Giving the XAMEL the center stage :)
Ki Toy Log: https://www.facebook.com/ki0079.robot.workshops/
Over the years, I've bought quite a few toys, but I haven't actually unboxed many of them, and I've photographed even fewer. So, whenever I have some free time, I like to open up some "old stuff" to play with. They may be "out of production" on the market, but in my eyes, they're brand new! This time, the vintage unboxing features the heavy artillery unit from GUNDAM 0083, the XAMEL.
This mobile suit doesn't have a lot of screen time, but its performance is incredibly dynamic. It's one of the three members of the Gundam-napping team. Initially, it was responsible for bombarding the base, taking out the base commander with a single heavy shot. This caused severe damage to the base facilities, preventing them from launching in time to intercept the trio stealing the Gundam. This machine went through two or three skirmishes before being left behind to cover the GP02's escape. Being too large to transport, it was destroyed while holding the rearguard—a truly heroic end.
There haven't been many products of the Xamel, so for a series fan, this is a must-buy. The mobile suit is huge, with considerable heft, and it's made with immense sincerity. When it comes to grunt suits, the manufacturer generally invests "genuine effort" in the design and doesn't hold back with numerous add-on parts later. They tend to go "all-in" from the start, rather than releasing features bit by bit. Basically, everything you need to play with and enjoy is included right out of the box.
First, let's talk about the mobile suit itself. To be honest, in terms of color and texture, it does have a bit of a plastic feel. Once you accept this fact, it's time to enjoy the toy.
The head of the mobile suit is basically immobile. The waist can tilt up and down and has a little side-to-side movement, but the range is not large. The mono-eye can be moved, but I couldn't be bothered to adjust it.
The articulation range of the arms is quite good, and the hands have just three fingers. But let's be real, you don't get a heavy artillery unit to play with its arms, do you?
However, its hands can hold standard weapons, such as a Zaku's bazooka, machine gun, or heat hawk, without any issues.
The shoulders house missile pods, and you can connect missile launch effect parts for play, which looks quite impressive and imposing. However, it would have been even better if the missile pods themselves had some molded "missile warheads" instead of just a row of black holes.
Just when you think the legs might not be very articulated, they actually are, though of course, the range of motion is naturally limited. Both legs are connected to the hips with a ball joint, which appears to be die-cast, though I'm not entirely sure. The feet have a small amount of articulation, allowing for poses like a forward dash in addition to standing. While the articulation isn't high, it's more than sufficient. Jet effect parts can be attached to the soles of the feet, but I didn't try that.
Its signature weapon is the large cannon on its back. Normally folded on its back, it can be extended straight, and the firing angle of the long cannon can be adjusted up and down. One commendable feature is the use of ratchet joints for the cannon, which prevents many potential issues. The tactile feel during handling is excellent.
It comes with firing effect parts. There's a muzzle flash effect, as well as fire and smoke effects for the barrel and breech. Once installed, the sheer power of the cannon blast comes to life.
As for the display stand, it's specifically designed for this heavy artillery unit. The thick support arm is quite flexible, allowing for adjustments to various display angles. By placing the Xamel on it, you can achieve a mid-air forward-dashing pose. Furthermore, to enhance the sense of motion, it includes four effect parts to create the look of dust and sand being kicked up from the ground during a charge. It's a fantastic touch!
Overall, even by today's standards, this is a truly excellent toy. Despite its large size, you never get the feeling of being "played by the toy"; the entire experience is enjoyable from start to finish.
The joy of playing with the XAMEL comes not only from the main figure itself but also from pairing it with other ROBOT SPIRITS products. A key feature of the ROBOT SPIRITS A.N.I.M.E. series is the inclusion of more effect parts and the encouragement of interactive play between toys (not just slapping accessories from other toys onto one figure to create a "makeshift Christmas tree," but true interaction). Some of the photos may seem a bit repetitive because I was constantly trying different angles to see which one looked best.
The XAMEL's screen time in 0083: Stardust Memory is brief. In the first surprise attack, it was primarily responsible for long-range bombardment of the base, throwing the entire facility into chaos and allowing Gato to seize the GP02. In a later encounter, the pilot proactively charged forward to attack the "commander unit," South Burning's GM Type C. Although the XAMEL is positioned as a large artillery platform, it still has some close-combat capability (perhaps due to its sheer size?). The GM Type C was held off, leaving it to the GP01 to stop the GP02 from launching into space.
Its final battle was the dense fog engagement on the coast. During the fight, the Dom Tropen pilot from the Gundam-napping trio was the first to be taken out. The XAMEL pilot volunteered to hold the rearguard, as it was impossible to recover the artillery unit (a very practical transport consideration, prioritizing the GP02's escape). Before its final duel with the GM Type C, it first suffered the indignity of the GP01 jumping on its head, then took a punch from the GM Type C, and was ultimately impaled by a beam saber (presumably destroyed), though the GM Type C was also heavily damaged.
With this XAMEL in hand, how could I not bring out the GM Type C to play with? This time, I tried to recreate three scenes. The first is the XAMEL charging the GM, with the GM holding it back; the second is the GM punching the XAMEL; and the third is the XAMEL charging the GM, with the GM piercing it with a beam saber.
The first scene is absolutely fantastic. The XAMEL is so massive, like a giant bearing down on the GM Type C, yet the GM still fights back with all its might. As the XAMEL charged, the GM fired its "pea shooter" at it, which was clearly useless. This scene is primarily based on the animation.
The second scene is also very interesting. In the show, the GM Type C really did use its iron fist to strike the XAMEL's head—the ultimate melee showdown.
As for the third scene, I added a bit of imagination, since the story only tells us that the GM Type C won a pyrrhic victory and Captain Burning was seriously injured. To simulate the piercing of the XAMEL, I mainly used forced perspective, as I would never actually cut a hole in the figure (I rarely modify my original figures, preferring to play with them as they are). It would have been great if the official release had included a replacement part for this. Additionally, the GM Type C is leaning back without a stand; I achieved this by hooking the GM's legs onto the XAMEL's display stand support arm and using the XAMEL's hand to hold it in place.
For the scene where the GP01 jumps on its head, I just used a little Blu-Tack on the crotch area to secure it. I think the effect could have been even better with a larger photo studio.
And of course, a group shot of the Gundam-napping trio is a must. They were few in number but rich in combat experience, essentially suppressing their opponents. However, the GP02 had to escape as quickly as possible, and the psychological pressure of not being able to get bogged down in a fight was immense. Even so, they managed to take out a significant number of enemy units. If it weren't for Captain Burning's tactics, guidance, and combat skills, the two rookie pilots would have likely met a grim fate; even with Kou piloting the GP01, he probably would have been shot down quickly.
The scene of the three of them advancing through the wilderness is captivating. Facing an uncertain future, their most important goal remains getting the GP02 to safety. A conversation between men...
Ki Toy Log: https://www.facebook.com/ki0079.robot.workshops/