Thank you to Forbidden Planet for selling me this kit. And before anyone points it out, yes I'm aware that this mech is technically supposed to be called the "Z'Gok Commander Type", but it doesn't matter all that much since the non-Char variant of this kit is a P-Bandai exclusive, so when the hell am I ever gonna get my hands on that? Point is, I'm going for what the box calls it.
Time for a Real Grade kit I've had on my wishlist for a while, mainly for how unique it looks by the standards of this part of the Universal Century. I've had a model kit itch to scratch (even after the dumpster fire that was the last kit I built), and if it must be an inner-frame-era Real Grade, so be it.
On inspection of the manual, this differs from the Real Grade Mark II in the sense of having the outer armour built alongside the inner frame. If that's what they want, then fair enough.
Ankle Unit
If anything's going to make me slap an "interesting mechanical details" note in the "The Good" section by the end of it, it's gonna be those propellers in the feet (and the backpack, but that's later). And they can move back and forth to give more of a sense of movement when the Z'Gok is on an action base.
Legs
There's already a sticker needed immediately after cutting the first piece of the inner frame off the runner? Well, it's a foil sticker, so it'll make sense in context.
Now here's something I can't say I've seen before:
According to the text, sliding it into this part onto the B runner helps in moving the upper leg joint into the right position. Granted, I didn't really need to do this, but it makes sense to do so when the pre-moulded inner frame hasn't had a chance for the mechanisms to break in.
It was upon bending the leg to get the mechanism to break in that I noticed a few design flaws - the foil sticker from earlier doesn't seem to want to stick down properly so it catches in the join, the dark grey piece from the A runner that fits behind the kneecap doesn't seem to like to stay on the leg, and bending the upper leg forward too much can cause the lowermost of the dark armour panels on the front to start coming loose. The latter two do mean you have to be delicate when handling the leg, but I was still tempted to reach for the plastic glue in the case of the piece behind the kneecap.
Body Unit
The highlighted CG on the front of this chapter shows that the head is included in this stage of the asssembly, as one would expect from the design of this mobile suit.
Not so keen on assembling the cockpit hatch. It's not that it feels loose - in fact, it's properly secured in place once the front armour panel is on the torso. But fitting it in the armour is a bit fiddly - I recommend holding one end with tweezers and pulling it into position, then closing the hatch while holding it in from the back.
I'm not aware of how Real Grades handle this sort of Monoeye (the only others I'm aware of are three Zakus, the Sinanju, the Sazabi and the Zeong, and
I've only built one of those), but the way this one is portrayed by having the mechanism behind a clear lens and large clear part looks really nice. And removing the head plate to adjust the monoeye for posing purposes is really straightforward.
I've been doing the decals as I go. And good thing too, because there's some large foil stickers that go on the underarms that would be awkward to attach while the arms are attached.
Arms
Now the Iron Nail segment gives you two options - the one with three claws and the one with four claws. I'm gonna go for the latter.
And with some satisfying clicks into the shoulders, that completes the Real Grade Z'Gok. Ok, so it wasn't a completely painless process - some of the design choices in the legs made me less than pleased. But as a whole, this kit gets a pretty firm thumbs-up. It's got the kind of mechanical details you'd expect from a Real Grade, but with the unique design of the Z'Gok (and general motifs from the Zeon kits) spiced up in that grade's particular way, with the transparent window and monoeye being of particular note to me. Hardly the most complex Real Grade out there, but sometimes, simplicity is all I ask for.
Stay safe and keep clipping, folks!
The Good
+ Imposing, bulky figure
+ Mechanical details are really nice, especially the propellers
+ Monoeye behind clear part looks cool (and is really easy to move)
+ That classic Char three-times-faster shade of red
The Bad
- Leg inner frame's mechanism needs breaking in after cutting off the runner, and both of these steps can be rather fiddly
- Some of the darker leg armour isn't secured well without plastic glue
- The choice between four and three Iron Nails for the hands is the only thing this kit has going for it, accessories-wise
- It's a Real Grade with an inner frame, so it's going to become rather loose over time
Build Experience: B
Completed Kit Rating: A
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