http://www.hobbywave.com/plastic_models/gundam/gundam_seed/1_100_scale/gundam_seed_aile_strike_gundam.htmlThe Kit I am reviewing today is the HG 1/100 Gundam Aile Strike. I have completed the build and I am currently in the process of priming + painting.
The HG Aile Strike model is overall a pretty well designed gunpla. It's sturdy after built, and very poseable. The Shoulder joints are actually movable pieces, and can move in allowing the arms to sort of "hunch" into position, this allows for more poseability with both arms to achieve gun poses/shield poses.
Perhaps what I a m most impressed by is just the overall solid feel. Once you connect all the limbs together, the Gundam just feels very tight and solid overall, nothing flimsy of the sort. Perhaps it's the new fresh out of the box feeling, but this gundam is more stable and rigid than any previous HG I've built.
Seam lines do occur throughout the kit however. The Shoulders need a litle bit of seam work, as do the top of the chest unit. The leg units particularly near the back, do require a bit of seam work as well. However most of the seam work is minimal, with the exception of the back of the lower leg.
The Lower leg for some reason left a huge gap that just wouldn't close even with cement. I had to putty the gap and sand it down, and even then it left a bit of a gap where the leg goes around the grey armor piece.
Also the lower booster units on the Aile Strike pack are not solid pieces. I had to putty them in again to make them look like solid fins, otherwise they would just seem like hollow V shaped fins.
Overall I give this kit an 8/10. Without some putty/seam work it's an average model. However the design overall is excellent, it's a very solid build, and gives alot of room for you to express yourself with a paint scheme of your choice. Overall the outside of the model can come very close to the MG version with some putty work and seam work. However if you are a huge fan of the Aile Strike, I highly recommend you skip the HG version and spend the extra money for the MG Aile Strike which I suspect doesn't have the lower leg gap problem, and also comes with the benefit of a true inner skeleton as well as a launching pad/display stand.
I'll try and put up some pictures soon, particularly to show where the problems are.
Edit 6/27/08 - Changed title to reflect the NG grade and also the name of the model as it appears on box.
