HG Military Police Zaku Review

This time,  we will be introducing a review of 

the HG 1/144 MS-06-SSP Military and Police Zaku !

The HG Military Police Zaku is a 1/144 scale model kit of the MS “MS-06-SSP Military Police Zaku” that appears in “Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuX”. The unique body shape of the Military Police Zaku is faithfully reproduced. The shoulder blocks can be moved independently, allowing you to recreate dynamic action poses. Marking stickers that recreate the image in the movie are included. The price is 2,200 yen (tax included).

After the One Year War, the Space Colony District of Side 6, feeling threatened by the growing arrogance of the Principality of Zeon, reorganized the Coast Guard into a military police force and deployed them under the pretext of maintaining public order and strengthening defense. The
MS-06-SSP Military Police Zaku, the machine that engaged the red Gundam near Side 6 in the movie, is now available as an HG kit.

While following the design of the 1st Zaku, the characteristic body shape unique to the GQuuuuuuX version of Zaku, with spherical armor in various parts, is reproduced with new molding.

The molding color is based on blue, with dark blue on various parts, purple-gray on the chest, and clear red on the shoulder patrol lights.
Other parts, such as the power pipes on the head and abdomen, and weapons, are reproduced in dark gray molding.
(The image appears a little blue due to the camera settings, but the actual product is a more subdued, dull blue.)

Foil stickers are not included. You will need to paint the inside of the crotch area and the rear vernier nozzle, but most of the parts are colored separately, so you can get a good finish even without assembly.

The dark blue and grey molded parts are made of KPS,
not ABS, so you can use them without worrying about damage.

No polycaps are used. It is made entirely of parts.
The sole is small and the contact area is narrow, but the joints are strong and there is no equipment that puts a lot of strain on it, so it stands upright.

■Accessories

Includes Zaku machine gun, heat hawk, electromagnetic baton, shield, and flat hand (left).

A special marking sticker is included. It also includes a “police” mark to put on the shield.
The font is not often seen in previous works, and it has a formal atmosphere.
Numerous number markings are also included.

■ Shape of each part

Let’s take a look at each part of the HG Military Police Zaku.

■ Head

Head. The smooth, rounded helmet is a distinctive feature. It’s a unique design, but the ducts around the mouth and the power pipes on both sides give it a Zaku-like feel.

The structure itself is not much different from the HGUC and Origin Zaku, but the parts are arranged in a way that there are no seams between them.
Also, the helmet parts are divided into front and back parts.

A mono-eye part is sculpted inside and is color-coded with a pink sticker.

The mono-eye can be moved left and right by moving the lever at the bottom.
It was a little stiff to move, perhaps due to individual differences.

■ Body

Chest and abdomen. The design is different from previous Zaku models, with the division of the chest armor and two power pipes on the abdomen.
The armor on both sides is also arranged to cover the shoulders.
Since each part is firmly attached, assembly and disassembly may be a little difficult. Be careful when doing a temporary assembly.

The neck can swing back and forth, and the shoulders can be extended forward to a moderate degree.

The left and right armor can swing back and forth.

The waist is different from the previous suit style, and the armor is simply sculpted in an inverted triangle.
However, the vernier nozzles in the crotch area are unique and stand out.
The spherical movable parts at the base of the legs are also distinctive.

The vernier nozzle in the crotch area can be moved slightly both front and back via ball joints.

■ Arms

 

Right arm. It has a similar feel to the 1st Zaku, but since it’s a military and police Zaku, it’s equipped with a patrol lamp on the upper shoulder.
The L-shaped shield is small but well-reproduced, and the armor below the upper arm is cylindrical, giving it a Zaku-like feel.
The white line on the upper arm is color-coded with a marking sticker.

The upper arm is a combination of cylindrical parts with no seams. The forearm is also made of multiple parts, with molded seams.
The elbow can be rolled. The only thing that bothers me is the holes on the inside of the hand parts;

The L-shaped shield is color-coded with clear red parts, including the patrol lamp on the top.
The surface is molded with mechanical details. The hook is also molded, making it a very detailed design.
The patrol lamp parts are small, so be careful not to lose them.

The inner joint is movable.

The left shoulder has a spherical armor like the old Zaku from the first series. As with the L-shaped shield, a patrol light is also molded on the top.
The parts are made so that there are no seams. It’s a bit disappointing that the crank-shaped patrol light shaft is thick, probably for strength reasons;

The left shoulder is a ball joint, and the right shoulder is connected on one axis, so both can move up and down. The joints are molded with a step-down mechanism.

■ Legs

Legs. The most distinctive features are the two spherical armor plates on the thighs and the frame that runs along them.
The silhouette that becomes slimmer from the thighs to the ankles is also a unique design that is different from previous Zaku models.
The white lines on the shins are color-coded with marking stickers.

The thighs are made up of left and right and back parts, while from the knees down it is made up of left and right and front parts, but the seams of each part are molded in steps.

Internal structure of the thigh.

The rear vernier is connected via a ball joint for moderate movement.

I don’t know if it’s in the settings, but you can remove the spherical armor by expanding the frame a little.
(It may be difficult to remove because it’s very strong.)
The spherical armor is made up of two parts, but the seams are barely noticeable. It’s
easy to remove, so it’s also easy to remove the seams.

