HG 1/144 RX-78-01 [N] Gundam Local Type Review

This is the High Grade 1/144 RX-78-01 [N] Gundam Local Type. That’s a mouthful, huh? Don’t worry, I won’t be calling it that too often in this review XD. Anyway, this kit comes from the Gundam Origin line, and was released in 2016. I don’t know if this mobile suit appears in the anime or if it’s one of those ones that only appears in the novels, to be honest. I do know that I like the design and color scheme of it, though. This kit isn’t too difficult to assemble, but there are some small spots you’re going to need to paint if you want it looking how it does on the box.

•DETAIL•
Like most kits from the Gundam Origin line, this kit has a lot of very nice detail. A lot of the more fine details will require panel lining to really bring out. Not much paintwork is needed on this one, but if you aim to get this kit looking as detailed or nice as it does on the box, there are a few very tiny spots that are going to need painting. While the tiny spots make doing the paintwork a real pain in the butt, your effort will be rewarded. Like many gunpla, the vulcan guns on the head will need to painted. The vents on the sides of the head need to be filled it, but this can be done very easily by using a black panel lining pen. There are also two spots on each of the legs that need painting. One is located right under the knees, and the other is located between the bottom of the legs and the ankle guards. The easiest way to do these is to paint them before you start building the kit, as they will become much harder to access once the kit is assembled.
As far as sticker decals go, this kit has a LOT of stickers to apply. Almost all of them are marking decals, though. This kit has so many thin and tiny marking decals that you’d almost think you’re building a Real Grade kit rather than a High Grade one. This is the case with most of the kits from the Gundam Origin line. The only sticker you really need to use is the one for the eyes. I used all of the sticker and marking decals on mine, but you should do it however works best for you.

•ACCESSORIES•
For accessories, you really don’t get too many with this kit. For accessories, you get one set of weapon holding hands, one right gun holding hand, a gun, a shield, two beam saber handles, and two beam saber blades. The shield is designed so that you can peg both beam saber handles onto the back of the shield, but you can also remove the shield from the arm and peg the beam saber hands both onto the left arm. The way this kit is designed, the shield can only attach to the left arm. Likewise, because you only get on gun holding hand for the right hand, the gun can only be held in the kit’s right hand. The beam sabers, however, can be held in each hand, as you get two regular holding hands.

•ARTICULATION•
One of the best things about the kits from the Gundam Origin line is their high level of articulation for High Grade kits, and this one is no exception. The can look up, down, and rotates a full 360 degrees. The arms can each rotate a full 360 degrees at the shoulders, and can move outward all the way. Each arm can rotate a full 360 degrees at the biceps, and has a full double bend at the elbows. The hands can each rotate a full 360 degrees, and can also pivot and swivel. The body can move forward and backward at the abdomen a little bit, and can rotate back and forth a bit at the waist. Each leg can move almost all the way outward, can move most of the way forward, and a little bit backwards. Each leg can rotate about 180 degrees either left or right, and gets almost a full double bend at the knees. And lastly, each foot can tilt side to side, as well as bend forward and back a bit.

•GIMMICK•
Like most High Grade kits, this kit really doesn’t have any special gimmicks. The only real gimmick it has is that the shield has a stand in the back that can be used to stand the shield up.

•MY ISSUES WITH THE KIT•
Honestly, I don’t have too many problems with this kit. My only issues with it are related to some of the more limited points of articulation, like the waist, but the points that are more limited are only limited either because of the way certain pieces are shaped, or because the design of the kit prevents those parts from getting more movement range. Otherwise, this kit doesn’t have any issues that I can find.

•FINAL THOUGHTS•
All in all, this is a really nice mobile suit, and a great model kit. This kit usually sells for $16 to $25 depending on where exactly you get it, making it one of the more moderately priced High Grade kits. This kit is very fun to put together, and it pairs up really well with the High Grade 1/144 RX-78-01 [N] Local Type [North American Type]. If you’re looking for a fun kit to build or just for a cool gunpla for your collection, this is definitely a kit that I would recommend. 😊