Enough with HCM-Pro Arios Gundam after the past few days, this posting will focus on GN Archer. ^^
HCM-Pro releases always come with some parts that are fixed on runners, but usually they are secondary weapons or accessories. Sometimes the extra parts are important (beam sabers, attachment parts for existing weapons etc.), so a bit of Gunpla work is inevitable, but most of the times, you can ignore them (option hand units, extra V-Fin etc.) and still enjoy the HCM-Pro figure itself. For me, I always get those parts off their runners to maximize on whatever storage space I can get. ^^
The option to ignore the runners of GN Archer in this HCM-Pro set is not possible though, because if you do that, there won't be a GN Archer at all. ^^;
Why is it not a completed figure like Arios Gundam in the same set? Especially when all the parts are pre-painted nicely, or why was it designed as a non-transformable figure? Which isn't following HCM-Pro's concept of incorporating as many features and gimmicks as possible. Some of my speculations on those issues were already discussed in Part 1, so I'll just refer you to that. ^^
Anyway, an introduction on HCM-Pro GN Archer: XD
3 runners in total
Runner OPA - Contains parts for the MS portion.
All the parts are pre-painted with great details and accuracy. The two parts for the body unit for example, are done with three different colors each. ^^
(Left) Nicely painted metallic green visor. ^^
(Right) One-piece parts for the shoulder armors.
Most of the parts are designed with undergates that allow them to be removed without damaging the paint.
Some parts that are pre-painted don't come with undergates though, like the tail behind the helmet and thruster parts shown above for example. Some damage to the paint isn't an issue for them since they are going to be assembled onto other parts.
I suppose the careful consideration in deciding which parts should have undergate and which are the ones that don't need it is pretty amazing of the designers. ^^
A square space in the middle of the runner as opposed to the usual circle on Gunplas. ^^
Runner OPB - Contains parts for the fighter's nose, connectors, binders.
(Left) Since the main color of the runner is gray, the orange area on the nose parts is the result of the paint work.
(Right) The sensor is painted silver for its interior, with a clear green part cap over the mecha component. The resuly is really awesome. ^^
(Left) Quite a bit of black paint for the binders' bottom cover.
(Right) Apart from the black paint on the tail unit, the semi-transparent green painted for the weapons' sensors is pretty nice as well. ^^
Undergates spotted behind the parts.
Runner OPC - Contains parts for the binders.
A huge load of orange painted for the main body of the binders, but all the areas that aren't supposed to be painted are very accurately treated too. The slots on the side of the binders and the area beneath the covers are not painted for that.
(Left) Undergates spotted for the orange components.
(Right) No undergate designed for the connecting points between the orange and gray areas beneath the binder cover is an alarm bell for some obvious nub marks to exist when the parts are removed later. ^^;
The paint job did for the runners of GN Archer is most certainly of HCM-Pro standard, there's no doubt about it. ^^ Not only are the parts accurately painted, the colors look really nice. ^^ The multiple colors painted for the body parts and sensor unit on the nose are definitely the highlights here. ^^ All the painted parts have a matte feel to them, so I can just imagine how close GN Archer would look in terms of its overall paint job as compared to Arios Gundam, even though it requires a full assembly.
With all the parts removed, it's time to assemble this HCM-Pro figure. XD
Parts for the binders
The thruster is "hidden" between the rear armors, so a bit of the golden paint chipped off at the edge isn't going to be visible on the completed figure. ^^
Done for the binders.
The joints allow the binders to be bent to the back.
Just a snap of two parts for the nose unit.
Parts for the body unit.
Separable components before the final assembly.
Looking at the design of the arms and legs' connectors to the body unit, articulation is evidently not part of the plan at all. ^^;
Done for the body unit.
Closer look at the various details.
(Left) Overall height/length of the body unit alone is about 8cm.
(Right) Overall length of the binders (without the nose unit) is about 10cm.
The three components for the final assembly.
The binders merge with the body via a large connector behind the waist.
The nose connects to the body via two slots on the back.
More images of the completed GN Archer:
As mentioned in Part 3, a separate display stand is included just for GN Archer.
The connector is clipped to the entire waist of the figure to mount it to the display base.
GN Archer on display base.
Overall length of the completed GN Archer is about 14cm.
A few extra connector parts with very interesting dedicated functions to be introduced in the next posting. ^^
Not much I can say about the fixed figure of GN Archer I'm afraid, ^^; except for its paint work that is really detailed and accurate, but that point was made over and over again during the introduction of the various runners really. ^^;
The potential of GN Archer as a support unit will be unveiled in the next posting.
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