MS-06FS Garma Zabi's Zaku II Version 2.0 (Asian Release)

Synopsis:  There was a version 1 Figure done of this figure a long time ago although it was in more limited numbers the fact that they had a Zaku II with head vulcans sparked the incurable collector in me.  Like other Zaku II variants this figure is identical to other version 2 Zaku IIs with the exception of slightly different accessories, different paint scheme, and a different head sculpt.

  While like Dozzle Zabi's Zaku II in that it never appeared in the animated series this figure includes something of Garma's that did appear in the series, his Dopp Fighter.  Truthfully I'm not a big fan of Garma however his Zaku isn't that bad.

 
The Figure: Like I said before in terms of articulation this suit is practically identical to Version 2 Zaku II's (all except the High mobility types) while cosmetically having a different head and a more extensive panel line job.

  The Head is well painted and well detailed.  The sculpt job of the head is great and different from the Char's Zaku IIS in a few ways.  Like Char's Zaku the command antenna is a little flimsy and can risk warping but thats a problem that can never be solved.  The antenna itself is shaped like the one on Char's Zaku IIS command type while the power cables around the head are tighter around the head.  The four vulcans on the head are well detailed looking much better then Garma's Zaku would look like.

  The arms are equal only to other Version 2.0 Figures.  The shoulder joints can swivel forwards and backwards freely as well as rotate without being hindered.  Only thing the arms can not do is spread the arms out to show its arm-span.  The elbows feature the trademark double joint debuted in the RX-78-2 Gundam Version 2.0 which allows for almost complete natural bending at the elbow.  Twisting of the elbow is achieved not at the elbow but in between where the deltoid and triceps would be.  The Hands rest on a ball joint providing natural pivoting.  Hands included are 2 closed fists, 2 gun hands, and 2 "sword" hands. 

   The Legs are well articulated and in a lot of ways superior other units.  The leg is connected to the hip via a ball joint and the skirt armor is flexible and separate enough to allow for practically unhindered movement except at the side hip armor.  The knee joint like the elbow joint features the Version2.0 double joint allowing for natural bending.  The ankle still has the hindered movement by surrounding ankle armor.  Bandai must have decided to compensate for this restriction with an additional joint in the lower foot allowing for articulation similar posing like the Gundam Ver2.0.

  The Torso is well sculpted and well painted.  The thruster pack is removable revealing internal mechanics and like the other Zaku II Version 2s the Zaku can wear the minelaying backpack and The backpack cannon that is included in the ZakuII version 1.0 with megella attack tank U.S. set. 

The Accessories: This Zaku II is not the accessory monster that the mass produced one was.  For the sake of space attachments used to mount the weapon on the hip will be mentioned in weapon description.

Zaku 120mm machine gun: Like the old version 1.0 this gun looks a little oversized however that is where the similarities end.  The forward handle can swivel to allow for more accuracy to the animated counterpart.  The weapon is a gunmetal black color. And the ammo drum is removable like other Version 2 Zaku Machineguns.

   Zaku 280mm Bazooka:  This is the same as other Version 2.0 bazookas, essentially made up of 3 parts the back end with main grip, the scope, and the barrel with forward handlegrip.  Each part rotates independent of each other allowing for better posing.  The bazooka can be stored in the back of the Zaku with the aid of an attachment that attaches to the main handle of the Bazooka while the attachment is placed at the back skirt armor via a peg.

Large Heat Hawk:  Garma's Zaku sports an impressive sized Heat Hawk.  While smaller then Dozzle's Heat hawk its larger then any other Zaku's Heat hawk.  It is very well painted and sure to depict an imposing presence in your collection.  It still has a peg on the side of the heat hawk that mounts on the hip armor.

Dopp Fighter:  This fighter is identical to the Zaku II & Megella attack tank set domestic release with minor differences.  The overall plane is a red-orange color with great panel lining and lacking the Zeon logo found on Domestic released Dopps.

Play Value:  Tons of articulation this figure, a fighter plane, and some decent weapons make this figure have good Play value.  Please note that some of the accessories can present choking hazards so please dont leave with kids that are too young.

Display Value: This Figure has the uniqueness that allows it to stand tall before your Zaku army. The colors are good and the articulation is definitely better so a better stance can be posed.  Its weapon loadout is good for display as well as a brightly colored plane that is sure to call attention to the figure.

Dollar Value: This guy I had ordered from Hobby Link Japan for about $14.51 and approximately $5.84 Shipping & handling.  For an import this was the cheapest price I could get the figure for since I do not have any import store nearby and given the quality of the figure I feel that it was worth the price.  On ebay expect to shell out a couple of dollars extra depending on who or where you are ordering the figure from.  In sum, I like it despite the fact that lacks the accessory loadout sported by the mass-produced Zaku II version 2.0.