HCM-Pro Gundam RX-78-2 Roll Out Color Ver. Part 1

Limited item with limited appeal
A Gundam-centric review series that is more focused on the genre as compared to the one posted late last month to kick off the blog in September. ^^


On a related note, there's no need for this Gundam figure to be worried about dust problem, since it was kept inside its paper box all this while. XD

HCM-Pro Gundam RX-78-2 Roll Out Color Ver.
Production company: Bandai Hobby Division
Release date: September 2007
Price: 2,000 Yen (exclusive of tax).
Merchandise link

The return of the HCM-Pro series! ^^

Having one new release on average per month between 2004 and 2008, the HCM-Pro line was at one point equivalent to today's Robot Damashii series for Bandai Hobby Division. Ironically, it was the launch of the Robot Damashii line that preceded the demise of the HCM-Pro series. ^^; Then again, from the perspective of competition, I think it's understandable how having larger-sized, more articulated action figures which include mecha from series beyond Gundam in the Robot Damashii line made it more popular and favorable over the HCM-Pro series.

I do like releases from both series for their own unique features, and have no preference for one over the other. ^^ For that matter, I'm sad that I didn't get to buy some of the HCM-Pro releases when they first came out. Circa 2006 during the peak of the series, my interest and budget were limited to just Gunplas and nothing else. ^^; Eventually when I started to have extra budget to pursue non-Gunpla purchases, it was years after the HCM-Pro series went into hibernation mode. ^^; By the time I started looking for those I missed out in the past, they were pretty much gone from the market. ^^;

Then again, that didn't stop me from searching for the releases I fancied over when they first came out though. I managed to obtained a couple of the ones I like through online forums and hobby stores, including this special Roll Out Color version of Gundam RX-78-2. ^^


Front view of the paper box.


The arrangement of a completely straight standing pose for the figure inside the box ...


... matches the large figure line art on the left hand side of the front cover. ^^


Product label.
As with most other Gundam merchandise series, Gundam RX-78-2 is always the pilot release, and the HCM-Pro series proudly "inherited" this tradition. ^^ The Gundam also received the highest number of variant releases in the entire series. It was re-released so many times this special version looked like it was going to be "just another" variant of Gundam RX-78-2 when it was first announced.

An oxymoronic way of putting it: it seemed like an ordinary special version of HCM-Pro Gundam RX-78-2. XD

The frequent variant releases of the same figure sort of hurt the sales of this Roll Out Color version I think. ^^; Even with its unorthodox color scheme, unique brown cardboard box design and limited release status, I remember it was listed to be on sales very quickly after its initial release, on almost every hobby website I frequented. ^^; It was a special release that nobody really cared about I suppose. ^^; Since I didn't have any of the previously released HCM-Pro Gundam RX-78-2s, and I didn't fancy the conventional white-blue-yellow-red color scheme of the Gundam, this Roll Out Color version became one of few releases in the entire series that I really wanted to own. ^^

On the flip side, one good thing from the sad outcome of the figure being ignored in the market: I was able to get it "back" years after its release at a fairly low, non-collector-piece price. ^^







Only the figure itself but none of its accessories can be seen through the front window.



Simple box side designs that are still consistent with that of other releases from the series.


An unconventionally simple design for the back of the box. ^^



Only a repetition of the product label from the front cover coupled with a large Earth Federation emblem, plus product info table in Japanese can be seen on the back. ^^



A comparison with the box of Destiny Gundam from the same series reveals the two boxes' similarities in design



While the side designs are almost the same, they are actually on opposite sides of the two boxes.


Top and bottom views of the boxes.


Box open.


Content.


Front view of the plastic tray that holds the figure.
Unlike all the previously reviewed HCM-Pro releases (like Seravee Gundam, and Cherudim Gundam), there's no top cover for the tray.







Closeups on the figure stored on the tray.


Two clear "tags" that are separately tabbed onto the plastic tray in front of the figure.
A couple of protruding points inside the space are holding the figure very tightly to the tray, so the tags are not needed to help with that support at all. ^^


(Left) The name of the figure can be seen molded on the left side of the tray.
(Right) A "container" on the lower half of the tray can be used to store all the extra parts that are included.


Rear view of the tray, after the manual and extra runners have been removed.


Straight out of box display of HCM-Pro Gundam RX-78-2 Roll Out Color Ver.


The two aforementioned "tags" can be removed as well.
They look suitable as accessories to be displayed alongside the figure on a display base.


The instruction manual pack.


Front view of the instruction manual.



Very much like that of a Gunpla kit, the instruction manual shows the runner list, assembly needed to complete the different components, and weapon configuration.


Back cover.


The extra runner pack.


Runner OP3 - The biggest runner out of the four, which contains parts mainly for the weapons.



Pre-painted parts.


Very fragile-looking pipe part for the bazooka.


Runner labels: HCM-Pro Gundam, Made in 2004


Runners OP4 - beam sabers, and OP1 - shield.


Given the molded color of the runner is white, all the colors on the shield are from paint work.


As with the pair of beam sabers.
The clear base color gives the beam parts extra glossiness. ^^


OP2 - An additional V-fin part made of ABS hard plastic.
Since I don't think I'll be using this part, I didn't bother removing it from the plastic container.


Parts removed from the three runners.


As with all previously reviewed HCM-Pro figures, the paint work on the runner only covers the surface, so the molded color would be exposed when the parts are removed.


The missing silver paint beneath the beam rifle and on the sides of the shield are painted over using Tamiya Paint Marker X-11 Chrome Silver.


The missing white paint on one of the hand units and wrist joint are are painted over using Gundam Marker White.
A few layers of white paints are needed to completely cover up the dark gray molded color on the parts. ^^; For that matter, quite a bit of time was spent on waiting for the paint to dry before applying the next layer.

Introduction of all the accessories and weapons in the next posting. ^^