This might just be my personal opinion, but HGFC Gundam Rose is one of the most exciting and most disappointing releases this year. It is the most exciting thanks to the amount of engineering placed on that kit, especially when compared to more recent High Grades. It is also the most disappointing because it’s a Premium Bandai exclusive. And it looks like this train will continue to chug along the same path with the next kit from the Shuffle Alliance — the all American HGFC Gundam Maxter.
Gundam Maxter’s design is an amalgamation of stereotypical American culture notables. From baseball, to boxing, to cowboys and pistols, it’s there. And they’re all reproduced in this gorgeous kit that equally rivals Gundam Rose. The design might be on the colorful side, but it does appear to be done via actual parts separation, instead of stickers.
Gundam Maxter is one of the most fully featured Gundams out there. In its standard configuration, each forearm has a Fighting Knuckle that can be deployed by flipping it in front of the fist for fighting in a brawler-like style. It also has a couple of Gigantic Magnums stored on the sides of the thigh armor when not in use.
The primary fighting feature of Gundam Maxter is its Boxing Mode where the front torso armor is purged, as if taking its clothes off, and each large baseball uniform-inspired shoulder armor flies onto the forearms as gauntlets. We also see an additional mechanism where the torso can compress for this mode. Similar to HGFC Gundam Rose, a model kit-original gimmick from G Gundam director Yasuhiro Imagawa is also included. Following the chest armor purge in Boxing Mode, you can also remove the knee, leg, and waist armor, and mount them in the included clear red display base.
Apparently, Americans also appear to love surfing when this Gundam was designed, so it also includes the Flyer Shield that can act as a defensive weapon, and as a means for transportation, or grand entrance for the Gundam Maxter. Lastly, it has purple punch effect parts as well.
This kit comes with quite the package and it’s unfortunate that this is an online exclusive. And from the looks of things, I’ll either take my chances of getting this guy over at our local Premium Bandai online shop, or via the secondary market after release.
HGFC 1/144 Gundam Maxter
November 2023 / ¥2,650
Premium Bandai Exclusive
