Bandai Hobby Duel Gundam Assault Shroud 1/100 Master Grade (175299)

As a big Gundam SEED fan, I jumped at the chance to get the Duel Gundam delivered through Prime, and I don’t regret it at all. Like the other SEED MG kits the Duel Gundam has excellent articulation thanks to the inner frame and sleek design and a decent selection of weapons and gimmicks, and is nicely detailed to boot, presenting a bunch of panel lining opportunities.I assume for most people the selling point for this kit would be the Duel’s Assault Shroud gimmick/accessory. The Assault Shroud is easy to assemble (as is the rest of the kit) and for the most part, has a very simple but effective way of attaching to the Gundam itself. However, there is one piece that absolutely refuses to stay put, and that is the extra armor that attaches to the Duel’s waist unit. The front, specifically. Not only is it tricky to line the tabs up with the slots they’re intended to fit into, but they simply don’t fit. With all of the Assault Shroud attached, at the slightest movement you’ll be seeing the front waist armor falling off, which makes posing the Duel a far more tedious task than it should be. This may seem like a minor gripe for some, but for me, the Assault Shroud is a major part of the kit and when parts simply don’t work as intended, it’s unacceptable.Additionally, the Gae Bolg launcher has trouble fitting in the Duel’s hands. It’s too loose, but it’s not a problem when the launcher is resting on the Gundam’s shoulder.Articulation suffers a bit when the Assault Shroud is attached, but it’s still pretty good. Accessories included are:Assault Shroud57mm High Powered Beam RifleGae Bolg launcherTwo beam sabers and beam saber handlesShoulder mounted railgun that can be held as a rifleEight sets of finger options (4 for each hand)For markings you have a decent selection of stickers and dry transfer decals, as well as the necessary foil stickers for the cameras.

Great quality kit as usual from Bandai, and loads of pieces to keep you busy (14 components just in the head). Instructions are clear enough to build without being able to read Japanese, as is usually the case with Bandai product. Another stellar kit which is sure to look good once built.

Nice product

Very happy with this product

Most builders will research before buying kits, I don’t rate this kit as highly as popular YouTubers do however it’s not a bad kit but I believe the fact that it’s about 12 years old is starting to show.