Starting with looks, I LOVE this thing. It uses different shades of each color to add a LOT more detail, although it's most noticeable in the blue.
Before this I built the real grade version of this, but I've already packed it up so I can't really compare them. At the time I was actually kinda disappointed by it since it wasn't the same as the one in the anime, but eventually I learned what endless waltz was and started appreciating these kits for looks and articulation, so when I eventually unpack it I think I'll like it better.
(I built it LONG before I joined imgflip.)
These days I honestly couldn't care less about anime accuracy in general since 99% of the kits I've built probably aren't from any Gundam anime I've seen.
Short rant about the real grade aside, the bird-like wings on this are pretty unique, I've only seen this in one other kit, that of course being the real grade. They can be an absolute pain to pose at times but when you have them posed right it looks PERFECT
Moving onto weapons, this kit has the average two beam sabers and a shield, although the beam rifles are different than usual
In the English part of the instructions they're referred to as the "buster rifles" and can be put together like this, although I will note that having them connected like this can be REALLY frustrating. It helps to have only one hand connected, and the other just around the handle to create the illusion of both hands holding it.
A problem I saw in Mecha gaikotsu's review of this (which is what made me want to get it) is that near the end the handles are on the buster rifles just barely separate when you have both hands connected, which can of course be avoided by disconnecting one hand from the gun.
Other than all of that there isn't really much to say about the weapons
Quick thing I forgot to mention about the weapons:
This has a feature EXCLUSIVE to the ver. ka!
As you can see in the image above, the buster rifles can be folded in half and stored in the larger pair of wings
And a feature that I don't think is exclusive to this, is that the beam sabers can be stored in the smaller pair, although the connection is quite loose
Quick warning: just like the MG freedom Gundam, this one doesn't have any polycaps, so be careful with some of the joints. ESPECIALLY while building it, I nearly broke a piece right at the start just trying to connect it.
For the arms, they have quite a bit of mobility, and can move further forward using a mechanism in the torso that moves the sides outward and forward, which can also be used to make it look more bulky
For the legs, they have plenty of mechanisms, even one in the calf I've never seen on another model kit
Sure it's pretty common for MG kits to have extra moving parts, but this is pretty damn cool. However there is one problem...
The bottom of the knee armor is not connected to the rest of the leg. I checked the instructions multiple times, but there's just nothing there. So you're gonna have to manually push it down.
As for a couple of other features, these two gray segments next to the head open up to reveal a couple machine guns
the opening cockpit is also pretty good, just like the MG freedom you can actually see the pilot!
And the two blue parts on the sides of the head can expand for some reason, the instructions also mentioned that the bottom piece around the green gem can drop down for something that goes with the thing on the head
Not sure what it is or if it said anything in English, I would've shown these in pictures but I already packed this up.
I think this is one of the best kits in my collection! Pretty damn good for my first ver. ka! 9.5/10
A lot of parts were a VERY tight fit, so I was pretty worried I was gonna break one. Luckily the only part I actually broke was a pretty easy fix, and I'm likely the only one who's ever gonna see it. although the wings are a pain, you get used to them pretty quickly. The knee armor also could've been done better but since you need to do some weird sh*t with the knees for the transformation I think it was a necessary sacrifice. BUT if I remember correctly the original wing Gundam master grade didn't have this problem
