It has been a while now that I have been browsing facebook accounts as well as various online references pertaining to Gundam action figures. I have been contemplating to get one to put in my office desk (to add that much needed 'life')but somehow, every trip to the toy and hobby shops leaves me disappointed.
For one, the Gundam Deathscythe that I so adore is almost always not available, or during that time that I found the Endless Waltz version 1, it was less than 3k pesos! Too much for my discriminating wallet.
So finally, July 5, it was my nephew's birthday and I was buying him a gift and it dawned to me to get my first ever Gundam. For some reason, the 'white' Gundams did not appeal to me so I got the only 'dark' colored one... It was named Gundam Strike Noir... I honestly do not have an idea who the heck was this robot so after 2 hours of gruelingly building the toy... I browsed the internet for any information on it.
Here are just some of the 'technical' specs of my newest office mate.
Model number: GAT-X105E+AQM/E-X09S
Code name: Strike Noir Gundam
Unit type: prototype all-purpose multi-mode mobile suit
Manufacturer: Actaeon Industries
Operator: Earth Alliance
First deployment: unknown
Accommodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in torso
Dimensions: head height 17.72 meters
Weight: max gross weight 90.51 metric tons
Armor materials: unknown
Powerplant: ultracompact energy battery, power output rating unknown
Propulsion: unknown
Equipment and design features: sensors, range unknown; Variable Phase Shift (VPS) armor; enhanced power unit; hardpoints for mounting Striker packs
Fixed armaments: 2 x M2M5
"Todesschrecken" 12.5mm automatic CIWS, fire-linked, mounted in head; 4 x
EQS1358 rocket anchor, mounted in hands and feet; 2 x M8F-SB1 "Shorty"
beam rifle, mounted on hips, hand-carried in use; 2 x MR-Q10 "Fragarach"
3 beam blade, mounted on Noir, hand-carried in use; EQS1358T rocket
anchor, mounted on Noir Striker; 2 x MAU-M3E42 linked linear gun,
mounted on Noir Striker
Optional hand armaments: 2 x 57mm high-energy beam rifle w/175mm grenade launcher x 2
Like the original
GAT-X105 Strike Gundam, the upgraded
GAT-X105E Strike Gundam E
is designed to use several interchangeable Striker packs. It most
commonly uses the AQM/E-X09S Noir Striker, which combines various
armaments. The Noir Striker's wings house a pair of linked linear guns,
as well as a pair of beam blades and a rocket anchor. The Strike Noir is
assigned to Phantom Pain pilot Sven Cal Bayang and serves as his
personal unit during the Second Bloody Valentine War that begins in late
C.E. 73 with the "Break the World" incident. Separated from the regular
Earth Alliance command structure, Sven's Phantom Pain unit includes
Mudie Holcroft's
GAT-X1022 Blu Duel Gundam and Shams Couza's
GAT-X103AP Verde Buster Gundam. During the course of the war, Sven is assigned to lead a group of Orb pilots using
GAT-01A2R Slaughter Daggers in the hunt for the Martian ship
Acidalium and Ergnes Brahe's
GSF-YAM01 Δ Astray. In early C.E. 74, Sven's unit is assigned to protect Phantom Pain's land carrier
Bonaparte, as well as the massive
GFAS-X1 Destroy Gundam. The
Bonaparte
comes under attack from ZAFT forces, resulting in Mudie's death. Soon
after, Sven and Shams are sent to space as part of an attack on the Deep
Space Survey and Development Organization (DSSD) to seize control of
the AI-equipped
GSX-401FW Stargazer Gundam. During that battle, the Strike Noir is damaged by the
Stargazer Gundam. In a last-ditch effort to defeat Sven,
Stargazer Gundam pilot Selene MacGriff uses the
Stargazer Gundam's
"Voiture Lumiere" interplanetary propulsion system to send both suits
out to near Venus. Afterward, Selene rescues Sven and uses the Strike
Noir's remaining energy to recharge the
Stargazer Gundam for its long journey back to Earth, leaving the crippled Strike Noir behind.
So here are some of the shots I had while I was building my toy... please bear with the narcissistic treatment... It's my first time after all..
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| Unboxing... it's been a while since I did something like this |
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| I was overwhelmed by the numerous parts.... |
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| Read the instructions carefully and aligned them based on the guide |
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| Set 1 - Check, here's the head |
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| Set 2 - Check, now torso up is completed |
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| Whole body is completed plus the preliminary wing parts |
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| After two hours... viola! |
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| Full front profile guns and wing guns in full glory |
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| Side profile... those stickers were difficult to put... |
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| Back profile... You got to love the details |
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| The other side profile |
I am looking forward to finally building a full pledged Gundam kit, preferably the Deathscythe or Heavy Arms!
