HGFC 1/144 Shining Gundam

The Shining Gundam is the machine Domon Kasshu piloted in Mobile Fighter G Gundam. As Neo Japan’s representative machine in the Gundam Fight that forms the stage of the series, it fought through one fierce match after another.

The biggest characteristic of this machine is that its appearance changes in response to the pilot’s rising emotions. It shifts in stages from the ordinary “Normal Mode” to the combat-ready “Battle Mode,” and then to “Super Mode,” where the armour on each section opens up and exposes the gold interior. The idea of a robot literally changing its looks as it grows stronger stood out even among the shows of that era.

This kit renders that machine in 1/144 scale as an HGFC (High Grade Future Century) release from August 2011. Besides reproducing the change into Super Mode through swapped outer armour, it includes the separation and combination of the Core Lander on the back, plus large effect parts that recreate the finishing move. At 1,980 yen (tax included) it is easy to pick up, and the contents answer the goal of “recreating a scene from G Gundam at your desk” very directly.

Despite it being the hero machine of G Gundam, I had never built it before. When I spotted it in a shop again after a long time, I wanted to check whether the Super Mode swap parts and that big sword really do all fit in one box, so I picked it up.

Product name

HGFC 1/144 Shining Gundam

Scale

1/144

Series

HGFC (High Grade Future Century)

Release date

27 August 2011

Price

1,980 yen (tax included)

Target age

8 and up

Sales format

general retail release

Main accessories

Shining Finger Sword (moulded in clear green), various effect parts, Core Lander, swap armour for Super Mode

Source material

Mobile Fighter G Gundam

The same HGFC series also covers the Shuffle Alliance machines such as the Dragon Gundam, Gundam Maxter and Gundam Rose. Since the price range is consistent across them, lining up the machines from the show and collecting them as a set is another way to enjoy the line.

What catches the eye inside the box is the Shining Finger Sword moulded in clear green. It is quite large relative to the 1/144 scale body, and that single item defines the impression the box leaves. Several other effect parts are included as well, making for a set with high play value.

On the model itself, the change from Normal Mode to Super Mode is reproduced by swapping parts. The outer armour used for each mode is separate, so checking which mode a given part belongs to before you start assembling keeps you from getting lost partway through.

The Core Lander on the back is also provided as an independent unit that can separate and combine. Since there are a lot of accessories, this is a kit where laying out the frames the parts are attached to (the runners) and getting an overview before you build makes things go more smoothly.

I built this one unpainted, straight from the box, and assembly took about 90 minutes. Difficulty is around two stars out of five — follow the manual and you can get to the finish line without strain. That said, there were a few points worth watching if you want a clean result you can keep on display.

Apart from the above, the steps proceed straightforwardly as per the manual. The part count is on the high side, but there were almost no moments complex enough to stop my hands.

The first thing that draws the eye once it’s finished is, as expected, the Shining Finger Sword. It is a large effect part moulded in clear green, and putting it in the model’s hands completely changes the silhouette. Even unpainted and straight from the box, simply having the model hold it out makes the whole thing look good — this is the kit’s biggest highlight.

The next enjoyable aspect is the gimmick side. The change from Normal Mode to Super Mode is reproduced precisely through swapped parts, letting you rebuild it into exactly the form you remember from the show. Add the separation and combination of the rear Core Lander, and the kit keeps plenty of hands-on play value after completion. For fans of the series, this is the type of kit where the time before it finally goes on the shelf gets longer.

On the other hand, there were points that honestly bothered me. One is the weapon mount on the left side of the waist. There is a gap where the beam sword hilt slots in, and the holding power was very weak. Tip the kit upside down even slightly and it drops straight out, so if you want to avoid losing the part, the realistic options are to decide from the start not to use that storage position at all, or to thicken the peg a little.

The other is the range of motion. This being a machine built around close-quarters combat, the necessary articulation is there, but compared with the newest kits the elbows and hip joints feel like they bend a little less. Nailing a wide-legged stance exactly like the one from the show was somewhat restricted.

This build is out of the box and unpainted, but here are the places where one extra step changes how it looks.

1. At 1,980 yen (tax included) the price is standard for the HG band, but since it was released in 2011, shop stock fluctuates depending on the time of year. Grabbing it when you see it is the sure approach.
2. The weapon mount on the left side of the waist is loose, and the structure lets the weapon fall out easily. Planning your display on the assumption that you won’t store anything there is the safer bet.
3. Elbow and hip articulation is modest. Rather than moving it around a lot, choosing it with signature-pose display in mind raises your satisfaction.
4. Having it hold the large Shining Finger Sword takes up width. It is worth securing the display space first.

【Good】

1. The clear green Shining Finger Sword is large, and simply having the model hold it out makes for a good-looking display. Even built out of the box it makes a picture.
2. The parts-swap transformation into Super Mode is faithfully reproduced, letting you rebuild it into exactly the form you remember from the show.
3. Even the separation and combination of the rear Core Lander is reproduced, leaving plenty of hands-on play value after completion.
4. The convenience of building it in about 90 minutes. Difficulty isn’t high either, so it moves along at a good pace to completion.

【More (points of concern)】

1. The weapon mount on the left side of the waist is loose, and the beam sword hilt comes off if you just tip the kit upside down a little.
2. The elbow and hip joints bend less than on the newest kits, so wide-legged stances are restricted.

In a wordThe gimmicks are faithfully reproduced — the change into Super Mode, the separating Core Lander — and the armament, led by the large Shining Finger Sword, is generous enough to satisfy fans. On the other hand, the loose weapon mount on the left of the waist that drops the weapon, and the slightly shallow elbow and hip articulation, leave something wanting when it comes to posing. Even so, it is a solid kit that lets you enjoy everything Shining Gundam is about, easily.

The HGFC 1/144 Shining Gundam is a kit that combines the convenience of a roughly 90-minute build with a generous helping of gimmicks. It has weak points — the loose weapon mount on the left of the waist and the limited range of motion — but both are things you can live with once you know about them. The way it looks when locked into the pose of its finishing move still holds up perfectly well today, years after release. It suits anyone who wants to recreate scenes from Mobile Fighter G Gundam, and anyone who enjoys displays with a set piece built around effect parts. If you’re going to display it, I recommend having it hold the Shining Finger Sword out wide and fixing it at an angle that conveys the moment of the finishing blow.