Synopsis: If you were only exposed to domestic releases then Char's Zaku II was the only Zaku available at the time for your Gundams to spar with. Although I had the Asian mass-produced MS-06F already, the completist in me guided me toward the Char's Zaku II so I could have a mobile suit of the Red Comet. But please do not let Char's Nickname fool you, a major flaw in this figure is pinkish color scheme leading one to believe that his name should have been Pink Comet instead.

I like Grunt units and of the Gundam MSiAs I gravitate towards the Zakus and GMs. With that in mind when the "Ground ZakuII" (not to be confused with the ones from 08^th MS Team) was released I was eager to have one in my collection. It is essentially a repaint of the version 1.0 MS-06S command type but given the pink look of Char's Zaku this was a big improvement. I especially hold this unit dear to my heart sentimentally given the fact it was given to me by my Girlfriend. Had this figure been issued earlier before the release of the Zaku II & Magella Attack Tank set the figure probably wouldve sold better. However on a bright note if you missed this unit before chances of finding this unit in the secondary or even backwater stores are better then most of the Realtype Figures released at the time.

The Figure: Both figures differ much from their Asian counterparts, Char's domestic figure lacks the hands and panel lines while the camouflaged Zaku lacks a couple of accessories and hands while gaining the typical markings the Domestic Zakus seem to acquire. These figures differ from the Zaku II version 1.0 by the command antenna in terms of scuplt.

Like other Zaku II version 1.0s, the head of the ZakuII is able to rotate rather well however due to its connection via a peg, the head can not elevate or lower in any angle. The arms are pretty nicely detailed and is connected with a ball joint however the placement of the joint is to close to the body so that the advantages of the ball joint are hindered to a certain degree. The spiked shoulder plate and shield plate are connected by a peg and are interchangeable for either side. Like other U.S. released Zaku IIs I am of the opinion that panel lining on this MSiA is a must. The hands included are one left open fist(designed with the heathawk in mind), and one right handed gun hand.

The legs are true to the design but due its fidelity with the original MS the legs movement is limited by the waist armor. Detail on the leg is excellent and the only minor complaint to voice is that of the foot. The foot's movement is restricted slightly by the skirted leg. The MS-06S Char's ZakuII seems to have better range of motion to the really hindered ZakuII camofluaged figure do to the ground type's odd left foot that does not seem to move at all. The torso rotates with no problem and like the rest of the figure the attention to detail is applied in the torso as well. Like other ealry figures the backpack has nozzles that can move in a limited up-down motion.

Color Schemes are a defining factor between the two in that the semi-pink Char's ZakuII is a big flaw later addressed by Char's Zaku II Version 2.0 while the Camouflaged look of the Ground type seems more credible. The ground type does have a problem for the technical in the too symetrical design of the camouflage.

The Accessories: While Chars Zaku II version 1.0 differed little in terms of accessories from its asian counterpart, the Zaku II Ground type differs greatly in accessories from the earlier Asian Release. The Ground type featured the same weapon loadout as the mass-produced Zaku II version 1.0 asian release. Note that Char's Zaku's weapons are painted in the typical grey color found in most Zaku weapons while the Groundtype features the weapons in a dark and shiny gunmetal color.

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 does not even turn so the Zaku can not hold it the way it should be held. Over then that the removable drum is the only other feature of this weapon.

Heathawk: Small, a little thin, and connects to the waist with a peg jutting out of the heat hawk, this weapon fits well in the open fist and well colored but it just lacks the air of intimidation it could hold especially with the peg protruding off the side

280mm Bazooka: It is a nice weapon, a little boring in terms of gimmicks but at least the zaku can hold it with no problems.

Magella Top Cannon: While this is a solid piece of plastic, this weapon had been only released Char's Zaku II figure almost exclusively until the domestic release of the Zaku II & Magella Attack Tank. It may not be the best accessory but it is a decent piece of artillery to hang on too.

Play Value: Char's Pink Scheme kind of serves to kill the play value for most kids while the Camouflaged Zaku is more inviting. The articulation is decent as far as the earliest MSiAs are concerned however compared to the Version 2.0 these figure is more likely to gain dust on the shelf.

Display Value: As stated above the salmon pink of Char's Zaku proves to be more of a liability compared to most in the UC line and its presence on display can draw an unusual stare or two. The Ground type with its flashy yet somewhat military camouflage paint job has a better look to it while sporting its gunmetal colored accessories.

Dollar Value: Given the weapons layout of these figures the standard release price is an acceptable price to pay for these figures. If you can get your hands on the Char's Zaku II Version 2.0 I would suggest it over the version 1.

Conclusion: Aside from the paint scheme this is not a bad figure but its old design is made evident in comparison to Zaku II version 2 and even the MS-05 Zaku I. Though the Zaku II version 1.0 served as a pretty venerable figure, the MS-06S Commander type version 1.0 figure with all its similarities still managed to have less articulation.