HGUC Geara Zulu Part 2

Simple but versatile
Done with my HGUC Geara Zulu. ^^

The model kit turns out way better than I expected really. ^^ Great articulation, many features and gimmicks plus a huge array of weapons to pose him with, which you will see in this posting.

The overall design is very awesome. It's such a moderate-looking MS, yet it has all the design elements of a Zeon MS. The proportion is just sleek: no large right shoulder armor with spikes like Zaku II; the skirt armor is longer; the thigh is thinner and the head is smaller. The last two elements are from Geara Doga, but a smaller backpack is adopted, hence making its connection closer to Zaku II. It's great to see that the fusion of all these design points is nicely realized on this kit. It really is a very cool-looking Zeon MS in my opinion. ^^





All the emblems are from foil stickers. Rub the sticker on top of the parts to trace the shape of the emblem so that a more realistic effect can be achieved.


Added numbering to the shield via dry transfer decal from MG Hi-Zack.


Comes with an option left spread palm, shaped just right to support the beam rifle.


There's a little tab beneath the head that you turn to adjust the mono eye camera part, but I find it rather troublesome to reach for the tab, so I'll just remove the helmet whenever I want to move the eye.


2 types of helmet included. Little blade antenna is really loyal to the design of Zeon MSs.


I split the front skirt armor in two. Not much done for treating the wound though - just painted the cut area with green marker.


The little grenade launcher can be separated from the rifle. Although its handle is short, you can actually pose Geara Zulu grabbing the launcher, which will then look more like a flare gun. ^^;
This weapon KO-ed a ReZEL in the OVA, so no kidding about it XD


A wide articulation range for the shoulder joint allows the left hand to support the rifle in different ways.




Looks just as great without the weapons and rifle magazines mounted.


The weapon rack and magazines. The hand grenade and beam tomahawk have designated locations on the rack.



More action poses made possible with a display stand.




Perfect kneeling pose.



Actually, I still prefer the conventional solid ax than this beam tomahawk. The feel is somewhat different even though they look similar.
But beam tomahawk is much easier to carry on the waist than Zaku II's Heat Hawk.


Comparison with HGUC Char's Zaku II (because I don't have the production type).



Different timeline, different designers, different mecha setting, a direct comparison is of course not applicable. Looking at the two, It's fairly easy to notice how Geara Zulu is being designed to look much closer to Federation MSs in terms of body proportion. The same can be said about Sinanju. The Red Comet we call him, but it doesn't look very similar to the other Red Comet - Sazabi except the red paint scheme. Proportion wise, it's closer to Unicorn Gundam than Sazabi in my opinion. ^^

Kshatriya is still a monster though. ^^

HGUC Geara Zulu Part 1

Awfully tempting
No the most recent Gunpla release, but it's still one of my favorites at the moment - HGUC Geara Zulu.





I'm a big fan of mono-eye MSs from Zeon, be it the original Principality of Zeon from the first Gundam, or any resemblance of their MS designs in other Gundam timelines. I think many Zeon MSs are able to instill a fearsome image into enemy eyes through their mono-eye camera. A red glowing eye that moves around behind what you can call a face looks pretty fierce to me. ^^

So, even though many of such units, like Zaku II, Gouf, Gelgoog, Marasai, Zaku Warrior and Tieren are designed for mass production purpose, where cost of production is emphasized over performance, according to these units' mecha setting, I like them very much. ^^ I suppose you can call them cannon fodder in certain scenes in their anime, ^^; but take away that, they are very fierce-looking mecha to me.

I like Geara Zulu for being closer to Zaku II in its appearance as compared to Geara Doga. When you think about the actual combat performance, Geara Zulu would be a cheaper production model of Geara Doga, which is also a production type MS itself. ^^; So, just by looking at the specs, Geara Zulu is of a much lower class as compared to Geara Doga.

From the roll-out of Geara Zulu, I believe we can say that the remnants of Neo Zeon in UC0096 sure are facing some serious financial constraints to sustain their forces. ^^;

Still, Full Frontal's gangs maintain their great artistic sense in designing the emblem of the Neo Zeon on the chest and forearm of Geara Zulu, which varies between variations. ^^ Pragmatists might argue that better weapons or so can be added if those emblems are removed, but I welcome such design very much. ^^ It gives the unit so much more personality when you put him with other Zeon units.

As a matter of fact, I like him so much I bought two - something I never did before. ^^ Normally I would focus on just one kit and try to make it the best I could, but the temptation to build a Geara Zulu straightaway is really hard to resist, and so, this particular kit of Geara Zulu will be a plain straight assembled version, with no panel-ling, just foil sticker for all.

And that's something I never did for almost 10 years now. ^^ Since the day I got my first pen for panel-lining, straight assembly for the final model has been off my book, but I suppose I could let myself go for this kit. ^^ The completed model will go to my office.

A look at the runners first:


Runner A



All the black parts for the collar, chest and forearms are on Runner A. From the way how the parts are molded, the many Geara Zulu's variations are definitely going to come out.


Runner B


While the front skirt armor is connected, it can still be separated so that each side can move independently.


Runner C


Indication of the future variation releases on this runner as well.


Runner D


Generic leg and arm parts for all types of Geara Zulu.


Runner E - Generic joint parts.


Runner F - Weapons and backpack.


Backpack - different between the regular type, royal guard type and Angelo Sauper's customized type.


Polycap and foil stickers
Polycap is an extended variation of the one used by HGUC Nu Gundam.
A straight assembly it's going to be, it should be done by the next posting. ^^