09.09.07
Yamato 1/48 Grenade Box Protection (GBP Anime Version)
REVIEW (Update2): I want my GBP
Packaging & Extras: (5/5)
This entire product could be labeled as an extra so what makes it so special? Yamato has included two different “cod” pieces which allows you to tone down the look a bit if you think the full nosecone is just too much. New fixed-pose hands are included and they’re beautifully sculpted. Also included are new cavity-fillers for the area between the chest and the back in battloid mode (see picture below). A support piece is included that goes behind the battroid’s head and connects to the backpack support, this support piece is similar to the ones provided with the fast packs but is molded in a gray that matches the GBP (also pictured below). The backpack support and cavity-filler pieces are all gray no matter which version of the GBP you purchase. Sure, I’d love to see Yamato shrink they’re packaging down a bit, but otherwise this is great all around.
Charm & Collectability: (3/5)
As you might be able to imagine, demand for an extra that costs as much as the toy itself (or close to it) will not be huge. In my first review I warned that there might be long lulls between production runs but at the moment, it’s really easy to find these accessories everywhere, so much so that I knocked a point off the score in this section. This product is destined to be something many fans would love to buy but only substantially below MSRP. Lots of charm and a fair amount of collectibility here. If you wanted to put this on a Stealth valk I would suggest finding black hands as the combined package looks a little motley otherwise (the same is true of all valks with colored hands, LV1 & LV2 jump to mind).
Sculpt, Detail, & Paint: (9/10)
Easily the best looking GBP to date even if some do complain that it seems a bit large on the Valk. The color is great, the paint application is great, the detail is great. Even the individual missiles are prepainted. The only improvement that could have been made would have been more prepainting of details supplied as decals. It may have also been nice if the shoulders didn’t require sleeves for the giant shoulder-mounted missile pods as I’m told the sleeves were not needed in the original design work. Some have also noted that the chest looks like it extends out too far and should have been culled in a bit. The detail work is so great on this piece that it looks good even without the missiles!
Design: (10/10)
Yep, the first 10/10 I’ve ever given anything. This whole thing can be disassembled to reveal even more detail. Everything that should move does move. Everything you think could be removeable is removeable (and things you think shouldn’t be removeable are also removeable). This is a truly impressive piece. Check out the pics below for images of the missile bays in action.
Durability & Build: (8/10)
It’s a wonderful product but it’s not quite perfect. The reinforcement piece in the chest that slides missiles forward is prone to breaking. It’s made out of very thin plastic so this could easily have been mentioned in the design section (see pics below). A quick note on not breaking that chest piece, the GBP is built with screws so you can actually avoid breaking the center chest piece on the GBP by opening the chest up, installing the missiles while bracing the piece from the rear, then reinstalling the part, then closing the chest back up. Everything else here is rock solid. You won’t find pieces falling off your toy while it sits in a display case… well, not substantial pieces at least. I did have a little incident with one of the hip-mounted grenades splitting in two and half of it rolling away somewhere. These are really parts that should have been glued together and fit onto a peg but Yamato instead opted to just press them together so you can slide them onto grooves.
Articulation: (9/10)
The toy inside the armor will retain an amazing range of movement which is quite the feat when one considers how much additional bulk that toy is now carrying around. The new hands allow the toy to hold the gun but the look is a little less than ideal. Doors open and close all over allowing for even more dynamic posing. One more super cool (albeit somewhat gratuitous) touch were gap concealing doors in the shoulder covers. The picture next to Hikaru and Roy showing off the different detachable grenades shows the nifty shoulder feature which reduces visible gaps without harming articulation in the least.
Total Score: (44/50)
I was truly amazed by how much I loved this product. I’m not really the hugest fan of the GBP in truth. This toy accessory made me a fan of something in the series which is a first. If you own a 1/48 Valk this is more than a worthy accessory, below is a gallery of the GBP on various Yamato valks.
This Post Has Been Updated Twice
Original Post Date: June 12, 2006
First Update: October 28, 2006 – Included Wood Land Color GBP2 and Gallery
Second Update Notes: Removed Wood Land Color to increase page load speed. Improved pictures.
Cougar said,
September 25, 2007 at 8:59 pm
I think this is the best armor ever! It looks so muscular and “serious”.. I just love it!
SQIDD said,
October 10, 2007 at 10:31 am
Great Review. I always had my eye on one of these but after reading this I purchased one right away. I’m glad I did, it is so menacing and “beefy” looking. It dominates my Macross shelves and attracts the most attention.