Synopsis: Big playsets are a risky thing for retailers to sell because you have a big item that at a higher price can deter sells. Bandai America has gone ahead and put out a total of 4 big vehicle playsets with moderate success.

Of The 2 Mobile Armors offered here I would imagine the Bigro was the most sought after. For some other people the exclusive figures are the sole draw toward them. I already owned a mobile armor so the need to buy another wasn't the big pull. Johnny Ridden's great paint scheme and unique Zaku help convince me but the collector in me just wanted to complete my set. So sit back and enjoy.  The Mobile Armor: This Armor is well detailed and well painted. The main body seemed to have received a lot of attention within the gun ports on the sides of the face. Given this is a big vehicle a gimmick was needed to sell this to U.S. audiences and the feature chosen was that of light-up beam weapon with sound. The way this figure was integrated with these features is well done and nearly completely concealed. The on/off switch is found at the bottom of the MA while the button is cleverly concealed along the side of the Mobile Armor shown HERE. The nose or beak of the Bigro opens up to reveal the main beam emitter, which is decently detailed and painted. The little red light is found here as well. The 2 sounds used in the Bigro are characteristic of the first Gundam series however whether those are the beam sounds of the Bigro itself escapes my memory.

The Arms of the Bigro are surprisingly articulate with each arm sporting 9 points of articulation including the claws. Each claw rests on a ball joint though somewhat loose making gripping an item next to impossible. Range of motion of each claw is hampered due the size of the claw and the central placement of the joint and socket.

The Figure: Johnny Ridden's High Mobility ZakuII is well painted though like all the ZakuII Ver 1.0 MSiAs released here no panel lines are painted on. Given the Deep red paintjob and other markings the panel lines aren't necessarily demanded. All the Piping of the Zaku is painted in the gunmetal color matching its accessories. The Head is that of a command Zaku II Ver 1.0 with the command antenna placed upon the head. Pictures below will highlight some of the logos found on this mobile suit.

The Legs are different from the knee down. Ankle movement is freed up by the absence of the ankle armor but its still hampered in terms of rotation by immovable thrusters at each side of the ankle. Only the rear leg thrusters are movable.

The torso has all the same qualities of the Zaku II ver 1.0 with the exception of the high mobility thruster pack fixed on the back. The Pack is well detailed however the thrusters don't move and the pack hampers torso Rotation.

The Accessories: A lot of people griped about this Accessory set due the absence of the heat hawk, Though ver 1.0 heat hawk's aren't that impressive they usually are an expected accessory to accompany all Zaku's. However on a light note the figure has the largest amount of accessories included of the big Vehicle/Figure sets.

 120mm ZakuII machine gun: A gripe I have about this weapon is how oversized some of the proportions are on this thing. The front handle doesn't even turn so the Zaku can't hold it the way it should be held. Over then that the removable drum is the only other feature of this weapon.

360mm Bazooka: Like the Desert Dom variant, this bazooka features of a more gunmetal color to it. As big as the bazooka maybe there are a number of problems in its design. given its smaller frame compared to the Dom this Zaku Wasn't made to hold this weapon.

280mm Bazooka: It's a nice weapon, a little boring in terms of gimmicks but at least the zaku can hold it with no problems unlike the 360mm of the Dom. This weapon differs from the original Zaku's weapon in that its painted in a shiny gunmetal color.

Play Value: This set presents a big bad guy for your hero to overcome and a new Zaku threat more menacing looking then the pinkish look of the Ver 1.0 Char's Zaku. The Bigro has some plusses to this category though the weak claws are a bit of a downer. The Zaku has lots of guns despite the 360mm Bazooka it can't carry well.

Display Value: The Bigro may not have legs but its arms and large size can attract some looks. The Zaku is well painted and has some good guns to hold(except the 360mm). The design of the High mobility ZakuII and the flashy paintjob allows the figure to stand out from the rest of your Zaku II army with the possible exception of the ZakuII Ver 2.0 which will be reviewed soon.

Dollar Value: For $20.00 this was worth it, like buying two import figures. If you check out a K-mart now you may still find this at regular or possibly sale prices.

Conclusion: A good match-up. Slight flaws limit its potential.