This year bandai released it's 200th HGUC and it's come pretty far from where it started. And while the Hyaku Shiki isn't exactly ground breaking in design, the build process on the other hand shows just how much improvement, care and consideration is placed on this kit. With that said, let's start the review!
We had 2 HGUC Hyaku Shiki's before. The gold plated one and the plastic gold you see here with the mega bazooka launcher (just buy that one instead of the web shop exclusive mega launcher). The revive nicely updates the the Hyaku Shiki with modern joints and a superb build process. While it is indeed molded in that plastic gold, it does make an effort to make it easier to paint.
What's nice is that is while the gold is plastic, the kit is molded in the correct color. There's a small sticker sheet for the eyes, and some red bits, but you don't really need to use it (the red bits). I was expecting the shoulders and the forearm detail to be stickers. They're not. Bandai has made the effort to mold those separately! What you're seeing in the pics is what it looks like with no stickers (save for the eyes). Even the MG Zaku Johnny Ridden version has stickers for the red bits.
Majority of it is also under gated, suggesting a future P-Bandai plated version.
The seam lines are nicely hidden as well. The only obvious ones are the wing binders. While some of the nubmarks are obvious, the overall clean-up is minimal.
There's not much surface detail, but it's a High Grade so that's expected. The bits of inner frame exposed has decent detail. The giant hydraulics on the shins are static but still nicely detailed. There are cutouts on the thigh armor to expose the grey vents. This thing is engineered beautifully.
Overall it's a nice modern rendition of the Hyaku Shiki. The build is simple yet fulfilling. The color and parts separation are excellent. Fully expecting a few MSVs released out of this kit.
The backpack binders can move around so they can get out of the way. They're mounted via a polycap ball joint, but can easily get knocked off.
Onto the suit itself, one of the more limited articulation is the head. The collar and helmet shape hinders the overall range of movement. The back view below shows how the head bare has clearance with the collar.
The same collar clashes with the cheeks. The head is mounted on a ball joint and the base of the neck can swivel back and forth giving it some clearance, but still gets caught on the collar.
What makes a return is the shoulder polycap. The revive RX-78 uses ones that pull up, this one goes back to the original pull forward movement.
From there you get the standard joints. The upward movement is a bit limited since the shoulder armor is fused to a fix ball joint, but should not be too much issue. The torso is ball jointed on the abdomen and at the waist.
The crotch has a different construction. The hip swivel is more robust, but reduces the movement a bit. But overall, it remains functional.
You then get the standard joints again for the legs. One thing though is that the thigh armor can sometimes hinder the thigh swivel.
There's a joint in the ankle that can swivel back and forth.
The ankle tilts are just enough to be dynamic IMO.
The overall articulation is more than enough to get dynamic poses. The joints are solid
If it can kneel naturally, then it's a win in my book.
The Hyaku Shiki's weapon load out is pretty standard for a UC suit: A beam rifle, the clay bazooka and beam sabers. You get extra hands for holding things. No open palms sadly.
You get no shield of course. The Hyaku Shiki never had shields since the gold paint is supposedly beam reflective. Doesn't stop it from getting chopped up by Haman's Qubeley though.
The bazooka can mount on the back, the saber hilts store on the back skirts but the rifle has no where to store sadly.
Still, it can carry all the weapons it has.
Yes it's bland... but that's what the standard UC suits tend to have. And personally I prefer it over the over the top weapons. Also Zeon weapons tend to be more interesting. But to complete the load-out, you will need to track down the mega bazooka. I'm using the Giant Gatling as substitute for now.
Just to have some period correct suit along side it, here a quick comparison with the Dreissen. It towers over the Hyaku Shiki.
And other comparisons since I have them lying around.
It's overall an excellently engineered kit. I was literally happy the entire build, which is rare these days. I wholly recommend this kit to anyone. This is now my new benchmark for overall build and experience as far as high grades are concerned.
Good:
- excellent parts separation
- simple yet fulfilling build process
- great articulation
- hidden seamlines on the suit
- no missing accessories
Bad:
- uhhh... the local price?
 |
| this looks so fake |
We had 2 HGUC Hyaku Shiki's before. The gold plated one and the plastic gold you see here with the mega bazooka launcher (just buy that one instead of the web shop exclusive mega launcher). The revive nicely updates the the Hyaku Shiki with modern joints and a superb build process. While it is indeed molded in that plastic gold, it does make an effort to make it easier to paint.
