Gunpla Review: HGUC Jesta

After a hair-pulling week amongst relatives (hair-pulling is an understatement), I have finally have time to update the blog. Also in time for the new cut episodes of Unicorn Gundam, we're going to take a look at one of the best looking suits (IMO) in the UC universe, the spec ops style Jesta.

New camera, same crappy photo editing skills

A bit of history on the Jesta, It's a suit built to support the Unicorn Gundam. The suit is supposedly designed to force situations where Unicorn Gundam can activate destroy mode. As far as I've interpreted, it's a really souped up Jegan.

Aesthetics

To me, it's Master Chief with Solid Snake's color scheme. It's all stealth, and the color scheme shows it. It's all dark navy blue, greyish blue and grey for the joints and grenade. The helmet design evokes a police commando helmet.

he invested in everything but the light source

Most of the grunt suits in the Unicorn OVA seems to have some special force motif. The Jegan ECOAS, the Geara Zulus with the machine gun and helmet, the Lotto, all have colors that are grounded in reality and weapons that look more like modern assault rifles and rocket launchers than futuristic beam rifles.

The design overall evokes Unicorn Gundam in Unicorn mode: The complex knee design, blocky proportions evoke Unicorn to a certain degree. The kit itself has enough surface detail to make it look good, without looking too plain.

Build-wise, it's pretty substantial as it has some joints that's sandwiched between armor parts. There are a few seam issues in the forearms and shoulder armor.

He randomly cropped these images.. so they're not all aligned

Overall, pretty good looking suit. Considering how flashy and bright modern AU suits are, it's nice to see something a bit more realistic. Build process is pretty involved as well. It's not all solid though, but that'll get tacked in articulation.

Articulation

For something so blocky, you'd expect it to be quite hindered. Luckily only a few sore points exist.

Head is in a double joint, but the bottom part of the polycap sits low into the collar, so it's almost effectively a single ball joint.

Torso's a mixed bag, with the ab joint having very good range, especially when slightly pulled up.

The waist swivel though is a bit hindered due to the piping in the waist.

Shoulders use the standard polycap swing-out joint, which makes 2 handing the rifle easier.

Arms are standard fair. Elbow is single jointed, but has decent range (a bit over 90).

Lower legs are pretty decent too, hindered a little bit due to the blocky design. But all the basics of a modern HG are there.

The MG Knee joint can be pulled down to allow an almost 180 bend. The HG makes do with a limited double joint. The bulky rear calf armor limits it to a bit over 90.

It can do a decent kneel, but does not look natural due to the longer legs and shorter torso.

Long legs, short torso, Katoki alert!

There is a bit of an issue on the thigh connection. The polycap sit's deep in the leg, and the hip peg seem a bit short, so you get this wiggly part between the thigh connection.

not the thigh gap he likes

Still overall, articulation is pretty decent.

uhh what pose is this suppose to represent??

Weapons and Extras

IT HAS HANDS!! It comes with fists, open palms and holding things hands. I wish all HG come with these options.

or mini girlfriends as he calls em.. BURN

It also comes with a dedicated trigger finger, with a bent wrist. And one of the best looking rifles in the UC universe.  It's a blocky M4.

With the poseability, it can pull off decent poses. But the butt-resting-on-shoulder is difficult to pull off.

I don't think spec ops wield their rifles one handed

The magazine is fixed and the spare ammos are not removable.

The handle is also fixed unlike the MG where it can swivel.

There's also a single beam saber stored in the left forearm. It simply sits in the forearm, and you fish it out to use.

Pop off the left piece in the backpack...

And you can install the shield there. It has 2 connecting arms, one stored and one extended, all fixed posed.

It can't really hold it, but the connector should be sufficient.

The grenades are fixed in place though. Still it has all the basics, armament wise. You can buy the optional sub-flight system if you want as well.

Size Comparison

UC suits during the Char's counter attack are pretty tall. It stands over 19 meters, and that translates to a nicely sized kit. It's as tall as the Grimgerde, but is a lot more bulky (and expensive).

Again it pretty much matches suits of said timeline.

Summary

These UC suits satisfies my realistic design Mobile Suits. This specific one screams special ops/police commando. It's blocky, good looking, and is substantial as a kit. It's a wonderful offset to the WWII Geara Zulu (and most Zeon Remnants suits). Articulation is decent, if not mediocre, but most UC suits look the best just standing up anyway. I would highly recommend it, if just for having a pure mean looking EFSF suit. It'll look good with 2 more, and a Jesta canon and displayed amongst the rest of the EFSF UC grunts.