight scabbard, and 2 hands for holding beam sabers or whatever else you want to stick in them. The arms are not shaky and stay where posed, all the parts fit very snugly, but can be taken apart without damaging the model. Love it folks, love it.

Legs

The legs are my favorite part on this bad boy! They added a few steps to leg construction, making it look more complex, but fear not! The legs are, like the arms, deceptively easy. The legs are a bit heavier. Being made of 4 separate constructed parts, not including the feet, increases the weight a little and makes Astray infinitely more poseable. The feet are placed onto the legs with the standard ball and socket with a slight twist. They added an ankle! This makes Astray's feet much more balanced and they look nicer when posed in the various examples on the box. Like the rest of the model, the legs have perfectly-sized seams for Gundam Pens. Also like the rest of the model; connection seams, gaps, and plastic boogers are nonexistent!(I used a pair of scissors to help cut out some pieces before punching them out, as they are connected in a different manner than previous models) The legs are the most stable I have ever seen on a Gundam Model. I posed Astray in every example pose and a few of my own, -including: crouching, kneeling, twisting, and straight-standing- and it refused to fall! I had to push it over or put it in a ludicrous pose.(He actually held a one-foot balancing pose for some time) GREAT JOB! I am impressed beyond my expectations for this model.

Weapons and Accessories

Well, here we are. The weapons! Nothing much to write home about here. We got a standard beam cannon, two nice ovular-hilted beam sabers with detailed beams, a lovely shield with a handle and arm mount, and the crown jewel ...The Gerbera Straight... This is a very cool weapon, lots of detail! The blade is inscribed, I assume it says Gerbera Straight. The hilt is very intricate and fits nicely on the handguard. The scabbard is simple construction and fits seamlessly on the sword, as well as the scabbard hand of Astray. There was also a Lowe Guele figure with a briefcase. Nothing to say there really, the standard flesh tone rubber figure with any model. All the weapons are great quality, though I wished more had come with the model. Like the alternate head, flight pack, high mobility booster, or alternate parts to make it look like the mass produced Astray? The same could be said for parts to make Blue Frame Version 2, Blue Frame Phase Shift Armor, or Gold Frame Amatu.

Conclusion

I ask you, is it wrong to love a Mobile Suit...or more so its model? This has been another great experience with a beautiful Gundam Model. I had a lot of fun building Astray because the model cooperated. It looks great even without detailing from Gundam pens. The model is VERY stable and flexible. The poses it is capable of are great! Though my Casval Gundam, also on this site, holds a special place for me..Astray is definitely my new favorite Gundam model. This comes from a person who does not like Gundam SEED, at all. One of my favorite parts of the model is Astray's sword, the Gerbera Straight. It is extremely detailed very nicely and is perfectly fitted like the rest of the model. All seams, even on the sword, are perfectly sized for Gundam pens, no smearing folks. The stickers fit and look good; I actually used them this time. Though I was sad to see no alternate or bonus parts for alternate forms. All in all, Astray is a very, VERY good display piece and if you see one, snatch it up. Before you ask, I am so getting or making Blue Frame and Gold Frame, even if I have to repaint some Red Frames. Until next time, Zeonic Ace signing off! Sieg Zeon! (Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 stars)

Contributor: Dash "Zeonic Ace" Tekkaman

General and Technical Data

Series: 1/100 Release Date: 2004

Price: ¥ 2000