Sponsored by Gundam Planet
Kit Available to purchase HERE
It's been a long time coming; after various reiterations from 3rd party sources, Bandai has finally given us the monster we have been eagerly awaiting. The new REBORN line promised us 1/100 scale with MG Tech. I can tell you that this monstrous of a kit is a very good introduction for new fans and veterans alike. Less can be said with its design since it's not really to everyone's taste but if you are a "Zeek" then getting this kit is a no brainer. One noticeable feature of this kit is the sheer size of the parts; as you can see, the box is pretty much dominated by very large parts, namely the "butt", the shield and those humungous binders. You really can't fathom the size of this kit unless you're staring at it directly. When Bandai released the proto of this kit, I knew that it was going to be big but I never expected it to be this big. I was literally in awe from snapping those large parts together; suffice to say that it was such a fun building experience.
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| Size Comparison for Good Measure |
One might say from various reviews online that the new RE line is just another interpretation of the late No Grade Line, which is as we know also in 1/100 Scale. In some sense I can agree but in my opinion, Nightingale can't really be a measure of this new line since it is more like a Mobile Armour rather than a mobile suit. The NG was indeed in 1/100 format but after having built a few of them myself, it's safe to say that it is merely an enlargement of its HG counterpart. This meant that most of the proportions are off and the detail was simply lacking. RE Nightingale is far more advanced in terms of build mechanics and also its gimmicks. People ask, why not just produce this in MG? Well, it's definitely possible but also very impractical in terms of the cost. I would estimate that it would be within the 400-500USD mark if this was a MG kit, maybe more? Who knows? so this being a new line and affordable at that is a very good thing.
Going back to the build mechanics, it doesn’t really have an inner frame as such which is the main difference from the MG Line, it is more like an inner support since it has to compensate with the size and weight.
Head Unit – Mean! Love the head design, I have been playing Alien Isolation lately and this reminded me of the Xenomorp's head; composed with multiple parts with an integrated clear part in the middle for illumination purposes, this head design is definitely one of a kind.
Torso Unit – Looks like a very aerodynamic ship, built with a base frame first before the armour is installed; It is also integral with the back unit where you will cut quite a few thrusters and those significant fuel tanks. The shoulder units are also built together with the torso unit, must say that those shoulder thrusters looks mighty fine. This is also the main housing for Bandai's very own LED unit.
Waist Unit – Quite possibly the biggest waist unit I have ever assembled in 1/100 scale, the front stabilizers are long and large ready to penetrate space! It even has a frame to go with it too for that extra solidity! It's composed of 3 armour pieces and is a vital design feature of the Nightingale. The side skirts are just 1 part for the armour with a thruster base; the front skirt is separated with mini stabilizers coupled with the back and front plating, there are polycaps in there too. Now for the main course which is the back skirt; it is spectacularly huge! Once assembled, it displays pure dominance over the main armour attachments. You'll assemble a base frame with the actual moveable stand as well as 2 massive fuel tanks which are almost hidden due to the skirt's coverage.
Legs – Massive legs, the height is very proportionate to the rest of the body parts – the manual instructs you to assemble these first. It is composed of numerous parts with an ankle base frame and a joint mechanism/design similar to the Thunderbolt Suits. Expect to cut a few thrusters to go on the side of the legs; this is then attached to the huge lower leg armour. The feet units are also very sizeable; it doesn’t have a wide range of motion which is understandable since this isn’t really designed to perform acrobatics. It is enough and serves its purpose which is to stabilize and support its weight.
Arms – these are quite long yet very proportionate to the overall design; assembly wise, it's very straight forward with a uniform joint mechanism as well as large armour pieces. The hands are the new Tech Hands we have seen in the recent Ver Ka kits which is an added bonus.
Binders – Geez these are huge, so huge it overwhelms the entire design in a very good way; it is composed with a base frame along with the thruster housing – again, expect to cut a lot of thrusters varying in size for the final attachment. As for the outer armour, it is detailed by the funnel dock as well as the funnels themselves. Once fully assembled, it is quite simply an astonishing piece to look at.
Accessories – Composed of a Beam Rifle, Beam Javelin and that huge shield; you cant really go wrong in assembling these as there are only a few parts involved in its composition. That Rifle though is massive along with the shield; it is a given that Nightingale is a force to be reckoned with when these are equipped.
Design 8/10 - As Ive said, the design isn’t really for everyone, but for me, I simply love it. Unique and one of a kind, it is one of my favourite Suits in the UC timeline.
Build 7/10 – Nightingale is standalone in terms of build mechanics; since it has a very unique design, it's quite difficult to have this as a build measure for the new RE line. For the most part, it builds similar to the NG but that’s where the similarities end. Bandai has achieved the objective, which is to produce a large kit at an affordable price. Aforementioned that NG kits were simply enlargements from its HG Counterparts, RE 100 is not. For one, there isn’t a HG kit for Nightingale and this new line is very accurate and very proportionate – I expect to see a similar trend when the MK III comes out and boy I cannot wait. If I had to gripe, the seam lines are a bit of a bother especially on the joint parts as well as on the weapon. It's understandable though since this is a very large kit to begin with; it is however easily remedied by basic seam line removal techniques. As an added bonus, the armor parts are undergated so nub removal is a piece of cake.
Details 7/10 – Whilst some will say that it lacks detail for a new kit in a new model line; I can agree to this since I too strive to detail the hell out of a particular kit. But what it lacks in details more than makes up for it in sheer size. Details can sometimes be overdone and what Bandai has done on this new kit is giving us a blank canvas to bring our ideas to the table. Similar to the Hi Nu Ver Ka, it is simply poisonous to a modelers mind. I was assembling this kit and I was already visualising where I would add panel lines and platings. One can say that this is designed for the core modeler who likes to go crazy in details and have large surface areas to work on.
Articulation 6/10 – For this kit, it's not all about articulation; yes the articulation isn’t comparable to normal Biped Suits but it more than serves its purpose, which is to stabilize and support the kit's weight.
IMAGE GALLERY
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