Gunpla #24 - RG Gundam GP01 Zephyranthes Review

Finally, posting about gunpla after months of hiatus.

GP01 a.k.a Zephyranthes, the protagonist mobile suit of Mobile Suit Gundam 0083 - Stardust Memory OVA. This mobile suit by far is my personal favorite, not just because of the design, but also the story surrounds it. At first glimpse, GP01 is similar to its predecessor, RX-78-2, with an extra twist of muscular looks, especially on the chest and feet. The color scheme is dominated by white, blue and red, with small portions of yellow, the typical gundam colors.

The kit is my fourth RG (after Justice, Freedom and MK-II AEUG), and it's received the same detail treatments as the other RG kits. I could just say that this kit is awesome. The appearance might be simple, but look at the handsome head, muscular chest and sexy feet, this is without a doubt, the best incarnation of GP01 ever produced. One of the special features of RG GP01 is the core fighter system that could be detached from the main body. However, that also means this kit has potential to become more fragile than normal RG. The connections of core fighter and chest section simply cannot withstand wide movements, hence the articulation is quite limited.

The kit came with a beam rifle, an extendable shield, two beam sabers and a special clear part for beam rifle effect. Aside from the articulated and 'standard' hands of RG, there's also an extra hand for the shield. And of course, you got lots of clear stickers for the kit, even though not as many as other RGs.  The were also several energy packs available for the beam rifle which could be stored on the backside of shield. Overall, the accessories are quite standard in terms of number and design.

       

As mentioned above, the articulation of this kit is hindered by the fragile connection of core fighter unit inside its chest. The 'unusual' connection also makes the arms become wobble and sometimes, they could not hold the rifle and shield tightly. However, it still could do some cool poses, even though the process could be frustating.

Overall, I love this kit and its simple appearance. The articulation and extra parts might not be the best compared to other RGs, but for me, this is one of my favorites .. EVER. I really recommend this kit for 0083 fans, especially the UC fanatics. Now, let's just wait the GP02 to be released as an RG, hence we could re-create the epic fights from the OVA in more detailed level :-D

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RX-78GP01 Gundam Zephyranthes

Pros :

• Really cool and highly detailed design from 0083 OVA
• Core fighter system that could be detached from the body
• Stickers are forgivable (in terms of number LOL)

Cons :

• Fragile connections between chest and core fighter
• Limited articulation and posing options
• Weak arm joints