Series: 1/100
Title: GN-002 Gundam Dynames
Release Date: 12/2007
Suggested Price: ¥ 2300
No. of Parts: 100 - 175
Plastic colors: hunter green, red, white, yellow, machine gray, clear pink, clear standard, lavender (rubber parts)
Gimmicks: Accessories not found in previous releases of the Dynames, double-joint construction, modified design with new panel lines and proportions

Introduction

Contributor: Edgewood
Date: September 24, 2009

This second entry in the 1/100th Gundam 00 line provides everything the HG Dynames did, but with a few more accessories, the same excellent proportions and superior joint construction. How does it stack up as a 1/100th TV series release in comparison to its fantastic 1/144th counterpart? Let's go to the breakdown...

(As an additional note; the photo in this review features my Dynames with a modified pair of Master Grade hands. These are NOT included in the actual kit, but the hands that are included are molded to hold the weapons that are included with a nice, snug fit with no wiggle or shaking.)

Head

The head is molded superbly, and it has a full range of motion in ever direction thanks to the double-jointed neck. The v-fin can be pulled forward and down over the face to reveal the Dynames' sniping camera. The camera is a clear plastic piece that is separate from the v-fin, unlike the HG release. The v-fin has some problems coming out completely without forcing the assembly of the top of the head to pop open, due to friction in the v-fins attachment arms that keep it hooked into the camera. This can be remedied with sanding or manual cutting to reduce friction.

Torso

The torso has the same forward-swinging shoulder design as the HG Dynames as well as the same articulated shoulder connections that meet the top of the arms. Since the articulated shoulders are using a hard-plastic-on-hard-plastic construction, they lose friction fast from the grinding of plastic, and revert to offering the same dexterity as an older 1/100th as they can no longer support the weight of the arms.. You figure Bandai could have duplicated Master Grade shoulder joints here to help with stability, but meh.

The GN Drive's intake window is molded in the same clear plastic and the molding in general is superb. The fins on the shoulders, however, don't have any kind of block to prevent them from coming too far forward when you position them, so you'll have to eyeball it when you pop them out. The connecting joint between the lower and middle torso is a bit flimsy in terms of stability, but this is due to a poor construction and the polycap being held at the very tip of the connecting rod.

Arms

The same type of technologies that were in the HG Dynames, are present. The shoulder hardpoints move forward and backward and have a fair amount of friction, so there's no wobble or looseness. The elbows are double-jointed, allowing slightly better posing then the HG. There is a downgrade in the 1/100th's wrists, however, as they are no longer independently jointed from the forearms, which limits the mobility of the hands just a little bit. The connection ports in the forearms are much better at holding the GN Rifle's connector due to a better sizing of the connecting parts in comparison to the HG.

Legs

The legs are completely identical to the construction found in the HG save for one minor addition; the forward half of the foot can bend down, though not up (like the MG Force Impulse). The ankle guards have a new construction, but the same articulation. The legs have absolutely no problem in positioning to allow the Dynames to kneel naturally, a pose that is sometimes difficult to achieve with plamodels. Finally, the thrusters attached to the rear end of the Dynames can now move in and out as well as up and down.

Weapons and Accessories

GN rifle- A nicer mold of the Dynames' proprietary and iconic rifle. The tripod legs underneath the barrel are articulated, but they can only be extended through part-swapping. There is an articulated ball joint that attaches the arm connector to the rear of the rifle, which helps give the arm more posing options when it's holding the rifle. The connection that fits the rifle into the shoulder rack is unfortunately loose, but since it's a hanging object, it doesn't fall out.

GN beam pistol- A feature that was not released with the HG Dynames at the time of this kit's release (though later added to the GN Arms Type D kit as a gimmick incentive). The pistols are paired into racks that attach to the sides of the Dynames' lower legs. The top, opening half of the holsters are design to hold the pistols in place, so that they sort of serve the pistols to the hands of the Dynames when they open.

GN beam saber- A feature that confuses me. The sabers are necessary to construct the tail thrusters, but the inclusion of clear saber parts to pose the Dynames with an ignited saber is an odd choice for the kit. Lockon Stratos, pilot of the Gundam Dynames, had once been quite verbal about his dislike for melee combat, so this inclusion of complete sabers isn't really going to mean much. Doubtful you'll ever pose the Dynames with these, so add the tips to your collection of saber parts and be done with it.

GN full shield- Identical construction to the HG Dynames' GN Full Shield parts and excellent articulation in the shoulder racks make this part seem both nifty and unsurprising. Nothing new here at all except some additions to the mold for detail purposes (but that's the whole kit, too).

Conclusion

This kit suffers from very few flaws, all of which are easily ignorable because they won't cause accidental breaking or a loss in articulation. The very best sculpt of the Dynames yet, this kit captures the proportions of the machine perfectly without derailing into the all-too-common fat body proportions of past 1/100th kits. The inclusion of the new GN Beam Pistols is pretty nifty too, but it feels a bit too similar to other Gundams that have been released in the past (lots of SEED suits had dual rifles or weapons in a similar setup, most notably the Strike Noir). Regardless, the superb posing ability and attractive design of the kit make this a must-buy for fans of Gundam 00 and a surprising solid build for general modelers.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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