You know you're scraping at the bottom of the barrel for content when the newest thing you have... is an action base. We'll take a look at Bandai's new 1/144 action base for Gunpla kits.
There were years where I used to buy MG or 1/100 kits. But for the past 2 years or so, the only 1/100 kits I bought are the Barbatos and the Efreet. It's all about the 1/144 kits to me these days. They're simpler to build and tons more fun to pose. Not to mention more economical. So it makes sense for me to get a 1/144 stand.
Before this, we had the action base 2. It was decent, bur the connection where you plug the gunpla in was prohibitively large, so it doesn't make sense to use it unless you always pose your kits with a wide open stance. This new one aims to fix that.
When you buy it, it'll be in the standard action base packaging. Make sure to read it carefully as on 1st glance, the 1/100 version and the 1/144 version are identical. The front highlights the most important thing an action base is suppose to do: support a kit without hindering articulation.
At the back, you can see the parts and how to use each head connection.
You can get it in 2 colors for now: Black and Clear. What you see here is obviously the clear variant.
It's clear so be careful not to lose a part. Once you have everything cut off and major bits assembled, you are now presented with options.
1st the main arm. You get 2 options: One of the arms is a giant c-clip. You can clip on the longer adjustable arm where you can finely control the height, or connect it to the stubby connector. Using the stubby connector, you can have 2 1/144 kits on 1 base for ground poses.
To assemble the bigger arm, you need one of the arm base pieces. Without it, the peg on the adjustable arm is too small.
The stubby connector thought doesn't need it.
As mentioned earlier, you have have 2 adjustable arms at the same time in this configuration. This is ideal for ground poses as it's too short for areal poses.
The main configuration I'll probably use is the combined adjustable arms.
There are no screws here ala Tamashii stages so you need the ladder pieces provided to hold it in place.
These ladders clip solidly in place on the arms' teeth. Long ladder to increase height. short ladder to decrease height.
I keep mentioning adjustable, so how and what exactly does adjust? Like the older Action base 2, the base and top of the connector can swivel and lock in place with gears and levers. These levers have pegs in them that lock the gear in place by sitting in one of the teeth of the gear. If you use the combined arms, you can move the base and tip to provide a wide variety of positions.
What about the stubby one? Since it clips into place, you also need to use the ladders to support the kit. That's where these pieces come in.
Note that you get 2 of each... one of the clear cylinders of mine fell so I can only use one now :( The cylinder allows the round base to plug into the main base.
It also has teeth so the ladder will rest on these to support the arms.
You also get several options for the head. You get the standard cradle for older HGs and a peg for the newer one. You no longer get a slotted version (i.e. flat peg) for select 1/144 kits.
In place of the slotted one, you get this adjustable clamp. This means you can use this stand for action figures as well. Hurrah.
And then you get a variety of connections to increase the height or to extend it horizontally.
If there is one complaint on the attachments, its the extended piece with the peg. Doesn't work well for kits with a rather long back skirt.
You also get a tiny arm for supporting large weapons. This is the standard tamashii stand arms, but flimsier.
Main issue with that is... it's too short. All it needed was to have another of the long arms but you do not get that without buying a second stand.
And last is the piece that allows multiple bases for it to connect together. Dont forget about this one.
Is it an improvement over the action base 2? Yes it is, but there are a few things the action base 2 does better. The arm engineering of the action base 2 is cleaner. Here on the Action base 5, you get a lot of extra parts like the left over ladder pieces and the round base pieces which you need to have storage for. If you're as much of a mess as I am that means losing these within the next few days. Everything else though is an improvement. It has a bigger base, hence you can pose say the psycho zaku without it toppling over. It interferes less with the legs and backpack. And you get a clamp piece so you can also use it for action figures. So it's a good all in one base without breaking the bank.
 |
| He has the humor of a 10 year old... Next thing you know he'll film dead people and post it on youtube |
There were years where I used to buy MG or 1/100 kits. But for the past 2 years or so, the only 1/100 kits I bought are the Barbatos and the Efreet. It's all about the 1/144 kits to me these days. They're simpler to build and tons more fun to pose. Not to mention more economical. So it makes sense for me to get a 1/144 stand.
Before this, we had the action base 2. It was decent, bur the connection where you plug the gunpla in was prohibitively large, so it doesn't make sense to use it unless you always pose your kits with a wide open stance. This new one aims to fix that.
When you buy it, it'll be in the standard action base packaging. Make sure to read it carefully as on 1st glance, the 1/100 version and the 1/144 version are identical. The front highlights the most important thing an action base is suppose to do: support a kit without hindering articulation.
 |
| You can obviously emulate the pictures... but he's too stupid to use this base |
At the back, you can see the parts and how to use each head connection.
You can get it in 2 colors for now: Black and Clear. What you see here is obviously the clear variant.
It's clear so be careful not to lose a part. Once you have everything cut off and major bits assembled, you are now presented with options.
 |
| spoiler: he lost a piece. Big surprise |
To assemble the bigger arm, you need one of the arm base pieces. Without it, the peg on the adjustable arm is too small.
The stubby connector thought doesn't need it.
As mentioned earlier, you have have 2 adjustable arms at the same time in this configuration. This is ideal for ground poses as it's too short for areal poses.
The main configuration I'll probably use is the combined adjustable arms.
There are no screws here ala Tamashii stages so you need the ladder pieces provided to hold it in place.
These ladders clip solidly in place on the arms' teeth. Long ladder to increase height. short ladder to decrease height.
I keep mentioning adjustable, so how and what exactly does adjust? Like the older Action base 2, the base and top of the connector can swivel and lock in place with gears and levers. These levers have pegs in them that lock the gear in place by sitting in one of the teeth of the gear. If you use the combined arms, you can move the base and tip to provide a wide variety of positions.
 |
| it would have made more sense to have photos taken prior to assembly |
What about the stubby one? Since it clips into place, you also need to use the ladders to support the kit. That's where these pieces come in.
Note that you get 2 of each... one of the clear cylinders of mine fell so I can only use one now :( The cylinder allows the round base to plug into the main base.
 |
| the lamp actually fell and dragged the whole table cloth and with it the base parts. |
It also has teeth so the ladder will rest on these to support the arms.
You also get several options for the head. You get the standard cradle for older HGs and a peg for the newer one. You no longer get a slotted version (i.e. flat peg) for select 1/144 kits.
And then you get a variety of connections to increase the height or to extend it horizontally.
If there is one complaint on the attachments, its the extended piece with the peg. Doesn't work well for kits with a rather long back skirt.
You also get a tiny arm for supporting large weapons. This is the standard tamashii stand arms, but flimsier.
Main issue with that is... it's too short. All it needed was to have another of the long arms but you do not get that without buying a second stand.
 |
| lots of things in his life is too short |
Is it an improvement over the action base 2? Yes it is, but there are a few things the action base 2 does better. The arm engineering of the action base 2 is cleaner. Here on the Action base 5, you get a lot of extra parts like the left over ladder pieces and the round base pieces which you need to have storage for. If you're as much of a mess as I am that means losing these within the next few days. Everything else though is an improvement. It has a bigger base, hence you can pose say the psycho zaku without it toppling over. It interferes less with the legs and backpack. And you get a clamp piece so you can also use it for action figures. So it's a good all in one base without breaking the bank.
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