Probably the most anticipated kit of 2016. The first kit of the CE century to get the 2.0 upgrade.
Why this kit
Talking about gundam seed, Kira Yamato and his imbalanced Freedom and Strike Freedom will come to mind. I really have been holding back on getting either kit from 2004 and 2006. They're kits from older gunpla generations and doesn't offer the details and mechanics unlike newer 201x kits. Which leads to not so positive review from builders.
When this kit was announced during 2015 Gunpla expo world tour Japan, I was indeed very excited.
This is the first kit I ever pre-booked prior to the release, and my.. it's worth the long 12 years wait for the 2.0.
Kit Details
The Freedom 2.0 kit was released in April 2016, a D1 box kit with 18 runners and 353 parts. You also get 1 sheet of stickers and 1 sheet of dry transfer decals. This kit is priced at RM 175.
Build / Difficulty
(Score: Neutral)
The build wasn't as fun as I thought. Probably the after effect of building a more amazing Sinanju. The build is quite easy and straight forward. The plus side is you get to put together a quite impressive inner frame and testing out how the mechanic works during the build.
The kit is very-very panel lining heavy. If you don't do panel lining, you're probably better off with a much simpler Freedom 1.0 kit or other colorful kits from the seed universe. Panel line this kit up, you can directly see how much details were put into this kit, especially on the white armor.
Since this is not a ver ka kit, stickers and decals are not overwhelming but enough to cover the empty white areas.
The one concern I have during the build is that the inner frame doesn't feel very solid during the build. There's quite similar feeling of building transformable kit like the Aegis and Fenice at certain parts of the body. Let's see how it holds up when everything is put together.
Looks / Details
(Score: +2)
This is a fantastic looking kit with lots of details going into this kit. The kit looks busy. Huge V fins, huge waist skirts, huge backpacks. I have done fair amount of panel lining on all my previous kits. This kit tops even the great Nu.
Truthfully, freedom lacks in terms of color variation. Less red and yellow compared to older Strike. Blue, grey, white and bits of red all over the kit. With the big wings folded up, the freedom doesn't look much different compared to other kits. Spread those wings open... my god! It is an awesome looking kit!
Accessories
(Score: +1)
You get a very well detailed laminated anti beam shield, a lupus beam rifle and 2 lacerta beam sabers. Again, not that colorful but has a lot of play-ability. There are waist mounted xiphas rail gun and shoulder mounted balaena plasma beam cannons but those aren't exactly accessories
Articulation / Pose ability
(Score: +2)
This is a poser's kit. The inner frame is an engineering marvel. No policaps means the joints are very tight to move, similar to the Sinanju but can hold its pose really well. Do take care as to not break the fragile inner frame as reported by many builders.
Remember earlier I said about the frame being not solid enough? Slap those white and blue armor on and it is solid as rock. This kit is better than it's bigger brethren like the Nu or Sinanju in terms of absorbing shake and bumps. Parts hold well together and is not falling off randomly.
The downside, it is very back heavy. The kit always fall backwards when it is on its feet. It's almost impossible to pose this kit on the ground with wings wide open. But heck, Freedom is a space MS. It's not meant to be grounded. The box has an action base included so put it up in the air and you're in a treat to have this kit pose in whatever style you want.
Shelf presence
(Score: +1)
This kit is a bit taller than all other model kits from seed universe but it is still a dwarf to those big UC kits. But thanks to the big wings, this kit promises you an awesome air show on your shelf.
Bonus
(Score: +1)
There's a beam effect and ver ka sticker kit that can be purchased separately at RM150. This will turn your Freedom into the full burst mode. But putting these beam effect parts on, you'll be stuck with just one pose, of Kira going nuts.
Summary and Rating
(Total Score: +7)
The build for this kit isn't too exciting. It's very well detailed but doesn't have the colors to outshine its competitors. But despite that, opening the flaps of the big wings, all is forgiven. You'll see how impressive the freedom looks. This is a very solid, good looking kit and has a lot of gimmicks to boot.
Plus it's a very pose-able kit as well, providing that you utilize the action base. The only thing I feel falls short of a perfect 2.0 kit is the absence of the individual articulated manipulators.
