1/100 Zaku Warrior Blaze Wizard & Gunner Wizard Part 1

Another box set
Moving on to another "set" item to be featured on my blog after Mugenbine DX Mugen Pharaoh (Zeonic Eyes 2 covered before it can be considered a set item too ^^), a Gunpla this time: 1/100 scale Zaku Warrior with Blaze Wizard and Gunner Wizard packs. ^^


Featuring of set items is really an unintentional theme for this month. ^^; If I wish, a somewhat more "fitting" theme would be "things to review disregarding the rainy season". ^^; Honestly, I have nothing specific on my mind for this month, and this Zaku Warrior is very much just another really old kit kept in my closet I'm dusting off right now. ^^

Released back in 2005, this Zaku Warrior set is indeed an old kit by today's standard. ^^ While not being a big fan of the show where it came from, Zaku Warrior is one of my favorite MS designs from "Gundam SEED Destiny". That preference is very natural for me, since most robots with spikes or horns (the sharper the better) with just one eye - fierce-looking designs in my opinion are always my favorite, and Zaku Warrior definitely fits that image that I like. It's very obvious that the design is based on Zaku II from "MS Gundam", but the huge horn, large shoulder shield with sharp spikes and overall much sleeker design are level-up points to the original Zaku II - a great re-imagined design of its "ancestor" from the first Gundam anime I would say. ^^

Between the two variations, I like the grunt type - "Warrior" over the leader class "Phantom". The latter's two shoulder shields make it really bulky, which doesn't look as good without its Blaze Wizard pack, but with that backpack on, some bit of its fierce image is lost in my opinion - too bulky. ^^; Mecha specs wise, it's better, but when all that is fictitious, the look is more important. I suppose I'm just too used to Zaku II's simplistic image, which influenced my perception about Zaku Warrior that the same kind of simplicity is equally impressive, more than that of the newer upgraded form ("Phantom") introduced in "Gundam SEED Destiny".

The only Zaku Phantom I want is Yzak Joule's customized "Slash" type, but that's more about the character instead of the MS. ^^ Also, there's no Slash Zaku Phantom in either 1/100 scale or High Grade formats, and I missed the chance of getting the 1/144 scale Collection version. >.<



Box art shows Zaku Warrior in its three forms and the two main cast characters who piloted them at the beginning of the show.
Dearka got his customized version of Zaku Phantom by the end of the show, but he "downgraded" from using the huge cannon of Gunner Wizard to the smaller standard beam rifle of Blaze Wizard. ^^;




Introduction of the kit on the box sides.


Comparison of the box size with that of another 1/100 Zaku kit in my collection - MG Zaku II F2.


While the depth is the same between the two boxes, Zaku Warrior's is definitely wider. ^^
Not till the level of Gundam Virtue, but it's still one hefty 1/100 scale kit. ^^


Box open.


Content.
A look at the different runners:


Runner A - Multi-color runner that contains parts mainly for the body and waist. A few parts for the Blaze and Gunner Wizard packs are also in.


(Left) Molded with the missiles, the base parts are going to be quite a challenge to paint . ^^;
(Right) Very clear molded line details inside the main thruster.


(Left) Beam part for the tomahawk is the only clear part in this kit.
(Right) Deep and narrow valleys with tiny line details inside them is a great challenge to panel line. ^^; It's amazing how those details are molded though.


Hints on the runner showing how the separate segments featuring the Blaze and Gunner Wizards' parts are added to the "main" runner that contains generic parts for both Zaku Warrior and Phantom.


Three separate labels on the same runner is pretty awesome to see: Zaku Warrior (left), Gunner Zaku, ...


... and Blaze Zaku. ^^
It feels like the mold for this runner got its shot of Mugenbine treatment when it was first designed XD


Comparison between three Zaku Warrior/Phantom variations for the same runner.


An empty space with apparent hints that wasn't used even for the same runner in Zaku Phantom. Maybe it was meant for the never-released Slash Wizard variation?


Runner B - Contains all generic parts for the arms and legs.


