November 26, 2009

Bandai's 1/100 Double-O Raiser ~ In-box preview

The year is 2307 A.D., and Earth's fossil fuels have been depleted. Humanity has obtained a new source of energy in the form of a large-scale solar power generation system, based on three huge orbital elevators. However, the benefits of this system are available only to a handful of major powers and their allies: the Union, led by the United States of America; the Human Reform League, led by China, Russia, and India; and the AEU, led by Europe.

These superpower blocs continue to play a grand zero-sum game for the sake of their own prestige and prosperity. Thus, even in the 24th Century, humanity has yet to come together as one.

In this world of never-ending conflict, a private armed organization appears, dedicated to the elimination of war through armed force. Its name is Celestial Being, and it is in possession of "Gundam" mobile suits. With these Gundams, it begins armed intervention into all acts of war.
 

Box Art

The Gundam 00-Raiser (pronounced "Double-O" Raiser) is the combination of the 0-Raiser, a mobile weapons platform, and the 00 Gundam, the successor unit to the Gundam Exia. The combination of the two mobile weapons helps stabilize the 00's Twin Drive system and amplifies 00 Gundam's Trans-Am System, quadrupling the GN particle output.

An additional feature of 00-Raiser in Trans-Am is quantization. Quantization allows 00 Raiser to flank its enemy targets through instant shift in location. Its properties weren't ever clearly defined and it's often theorized as a form of short range spatial teleportation. In dire situations when an enemy target is about to fatally hit 00 Raiser, the Gundam is capable of instantly jumping away and flank its enemy's position (usually several meters from behind or side). Quantization itself leaves a particle shadow of 00 Raiser, fooling the enemy of a false victorious blow. The maneuver often leaves the opponent confused and distracted long enough for 00 Raiser to do serious damage and/or defeating its enemy targets.

This mech appears on the 2nd season of Gundam 00 and it's considered a 4th generation mobile suit. Guess that means it has all the bells and whistles of previous generation plus a few more.

What You Get

Bandai made sure this kit came with some notable extras for a no-grade kit, one of them being the clear green base (supposed to emulate the GN particles generated by the mobile suit), as well as light-up GN-drives (batteries not included).  In addition to that, it also includes a pair of GN Sword IIs that switch modes from Sword to Rifle, a pair of GN Beam Sabers, and GN Shields.

Like in the show, the kit can be assembled as the 0-Raiser and the 00 Gundam separately, which you can then combine to make the 00-Raiser.  You can also display both mobile weapons separately.

Bandai considered this mobile suit so popular that it is releasing a Perfect Grade kit of it.  So get your wallets ready!

Scale: 1/100
Manufacturer: Bandai
What you get: 11 sprues of injection-molded styrene parts, polycaps sprue, base, instructions & stickers sheet
Price: ¥5,000 (about $54.27) plus overseas shipping, available from HLJ.com
Molding Quality: typical of Bandai models, no flash with crisp detail and excellent parts fit
Detail: High Grade detail, not as much detail as a Master Grade but enough
Accuracy: looks dead-on to the animated version
Pros: excellent parts fit & detail, GN drives w/light-up LEDs
Cons: price, only available (so far) from overseas hobby stores

Final comments:  Nice model for a non-Master Grade. Recommended for all fans of the series.