Review: 1/144 NG Zoloat

General/Technical Data

Series: No Grade 1/144

Title: ZM-S06S Zoloat

Release Date: 05/1993

Suggested Price: ¥500 ($7)

No. of Parts: 50 + Polycaps + Foil Stickers

Plastic Colors: Red, Yellow, Transluscent Purple

Gimmicks: Beam Rifle, Beam Sabers (2), Beam Shield, Display Base

Intro

I'm taking my sweet time, but I'm making good on my promise to churn out a few blogs on a regular basis.  And my latest attempt to return to Gunpla building has begun with yet another blast from the past.  Inspired by Mobile Suit Victory Gundam, the Zoloat offers a unique, albeit faster, method to building by molding the runners in the same shape and simply pressing them together, assembling several parts at once.  Other than that and Bandai's attempt at an inner frame composed of polycaps, it's your run-of-the-mill, generic 1/144 scale model.

Head

Basically 2 halves molded in red.  Stickers are provided for the forehead, eyes and cheek vents.

Torso

Composed of 7 parts, including a large polycap with joints placed inside the chest, the torso also sports a backpack with 2 thrusters.  4 stickers are available for the chest.

Much like the 1/144 NG G Gundam, 2 more polycaps hold all the skirt armor together, giving articulation to each individual piece (except the front and back skirt).  One sticker is available for this section.

Arms

Each made up of 9 parts--including polycap hands of which you can't tell the back from the palm--both arms can rotate 360 degrees at the elbow and bend at a 180-degree angle.  What's more . . .

The left shoulder armor has a built-in sidearm while the right one can hold up the beam shield (though not very well; more on this one later).

Legs

Each made up of 7 parts, the legs can move at about 45 degrees at the knees and ankle.  The oddity here are two tiny pieces, each with 2 thrusters, that slide onto the back of the legs.  Apart from not being hollowed out, the thrusters just stick out too much when viewed from the back.

Weapons & Accessories

The beam rifle comes in a single piece and needs painting.  Fixed onto a runner of brittle clear-purple plastic are a straight and curved saber, the shield and a display base able to support both the model and an included postcard from the battlefield (back).  If the card was a little wider or set up sideways, perhaps it would've worked.  As for the shield (right), it goes through a peg under the shoulder armor and held in place (albeit, not very well) with a separate piece.

Conclusion

I reiterate, the Zoloat is your run-of-the-mill, generic Gunpla kit with sub-par articulation and a few interesting gimmicks, but nothing special.  You gotta like how they threw in a free display stand, though.

Overall Rating: 3 Out of 5.

Project V (Part 1)

If I learned anything from these past few days is that if something's important to you, you make time for it.  With that said, I really want to see this Gunpla project through to the end, though it'll still take time considering all the other hobbies I've fallen behind on (I'm still reading The Girl Who Played with Fire after a year!).  I'm already looking up how I can spruce up my 2 Victory Gundam mechs.  But for now, let's prepare for when they're eventually painted.

I started with the Zoloat, my favorite of the two.  I took my own sponge (cuz using the one from the kitchen sink would be gross) along with some dishwasher soap and gave the runners a good rubdown.  Then I rinsed out the parts with water and laid them out to dry.

I've tried to do the same for some plastic cards and signs I've saved up so that I can customize the Gunpla with the bits and pieces.  But the only thing I have that can strip the ink and printing is a bottle of nail polish remover.  Up till now I've avoided using it cuz the acetone it contains can melt plastic, but I'm already working with limited resources.  So I tried it and so far the results are mixed.

Remember when I mentioned the V Gundam models have their own unique method of assembly?  Course you don't.  Notice how these 2 runners share the same shape and their parts seem symmetric to each other?  Actually one big runner, I've split it in 2, intending to press both halves together via the instructions.  But before going that far . . .

I cut out the soft plastic polycap with ball joints connecting both the head and arms and stick it in one half of the torso . . .

And then pressed both runners together, assembling the head, torso, shins at the same time.  Took some work to separate 'em from the runner, though.

I moved on to construct the rest of the torso, and the backpack (not pictured).

Along with the shoulder armor . . .

And the arms . . .

And the legs . . .

And we're done.  The last 2 pics show the Zoloat with its arsenal and perched on its display base.  Behind it is that scenic trading card with a base of its own.  Not the best concept Bandai ever dreamt up, but at least the model itself gets its very own base.

 And now I move on the Javelin, following all the procedures I've set up for the Zoloat.

Here's a shot of Javelin's backpack, which holsters a pair of missile-like weapons called Shot Lancers.  I almost forgot to add a handle for Javelin to grab onto the Lancers for added acceleration.  Skip the next few steps . . .

And we're done.

Though they seem to hold up better than most of my other NG's, I've still got my nitpicks, which will be covered in my reviews.  Also look out for my next entry for this project.  Until next time, I'm saving up for a can of Purple Power.

Project V (Intro)

Project V: A name fitting for my first Gunpla project for this new year.

On top of the other kits I've started but never finished, I've taken out these two on a binge brought on by repeat views of Gundam Build Fighters.  I guess now's a good a time as any to formally introduce the 1/144th scale ZM-S06S Zoloat (Left) and RGM-122 Javelin (Right) from the Mobile Suit Victory Gundam animated series.  Both models were released in 1993 and each sell for 500 Japanese yen ($3.94 US).  They are Numbers 5 and 6 in this Gunpla set, respectively.

Let's check out the Zoloat first:

Straight out of the box, most of the parts are separated by color.  Under the bags is a foldout instruction manual and a card with a space scene on the front and mech info on the back.  The card will come into play later.

Now that the bags are open, we have a better view of the Zoloat's parts.  On the lower right we see both clear-purple parts for beam weaponry and an included display base, and also polycaps that connect the limbs, similar in design to the 1/144 NG G Gundam.

Though constructed the same way as the Zoloat, the Javelin appears to have a few more pieces; understandable since the mobile suit itself has a bigger armament.

Almost forgot to mention that this optional weapons set will also be used in this project.  Same year of release, same price and it's Number 14 in the V series.  Here's a preview of the parts and stickers that we'll see when the time comes:

That's all for now.  Next time I'll get around to test-building these new Gunpla.  Until then, catch the new Gundam series Gundam Build Fighters on GundamInfo's channel on YouTube.