Display base for the character card.


Runner C - Like Runner A, this is another runner that features generic parts for Zaku Warrior (feet, conductive pipes, beam tomahawk and others) and specific ones for Blaze and Gunner Wizard packs.


Gunner Wizard segment


Blaze Wizard segment


A bit of hint there at the edge of the spare rifle magazines' segment that another two would come in for the Phantom type variation. ^^


Comparison between three Zaku Warrior/Phantom variations for the same runner.


Runner D - ABS runner containing generic parts mostly for the various joints and weapons, plus a small segment of parts for Gunner Wizard.



Glossy black parts for the ankle joints, beam rifle and magazines.


Gunner Wizard's parts on this runner are also joints meant for the large cannon, obviously making use of ABS material's sturdiness for the joints' strength.


Much like the empty area meant for Zaku Phantom's extra set of spare magazine parts to be included on Runner C, here's the blank area meant for extra joint parts to be used for Zaku Phantom's second shoulder shield.


Comparison between three Zaku Warrior/Phantom variations for the same runner.


Runner E - Contains just two white parts for the shoulder shield.


Size of the shield: 13cm (height) x 5.5cm (width)


Another bunch of hints at the runner's edge for another set of shield parts to be appended to this runner for Zaku Phantom.


Comparison between three Zaku Warrior/Phantom variations for the same runner.


Runner F - Contains four light green parts for the shoulder shield, including three really sharp spikes.


Same case as Runner E, another set of the same parts would be appended to the edge of this runner for Zaku Phantom's second shoulder shield.


Comparison between three Zaku Warrior/Phantom variations for the same runner.


Runner G - Contains parts mainly for the shoulder armors and head.


(Left) A few generic Zaku Warrior/Phantom parts, including the neck area and base of the head, plus one of the shoulder armors too, which isn't shown in this image.
(Right) Specific parts for Zaku Warrior, including the other shoulder armor featuring a horn and the helmet part without the blade antenna.



A mesh of hints here and there on this runner as quite a few parts molded on different position need to be swapped out for Zaku Phantom. ^^;


Comparison between three Zaku Warrior/Phantom variations for the same runner.


Runner H - Contains parts that are specific to Blaze Wizard pack.


A bit of line details on the bottom face of the thrusters' covers.


(Left) Nicely molded "slopes" and vents for the tail's interior is a great design to look at, but it's going to be quite a challenge to paint too. ^^;
(Right) "Blaze Zaku" is the only label on this runner.


Runner I - Contains parts that are specific to Blaze Wizard pack.


(Left) Some very minor details of sunken area on the bottom face of the missile pod covers.
(Right) "Blaze Zaku" is the only label on this runner.


Runner J - Contains parts that are specific to Gunner Wizard pack.


Pretty extensive details for the cannon's body and vent interior on the side of the weapon.


(Left) The length of the cannon's main body is already 17cm, not too far away from the height of the model kit itself. ^^
(Right) The energy pack (?) of the cannon is amazingly huge too. It's about 6cm tall and 3cm wide, but it's the overall shape that makes it look really massive. ^^


"Gunner Zaku" is the only label on this runner.


Polycap set PC-116, a generic one for most 1/100 scale Gunplas.


Foil sticker sheet.
Plenty of white stripes which are meant for the grenades, and the thrusters' and missile pods' covers on Blaze Wizard.


Also included are two clear character cards of Athrun and Dearka, plus a red mesh pipe and a red wire for Gunner Wizard.


All removed parts are organized and stored in individual paper containers.
Quite a bit of paint work is required to realize the intended color scheme it seems. ^^; The various thrusters, missile pods, weapon parts and a few other parts are all missing some colors here and there. ^^;

Will be starting on the paint work in the next posting. ^^

Images of the runner list are from Hobby Search: 1/100 Lunamaria's Customized Gunner Zaku Warrior, Rey Za Burrel's Customized Blaze Zaku Phantom and Dalong Dotnet: Zaku Warrior + Blaze Wizard & Gunner Wizard.