Aesthetics
The revive version is much sleeker compared to the boxy older version. I have the plated ver 1.0 MG but I lost the pic I took last week (I habitually reformatted the memory card without transferring the initial review pics). If you have the Mega Shiki, then it inherits the sleek look of it. |
| he says that... but he doesn't have a Megashiki |
What's nice is that is while the gold is plastic, the kit is molded in the correct color. There's a small sticker sheet for the eyes, and some red bits, but you don't really need to use it (the red bits). I was expecting the shoulders and the forearm detail to be stickers. They're not. Bandai has made the effort to mold those separately! What you're seeing in the pics is what it looks like with no stickers (save for the eyes). Even the MG Zaku Johnny Ridden version has stickers for the red bits.
 |
| He's impressed easily |
The seam lines are nicely hidden as well. The only obvious ones are the wing binders. While some of the nubmarks are obvious, the overall clean-up is minimal.
There's not much surface detail, but it's a High Grade so that's expected. The bits of inner frame exposed has decent detail. The giant hydraulics on the shins are static but still nicely detailed. There are cutouts on the thigh armor to expose the grey vents. This thing is engineered beautifully.
Overall it's a nice modern rendition of the Hyaku Shiki. The build is simple yet fulfilling. The color and parts separation are excellent. Fully expecting a few MSVs released out of this kit.
Articulation
You can rarely go wrong with modern High Grades these days. The only time it gets compromised is when it transforms. With that said let's go through them.The backpack binders can move around so they can get out of the way. They're mounted via a polycap ball joint, but can easily get knocked off.
 |
| why start with the backpack? |
 |
| would have helped if you highlighted them |
The same collar clashes with the cheeks. The head is mounted on a ball joint and the base of the neck can swivel back and forth giving it some clearance, but still gets caught on the collar.
What makes a return is the shoulder polycap. The revive RX-78 uses ones that pull up, this one goes back to the original pull forward movement.
 |
| Smell my armpits pose. Classic |
From there you get the standard joints. The upward movement is a bit limited since the shoulder armor is fused to a fix ball joint, but should not be too much issue. The torso is ball jointed on the abdomen and at the waist.
The crotch has a different construction. The hip swivel is more robust, but reduces the movement a bit. But overall, it remains functional.
 |
| how unglamorous |
You then get the standard joints again for the legs. One thing though is that the thigh armor can sometimes hinder the thigh swivel.
There's a joint in the ankle that can swivel back and forth.
The ankle tilts are just enough to be dynamic IMO.
 |
| IMO? |
The overall articulation is more than enough to get dynamic poses. The joints are solid
If it can kneel naturally, then it's a win in my book.
 |
| Even he can't kneel properly in real life |
Weapons and Extras
The Hyaku Shiki's weapon load out is pretty standard for a UC suit: A beam rifle, the clay bazooka and beam sabers. You get extra hands for holding things. No open palms sadly.
You get no shield of course. The Hyaku Shiki never had shields since the gold paint is supposedly beam reflective. Doesn't stop it from getting chopped up by Haman's Qubeley though.
The bazooka can mount on the back, the saber hilts store on the back skirts but the rifle has no where to store sadly.
Still, it can carry all the weapons it has.
Yes it's bland... but that's what the standard UC suits tend to have. And personally I prefer it over the over the top weapons. Also Zeon weapons tend to be more interesting. But to complete the load-out, you will need to track down the mega bazooka. I'm using the Giant Gatling as substitute for now.
Size Comparison
Like most Zeta AEUG suits, the height is slightly taller than the RX-78. |
| don't you mean just AEUG suits? Zeta AEUG doesn't make sense |
Just to have some period correct suit along side it, here a quick comparison with the Dreissen. It towers over the Hyaku Shiki.
And other comparisons since I have them lying around.
Summary
The 200th High Grade is a statement of how far High Grades have come. The build is simple yet involved. There are no obvious panel lines on the suit itself. The color and parts separation is excellent. The articulation is great and is overall construction is solid. Sure you can mock the color, but plating it would probably double the cost and introduce unsightly nubs for those with exposed nubs.It's overall an excellently engineered kit. I was literally happy the entire build, which is rare these days. I wholly recommend this kit to anyone. This is now my new benchmark for overall build and experience as far as high grades are concerned.
Good:
- excellent parts separation
- simple yet fulfilling build process
- great articulation
- hidden seamlines on the suit
- no missing accessories
Bad:
- uhhh... the local price?
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