Kit review: Kotobukiya - Non-scale Muv-Luv Alternative - Su-37UB Terminator

Su-37UB Терминатор (Terminator) is the 2.5th generation TSF multi-seat control unit variant of the Su-37 of the Soviet Union forces. By sharing the piloting and fire controls between 2 pilots, it seeks to reduce the burden on the Surface Pilot. This machine is used by the Scarlet Twins, Cryska Barchenowa and Inia Sestina in Muv Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse. The visual novel where this machine is featured prominently has just been released on team in July, so if you want to see more of it aside from the anime, go check out Total Eclipse on Steam.

– Info:
Kotobukiya – Non-scale Muv Luv Alternative – Su-37UB Terminator
Series: Muv Luv Alternative Total Eclipse
Price: 5,800 yen
Release date: Jun 2022 (re-released with the new anime logo on the box art)

– Design: The design of the Terminator is based on the real-life Su-37, typically the small wings on the shoulders and wings on the sides of each jump unit. The exhaust part at the tail of the jump unit is also made similar to the exhaust of the Su-37. Different from the other Su-37 Terminators with blue-and-white camo commonly seen in the visual novel, this Su-37UB has a grayish purple and white color scheme. Orange sensors appear mainly on the head, torso, and shoulders. And if you haven’t notice, the cockpit of the real life Sukhoi fighter is incorporated into a very “fitting” place on the TSF

The Su-37 shares a lot of similarity with another Soviet TSF – the Su-27 Zhuravlik. Being post-2nd generation machine, they are designed with a sleek proportion with many pointy bits called Blade Vanes to promote melee combat. The main design principle for later generation TSF are very bulky top with very edgy limbs, more so with Soviet designs since they are the main battlefield against the BETA.

– Build quality: Kotobukiya’s plastic quality is quite hard and easy to handle nub. Some parts when assembled must use force or glue to fix them firmly. it’s pretty well demarcated. The face part at the top is pre-painted. The blue details at the knee joint are completely separated and do not need to be painted. However, its biggest minus point is the white textures all over the body with a dense density of water decals (more than 100 pieces). Sorry I’m too lazy to use them (；′⌒`)

– Articulation: Terminator’s joints are quite stiff and sturdy. The amplitude of the waist joint is limited, similar to other Muv Luv Non Scale models (different from version 1.5 like Takemikazuchi). Shoulder armor has an internal joint system that improves the range of the arms (can be opened to see inside). The two sides of the hip armor can be pushed up and down to help the hip joint not be restricted. The knee joint when flexed will reveal the gimmick with a joint structure that closely resembles an MG Gundam. The joints of the feet are a bit difficult to move, but they are compensated by the legs.

For an acrobatic-intensive unit like the Terminator, dynamic posability is very crucial, and the Terminator can pull it off relatively well, though not to the extent of the anime or Visual Novel.

– Accessories: Accessories for the koto kit that carries all of Terminator from the visual novel:
– 4 x A-97 Assault Cannon
– 2 x Motor Blade
– 2 x Gun Mount (There are 2 open and closed ends for each side)
– 2 x Jump Unit

The Terminator’s weapons are quite a few due to mainly using motor blades for melee combat instead of using swords like the Japanese TSF. The A-97 Assault Cannon has a fairly simple structure consisting of only 3 parts, so parts such as the magazine cannot be disassembled like the Japanese Type-87 Assault Cannon as well as no sniper barrel. Also, we have a lot of interchangeable hands to choose from.

– Gimmick: The jump unit can be moved back and forth easily with 2 round joints. The gun mount can be pushed up to do a gun pose or a typical TSF rear-firing pose. However, these joints are quite loose because the joint head is made a bit small to hold both the gun mount and the gun at the same time for a long time. The gun mount can be replaced with replacement parts to create a pose to pull the gun forward to shoot. But instead of pulling from the bottom, the Terminator pulls from the top, creating a feeling of entanglement.

-> Overall: The Terminator is a TSF model kit worth to buy if you like the Russian TSFs in Muv Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse (and aren’t afraid of the water decal with textures like the military model). It would be great to display it with its “love rival” – Yui’s Takemikazuchi Type-00F. For aviation fans, this would also looks great next to the actual Su-37 fighter jet. The model needs some love to reach its full potential, but once it does, it is a very cool-looking and badass model kit. At the moment, its successor – the Su-47 Berkut – hasn’t gotten a Non-Scale version yet. Hopefully Kotobukiya will produce one so we can recreate more moments from the VN and Anime.

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