Kimi The Builder

A fun and beautiful kit this is

Hello and welcome to my review of the MG 1/100 MSZ-010 ZZ Gundam Ver.K.A! Unboxing and giving you guys my first impressions of this kit was really a joy to do, but to build and just delve into this even further? I find that there is more to love with this charming MG 1/100 kit.

One that we shall go into and elaborate further, but before that let’s just talk some history first, shall we?

The history and development of the MSZ-010 ZZ Gundam (a.k.a “θ Gundam”)

Model name                      : MSZ-010

Classification                     : Prototype Newtype-Use Transformable Multipurpose Heavy Assault MS

Weapon systems             : 60mm Double Vulcan Gun, Double Beam Rifle, High Mega Cannon, Hyper Beam Saber, 21-tube Missile Launcher, Wing shield.

Height                                  : 22.11m

Armour Material              : Gundarium γ Alloy

Powerplant                        : Minovsky Ultracompact Fusion Reactor (7340kw total output)

Total Thrust                        : – 2 x 21700 kg, 4 x 14400 kg, 2 x 17300 kg, 2 x 16300 kg, 4 x 5240 kg

Effective Sensor Radius : 16200m

Crew                                     : 2

Riding on the success of their ‘Project Zeta’ programme, Anaheim Electronics would continue on to develop the successor of the Zeta Gundam for the AEUG’s use. Learning on what they can through the battles and the experiences gained they applied the lessons learned gave birth to the Codename θ Gundam or better known as the ZZ Gundam.

The ZZ Gundam is a mobile suit that inherits a lot of the best features from its other counterparts, like the transformable system and the biosensor from the Zeta Gundam, the movable frame from the Gundam MK-II and the core block system from its granddaddy the RX-78-02 Gundam. The ZZ Gundam is able to transform itself into the G-Fortress form and when it transforms into that form it could further detach into the Core Top and the Core base. Though it is able to transform itself into the impressive G fortress form, due to the complicated nature of its transformation system. The ZZ Gundam was not equipped with the Waveraider form, thus making the ZZ Gundam unable to execute unassisted re-entry into the earth atmosphere.

The ZZ Gundam was given an impressively wide array of beam weaponry, like the Hyper Beam saber, the Double Beam Rifle and the High Mega Cannon that is installed in the head of the ZZ. If that isn’t enough, the ZZ was as well given a 21-tube missile launcher that is installed in its massive backpack. Insane, I know. Though it may seem that the suit might be too heavy for its own good with all of that equipment’s installed in the ZZ (not to mention its massive size). The ZZ was proven to be a very maneuverable and it was able to go head to head with most of the Neo Zeon’s MS.

Unfortunately, with all of that beam weaponry installed it does mean that the MS itself requires a lot of energy, this is especially true whenever ZZ Gundam used its High Mega Cannon. The ZZ Gundam would always find itself completely drained of power when the High Mega Cannon is used and not to mentioned with its complicated design and transformation features, made the ZZ quite structurally weak. These problems were ironed out with the MSZ-010S Enhanced ZZ Gundam and its massive final upgrade, the FA-010S Full Armour ZZ Gundam.

Really it is a massively impressive machine, so impressive in fact that it was rumored that The first ZZ Gundam known Pilot has used the ZZ Gundam (The original variation) since its inception UC0088 up until UC0153. Judau Asthta has used and managed to maintain the ZZ by himself for 65 years is really an impressive feat one that speaks a lot on how awesome this MS is.

With that ends the History lesson, and now let’s get into the review!

The Review.

In this year I’ve managed to get and build 2 MG Ver.K.A’s this year, the first being the Nu-Gundam and the second one this the ZZ Gundam. I really don’t know what’s with the Ver.K.A tag but so far from the first one that I build and this, I find myself a loss for words. Not because it’s bad, but because it is good.

In all my time writing reviews and impressions about a kit never I find myself struggling to find words to write about this kit besides using the word…..

Brilliant

Yes, this really can be summed into a word really. I sat here baffled on how did Bandai managed these feats and what baffles me more is that they managed it by not making this the perfect kit. Yes, it’s a kit that has faults, issues but one that remembers the very thing that most newer MG kits are missing, the fun factor.

