The announcement of the METAL ROBOT SPIRITS INFINITE JUSTICE GUNDAM TYPE II was incredibly exciting. Although half a year has passed and the initial fervor has cooled slightly, my interest in it remains strong. Furthermore, being able to acquire it at a reasonable price is a delightful bonus. Now, let's dive into a detailed review of this mobile suit!
When I refer to the Justice Gundam family, I'm talking about the Justice Gundams piloted by Athrun. Since the Immortal Justice wasn't piloted by Athrun in the movie, and I haven't purchased it, it won't be featured here for now.
It has been mentioned before that this and the original Infinite Justice are essentially two different mobile suits. Having it in hand today, I can confirm this is absolutely true! The differences between the two are quite significant. Of course, some parts are shared, a rather "eco-friendly" decision to reuse them. Now, let's focus on the features of the Infinite Justice Type II!
1. Excellent Paint Job!
The paint on this unit is a darker shade. If you compare it with the Infinite Justice and the original Justice, you'll notice the Justice is the darkest, the Infinite Justice leans towards a pinkish-red, and the Infinite Justice Type II's red isn't as deep as the original Justice's.
In short, photographing all three together clearly shows the color differences. As for the "Immortal Justice"? It didn't have much screen time in the movie, and since it's not "Athrun's" mobile suit, I'm setting it aside. Besides, I don't own it, so a comparison is impossible.
The paint application is good, but there are still quite a few nub marks that could have been handled better. Compared to another January new release, the ZI-APOLLO, its paint finish was handled more cleanly.
2. The backpack has some nice changes!
The most distinctive feature of the Justice Gundam series is its backpack, which functions as a "lifter." When the Justice Gundam first appeared, it was truly captivating. The Infinite Justice Gundam later inherited this feature, adding various weapons to its lifter.
However, whether it's the METAL BUILD version of the Justice,
or the METAL ROBOT SPIRITS versions of the Justice and Infinite Justice, one issue has always been the sheer bulk of the lifter. If it's too small, it doesn't look good on the back; if it's too large, it becomes a cumbersome backpack.
With the arrival of the Infinite Justice Type II, this problem has been addressed somewhat. The backpack can still be attached and detached, but this time it's not a "lifter" but a true backpack. At first glance, this new backpack resembles an X-wing. It can function as a standalone "fighter," and when attached to the back of the Infinite Justice Type II, its wings can be deployed into an "X" shape.
This backpack offers many display options. You can have it flush against the back, or you can raise it up for an acceleration pose.
Beam effect parts can be attached to the four wings. These four beam effects are actually quite important; without them, it feels somewhat empty.
Overall, while the mobile suit can no longer stand on the backpack, the fact that it attaches more securely to the back without easily falling off is a good thing, right?
When the backpack is folded, it actually takes up the least amount of space compared to the Justice and Infinite Justice.
3. Some Novelty in the Weaponry
It basically comes with all the weapons the original Infinite Justice had.
This includes the shield,
the blade and boomerang on the shield,
the leg blades, and the standard beam rifle. All are included.
Of course, it also has beam sabers.
I've taken photos with them, of course. Now, let's talk about the new weapons.
A. Long Beam Rifle
This is a new piece of equipment. Essentially, it's just a longer barrel with an added handle. In the movie, this is the rifle used by Cagalli during remote operation, taking out the arm of the opponent (Shura's mobile suit) in a single shot. However, when Athrun was piloting the suit in the movie, he mostly engaged in close-quarters combat and didn't use the rifle much.
B. Head Beam Blade
This is another new weapon. Many fans online have had fun posing with this head blade. I don't have an Ultraman figure to join in the fun, so I'll stick to a serious review. In the movie, Athrun delivers a "passionate" line, immediately activates the head blade, and with a headbutt-like motion, catches his opponent completely off guard. This method of slashing is truly rare. Looking at the beam blade itself, it's long but not thick enough, which is a bit of a shame. If it were thicker and came with a downward-slashing effect part, I believe the playability of the figure would be elevated to another level.
Shortcomings:
1. The Hip Connector
I fiddled with this for a long time and couldn't find a good way to secure the figure. The manual isn't very clear (or perhaps it's my comprehension), and I couldn't figure out how to properly secure the connector.
2. The Lower Legs Could Be Thicker
Effort was put into making the new version's legs slimmer. However, being this slender, it fails to project a powerful presence, which is a real pity.
4. Overall Verdict
Personally, I feel that toys are constantly improving. While playing with the Infinite Justice Type II, I took out the original Infinite Justice for comparison. Indeed, as a toy, the Type II is more interesting. Looking back at the original Justice, I still think the Type II looks better. The backpack has been thoughtfully redesigned and is very secure once attached. Although it loses the fun of standing on the lifter, what it offers is more than enough.
5. Postscript
The Infinite Justice Type II stole the show because, in the movie, it was revealed to be hidden inside a Z'Gok. I couldn't resist taking out my Char's Z'Gok to play with. However, this Z'Gok is not that Z'Gok; there are some differences, such as the lack of a commander's horn, which is very obvious. I couldn't help but want to recreate the scene of the Infinite Justice bursting out of the Z'Gok! It was a lot of fun to play with.
