Last week, we saw the announcement of the HGUC Gundam Development Test Unit 0 (Engage Zero) from Mobile Suit Gundam U.C. Engage. This unit comes from a “fork” of the Gundam Development Project (GP Project) that we’re all too familiar with. And while I’m still hoping we get modern HGUC kits of the GP Project mobile suits, one that I’m not expecting to get the model kit treatment is the Gundam GP04G “Gerbera.“ To those unfamiliar, this is what became the Gerbera Tetra that we saw in Gundam 0083. So, I really appreciate it that Tamashii Nations comes to our rescue and decides to release this guy as part of The Robot Spirits ver. A.N.I.M.E. line.
You can say that the GP04G Gerbera is the pinnacle of the Gundam Development Project if it was finished and operated as intended. And although it didn’t appear in an actual anime, Tamashii Nations was able to produce an “anime-accurate” version of this figure. Very noticeable are those numerous thrusters you can see all over the figure.
That said, if you are getting this guy as a model kit stand in for your collection, then you also have opportunities to do panel lines and additional paint work if needed.
As a unit intended for high-mobility space combat, you can equip it with three Sturm Booster units and connect each to the back. From the looks of things, these connection points don’t seem to be articulated, which is probably a good thing for stability. It also helps that one of the Strum Boosters can actually act as a support for display in neutral poses.
And as expected from a ver. A.N.I.M.E. release, you get a good amount of thruster and beam effect parts as well as that collapsing chest feature that should provide additional degrees of front shoulder movement. Other accessories include its long-range rifle and a shield that iconic GP marking.
I’ve also said this with The Robot Spirits Duel Gundam when it was solicited, but I am likely to get this figure instead of the other since there’s less chance of this guy getting a model kit release.
The Robot Spirits ⟨Side MS⟩ Gundam GP04G “Gerbera” (ver. A.N.I.M.E.)
March 2023 / ¥7,500
