Taking a break from Gunpla-ing with the review series on this completed Gundam figure: HCM-Pro 00 Gundam.
Released back in September 2008, one month before the premier of "Gundam Double O" TV anime Season 2, the figure had with it the feeling of Bandai's perfect marketing strategy and great sales expectation, that it would be one of the key releases for the anime. As things turned out in a year's time, the 4 Gundams from "Gundam Double O" Season 2 actually pushed for the end of this product series, which is extremely unexpected when you look at it today. (Still) the most recent Gundam TV anime series (minus the currently ongoing "SD Gundam Sangokuden Brave Battle Warriors" that is 10 minutes per episode that is), one would expect more stuff from the same or more product series to be released from "Gundam Double O" Season 2 instead of having to bring down one with it. ^^;
Already had a very long write-up on this topic for the first HCM-Pro Gundam figure reviewed on this blog - Gundam Exia last April so I won't reiterate. Also, "the end" isn't the right word to be used to describe the outcome of this product line, or any series by Bandai unless they explicitly announce it. ^^ 'Absence of uncertain length' would probably be a better of saying it. You never know, 1 or 2 years down the road, the series might get a reboot and it's all rise-and-shine with these small 1/200 completed Gundam figures. ^^
Because this figure was one of the first few merchandise releases from the TV series, the awesomeness of the joints and very flexible range of articulation are the prominent features emphasized by Bandai - as you can see from the introduction of the design on the back on the box shown above. While they are indeed very good design, those 2 features aren't too outstanding when the Robot Damashii [Side MS] came out, and that was just a month later than the HCM-Pro version. ^^; For those who like nifty design on small figures, the HCM-Pro release is a marvel; but most people would prefer the bigger equivalence for better feel I suppose. Not to mentioned the Robot Damashii [Side MS] version is somewhat lower in price as well. ^^;
Sounds like another round of sighing in the making. ^^; Let's not go there then. ^^;
Box open
A very big plastic tray, but the content (the figure itself, GN Sword II and GN Shield) just occupied about a quarter of the entire space. ^^;
Manual and a few runners of accessories and option hand units behind the box.
The manual.
The runners containing various accessories and option parts.
Option hand units with their wrist connectors.
Parts straight off their runners.
Just like regular Gunplas, the nub marks are 'treated' using Gundam Marker and normal pen.
Beam sabers are attached to the rear skirt armor, and from the design of the joints, you can see that they can be lifted (unlike the part-swapping deal on the HG 1/144 plamo kit equivalence).
Part swapping for both the GN Sword II and shield combos.
More images of 00 Gundam with its weapons in the next review.
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2 comments:
Oh I'm surprised that you got the 00 Gundam rather than the 00 Raiser bundled with the long beam effect parts. But nevertheless nice to see the HCM-Pro back for a change.
I remember back then just before 2nd Season of Gundam 00 was aired there were really a lot of 00 Gundam merchandises lined up to promote the series: 1/144 Gunpla, HCM-Pro, and the very new Robot Damashii etc. All around the same time too.
I'm surprised how there are articulations at the wrist like those on, say, HGUC Powered GM. Details engineered to high spec on such small scale, but too bad many people overlook that sometimes ^^;
If there was a version of the 00 Gundam I was going to get it might have been this one. I wasn't a huge fan of the series, like the first one better but I liked the design of the 00 Gundam.
That write up you linked to (about the history of hcm pro) was pretty interesting and revealed a lot I didn't know about the line. I really liked the HCM-pro series because of the fact there was more detail in it and the amount of movement given the size.
I really, really wish they continued the SCHM-pro line. The RX-78-2 for that line was just outstanding. The details almost rivaled the GFF for it and the poseability was superior.
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