This is a model kit from a mainland Chinese manufacturer, named ORACLE, also known as the ORACLE Mecha. With a staggering 98% of its gates being undergated (hidden), this kit is incredibly easy to assemble and requires no sanding, making it a true blessing for straight-builders. The gate marks are so well-hidden that they are virtually invisible. The only exceptions—the remaining 2%—are on the interchangeable hand parts and the thumb, which are unavoidably exposed.
The inner frame comes pre-assembled, so you don't have to build it yourself. It contains a significant amount of metal parts, giving it a satisfying weight and a premium feel when handled.
The articulation is not compromised by its transformation mechanism; in fact, its posability is on par with high-end die-cast action figures. Unfortunately, the kit only includes a display stand for its MA mode, not for its MS mode. This makes it difficult to showcase the ORACLE's excellent articulation in many dynamic, cool poses.
In terms of armament, it's primarily a long-range attacker, featuring numerous cannons all over its body. However, it's not defenseless in close quarters, as the beam sabers in both hands give the ORACLE some melee capability.
The ORACLE comes with water-slide decals, but I chose not to apply them, as that would require a clear coat, adding extra time and effort. The only parts I painted were the white armor pieces, which I sprayed with a mix of pearl powder and gloss clear coat to give them a beautiful pearlescent finish under light.
This is a very large kit. At a 1/100 scale, its total height (excluding weapons) after assembly is comparable to, or even taller than, a Hi-Nu Gundam. Its bulk is on par with the Sazabi. Once completed, it can be handled and enjoyed just like a die-cast action figure.
Below is a simple walkthrough of the building process. There are fewer studio shots this time because, without a proper stand, I couldn't achieve many dynamic poses and had to stick to simpler, grounded stances. XD
▼【Saint Mecha】ZAOWORKSHOP ORACLE
▼The white parts were the only ones painted, using a gloss clear coat mixed with pearl powder to create a pearlescent texture.
▼The inner frame comes pre-assembled and features numerous metal parts, providing both a substantial weight and an excellent handling experience. Because the frame incorporates so much metal, the model remains stable and well-balanced even with its heavy armaments.
▼You can tell the manufacturer tried their best with this head sculpt. They made a real effort to create something different, but it still can't quite escape the shadow of Bandai.
▼During assembly, it's recommended to separate the arms and legs from the torso.
▼The ORACLE features a transformation mechanism.
▼Upper body complete.
▼The legs feature sliding armor panels.
▼When bent, the armor panels articulate and expand.
▼Thighs complete.
▼The feet are made of metal parts.
▼Legs complete.
▼The side thrusters can be extended outwards. The legs are constructed with multi-colored, layered armor pieces.
▼When the leg is bent, multiple armor panels slide in conjunction.
▼Even the thrusters have an armor-separation gimmick. The thrusters on the side of the calf can come loose easily when being extended, but thankfully, they are not difficult to reattach.
▼The rear and side thrusters can be extended together. The thruster at the back of the calf has its own armor-separation feature.
▼Upper and lower body complete.
▼Arms complete.
▼The arm articulation is nearly on par with that of a die-cast action figure.
▼Interchangeable hand parts.
▼Main body complete.
▼The high-output sniper rifle. This thing is incredibly long—when stood upright, it's almost taller than the main unit itself.
▼Packed with detail.
▼The magazine can be detached.
▼In addition to the magazine, the bullets are also individual parts.
▼The bullets are also detailed, with each one assembled from at least three separate parts.
▼The individual bullets.
▼The two winged beam cannons mounted on the arms.
▼The two beam cannons mounted on the upper backpack, which can be positioned over the shoulders.
▼The beam cannons themselves have no articulation or expansion gimmicks; they rely entirely on the mechanical arms on either side of the upper backpack for movement.
▼The green parts are clear pieces.
▼Top-down close-up.
▼Lower backpack complete. Be extremely careful when handling this part. Why? Because when I tried to extend the two armor panels on the sides, the pegs connecting them snapped on both sides simultaneously. I was stunned. Upon inspection, it seems the surface area for the force was too small, causing them to break when pulled with the wrong amount of force or at the wrong angle. The broken pegs were 2.5mm, so I drilled through the parts and replaced the pegs with metal brass rods. After the modification, it's much sturdier and won't break no matter how I pull it—a huge relief.
▼Top-down close-up.
▼Upper and lower backpacks complete. To be precise, it's the upper backpack with beam cannons and the lower backpack thruster unit.
▼All armaments.
▼Lower backpack assembly.
▼Fully assembled. The entire kit, including weapons, features 98% undergated parts. This allows for a very high-quality finish with just a straight build. Aside from the exposed gate marks on the interchangeable hands and the thumb, no other nubs are visible.
▼Studio photoshoot. As mentioned, this kit doesn't come with a dedicated MS mode stand, so there are fewer action shots. Some poses are much easier to capture with a stand. The included base is rather short and intended for the MA mode, so I focused on taking more detailed close-up shots this time.
