When Bandai Spirits first decided to do the plethora of Advance of Zeta designs as High Grade kits, I had all the intent on completing them all, not knowing that you actually need to get multiples of certain kits to build them. As such, I eventually had a pick-and-choose attitude with these kits.
Eventually, designs from the sequel manga A.O.Z Re-Boot: Gundam Inle – Black Rabbit Had a Dream are now being produced as kits and I’m even less familiar with them than the original Advance of Zeta mobile suits. So, my pick-and-choose attitude really boils down to a design preference, and this one fit that preference.
I’m not the most knowledgeable with the original Barzam, but this version includes parts from the Haze’n-thley II, and was initially known as the ARZ-154BZII [Barzam II]. But I guess having the Gundam name sells better so it’s now given the Gundam TR-6 moniker to become the HGUC Gundam TR-6 [Barzam II] ReZeon Captured. Like other mobile suits captured by the Mars-inhabiting Neo Zeon remnant, it’s given the vibrant red color scheme and I’ll probably swap that for some other color, but more on that later.
While the design can come across as rather busy, you can certaily put the kit into good poses. Its primary weapon is a beam rifle that has the grenade launcher attached by default. You have the option of removing the grenade launcher and mounting it to the forearms. Extra parts for the sub-arms, conspicuously coming from the crotch section, are also included and they can manipulate the beam sabers.
A notable feature of the Barzam II is the Eleanor Satellite System, a communications link relayed through the the Eleanor Monitoring Satellite that orbits above Mars. To facilitate this link, the single blade antenna on the top of the head opens up, similar to what would eventually become the defining feature of the Unicorn Gundam. It also puts a psychological effect in the battlefield as the mobile suit further resembles a Gundam. For this kit, Bandai Spirits didn’t cheapen out and they actually included a separate head unit with the open blade antenna.
The kit might look that it’s using the Haze’n-thley II as its core, but for the sake of stability, the kit uses fixed parts especially in the arms. Speaking of the arms, several connector pieces are also included for cross-compatibility with other Advance of Zeta HGUC kits.
I mentioned earlier on that I might change the colors since I’m not the biggest fan of the overly-Zeon red colors. I played with the colors and I’m settling on something that looks like the image above. The color scheme is based primarily on the Gundam Mk-III though it does look bland on some angles. I will definitely tweak on these colors further but this is where I’ll probably start.
HGUC 1/144 Gundam TR-6 [Barzam II] ReZeon Captured
August 2024 / ¥4,800
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