One of the kits Good Smile Company revealed during their The GATTAI Exhibition earlier this year was MODEROID Gladion, appearing in the series Dennou Boukenki Webdiver which is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2021. I really don’t have any connections with the series, and I only heard it in a Transformers podcast listen to. Thanks to being released after Transformers Car Robots, fans of the franchise were interested with its concept. Personally I just see it as something like Shinkalion but to each their own.
The post title above is how I described the colors when I first saw it. And my opinion more or less remains the same. It has these bright green techno-looking parts acting as accents along with some random red bits on the torso. Gaudy colors aside, it makes me think how would the color separation be on this kit. Pre-painted parts would definitely be included, hopefully for the hands, sword, and especially the head — more on that later.
As I alluded to last time, Gladion does transform into a similarly oddly-colored steam locomotive-inspired vehicle mode without using replacement parts. Looking at both forms more closely, most of the transformation will probably involve the arms and upper torso, while the legs would basically be bending on those knee joints to compress.
Parts to build both transforming type and standard type head units are included to recreate the Gladion with its combat mask. Likewise, non-transforming versions of its weapons, the Gran Blade and Gran Magnum, are also included.
To be released along Gladion is its totally gray and not-at-all oddly colored evil clone, Dark Gladion. Unlike its good counterpart, Dark Gladion doesn’t transform. However, with the extra parts included thanks to sharing the same runners with Gladion, you can create a transformation original to this kit.
MODEROID Gladion
December 2021 / ¥6,600
Pre-order on HobbyLink Japan
MODEROID Dark Gladion
December 2021 / ¥7,200
