I recently built the HG Gundam Exia Repair II, and got another HG Gundam Exia to be built as the Gundam Devise Exia using the third-party set from DDB Corgi. But with the current practice of expensive Tamashii Nations figures being turned into much cheaper model kits, I might get another Exia thanks to the folks at GBC Workshop.
This is their 1/144 scale Gundam Exia based on the Metal Build figure, a line known for its very stylized take on mobile suit designs, especially those from the Gundam SEED series. But the same can’t be said for the Gundam 00 figures as these tend to look even more realistic, much to the preference of collectors, except for the high price tag. Hence, kits like this have become a viable option for cheapskates like me. Or more accurately, those who prefer 1/144 scale.
Shown here is the straight build of the kit and it looks really good. Some of the details you’d need to paint in gray on the High Grades have proper color separation here. Though I also notice some areas still needing paint, particularly the yellow on the cheeks along with the usual black for the vents. The gray section on the GN Blades needs paint as well.
If this is truly based on the Metal Build figure, just scaled down to 1/144 scale, then it’s safe to check out reviews of the original for articulation and poseability. The images here don’t really demonstrate the wide range you’d expect from a Gundam Exia figure (or kit) given how agile it is on screen.
On second thought, here’s a review of this kit and we can see its range of articulation. Not to mention having great joint tolerance to hold these poses. I do want to note that unlike most third-party reproduction kits, this one doesn’t have a die cast inner frame. Which is ironic given the source design, but at least it’s not warranted given how stable the kit already is.
Here’s everything that comes with this kit, including all the weapons and alternate manipulators. You can also see how the GN Blades are mounted on the hips. Instead of the gray sections of the hip joint expanding for storage, replacement armor pieces with pegs are used.
As a bonus, two sets of flexible material for GN Cables are included. There’s the translucent blue sheet in normal mode and translucent red in Trans-Am mode, along with matching GN Condenser parts. To be honest, I much prefer this Trans-Am look when compared to the usual red-shifted color variants sold. In any case, options are always good!
I believe this kit is starting to trickle down to the usual places you’d get your fix of third-party or reproduction kits. To help you decide whether to get one or not, I’ve included high resolution images of the runners, in case you plan to do partial painting of any missing color applications.
Open each image below in a new tab/window to view in full resolution.
