While Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM is about to end its Japanese theatrical run this month, it’s just kicking off across international markets. Which means there’s no reason to stop the Gunpla train from this movie. This year’s Shizuoka Hobby Show is a clear indicator and there’s one kit I really want to get my hands on.
Besides the Mighty Strike Freedom Gundam and the Infinite Justice Gundam Type II hiding inside a Z”Gok, one of my personal highlights from the movie is how the ‘supposedly old’ Destiny Gundam dealt a lot of pain from its multiple afterimages and when it used the Zeus Silhouette. The HGCE Destiny Gundam is already one of the best kits despite being released several years back so the Type II designation should only mean a few new runners for the minor recolors.
But the true meat and potatoes of this set is the A-GXQ754/V2 Zeus Silhouette. First appearing as used with the Akatsuki, Mu passes it to Shinn and the rest is history. Once docked to a mobile suit, the silhouette becomes an anti-fortress weapons platform thanks to its massive linear cannon. It packs such firepower that the silhouette comes with three barrels as each can be purged and replaced when worn out.
Massive armored booster units are also attached to the lower half of the Destiny Gundam to provide additional mobility thanks to the massive linear cannon. Sensor arrays and a radome dish mounted at the back help targeting systems as the linear cannon would require high accuracy. Lastly, it can transform into a flight unit that the Destiny Gundam can hang on to for the extra speed boost.
Tamashii Nations offered solicitations for its Metal Robot Spirits version earlier, but I believe most would agree that you’ll get a better deal with this kit.
HGCE 1/144 Destiny Gundam Spec II & Zeus Silhouette Set
November 2024 / ¥7,200
Speaking of the Zeus Silhouette, the Akatsuki Gundam is the first mobile suit to use it on-screen, and it’s now getting the Real Grade treatment. Just like all previous kits of this design, the Real Grade will sport gold chrome coating, which means this will be a lot more expensive, just like how the HGUC Delta Gundam was, but just more since this is a Real Grade.
I’m also inclined to think it will be using the same core components as the Real Grade Strike Gundam since both have common designs. It will come with the “Oowashii” Striker Pack though they’ll probably release a variant with the space-use “Shiranui” Striker Pack as a Premium Bandai exclusive.
RG 1/144 Akatsuki Gundam (Oowashii Unit)
December 2024 / ¥8,000
The smooth segways continue coming as speaking of the Akatsuki, we have the mobile suit Mu La Flaga piloted during the first half of the film, or at least the mass-produced version. Compared to the old HG Murasame, the HGCE Murasame Kai has a lot more detail and should also have the ‘SEED Action System’. Though it also transforms to a Zeta Gundam-esque flight form so expect some parts replacement.
There’s also the HGCE Black Knight Squad Cal-re.A (I get the source of the names, but I don’t know why they’re spelled as such). It is the final boss mobile suit from the movie and it is very ornamented. Fortunately, these are all done via actual plastic and not stickers, if only those Sleeves kits from Gundam Unicorn had the same. The wing binders can also expand with effect parts to flair out the DRAGOON units.
HG 1/144 Black Knight Squad Cal-re.A
October 2024 / ¥3,700
HG 1/144 Murasame Kai
October 2024 / ¥2,500
There’s also one other kit with a prototype on display, the tentatively-named HGCE Z’Gok. While I’ve seen many customs of a fully-functioning Z’Gok with the Infinite Justice Gundam inside, I’m inclined to believe this won’t have that gimmick. Unless it is compatible with the HGCE Infinite Justice Gundam Type II which will go on sale this June.
In any case, 2024 is definitely focused on Gundam SEED FREEDOM so if you’re starting to have some freedom fatigue, then you just need to keep holding on.
