Saturday, June 21, 2014

Daban Age 1 Normal - Review

Good day plamo fans! Here is my review of the MG Age 1 from Daban that I recently got from Gundam Central. Let's start off with some pics...




Click on the Read More link to see the rest of this post...



The build was fairly straightforward -  it took about 5 or 6 hours to snap together - and I didn't encounter too many fitment issues. Some pegs needed trimming and the ankle ball joints took some elbow grease to pop in, but otherwise everything went pretty smoothly. The designers could have done better in positioning the nubs on this thing, but I really like how the armor pieces can be easily detached from the frame for easy painting.




The joints on this model I'd say are average in tightness. Some of the shorter pegs like in the forearms can get pulled off while adjusting the pose, but once in place they do hold a pose pretty well. The weapons he comes with are very light so you won't run into any weight issues. The plastic color is nice and bright, and the details seem sharper than the last Daban kit I worked on (Tallgeese 2). Articulation is above average thanks to more movable segments in the arms and wrists. The balance is really good too...


One thing to look out for - I'm not sure if this is just a misprint in the kit I got, but I couldn't find the instructions for the neck segment in the manual. Good thing Mech9 has a scan so no problem there.



The most complicated section of the kit is the skirt. The yellow and white segments have their own joints that connect to the waist frame, and they just interlock with each other once assembled. Though it looks cool it doesn't add much in terms of articulation. As for loose parts, the small white bits on the elbows have a tendency to fall off due to shallow pegs.


Let's do some action poses!







In summary, I'd rate this kit a decent 8.5/10

Pros:

  • Straightforward build
  • Good fitment
  • Above average articulation and balance
  • Nicely molded details
Cons:
  • Missing neck instructions (resolved with scans from Mech9)
  • Loose elbow armor pieces (resolved with cement)

Daban has come a long way since their first releases, and they just seem to be getting better and better with each new release. Now I'm itching to get my hands on their next product: the MG Buster!

Order yours now from Gundam Central!

Till next time, keep building plamo!




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