REVIEW SHFiguarts Athrun Zala [ Compass Pilot Suit Ver. ], Bandai

This is review of Bandai Action Figure Pilot Gundam SHFiguarts Athrun Zala (Compass Pilot Suit Ver.) from Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM Movie.

Bandai Action Figure Pilot Gundam SHFiguarts Athrun Zala (Compass Pilot Suit Ver.) Review

This review covers the SHFiguarts Athrun Zala in his Compass Pilot Suit, which is quite similar to the previously released Kira Yamato version. The figure features a color scheme dominated by purple, with the overall design closely matching Kira's pilot suit. The proportions and overall sculpt are very similar to Kira's, with slight variations to reflect Athrun's distinct character traits.

Face and Expression Parts

The face sculpt is generally well done and captures the essence of Athrun's appearance in the anime. While it may not be an exact match to his animated counterpart, the figure adheres to the recent trend of highly detailed anime character figures. His distinct eye shape and unique hairstyle are recreated without noticeable discrepancies.

The figure comes with three interchangeable faces: a neutral expression, a smiling face, and a shouting face. Though the faces are good, there is a slight difference in the expression compared to Kira’s. The smiling face has a decent paint job, and the shouting face, though slightly more intense, is also well-executed.

Additional Accessories

One interesting addition is the inclusion of sunglasses, which can be worn by swapping out the front hairpiece. While the pilot suit and sunglasses combination might feel a bit odd, it’s a fun accessory to include. The sunglasses are designed using clear plastic, with a nice level of transparency. They resemble the pair used by Alex Dino from the original Gundam series.

Like Kira, Athrun comes with a helmet that can be worn by replacing the head, and it also includes two alternate faces for the helmeted version: a shouting face and a Seed Rage face. These features are consistent with the Kira figure, though there’s an improvement in the alignment of the face parts, which were slightly misaligned on Kira’s version.

Body Sculpt

The body sculpt is virtually identical to Kira’s, with the same attention to detail in the pilot suit. The only noticeable difference is that Athrun's legs are slightly longer, likely to reflect his taller stature in comparison to Kira. However, there was a slight issue with the paint on the belt, which showed some wear, and there were some white marks on his left thigh, indicating a minor quality control issue with this particular unit.

Articulation and Accessories

Just like Kira, Athrun has excellent articulation, allowing for a wide range of movement. While his time in the pilot suit is not as extensive as Kira’s, the figure can still strike several action poses, such as holding the gun or wearing the helmet. The figure includes a gun that is molded similarly to Kira's, but Athrun’s version comes with a few additional accessories, such as the sunglasses and the gun, which were not used in the series but are nice to have for display.

Comparison with Kira

When compared to Kira, Athrun’s figure is slightly larger due to his height difference in the anime, and his head is also slightly bigger. The body is almost identical to Kira’s, with only minor tweaks to accommodate the differences in proportions. The overall quality and finish are very similar to the Kira figure, but Athrun’s face sculpt may be slightly less precise in terms of capturing the anime's exact likeness.

Poseability and Playability

The articulation and poseability are almost identical to Kira’s, and the figure can easily recreate action scenes from the anime, such as Athrun in his Seed Rage form or in combat. The figure can hold the helmet in hand, and accessories like the gun or sunglasses can be used to create unique poses. The inclusion of various accessories, including the gun, sunglasses, and helmet, adds to the figure’s playability.

Summary

Overall, the SHFiguarts Athrun Zala (Compass Pilot Suit Ver.) is a well-crafted figure with great attention to detail. While it shares many similarities with the Kira version, the slight variations in sculpt and accessories make it a worthy addition for fans of the series. The figure offers good articulation and comes with a variety of accessories that enhance its display options. There are some minor quality control issues, but these don't detract too much from the overall appeal.

The next highly anticipated release will be Shin Asuka, and it will be exciting to see the trio of main pilots from Gundam SEED Destiny completed in this scale.