Medal Build Freedom 1/100 Scale

From Bandai Metal Build product line after 00 Seven Swords Gundam, Bandai bring us Freedom Gundam with Metal Build treatment. Gundam 00 Seven Swords had been a great hit where it had been wipe clean from all shops & the only sources available is from secondary market priced nearly double of the original retail price.

Freedom Gundam released on March 2012 with retail price 15000 yen & weight in total of 908g with the packaging box. In the front of the box it shown Freedom itself & there are some details on the concept design, history & gimmicks of Freedom on back the box.

Upon open the box, we have Bandai standard styrofoam tray protecting the precious content & also an instruction manual with brief design details of Metal Build Freedom. The base is hidden behind Freedom's wings & from here I find that Freedom have fixed hands in compare with 00 7 swords. Probably are due the complaints of 00 articulated hands having problems holding his arsenals. There are a total of 5 sets of hands (including the hands already fix to Freedom). The paint job is passable with some minor flaw can be detected during initial inspection (not as worst as GFFMC Gundam The Origin). Bandai is using metallic pearl with gloss finish for Freedom which I only notice later (Initially I think it is metallic painted only).

Freedom alone weight 229g & with full armour equipped (Wings, Beam Riffle & Shield) it weight to total of 345g. Due to it die cast content & sturdy joints, Freedom can stand proudly with his wing attach.

Some articulations & gimmicks I can spot on.

Freedom back-pack fixed to the main body by two joints which are quite tight & required some forced to get them in.

Freedom arsenals are pretty standards (beam riffle, sabers & shield) which not much gimmicks to be discussing in. Both sabers can be connected as per animation.

The sabers can be attach to the skirt armor (rail gun) as per anime with two tiny clips.

The shield can be equipped with a joint connected to the elbow which will hold the shield firmly to Freedom even attach to his hand.

Did I mention that the hands need to be swapped since it is not articulated? All hands are using soft pvc material. To hold the beam riffle, I have to bend the fingers into the handles. And the wrist connection is not ball joint.

Well, the result is Freedom can proudly hold his own beam riffle (Firmly).

Full arsenals equipped!

Initially I think that the base are topped up with metal sticker from promotion picture (or look like) but in reality, it is just painting.

There are three tabs that act as locking mechanism prior to shifting of display positions for Freedom. Now talk about sturdiness.

Connecting point of Freedom with the stand is hiding nicely behind the back-pack thruster & an additional connector pin is required. Wonder why can't just stick it in without this tiny pin.

To spread of the wings, there are some tiny tabs fix to the beam cannon which secure the whole wings in its position.

With all preparation made, Freedom is ready to launch with mission in protecting Arch Angel.... (Yes, sadly this is the only post I can mimic at the moment)

During playing with buddy, there are a few flaws & cautions to take care of....

The front skirt & ankle armour tend to fall of easily.

 

The V-fins are pretty sharp & there is no additional V-fins come along like GFMMC.

With SRP at 15000 yen, I wish I can have more from this (Designer markings, additional arsenals, etc). But again, this is what I have in reality. Sadly I can't compare with Metal Build 00 7 swords where it had been sold out everywhere when my piggy bank allowed me to do the purchase (I am still awaiting for its re-released).
I still remember the havoc created by GFMMC Zeta Plus with SRP of 18000 yen being cursed of not fully painted. For my opinion with 3000 yen extra I have tonnes of fun & transformation (A1, C1 & Hummingbird) in compare with Freedom. Yet they are in different line which perhaps I can't compare apple to apple in this case.
The question still remains, does this worth its price. Perhaps is up to how much you like the mecha design of Freedom itself. As one out of millions of people watching Seed animation series, I am sold for it. The proportion is right, fully painted with some add-on details (which I can never do it myself), heavy die-cast (yeah, I always being sold on this), great articulation & stand proudly in my display cabinet. I am looking forward in case they decide to make Justice into Metal Build line.