The upcoming Metal Build Zeta Gundam has finally been given an April release date along with a steep price point.
Revealed pretty recently, the new Metal Build Zeta Gundam is definitely an impressive piece of design and engineering. Doubly so now that we know that Morifumi Naka, who worked on the animation for the original TV series and movies, has been hired to do this toy’s styling.
This is because the design of the Zeta Gundam is deceptively nuanced and complex. Yes, it transforms into Wave Rider mode, but it’s more the angular nature of the design that tends to make it difficult when it is rendered into kit or toy form.
Most of the time, the Zeta Gundam just gets completely redesigned, so to have it this faithful to the original styling from the animation is just amazing.
However, the price tag of 44,000 yen (or around $308) is surprisingly high for a Metal Build release. The likely culprit for the price increase is the fact the toy transforms (shown below) and requires more engineering and sturdier materials as a result.
As for the host anime, it is widely regarded as being one of the best Gundam series of all time. With complex characterization and political intrigue, Zeta Gundam redefined what Gundam could be back in the mid-80s and also secured the franchise after its initially rocky start.
Written and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, Zeta Gundam also had a pretty sizeable body count, with most of the major characters dying off towards the end of the series.
Kunio Okawara and Mamoru Nagano created the original mecha designs for the series, with Nagano handling the initial design of the titular Zeta Gundam and Kazumi Fujita finishing it off later.
Nagano also had a rough time on both Zeta Gundam and ZZ Gundam, with much of his work getting pulled. This also happened on Char’s Counterattack, and he ended up at Kadokawa, where he created the wondrous manga, The Five Star Stories.
In any case, the Zeta Gundam has a lot of history behind it, but it looks like we are finally getting a toy of it in April next year that will do it justice.
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