I know that the review of this does come quite late, and mainly it was due to me finally managing to finish this kit today, but it is not due to it being hard but rather that I was taking my time to appreciate the little intricacies of the ZZ Gundam. Speaking of the build itself, I felt that this MG really takes the cue from the GM Sniper II because I find building this a lot easier than past MG kits. I wasn’t encountering many issues as compared to the other MG kits that I’ve made.

The parts were made with real thought and most of the parts were undergated and most of the nubs were placed in places that were quite accessible and easy to manage. Regardless, not to say that this is an easy kit. There are still some things that you need to be aware of namely the metallic coated parts I keep finding myself at odds with the shiny small parts since they tend to love jumping around every now and then. Oh yes, the manual for the ZZ Gundam Ver.K.A is by far the easiest one for me to understand, the instructions were made properly and the translations here does make it so much easier for me to slog it through as compared to the others.

Oh yeah, not to mention the abundance of parts for this kit especially for the one that is the most fragile, the fins.

The articulation for this kit is as well quite good, even when the fact that this is a transformable kit. It is able to do a variety of poses and always finding itself able to hold itself well. Yes, due to its large size, this is a very heavy kit and it is one that I feel, by far the heaviest conventional kits I’ve owned so far but surprisingly even for its weight, it is able to hold itself quite well! It could stand without needing support and even though I said this is best to have with the action stand but honestly this is the only kit that I could say that the stand is there to enhance the look of the kit more.

And god the look, just take a moment and just look at this glorious kit.

Even in its transformed look, this looks glorious. Everything looks awesome, and it does it by looking as simple as it could. There is no need for it to have lines after lines on its body (I’m looking at you freedom Gundam 2.0) or even needing to have a massive diet to make itself look slimmer (yes, I’m still looking at you Freedom) it still looked glorious in all its hugeness.

I love this thicc ZZ Gundam.

I realize that I am saying a lot of awesome things here, at a point you might think that this is a perfect kit. Oh no in fact, there is some things that I don’t particularly like, for instance, this is a kit lacking in inner frame details, that manipulator system is something that I find to be an ass at times and oh god the Core Fighter wings is an ass, really if I have to sum it up the core fighter? I would say it’s a good-looking mess overall.

Yes, I fucking hate that core fighter.

Like I said at the start of this I was baffled on how they managed to make this to be so good when it has its faults. As I was looking for the answer as I was writing this, the answer came to me as I was staring at the ZZ Gundam in its all gloriousness.

What is it, you may ask? Easy, it is brilliant because it was fun.

Yes, fun. With most 2017 kits that I’ve build this year, none of them managed to recapture the wonder and excitement that I felt when I made my first MG kit. I always thought that feeling that I felt is something that is impossible to re-create but somehow this managed it. I was excited when I first started, I felt antsy when I am away from it while always thinking of building it every time, it made me want to be careful cutting off the parts, I felt happy and proud when things go well, it made me feel frustrated when things fucked up, I felt happy seeing it completed and yes, I do feel empty as soon as I completed everything.

I really had fun with this one, honest to goodness fun. It made me feel, but ultimately it made me smile.

I really feel that this is my new fav kit of 2017 and the best part is it made me look forward to the next one that lay my hands on.

With that concludes my review of the MG 1/100 MSZ-010 ZZ Gundam Ver.K.A, what do you guys think of the overall review and of the kit? As well your own experience with the MG ZZ Gundam Ver.K.A, do you share my enthusiasm for this awesome MG kit? Do you as well feel that this is the best MG kit of 2017? Do share with us your thoughts here!

Regardless, we do look forward to reading more on your comments and thoughts here! We will be back with more Let’s Talk Gunpla Segment on Wednesday! As well I will be posting the GWBC pictures on Thursday, and there will be a new unboxing coming next Sunday!

As ever please do leave us a like if you enjoyed this article, as well do give us some feedback and comment if you think we would be able to improve further in making sure that we can give you more in the near future! As well your likes and shares would be highly appreciated for supporting and helping us grow further, your love and support mean the world to all of us here in Kimi the Builder Blog.

We hope by sharing our love for Gunpla would be able to make your day!

Anyways, we shall see you again next week, and we hope that you all have an awesome week and weekend ahead! Have an awesome Gunpla building time there as well and till next time!

Ciao!