Product Line / High Grade G-SAVIOUR
Scale & Class / 1/144 Scale Plastic Model Kit
Manufacturer / Bandai Spirits
Release Date / 2000
Appearances / G-Saviour (1999)
If you’ve been following the Gundam franchise for a while, then you’ve probably heard of this little thing they did as part of the Gundam Big Bang Project called G-Saviour. Whether for its status in Universal Century canon, or how Bandai / Sunrise never confirms nor denies its existence, G-Saviour will always stir a good amount of discussion. This includes the mobile suit designs which I actually like, especially those from the G-Saviour game that picks up the story. Unfortunately, we only got a single kit from what was intended to be the first in a line of High Grades from the movie. I also believe this kit may have been the progenitor of the HGUC line, and later on, most modern High Grades.
Around 1997, the High Grade designation started trickling back to 1/144 scale kits after being a 1/100 scale mainstay during the mid 90s. But these kits were just High Grade in name as they still had the same engineering, or lack thereof, like those from the 1/144 scale Gundam Wing kits. But as I mentioned, this kit had the markings of early HGUC releases, including the packaging style and assembly. Since G-Saviour is a design meant for a live action movie, it had surface details which translated to a good amount of panel lines. Colors are mostly white with navy blue highlights which, for the most part, the kit was able to replicate in plastic. Though you will need to paint if you don’t want to use the included color-correcting seals, especially for those huge side armors which lacked colors the most. Articulation isn’t the best either and is, as mentioned, easily comparable to early HGUC or HG Gundam SEED kits. What’s not comparable to early HGUC are the accessories included. Outside of the beam rifle, and this is likely due to the beam shield, we also get a clear blue beam saber which we often take for granted in modern kits but is a treat for these early 2000s ones. Though you’ll need to paint the beam saber hilt, but that’s much better than getting an all-white beam saber.
