Gundam Alex is from the short series ‘War in the Pocket’ and might be the Gundam featured and shown for the shortest time of all, since the show is about Zeon infiltrators and the boy protagonist.
It was meant to be an upgrade for Amuro Rey as the first Newtype MS (like the Nu), but he never got it.
Aesthetics:
The Gundam itself is anime accurate, meaning it’s bulkier and more square than typical gunpla kits (which I am very happy with!).
The plastic is nice and the eyes are a transparent green which you can paint around or use a sticker on. I choose to paint mine, as the sticker sat oddly.
Besides two metallic stickers, there’s a sheet of decal stickers, but no dry transfers or water slides.
Mechanics:
Despite having one of the simplest inner frames of all MG for decades, it does have a surprising amount of tricks.
The legs feature a turning thruster over its ankles and the small calves sink into the leg as to not block the thighs when the legs are bent completely, maintaining a bulky appearance while also being dexterous.
Within each forearm is a popup minigun.
The arms feature more rotation points than normal and the wrists have a great range of movement.
The cockpit hatch open up, but can also swing forwards entirely.
Equipment:
4 pairs of hands, the usual open, closed, holding and holding with trigger finger.
2 chunky beam sabers with beams.
1 FAMAS looking beam rifle with detachable magazine (no spares).
1 shield, which has an opening hatch that allows the popup minigun to be used with the shield.
1 hyper bazooka (slightly altered version of a previous version for the RX-78-2 2.0), which has a peg for storing on the back skirt.
A spare classic beam rifle in an all grey green color (missing a scope glass)
3 x 1/100 scale miniatures, of the pilot, Bernard/Bernie and Alfred.
And finally the defining part of this kit, the Chobham armor, which has its own inner frame that you attach first and then the covering armor plates.
The armor frame comes in an injection metal plastic which looks okay.
The armor itself is all in one color and would benefit greatly from some paint, as it does look a little plain and the details struggle to pop. It’s also dark, so a simple panel line won’t do it.
There are hatches everywhere on the armor to allow the many thrusters on the Gundam to fire through.
The armor on the arms allow the popup miniguns to open.
As something new, or only seen with an SD kit earlier, there is now a head armor with built in weaponry, as well as a broken V fin to replicate the scene against the zeon Kämpfer.
Conclusion:
It is a beautiful kit that utilizes what it has efficiently.
You fall into a luxury issue with the kit, in that you have to choose whether to display it with or without the armor.
You also can’t equip or store the shield and bazooka when the armor is on. It can barely hold its beam rifle as the armor is so bulky and you’re instead meant to use a beam saber and/or the popup miniguns.
I like how the kit looks without the armor and so I’ll be packing it away, which is a bit of a shame, especially the price considered, as it’s not a cheap kit.
Still, I’m very happy with it, no problems.
