Ever since Premium Bandai started releasing slew of crazy Advance of Zeta kits back in 2019, I have made a personal commitment of dedicating a year just to build those. And I’ve yet to decide when that would be. But that totally doesn’t stop Bandai Spirits from announcing new AoZ kits, like this guy over here.
This is the Gundam TR-1 [Hazel Owsla] Gigantic Arm Unit which, as the name likely suggests is the Hazel Owsla with the arms of the Psycho Gundam bolted onto it. The Hazel Owsla itself is then the Advanced Hazel with the Primrose emergency escape pod. The Hazel Owsla Next Generation Mass Production Type also got a Premium Bandai kit released, I think, last year, but in the Titans or Combat Deployment color scheme.
Outside the Gigantic Arm Unit, another difference of this Hazel Owsla configuration from the Mass Production Type is the replacement of the Primrose emergency escape pod unit with the Hrududu II support unit. So, if you want to build, let’s say, a more non-Titans colored Mass Production Type, then you can get this kit and combine with the Primrose.
One thing you’re probably wondering is how the Gigantic Arm Unit looks like the arms of the Psycho Gundam, and they did release an HGUC version ages ago. Is this guy just a kitbash of older model kit parts that has dated engineering? Not exactly.
The Gigantic Arms unit might appear as Psycho Gundam parts, but the solicitations explicitly suggests that these come with new parts with better engineering and articulation. Upon further inspection and comparison with images of the HGUC Psycho Gundam from the usual sources (i.e. Dalong), you’ll notice that these are retools of the old parts, especially with those new yellow bits that aren’t present in the original Psycho Gundam. Other differences include the sculpted grills on the forearms which are plain panels on the old kit.
But probably the most significant improvement is the extended range of elbow articulation. The old kit only had 90 degrees of bend due to how the front of the upper arm extends forward. The new parts will have the forearms slide forward when bending the elbow, allowing for that almost 180 degrees of movement. I do imagine the yellow panel on the shoulder would need painting as the original kit just covered that with a sticker.
If the gigantic Psycho Gundam arms are not enough, the Hazel Owsla also comes with a long blade rifle and the sub-arm unit carried over from the Advanced Hazel. And if you’re wondering if this thing could even stand, well, they got you covered as it also comes with a display base for supporting those massive arms.
Like all previous Advance of Zeta kits, this is also a Premium Bandai exclusive so hop on to your localized Premium Bandai store, or your preferred middleman service, to secure your copy.
HGUC 1/144 Gundam TR-1 [Hazel Owsla] Gigantic Arm Unit
May 2022 / ¥6,200
