Days after releasing the HG Alteisen, Bandai Spirits already teased announcing the next HG Super Robot Wars OG kit. I was hoping it to be the Huckebein but at the same time, I wasn’t expecting it to be Huckebein, and I was right.
I’m not the most versed when it comes to Super Robot Wars OG and I’m even less familiar with the Gespenst when compared to the Alteisen or Huckebein. But it is one of the more well-known robots in the franchise, so it also makes sense to have it as the next High Grade kit.
Its design is a mix of hard angles like those Zeta Gundam-esque chest vents and more rounded arm and leg units. One thing I immediately noticed here and appears to be a common thing for these SRWOG kits, are those hollowed parts like the huge shoulder armors. Fortunately, having them colored differently from the outer armor kind of makes the effect more acceptable. Looks like I can do the same with the hollowed feet of the HG Cybaster, if I get one.
The solicitation also highlights a lot of articulation features they incorporated into a relatively bulky kit like the Gespenst. For starters, the shoulders don’t use your typical polycap ball joint and instead have a universal joint on one end and a ball joint on another. This should provide better support for the arms and the large shoulder armors. The torso joint can also do significant crunches and uses additional parts so that no gaps would be seen.
On the lower half, we have a hip assembly that can hinge forward which, coupled with the torso articulation, provides even more forward crunch range. The front armor/skirt can also shift left or right to provide room for outward leg movements. Weapons are then stored in the stabilizer wings, besides the three Plasma Cutters mounted on the left forearm. Both the Split Missiles and Slash Rippers are mounted on the stabilizers when not in use.
Other accessories the kit comes with include effect parts for the Plasma Cutters and Slash Rippers, as well as its long-range weapon, the Newtron Beam. Similar to the previous SRWOG releases, Gespenst also comes with a dedicated action base, which I really wish they also include in every Gunpla kit.
I should really try building one of these HG Super Robot Wars OG kits. I mean these would be a better building experience than the way older Kotobukiya releases.
HG Gespenst
May 2022 / ¥4,000
Order via HobbyLink Japan
