REVIEW HG 1/144 AMS-129 Geara Zulu [Cuaron Use], Premium Bandai

This is review of P-Bandai Gunpla HG 1/144 AMS-129 Geara Zulu [Cuaron Use] from Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn.

P-Bandai Gunpla HG 1/144 AMS-129 Geara Zulu [Cuaron Use] Review

This review covers the AMS-129 Geara Zulu (Cuaron Custom) from Gundam UC, released as a Premium Bandai kit in 2014. Recently reissued, I decided to assemble it. The price is 2,200 yen. The packaging is monochrome, and the manual is simple, with no detailed explanations about the mobile suit.

The kit includes a beam sniper rifle, beam hawk, eight Sturm Faust S, a shield, a right gun-holding hand, a left open hand, Sturm Faust mounting joints, and a cover part for the back of the waist.

The stickers provided are foil types to supplement the color separation. There are quite a few of them, including green stickers that wrap around the backpack, white stickers for the various engravings and small nozzle parts, and the shield mark.

Many parts from the normal Geara Zulu are left over, including a full set of weapons. The helmet with an antenna is also treated as a spare part.

Kit Overview

The AMS-129 Geara Zulu (Cuaron Custom) is from Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn. As the name suggests, it's piloted by Cuaron Mask and is a special version of the Geara Zulu assigned to Full Frontal's guards. This kit is based on the previously released HGUC AMS-129 Geara Zulu, with spiked shoulder armor, additional thrusters on the thighs, and a backpack similar to the Geara Doga. Unlike the usual guard units, the right shoulder is equipped with a normal Geara Zulu shield.

Engravings and Color Separation

There are molds for the engravings in various places, but they are not color-separated. The same applies to the white lines on the legs. The joints are the same as those on the AMS-129 Geara Zulu, using polycaps PC-132ABC and no ABS.

Weapon Attachments

The included joints allow you to attach four Sturm Faust S to the shield. The general green color scheme is reproduced, and the pipes in various places are separate parts. However, the chest, arms, waist armor, and leg engravings are all reproduced with stickers. The thrusters and small nozzles also need to be finished with stickers or paint.

Head Unit

The head unit is shown alongside Angelo Sauper's unit. Other than the presence or absence of the antenna, the design is identical, sharing the same gas mask-like part and soldier helmet design.

The mono-eye is recreated with a sticker but has some detailing and can be rotated left and right.

Body Unit

Compared to Angelo's unit, the small white parts on both units are recreated with stickers. The basic design is the same, but Angelo's unit has more elaborate engravings indicating a higher rank.

Backpack

The backpack shares the same design as the AMS-119 Geara Doga, but the details and size of the verniers are different. The bright green parts on both sides are entirely covered with stickers.

Shield

The normal AMS-129 Geara Zulu shield is equipped with Sturm Faust S, making it an aggressive shield.

The left shoulder is the same as the guard unit version, with spiked shoulder armor.

Arms

The arms are basically the same, but Angelo's unit has more complex engravings, indicating a higher rank, similar to the chest.

Legs

The legs are the same as Angelo's unit, with additional thruster units for the guard unit specification. The white lines on the knees and thighs are recreated with stickers or paint, but there are molds. The lower leg armor is split into two parts with a seam line.

The soles have no hollow parts, and the vernier molds are three-dimensional and sharp.

Articulation

The articulation is the same as previous Geara Zulu kits. The right arm can interfere with the shield, but it can be rotated to avoid this. The neck swings well, and the shoulders also swing, providing good movement for an older kit. The legs also have good ground contact and are easy to move.

Comparison with Angelo Sauper's Custom

Comparing it with the HGUC AMS-129 Geara Zulu (Angelo Sauper Custom), the color is the standard green. Both are based on the guard unit specification, but the backpack is significantly different, and there are differences in the engravings and shoulder areas.

Weapons

The weapons include a beam sniper rifle, a shield, and a beam hawk mounted on the waist. The stand uses the usual 3mm shaft.

Beam Sniper Rifle

The beam sniper rifle has a long barrel and a large sensor. It is a simple split design, so there is a seam line, but the muzzle is a separate part.

The right gun-holding hand has a peg for holding the weapon steadily without wobbling. Despite its long length, the gun is light enough to be held stably with one hand.

The left open hand is the same as the standard Geara Zulu's and is perfectly shaped to support the gun.

Shield Details

The shield is similar to the HGUC Geara Doga's but lacks the Neo Zeon mark. The back can hold four Sturm Faust S.

The shield joint has two pins to adjust the mounting position. The upper part of the shield can also swing, just like the HGUC AMS-119 Geara Doga's shield.

Sturm Faust S

The Sturm Faust S has red warheads, so painting is necessary. The back has noticeable hollow parts, making it a challenging part to clean up if you want a detailed finish, with eight pieces to work on.

Beam Hawk

The beam hawk comes with a beam effect. The beam blade is bright enough, and the grip is round, fitting well without slipping.

The beam sniper rifle design and the numerous Sturm Faust S give the unit a refined appearance.

Spare Weapons

The kit also includes spare weapons from the normal AMS-129 Geara Zulu, allowing for customizations based on your preference.

This adds a lot of play value to the kit with various weapons included.

Size Comparison

Finally, a size comparison with the normal Geara Zulu and the HGUC Geara Doga (Rezin Custom). Although the kit is quite bulky due to the numerous weapons, it is slimmer than the AMS-119 Geara Doga.

Summary

The HGUC AMS-129 Geara Zulu (Cuaron Custom) is a premium kit featuring the guard unit's enhanced thrust and luxurious engravings. However, most of the details rely on stickers and paint, requiring additional effort for those who want a detailed finish. Despite this, the solid build and numerous spare parts make it a good kit with rich weaponry.