The sole is also completely different from previous Zaku models. It is designed like a sneaker or a small platform shoe.
The sole of the leg is a combination of upper and lower parts, with the seams molded on the bottom.
The sole of the foot is molded like a sneaker. There are no holes for meat. (It’s kind of cute…lol)

■Comparison with other kits

Check the size by placing it next to the HGUC RX-78-2 Gundam (Revive version) and the HGUC Nu Gundam (without funnels).
It’s about the same size as the RX-78-2. It’s a little thick, but not that wide.
However, it’s a very detailed sculpture.

Next to the HGUC Zaku II (remake) and HG Zaku II C type/C-5 type (Origin version)
. The HGUC and Origin version Zaku are completely different. Of all the Zakus, this one is the most unique.

Next to the HG Sieg Axe from the same series . Both have unique designs.
It is said to be more rounded than previous series.

■ Range of motion for each part

The head moves up and down fairly well, and can swing left and right smoothly without any interference.

By connecting the L-shaped shield and shoulder armor, it can be raised to a certain height.
The elbows are single jointed, but can be bent to a V shape.

The shoulders can swing back and forth moderately. They swing forward widely.

The upper body can be moved back and forth over a wide range thanks to the movable abdomen and ball joint at the waist.

 

The waist can be rotated 360 degrees without interference, and when connected to an action base or stand, it can be displayed by inserting a 3.0mm shaft into the crotch area as usual.

Although the legs will open slightly outward, they can still be moved widely forward and backward all the way up.

It’s a little hard to see, but the knees can be bent deeply.
The rear verniers are connected with ball joints so they can be moved around. The back of the knee armor is also the same as in the movie.

The ankles can move slightly back and forth and can move about 45 degrees to the left and right.

Spreading the legs to the left and right requires a slightly unusual movement, but it is possible to spread them out to about a V shape.

The inner thighs can move widely, but it is almost impossible to make the legs look bowlegged. (It may be possible to recreate this if you do it well.)
The ankles can roll, so it is possible to make the legs look bowlegged.

The kneeling pose was reproduced in a beautiful manner.

In terms of the overall range of motion, I think it moves well overall.
The structure of the thighs around the waist is different and the movement is unique, so there are some areas where movement is somewhat limited.
The movement is a little different from other kits, so you need to be careful.

■ Weapons

Zaku machine gun. This is a live ammunition weapon with excellent rapid-fire capabilities that was equipped on the Principality of Zeon’s MS-06 Zaku.
After the war, a large number of these were sold to civilians as military surplus goods, and were officially adopted by the Side 6 military police. Unlike previous
Zaku machine guns, this one has a modern, military-inspired design.

The main body is a combination of left and right parts, but the seams between the top and bottom appear to be slender stepped molded parts.

The foregrip can be swung left and right. I wonder why the front sight on the muzzle is angled;

Heat Hawk. It’s a simple one-part design, but it doesn’t look cheap.

Compared to the HG Sieg Axe’s Heat Hawk. The shapes are completely different.

Shield. It is a simple rectangular shield.
There is a simple mold design on the surface, but it feels a little incomplete without a “Police” sticker.

An electromagnetic baton. It is a combat weapon for riot control. This is also a simple one-part model.

When not in use it can be mounted inside the shield.

■ Posing

Armed to the max.

The Zaku machine gun has a thick grip and fits snugly into the hand parts, so you can hold it firmly.
There is no wobbling or anything like that. It’s easy to handle.

The shield is attached to the wrist with a dowel. This is also firmly fixed so there is no risk of it falling off.

 

The open hands have a soft, natural expression. Although they are slightly open, they are very versatile and can be used to support the barrel of a machine gun or to recreate a natural pose. There are also holes on the inside of the hands.

The Zaku machine gun’s foregrip can move back and forth, and the arms and shoulders are flexible, so it’s easy to hold with both hands.
The ankles can bend deeply to the left and right, and the legs can be opened widely, so it’s easy to pose it on its own when it’s on the ground.

When kneeling, the armor on the knee joints is exposed. You can also recreate the impressive movement of the Zaku landing on the outer wall of the colony in the beginning and then kneeling to unlock the door.

His physique somewhat reminds me of a drunk middle-aged man (lol).

If the hand parts of the Heat Hawk are not attached properly, they may move around.
The handle itself is quite thick, so if you are concerned about this, you can easily reinforce it and it will be able to be held in place without any trouble.

The electromagnetic baton has a thick handle, so it can be held firmly.
Rather than inserting it into the hole, it may be better to disassemble the gauntlet parts and then hold it.

Please feel free to take a few.

The unique Siege Axe type Zaku shape has been faithfully reproduced, and the quality of the modeling is quite high.
The joint strength is also high, and the wide range of motion allows for easy posing.
I think the structure is very well thought out to reproduce mobility, no mismatching, color separation, and strength all at a high level.

There is almost nothing to be concerned about, but due to the strength of the parts, the combination of parts is a little stiff, so it may take some time and effort to disassemble it.
Also, I think the assembly is a bit advanced due to the complex structure. Well, this is what happens when you demand high quality, and it is an extravagant concern.

It has a peculiar design, so there is a possibility that there will be differences in taste. However, I think it will become more familiar if it appears in many plays, and the blue coloring is also good for the police. I think that many variations of the Zaku series will be developed, and it is good that the kit has unashamed quality as one of the Zaku models with a long history.