Picked up this awesome figure for cheap this evening. It's the redesigned RX-78-02 (the original Gundam we all know and love) in the Gundam The Origin manga series. Running now in the popular bi-monthly Gundam Ace comic anthology, Gundam The Origin reunites original character designer Yasuhiko Yoshikazu and original mecha designer Okawara Kunio for a retelling of the original Mobile Suit Gundam anime.

Yasuhiko is a good storyteller in his own right, and there's a kind of chic 70's aesthetic in his and Okawara's designs. The latter's mecha are more organic and curvy, compared to Katoki Hajime's angular, crisp designs for the Gundam franchises. For better or for worse, Katoki's designs now dominate all Gundam product lines and anime.

What I love most about the figure -- other than the price, the detail (the beam rifle has a detachable clip!), the paint, the design and the height :D -- is the amazing articulation it has compared to the standard MSiA line of mecha action figures. I tried to demonstrate this in the picture above.

The main flaws are that the multitude of joints are all quite loose (in fact, the elbows won't hold straight poses), and that some holes don't fit their corresponding pegs very well. I had to do some shaving with a craft knife. And I don't understand why the shoulder cannon (unique to this redesigned Gundam) wasn't included at all.