HG 1/144 Police Zaku

This is the High Grade 1/144 Police Zaku. :) This mobile suit comes to us from Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX. The Police Zaku is a Zaku that has been modified for use by the law enforcement agencies of Izuma in Side 6. Its modifications include the addition of revolving sirens on its shoulders, a smaller version of the right shoulder shield for better maneuverability in tight spaces, and the removal of the left shoulder spikes. It is able to use all of the military Zaku's standard armaments including its 120mm machine gun and heat hawk, along with a new short baton as a less-lethal option.

Right off the bat, I’m going to say that I have mixed feelings about this kit. The Police Zaku was one of the first mobile suits that was teased when Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX was announced, and its design was met with mixed reactions. It’s definitely a very unique take on the Zaku, and while I’m not a big fan of the bulky legs on it, I don’t hate the overall design. The model does a good job of recreating the odd proportions of the design, and is a great representation of how it appears in the anime. All things considered, the articulation is good, but the bulky thighs get in the way of some of the articulation at the hips.

While I do like the overall design of this kit, it definitely has a couple of issues. The biggest issue I’ve found is the bulky thighs. The legs can move forward and backward just fine, but the bulky hips obstruct a lot of rotation at the hips and the outward movement of the legs. It can still strike some cool action poses, but I wish they had handled the hip joints differently so the thighs didn’t obstruct so much of the leg movement. The other issue is much smaller, and that’s that some of the decals are either really hard to apply, or don’t stick on very well. Mainly on the legs. I got about this using paint in place of some of the decals on the legs, though.

Overall, despite the issue with the bulky thighs, I think this is a really good looking kit. :) Very accurate to how the mobile suit appears in the anime, and looks really good on display. I also like that it includes decals so you can put your own custom number on it. If you’re a fan of the Police Zakus, or you’re looking for a fun kit to customize, I definitely think that this is a good kit for the retail price. Definitely worth having for your GQuuuuuuX collection. :)