Gundam: Freedom Gundam
Code: ZGMF-X10A
Series: Mobile Suit Gundam Seed
Pilot: Kira Yamato
Faction: ZAFT, Orb Union
Weapons: M100 Balaena Plasma Beam Cannon, MA-M20 Lupus Beam Rifle, MA-M01 Lacerta Beam Sabers, MMI-M15 Xiphas Rail Gun
Release: April 2016
Box: D1
Runner: 18
Parts: 353
Price: 4500 yen
Pundit: This is a must have for Gundam Seed fans. Until Bandai decided to release SF 2.0, this is the best Seed MG kit you can get.
Variants
Two other variants of the Freedom to choose from.
1) Strike Freedom (2006) - the upgraded freedom. But the puke gold turned down most of SF fans.
2) Freedom 1,0 (2004) - there's basically no reason to get this one anymore unless you're really not into panel lining and not willing to fork out extra cash for the new kit.
Dalong's Review
Dalong's Score: 114
Up Next: RX-78-2 ver 3.0
This is a fantastic looking kit with lots of details going into this kit. The kit looks busy. Huge V fins, huge waist skirts, huge backpacks. I have done fair amount of panel lining on all my previous kits. This kit tops even the great Nu.
Truthfully, freedom lacks in terms of color variation. Less red and yellow compared to older Strike. Blue, grey, white and bits of red all over the kit. With the big wings folded up, the freedom doesn't look much different compared to other kits. Spread those wings open... my god! It is an awesome looking kit!
Accessories
(Score: +1)
You get a very well detailed laminated anti beam shield, a lupus beam rifle and 2 lacerta beam sabers. Again, not that colorful but has a lot of play-ability. There are waist mounted xiphas rail gun and shoulder mounted balaena plasma beam cannons but those aren't exactly accessories
Articulation / Pose ability
(Score: +2)
This is a poser's kit. The inner frame is an engineering marvel. No policaps means the joints are very tight to move, similar to the Sinanju but can hold its pose really well. Do take care as to not break the fragile inner frame as reported by many builders.
Remember earlier I said about the frame being not solid enough? Slap those white and blue armor on and it is solid as rock. This kit is better than it's bigger brethren like the Nu or Sinanju in terms of absorbing shake and bumps. Parts hold well together and is not falling off randomly.
The downside, it is very back heavy. The kit always fall backwards when it is on its feet. It's almost impossible to pose this kit on the ground with wings wide open. But heck, Freedom is a space MS. It's not meant to be grounded. The box has an action base included so put it up in the air and you're in a treat to have this kit pose in whatever style you want.
Shelf presence
(Score: +1)
This kit is a bit taller than all other model kits from seed universe but it is still a dwarf to those big UC kits. But thanks to the big wings, this kit promises you an awesome air show on your shelf.
Bonus
(Score: +1)
There's a beam effect and ver ka sticker kit that can be purchased separately at RM150. This will turn your Freedom into the full burst mode. But putting these beam effect parts on, you'll be stuck with just one pose, of Kira going nuts.
Summary and Rating
(Total Score: +7)
The build for this kit isn't too exciting. It's very well detailed but doesn't have the colors to outshine its competitors. But despite that, opening the flaps of the big wings, all is forgiven. You'll see how impressive the freedom looks. This is a very solid, good looking kit and has a lot of gimmicks to boot.
Plus it's a very pose-able kit as well, providing that you utilize the action base. The only thing I feel falls short of a perfect 2.0 kit is the absence of the individual articulated manipulators.
Gundam: Freedom Gundam
Code: ZGMF-X10A
Series: Mobile Suit Gundam Seed
Pilot: Kira Yamato
Faction: ZAFT, Orb Union
Weapons: M100 Balaena Plasma Beam Cannon, MA-M20 Lupus Beam Rifle, MA-M01 Lacerta Beam Sabers, MMI-M15 Xiphas Rail Gun
Release: April 2016
Box: D1
Runner: 18
Parts: 353
Price: 4500 yen
Pundit: This is a must have for Gundam Seed fans. Until Bandai decided to release SF 2.0, this is the best Seed MG kit you can get.
Variants
Two other variants of the Freedom to choose from.
1) Strike Freedom (2006) - the upgraded freedom. But the puke gold turned down most of SF fans.
2) Freedom 1,0 (2004) - there's basically no reason to get this one anymore unless you're really not into panel lining and not willing to fork out extra cash for the new kit.
Dalong's Review
Dalong's Score: 114
Up Next: RX-78-2 ver 3.0
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