Bandai Hobby MG 1/100 PSYCHO Zaku Ver Ka Gundam Thunderbolt Building Kit

The media could not be loaded. Insane kit. Definitely worth the time and patience.

This is a very expensive kit, but when you buy it, you know where your money went. You are not paying for rarity. You are not paying for gimmicks, experimental engineering, or exclusivity. You are paying for plastic.1 giant Dom Beam Bazooka. 3 Large Dom Bazookas. 3 Grenades. 2 Zaku machine guns. 2 heat hawks, AND 2 regular Zaku bazooka which are not part of the official arsenal but work great with the kit. The legs have layer upon layer of unseen detail. It's unreal.Also, the cable insulation gimmick was WAY more fun and satisfying than I was anticipating. I thought it would have a rubbery, garbage-bag like texture. But, actually, the insulation tubing cover has a very firm, hard plastic feel. More akin to a drinking straw. Very very cool. And very satisfying. If you've done as many kits as I have over the years, you're always looking for something in a Gundam kit you've never seen before... a total new experience. This is one that you won't forget!I think this is a divisive kit, but not because of he kit itself but rather because of the source material. What it comes down to is whether or not you like Psycho Zaku as a concept. Most people's complaints about this kit come from the fact that they have personal issues with the design and look of the kit. However, if you love Pzycho Zaku, this is a dream come true. Psycho Zaku happens to be one of my favorite mobile suits, so I couldn't ask for more. With a collection that has highly-regarded Master Grades like Nu Gundam Ver Ka, Turn A, and Freedom 2.0 among many more, I can say with certainty that this is now the main attraction.The one complaint I might agree with is that the backpack precludes you from posing with the Dom Beam Zook. You can't really get it over the shoulder because it gets blocked. Fortunately, the utility arms on the backpack can hold the cannon with no issue. Thanks to the included zaku zooks, you can show off the gimmick with the utility arms without having to take weapons from the thruster tanks.Basically, you can have your cake and eat it too.

Very labor intensive, but the finished product is awesome! I would totally buy this just as a figure. TAke your time on the build and don't forgo the decals. They make the kit.

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It's a great kit overall, but you have to know what you are getting yourself into. If you're a fan of the thunderbolt line then chances are you'll adore the product.Pros:- based on the 2.0 zaku. Yes, the base kit is from a decade ago, but the modifications are plentiful and feel fresh enough (I've done three 2.0 zakus so I'm quite familiar). It's solid.- it's huge, and the final product does stand out from the rest of the mastergrade lineup. It displays very well.Cons- price is rather high, but isn't too out of line from other bandai kits this size.- as mentioned, it is based on the older 2.0 zakus, so there will be plenty of extra pieces left unused.- the main beam bazooka (shown in the main image) cannot be held up, as the arms cannot carry the weight.- I'm not huge into accessories with gundam kits. However it's pretty clear to anyone that more than half the kit is the huge backpack and weapons. I knew this going in, so it was more or less enjoyable.based on my honest opinion, I'd give this kit an overall 4/5 or 4.5/5 stars. However the 5 star assessment is to balance the 1 star review, which I don't think is fair. The kit is not without its flaws. And I would have obviously enjoyed it more had it been a 3.0. However, having done dozens of MGs in the past, I can definitively give this kit a thumbs up; you just gotta like the looks and know what you're getting.

It’s more of a personal thing, but I just really hate water decals, if you don’t put them on just right or if there’s too much water they shrivel up. Just use stickers on the damn sets man. So much easier.

THIS IS NOT A STARTER KIT. I went in with some experience building High Grade and Real Grade kits, and even a full-on, 12"-tall Perfect Grade RX-78-2. This was actually my first Master Grade, and I expected it to be simpler than said PG. I was wrong. I've built other (non-Ver Ka) MG kits since, and none of them have approached this in difficulty. Very complex, with rather delicate vinyl wraps serving as joint insulation on the limbs. Do not spend $100+ (twice that, as of this review) on a kit unless you're confident of your building skill.That disclaimer out of the way, once assembled, this is a thing of beauty. The description is wrong about the length- with the suit on the flight unit, it's over 17" long, maybe closer to 18-19" with the Big Beam Bazooka in hand, and on the stand, the rear thrusters make it 12" tall. In terms of shelf presence, few kits come close. Tons of accessories- the flight pack carries a raft of MGs, bazookas, and spare ammo. My favorite feature is probably the posable manipulator arms meant to ferry that extra kit to the suit itself. Armor detail is fantastic, with lots of color separation. The flight pack can be easily detached, and so can some of the armor, making for a lot of display options.I do wish the stand wasn't as wobbly, but it's never fallen over or dropped the kit. Shame they didn't put the MG 2.0 hands on this guy, but they probably wouldn't have supported the Big Beam Bazooka anyway.A great kit, but it's as difficult as it is expensive.

I haven't built a Gundam model in 21years. I just got back into Gundam again recently and always loved the Zaku since I was a kid. When I saw this I had to buy it. Box in great condition, all parts look accounted for as box appeared not to have been messed with. I'll be building this next weekend. I don't plan on using the decals though. This looks like it's going to be fun.