Kit review: HG TWFM 1/144 Gundam Aerial Rebuild
During the duel with Grassley House. Aerial sustained damage that Earth House was ill-equipped to repair, both in terms of equipment and budget. Aerial was returned to its original developer, the Shin Sei Development Corporation, to have an overhaul.
While maintaining its basic GUND-ARM structures, it was renovated thoroughly, adding new armor pieces and equipment, which broadly improved Aerial’s inherent capabilities.
While maintaining its basic GUND-ARM structures, it was renovated thoroughly, adding new armor pieces and equipment, which broadly improved Aerial’s inherent capabilities.
– Info:
HG TWFM 1/144 Gundam Aerial Rebuild
Series: Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury
Price: 1870 yen
Release date: Mar 18, 2023
Get your own Aerial Rebuild here: https://www.hlj.com/1-144-scale-hg-gundam-aerial-rebuild-mobile-suit-gundam-the-witch-from-mercury-bans65096?utm_source=mecha_alliance&utm_medium=affiliate
HG TWFM 1/144 Gundam Aerial Rebuild
Series: Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury
Price: 1870 yen
Release date: Mar 18, 2023
Get your own Aerial Rebuild here: https://www.hlj.com/1-144-scale-hg-gundam-aerial-rebuild-mobile-suit-gundam-the-witch-from-mercury-bans65096?utm_source=mecha_alliance&utm_medium=affiliate
– Design: Its design has been changed quite a bit compared to the original Aerial. The three primary color tones have been converted to cobalt blue and white. It has more mechanical armor details than the original Aerial. The chest is rounded and the v-fin is converted to a 4-way type. The most obvious difference is that Rebuild has a backpack. It can be seen that it is based on Lfrith’s backpack and Aerial’s Mirasoul. Besides, the circuit board details (permet details) on the head, body, and thighs remain the same.
– Build quality: The plastic of the HG TWFM series remains the same, quite good and easy to handle nubs. Since there are many small color details, it uses a lot of decals, most of which you probably don’t need to use (in my case didn’t use any of the shield bits). Permet detail decals instead of using new technology (printed details on the other side of the sticker) like the original Lfrith and Aerial, are pasted to the inner surface and then overlaid with part clear (similar to Lfrith Ur and Lfrith Thorn). We still have 2 parts pre-printed with permet detail on the chest similar to Aerial. However, you still have to paste the decal permet detail below because the 2 clear parts below are not printed (this is a point that Rebuild has overcome better than the original Aerial). The last thing, some of the gates of the bits were changed to flat gates, a change that improved it but also made it a disadvantage.
– Articulation: Articulations are also an improvement in Rebuild over the original Aerial thanks to design changes. The abdominal joint is significantly increased in amplitude, making it better to move and difficult poses. The two sides of the hip armor have been reduced to allow the legs to be pushed up more than the original Aerial. In addition to those major changes, almost the structure of other joints remains the same. The articulating parts of the 4 thrusters on the backpack can all move up and down flexibly.
– Gimmicks: As always, the gimmick is the coolest thing about an HG TWFM kit. Like the original Aerial, the 11 bits attached to the Rebuild’s body can be split to use as funnels or combined into a shield. In addition, they have an additional function of being attached to the Beam Rifle to form the Gund-Bit Rifle. Another difference from the original Aerial is that the two pairs of bits that were originally mounted on the back of the hip have been moved to the sides of the lower thruster (similar to Lfrith). The upper 2 thrusters have 2 small wings hidden on the inside of each side. When brushing them up, they will form like 2 wings of Aerial.
– Accessories: Besides some changes, the accessories of Aerial Rebuild are similar to the original Aerial
+ X1 Beam Rifle/Gund-Bit Rifle: using part-form parts to convert to Gund-Bit Rifle when adding bits. An interesting point is that the viewfinder part on the top of the rifle when attaching the bits has to be removed and this happens the same in the anime, not the part-form mechanism.
+ X1 Escutcheon: The shield combines from 11 bit slaves. They are tied together by a large part similar to the original HG Aerial.
+ X2 beam saber: Beam effect still uses clear blue instead of clear green like in the anime (still the same as the original Aerial)
There is a limitation in the kit model that has not changed, that is, it does not come with a pair of open hands. They are sold separately with Aerial’s Mirasoul backpack set (onore Bandai!). To display the moving bits like in the anime, you also need to purchase the display base set sold separately. This is a big minus because the bits are changed mechanism compared to the Aerial bits, so the old connector parts are no longer enough if you only have 2 sets (flat connector used for 2 long bits). However, you can completely replace it with connector parts for lfrith (U-type).
+ X1 Beam Rifle/Gund-Bit Rifle: using part-form parts to convert to Gund-Bit Rifle when adding bits. An interesting point is that the viewfinder part on the top of the rifle when attaching the bits has to be removed and this happens the same in the anime, not the part-form mechanism.
+ X1 Escutcheon: The shield combines from 11 bit slaves. They are tied together by a large part similar to the original HG Aerial.
+ X2 beam saber: Beam effect still uses clear blue instead of clear green like in the anime (still the same as the original Aerial)
There is a limitation in the kit model that has not changed, that is, it does not come with a pair of open hands. They are sold separately with Aerial’s Mirasoul backpack set (onore Bandai!). To display the moving bits like in the anime, you also need to purchase the display base set sold separately. This is a big minus because the bits are changed mechanism compared to the Aerial bits, so the old connector parts are no longer enough if you only have 2 sets (flat connector used for 2 long bits). However, you can completely replace it with connector parts for lfrith (U-type).
–> Overall: The HG Aerial Rebuild is a pretty good HG kit that deserves to be added to your collection. With a great design from artist JNTHED and the main character’s Gundam machine, it’s no surprise that it was hot when it was released last month. Let’s look forward to the return of Aerial Rebuild and our Sulleta Tanuki in The Witch From Mercury season 2. Maybe we will have an upgraded version next with new accessories.
YAMENASAI!
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