The METAL BUILD Gundam Dynames Repair III is here, and surprisingly, it's a general retail release. We were fully expecting this one to be a Tamashii Web Shop exclusive. After our positive experience reviewing the previous Exia, we're happy to report that the Dynames R3 takes things to another level. It has a lot of strengths, but there are still a few issues worth noting in this report.
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Paint and Finish:
The quality control on this release is excellent. The paint application is largely flawless, with no significant issues or sloppy nub marks to be found. This feels like a product made with genuine care, and it deserves praise. All the warning labels and markings are present where they should be, without being so excessive that they become distracting.
Articulation and Gimmicks:
Head:
The detailing here is meticulous. While the Dynames R3 incorporates many design elements from the Gundam Virtue, the head retains its signature sniper scope. You can deploy it simply by pushing the v-fin down. However, be extremely careful when doing this, as no replacement parts are included. The neck articulation is decent, but achieving a convincing prone sniping pose is difficult due to limitations in the neck and waist's range of motion.
Chest:
Though obscured by the chest armor, you can flip the central plate up to reveal the "RIII" designation underneath. Unlike the 00 Qan[T], however, it is not designed to accommodate an LED unit.
Arms:
The design is very similar to the standard Exia releases, with no major changes to the articulation scheme. Swapping out the hands is quite easy, and the shoulder joints are strong enough to support its equipment. The range of motion for bringing the arms together across the chest is typical for a Gundam 00 design.
Waist:
The waist has a reasonable range of motion, but the degree of left-to-right rotation is only average.
Backpack:
The backpack mounts two large armor panels on either side and a multi-functional shield weapon system. It's incredibly fun to play with and is one of the main selling points of this figure. However, there's one frustrating issue: once the backpack is attached, there seems to be no effective way to remove it...
Skirt Armor:
We usually don't spend much time on skirt armor, but on the Dynames R3, it's a major feature. The front skirts are two large thruster units, cleverly engineered to almost completely avoid hindering the legs' forward mobility—a rare achievement. A small gimmick allows you to extend the thruster nozzles from within the armor.
The rear skirt armor features four thrusters that share a similar linked mechanism, allowing you to pull out the thruster nozzles in a very slick motion. Unfortunately, the rear skirt itself significantly restricts the backward movement of the legs. It also has a tendency to fall off very easily, so be careful when handling the figure.
Legs:
The articulation is on par with other Exia-based METAL BUILDs. The knee armor opens to reveal missile launchers. The four missiles inside can be moved slightly, but their appearance is a bit underwhelming—they look more like tiny cheese sausages.
The real highlight of this product isn't just its form, but its incredible weapon loadout, which blends features from both the Dynames and Virtue series.
GN Shields:
First, let's look at the two large shields mounted on the backpack. At a glance, they're somewhat reminiscent of the 00 Raiser's binders. However, these two shields can be moved to the front to act as defensive plates, a clear nod to the original Gundam Dynames.
Furthermore, the shields can open up like a "mouth" to reveal massive cannons hidden inside—a signature feature of the Gundam Virtue.
The playability of these shields is immense. They can be posed on the backpack or held by their handles. You can also detach them completely to be wielded directly, evoking the image of the post-armor-purge Gundam Nadleeh dual-wielding the Virtue's shoulder cannons. You can even detach the "mouth" section and mount it on the front of the shield to create a long shield, another look that is very similar to the Nadleeh's equipment.
In terms of paint, opening the shields reveals the cannon barrel and beautifully painted gold mechanical details inside.
GN Bazooka:
The massive cannon is an unmistakable homage to the Gundam Virtue's primary weapon.
It can be stowed on the back or the hip.
It can be wielded single-handedly by the Dynames.
It also features two side handles, allowing the Dynames R3 to hold it with both hands for a powerful firing pose.
The cannon has incredible presence, but its only drawback is the mechanism for extending the inner barrel. It takes a considerable amount of effort, often requiring a hard, thin tool to pry it out, which is quite troublesome.
On the bright side, the figure's balance is good enough that it can hold a dynamic pose with the massive cannon without needing a display stand. Definitely give it a try.
Overall, this is a fantastic and ambitious release that is a ton of fun. However, there are a few points to keep in mind.
1. The backpack seems impossible to remove (though this might just be my copy), which is a hassle for collectors who like to store their figures back in the box.
2. The entire body is covered in unused hardpoint "holes." If they don't serve a purpose, why include them in the first place?
3. The rear skirt armor falls off constantly during posing. Thankfully, it hasn't broken.
4. The die-cast joints on the backpack are excessively tight, making it very difficult to adjust their position.
