HGUC FA-78 3 Full Armor Gundam 7th review

Damn, i delayed this post again. Its was supposed to be here by the end of December but it ended up being upload now, mid of January. The pre-build was completed few weeks ago and it already under painting process now. Too bad that this project was held during the hand over for my previous job and i'm in another job which is in another field now. Two days off on weekend, i can spend one day for gunpla and post it on the coming weekend (Great).

So, FA-78-3 (instead of RX-78) Full Armor Gundam 7th, i don't know why it goes by number 7th but i guess this should be the 7th variation from RX-78. If i'm not wrong, it was from one of the Gundam game series and its not from any gundam anime series. As read from our best friend or you can called it as "gundam wiki" a.k.a MAHQ, this thing really come from many version or generation. The origin was from RX-78 till it develop to FA-78-1 to 2 to 3. And the best part of it was this 3rd generation can be said the combination of the FA-78-1 or 2 with using the NT-1 as the platform. This kit was actually re-design from the Mr. Katoki and the original of this FA-78-3 was carrying a lot more weapon than this. There is another heavy armor of this FA-78-3 which something look like Gundam Double X with its add-on flight "jet". From what i read, this should be the strongest RX/FA-78 series as the with more weapon and additional armors while maintaining its agility. If this come in MG version, which using the original design concept of this MS, it really can store a lot of weapon as MAHQ stated on its design concept. What a small kit with a lot of story.

Let check out the box and the runners.

Total of 9 runners included the polycap runner. As from the runners, there are no extra part for conversion (except the manipulators) and it seems there is no plan of the runners to come with other additional part for other variation such as the HFA-78-3 (heavy armor type)

 

 

 

The assemble process is not that and everything are pretty straightforward. The worst part will be the PC connectors which it can't fit well in certain part.

Assemble process easy means the parts are not separated well. This kit is not consider as the old HGUC but also not the latest HGUC. There are still a lot of parts are being mold together even though the colors are different. That's why when the assemble process become easier, the masking process will be pain in the ass.

As for the detail, don't worry about it as what it show from the photo above. All you need is masking, masking and masking and masking and masking for 2 or more different color on the same part. This will be the best part and also the worse one. There are many parts which is hard to differentiate whether it consider as the internal part of external armors if we want to change the color scheme (which i'm going to change it) unless you follow the original color scheme it.

From the assemble process, most of the joints and connectors shown clearly although it using PC parts as the connectors but this kit still rely a lot on the "multiple" stick joints. This is great for dynamic pose, better articulation and longer sturdiness of the joints. What impress me will be the lower torso joint. Although it using the ball joint but the ball joints connect into upper torso instead of under the lower torso (abdomen area) which make the joint more durable in terms of weight distribution and it still able to turn 360 degree without blocking by the front skirts or back skirts. The shoulders joint was using the ball joints also but with the shorter joint and the weapons are not that heavy which able to maintain the shoulders tilt upward for dynamic pose. The joints are simple and flexible which make the entire structure of the kit can be easily disassemble the main part such in between the lower calf and tight for the legs, arms and others. This make the painting process easier.

As for the proportion wise, it look more square-ish. Although the joint are great but the edges of the entire kit are not sharp enough. Therefore, pulling out dynamic pose for this kit can be quite difficult. As for the ground pose, it works great but there still some room for improvement (maybe they save it for the RG version, LOL).

Like usual, for any customization for this kit there will be few types. Since this kit was design so well as the full armors, changing the color scheme to differentiate the external armors out will be good enough to show off this kit. As what i said, the edges of this kits is still not sharp enough and this kit is actually quite short. Changing the joints and using cut and re-join those part to increase the length on individual part of the kit might help to improve the look a lot.

Bandai, i'm waiting for the MG variation of this.