Product Line / The Robot Spirits ⟨Side HM⟩
Scale & Class / Non-Scale Collectible Figure
Manufacturer / Bandai Spirits / Tamashii Nations
Release Date / 2015
Appearances / Heavy Metal L-Gaim
During its earlier days, Tamashii Nations’ The Robot Spirits line had a more diverse selection and provided better opportunity for modern figures of older mecha designs. This included L-Gaim, the titular machine from Heavy Metal L-Gaim, the first series Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino collaborated with mecha designer Mamoru Nagano before Z Gundam. L-Gaim got a regular retail release in 2011 but for those who missed it, Tamashii Nations did a couple of variations, including this set that comes with the Spiral Booster.
L-Gaim is standard fare for The Robot Spirits, details are sculpted well albeit a little softer than model kits. Thus, I always recommend panel lining them, especially for a mostly white design like L-Gaim. Articulation is also standard fare though handling the figure can get finnicky, especially when the energy cables from the Power Launchers to the main body are attached, or the armor panels on the legs are opened. Opening these armor panels reveal internal mechanics with actual plastic pistons for added realism. Besides the Spiral Booster, all accessories from the regular release are included, which means it still doesn’t come with the Buster Launcher. You can get it with “Final Battle Specification” version or with the L-Gaim Mk-II. The Spiral Booster is accurate to the animation model and provides an additional display option, though it doesn’t really do anything else unless you want to recreate a scene from the series where it’s specifically used.
