Toy Review: Astray Red Frame KAI (MG)

MG Gundam Model Kit
Astray Red Frame KAI

I’d been wanting to get the Perfect Grade Gundam Astray Red Frame since I saw it about a year ago on various Japanese toy sites. Here was a giant robot that was equipped with a giant pair of katana to slice through other giant robots and deflect giant laser blasts. It was the Ginsu knife of the Gundam universe. It even had something called “clear parts” that were exclusive to that version.

Since I’m not one of those blessed with the ability to read Japanese I couldn’t read a lick of the text on the trade announcements of the new 1/60 scale figure. I turns out that the extra katana and those clear parts were only for the people who pre-ordered the model kit. I am Jack’s dissapointed fanboy heart. When it arrived at retail I heard the price. Php 12,000.00.

Yeah, right.

So I forgot about adding a Red Frame Astray to my collection. That is until I saw that they were coming out with a 1/100 Master Grade kit that included both clear parts and that second katana. I am Jack’s excited girlish squeeing.

Now before we get into the thick of this review, remember that this is a model kit and not technically a “toy”. The difference between the two is basically twofold. First, model kits are made mostly of polystyrene, a cheaper plastic than what most action figures are made of. There are other parts that are made of PVC and ABS plastic, but they’re usually for smaller parts within the frame. This means that you’ll need to be much more careful with a model than you are with a toy. They are absolutely NOT for kids and can break very easily.

Second is… well you remember that old line on some classic toys in the 80’s, “some assembly required?” Well, you’ll spend a day or more assembling a Master Grade figure the first time. Check this out:

That’s what’s in the box. It looks nothing like the pictures on the outside, does it?

Between the mess of parts and that awesome mecha are about 12-15 hours of cutting, snapping, testing, checking, matching, searching, and swearing. Since I’d been on the fence about getting into Gunpla (GUNdam PLAstic modeling) for a few months now, I’d done a lot of reading so was prepared, but anyone else should really ask if they really want to pay Php 3,500.00 for an 8″ figure that they still need to build from scratch.

I know right? Insane.

But then most nerdery is, isn’t it?

There are some great plus points to modeling when compared to toys. For one, there’s a level of detail you won’t find anywhere in the toy world, except maybe with the 12″ high end action figure industry. But then, one of those figures costs Php 7,000 to Php 10,000.

Because the material that Bandai uses for the model is cheaper, and because there isn’t any paint or assembly costs involved for them, there is a lot more attention to small details that other manufacturers just can’t approach. Take a look at the tangs on the two sword blades that come with the kit:

Yes, that is Japanese writing on the tang of each of the blades, the “Gerbera Straight” and the “Tiger Pierce”; signatures carved into the “metal” of the swords. I had a geekgasm when I saw this.

The rest of the completed figure has similar little add-ins that are a delight to find, from working pistons to double hinges and articulated hands. There’s even a stand that helps you post the robot.

You’ll have to start by remembering that age old Internet proverb; RTFM or READ THE F*CKING MANUAL.

It’s a must for any model maker, old or new. You could try and wing it, like I do with Transformers toys, but I promise you, you’ll end up skipping parts that aren’t obvious, like the placement of a polycap or something, and then you’ll be up sh*t creek without a paddle, having to backtrack and find out what you missed.

Trust me. I did it twice and I was READING THE F*CKING MANUAL.

After about 4 hours, you’ll end up with various parts of the frame of the Gundam robot. The Master Grade kits (high detail 1/100 kits that have increased articulation) are mostly made up of a base frame that sports the joint work and is covered with the various pieces of armor, sort of how a “real” Gundam robot would be build.

After another 3 hours, I had all the armor cut and prepared and then fitted on the frame. This whole process is rather tedious, but fun if you’re in the right frame of mind.

After I re-assembled the whole thing (another hour), I was the proud father of an 8″ baby Gundam.

The next 4 hours or so were spent assembling the the figure stand and all the accessories. It comes with a whole mess of swag.

Most of the pieces come from the MG version of the Astray Blue Frame Second Revise, which also had the “Tactical Arms II”. The Tactical Arms II is the backpack/weapons set that the Gundam carries. It takes on several forms as a support engine and as various weapons.

The set can be placed on his back in the V-form, Flight Form, or the Delta Form (a way of gathering energy for interplanetary travel using the fictional solar sail method of “Voiture Lumiere”).

Tactical Arms II V-Form

Tactical Arms II Flight Form

Tactical Arms II Delta Form

There are also various weapon modes for the Tactical Arms II:

Tactical Arms II Sword Form

Tactical Arms II Gun/Work Form

Tactical Arms II Sword Arm Form

The new version that comes with this set, called the Tactical Arms IIL, also includes an few new pieces to turn it into the new “Arrow Form” that can throw energy beams long distance. It’s a bitch to get into place, but it looks damn nice if you ask me.

Tactical Arms II Arrow Form

It’s all means that there’s a lot of ways to pose your Astray Red Frame should you decide to get one. By far, my favorite is still with the Gundam using the Gerbera Straight and Tiger Pierce, since that is why I originally bought it.

In the end, I don’t think I’ll be getting heavy into Gundams. It’s an even more expensive and time consuming hobby than action figure collecting is. I haven’t even started painting or applying the decals that come with the kit. There’s still the whole “panel-lining” thing to talk about.

However, there are definitely some models that I want to find. The Samurai-themed MG Shin Musha Gundam is one. The MG Blue Frame that this kit was based on is another. The Green Frame 1/100 scale… and the two HG Mirage Frames to complete the Astray set. Then maybe that chrome MG Unicorn Gundam. Not to mention the ones from the Gundam Wing series like the Gundam Heavyarms, Gundam Deathscythe Hell, Gundam Sandrock, Shenlong Gundam, and Wing Gundam Zero.

Oh, who am I kidding?