Bandai 1/144 MS-06S Zaku II

This is part of the Gundam world of manned robot warriors. The Zaku are the 'bad' guys. That is pretty much all I know about the series. I'm sure that a web search will pull up a lot more info.

This is one of Bandai's 'Real Grade' kits, hence the RG on the box art. Bandai kits like this are essentially snap kits that can be assembled without glue or filler. The kits are also molded in multiple colors which means that they don't really need to be painted.

However, to look really good many modelers will fill the few seams and will paint many of the major assemblies. This kit does provide a few options, mostly weapons, and those are delineated in the instructions. What is different with this kit over what few other Gundam kits I have seen is that there is a basic skeleton over which the other parts will fit. According to those in the IPMS group who build these, the entire skeleton can be built before adding all the protective covers.

Instructions are very well done and provide multiple steps that show each subassembly and then the assembly of these into the whole. These are held together, for the most part, by flexible joins made of a vinyl that holds them together quite firmly. It is imperative that each of the parts be fully cut free and all the sprue joins cleaned up to prevent fit and movement issues. Instructions also show the sprue attachment points that should be trimmed. If there is a down side it is that everything is in Japanese so any written notes are illegible to most in the US. A fairly large decal sheet is provided and there is a full placement guide.

I built one of the cheaper kits in this series that was far less parts intensive and it was a very pleasant experience. I did not paint that one. This one will take longer and will benefit from being painted rather than just bare plastic. These kits are currently the growth area in plastic modeling among younger modelers and they are quite welcome.