In a landmark collaboration, "Honor of Kings" teamed up with Bandai to create a unique skin for Sun Wukong, the "Zero: Akahomura." For fans familiar with Bandai's iconic mecha and Gundam lines, it's no surprise that this new take on the Monkey King is a full-blown mechanical design, billed as an exploration of the ultimate mecha! The figure's aesthetic is very Gundam-esque, featuring a V-fin-like dual-horned crest on its head, accented with traditional cloud-pattern motifs. The central crest even evokes the design of his signature Golden Fillet, creating a fantastic fusion of traditional and futuristic design. The official tagline, "Zero Awakens, Ascends to Godhood in One Battle," perfectly sets the stage for the Zero: Akahomura's launch.
Let's be clear: the design itself is undeniably impressive, which is to be expected with master designer Junichi Akutsu handling the mecha concept! The packaging is also substantial, with five large blister trays packed with parts. In terms of accessories, beyond the requisite interchangeable hands, the set includes a massive amount of armor components, promising a rich and varied play experience. The figure boasts three distinct forms that can be achieved by swapping out these armor pieces. Unfortunately, this is where the problems begin. The joints are extremely loose, and many parts tend to fall off easily during the armor-swapping process. While the articulation of the base figure is decent, the bulky armor in the "Earthshaker" and "Annihilator" modes severely restricts its range of motion. To top it off, the overall finish has a slightly cheap, "plasticky" feel.
In short, it feels like Bandai aimed high with this one but ultimately fell short. Perhaps the design and production were handled by a different team, leading to the numerous assembly and quality control issues. To be honest, I took the first photos for this review over half a year ago, but the sheer frustration of swapping the parts was so immense that I couldn't bring myself to finish this report until today. As for the price, it has plummeted from the HK$700 I paid at launch to just over HK$300 now. Whether it's worth picking up at that price is a decision every collector will have to make for themselves.
Sun Wukong Zero: Akahomura - Normal Mode Earthshaker
Sun Wukong Zero: Akahomura - Full Power Mode Skysplitter
Sun Wukong Zero: Akahomura - Overload Mode Annihilator
D.M.S. Play Scoring Play Scoring
Look (40) 35
Articulation and Poseability (20) 11
Accessories and Gimmicks (20) 15.5
Quality Control (QC) (10) 5.5
Price (10) 6
Total Score: 73