Japan's BANDAI SPIRITS Hobby Division is set to release its latest product, the "HG 1/144 Gundam Calibarn," from "Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury" on July 15, 2023. Ahead of its release, Bandai's official channels have unveiled an unboxing and assembly of the actual product, revealing more details not covered on the product page!
The "HG 1/144 Gundam Calibarn" kit, excluding the clear stand and beam saber effects, consists of 5 large runner plates plus one IMD (In-Mold Decoration) molding part. It utilizes molded colors such as white, dark gray, clear black, red, yellow, and green. Both the twin-eye cameras and various yellow thruster nozzles feature independent parts, eliminating the need for stickers or additional painting. Although many parts appear similar to the Gundam Aerial, all are produced with new molds.
The glowing sections on the head antenna, chest, and thighs are represented by clear black outer parts combined with internal stickers. Builders can choose between stickers for glowing or non-glowing states, and the red-eye stickers, which were unexplained in the show, reappear here. Furthermore, the antenna and chest feature "IMD (In-Mold Decoration) molding parts," where a printed layer is encased in plastic, allowing for a more vivid gradient iridescence than stickers.
Once completed, the Gundam Calibarn's pristine white body may seem somewhat simple, but this allows for easier appreciation of the sharp lines and multi-layered geometric details of the armor parts through shadow variations. The main weapon, the "Propulsive Long-Range Rifle," which resembles a witch's broom, connects to the backpack via a multi-axis movable auxiliary arm, maintaining strength for single-handed wielding. The four thrusters at the end also feature an unfolding mechanism, with the green color of the thruster nozzles reproduced using stickers.
The 11 GUND-Bits, inherited from the Gundam Aerial (Rebuild) in the story, reuse parts but are molded in Calibarn's pristine white color. In addition to functioning as funnels for attack, they can also be attached to various slots on the body to recreate the "Bit on Form" state, which enhances the mobile suit's performance. Some shield parts also have hollow sections on the inside.
The foot parts feature a folding mechanism for the heel and sole, allowing for the recreation of a posture specialized for attitude control in space. Paired with the included clear stand, it enables dynamic floating poses.
HG 1/144 Gundam Calibarn
Suggested Retail Price: 2,200 JPY (tax included)
Expected Release Date: 2023/07/15
Product Specifications: 1/144 Scale Assembly Model
©Sotsu・Sunrise・MBS