This is a review of the GM Custom HGUC kit, released last Jan. 2011. The kit retails for 800Php, but I got mine at 5% off. This suit is from the 90's OVA Stardust Memory, and falls under the Universal Century timeline of 0083, just prior to the events that happened in the Zeta Gundam anime.
For the uninitiated to the series, the GM Custom was the mass-produced mobile suit version that resulted from the NT-1 Alex Gundam (0080). I'm not really sure if this MS line was actually continued since the GM family had so many variants that came out
since none looked similar to it. Well, the GM Quel probably qualifies, but whatever.
The most notable pilot of this suit is South Burning, Kou Uraki's senior officer on the Albion ship. One event from the series shows Kou piloting the GP01 Gundam Ground-type (ha!) in space, and South used this MS to save the former's life.
All I can say is that this is probably one of the best looking grunt suits that ever came out, and along with the Jegan which is another favorite of mine, which I have yet to get. So on to more shots.
The kit does not come with a lot of equipment, just your basic rifle, 2 beam sabers, a number of optional hands some closed some open and a shield. As for the rifle, I am not quite sure what this is called, I can't remember if it's a bullpup machine gun or a GM rifle, but it's probably the former I think. My recollections from the series tell me that, but if I'm mistaken then feel free to correct me. =)
Peek-a-boo. A beautiful shield it is, and I think this is the same one used by the Guncannon Mk-II's, which are also from the same series. I've used the clear stickers on this one, which I've then covered with a flat coat so as to somehow relieve the cheap
taste when you just flat out put the stickers straight on.
Rear view to show the details. Just a simple backpack, but there are quite a number of thrusters/vents that come with it. Now that also translates to more paint work to be done since this bacpack just comes in its out of the box (OOB) pale blue green colors.
There are actually 2 beam saber handles, there is one that you can see sticking out of the back and another is provided so you can still have a pose with it handling a beam saber and the one on the backpack is still on. A neat feature. =)
By the way, I also painted theplastic tubings on the knee joints gold to give it a more exotic feel.
A side view just to complete things. I'm relieved that the effort I gave paid off, as most of the details stood out, especially those golden nubs on the shins. The inside of the vents have been painted red. Real stable and no major issue on the legs and feet, except for the shield, which I'll get to later on. Oh one more thing, I just wanted to say that I also painted the insides of the clear orange visor with titanium gold.
Now as a size comparison, I have it standing beside the HGUC Gundam Unicorn Destroy Mode. The Unicorn is actually one of the tallest Gundams in the UC line, so it's just normal to see that the GM Custom is a full head and chest shorter than the Unicorn.
For a grunt unit, the kit is justifiably priced. A few cons though, the shield attachment on the back of the arms, in this case a peg on a polycap, well mine is pretty loose. Just be careful with the shield when posing it. The hands, and like I've said it comes with a lot of them, are on a ball joint. Suffice to say they are also prone to getting loose, after making a few swaps for the poses that I needed to do for this and they were already quite wobbly.
But as for the pros, I can say that the look of this suit is pretty sharp (the main reason why I got this in the first place), the details are pretty much the same when compared to its ancient MG version which means that's its okay. I think the only difference from that one was the shoulder armor orientation.
All in all, the GM Custom is a nice, affordably priced kit. Fun construction and nothing too complex. Go get it.
