Series: Master Grade (MG) 1/100
Title: MS-07B-3 Gouf Custom
Release Date: 02/2001
Suggested Price: ¥ 3000
No. of Parts: 13 runners + 1 polycaps + 1 figure
Plastic colors: dark blue, light blue, black, gray, clear, clear orange, flesh
Gimmicks: massive Gatling shield w/sheath, heat saber, tri-barrel Gatling cannon, heat rod, Norris Packard figure

Introduction

Contributor: Chris 'KokopelliChindi' Knudtson
Photography: Elliott "Hiddenpower" Solomon
Date: February 3, 2004

The only Zeon MG from 08th MS Team, the Gouf Custom ditches the Gouf's close-combat weaponry for more ranged weapons. However, it retains all the elements of the Gouf including the curved spikes and a modified heat rod. The entire body has an internal frame with amazing flexibility. The bulky armor vastly reduces the poses the constructed model can do from what is possible with the naked frame.

Head

The clear monoeye is connected to a gear structure that allows it to move. The head has an internal structure that the visor and cables connect to, then it is all encased in two armor halves. The cables on the head as well as the torso are annoying to build since you have to string the bead-like pieces onto the plastic hose. Looks great, but is still a pain. There is an armor projection over the visor that gives the Gouf Custom an angry look. There is a gap between the snout and the head that you may want to fill.

Torso

The torso has a detailed inner block that the armor is added to. The cockpit hatch hinges tightly against the body and I need to push something under the hatch to pry it open. This combined with the odd way the hatch folds resulted in the hinge breaking, and the hatch now remains closed. The cockpit is a large open space with a pilot figure in it. The backpack has movable thrusters and internal details covered by armor. The torso is connected to the hips by a hinged peg. Due to the skirt armor, it has only a little side-to-side motion. The back skirt armor is fixed in place with two holes for ammo packs (not included! @#$%!!). The side armors are hinged and the front is ball jointed to the crotch. Then there are the cables that run from the backpack, through the side skirt armors, and into the front skirt armor. They're more annoying than the head ones due to the size and that it's easier to break these. Fortunately, extra beads are provided in case you lose some.

Arms

The shoulder joint has a screw in it and is covered by a box-shaped armor. It attaches to the torso, and the shoulder armors attach to it with ball joints. The shoulder armors have a lot of movement to them The upper arm is round and bulky and has a hinge in it that cannot bend (why its there I do not know). The elbow block is restricted to a 90-degree bend at the most. The inside of the lower arms have some internal details. Each lower arm is different to attach the heat rod on the left and the Gatling assembly on the right. The kit's biggest disappointment is in the hands. Gone are the articulated hands, instead you get a fixed thumb with three sets of plug-in fixed fingers. There's a slot in the palm for stability that doesn't really help on any of the weapons.

Legs

The entire leg has an inner structure that is encased in armor with most of the seams along the panel lines. The upper leg has some exposed details on the top. The knee block is tilted forward at an odd angle but articulation is good. The entire lower leg fits into a cuff-like outer armor that is flimsy without the rest of the added armor bracing it. On the underside are some raised details. The inner mechanisms of the lower legs have some big gaps in them, so it's more impressive with the armor on. The ankle is a simple ball joint. The foot is a massive piece of plastic with a thruster on the bottom. A hinged structure gives it a good amount of articulation.

Weapons and Accessories

The Gouf Custom's best feature is also its downfall. That massive Gatling gun looks great, but as you can imagine it makes the kit very heavy on the left side. This resulted in many shelf dives and broken parts on mine, be sure to keep yours away from heights. The separate barrels all rotate and a flexible piece of plastic provides the ammo belt. The entire structure that the ammo drum attaches to would benefit from some glue for stability. The Gatling cannon is fixed onto the shield, so there's no way to detach it other than disassembly. Even then, the shield has glaring attachment points on it. There's a structure on the top that acts as a sheath for the heat saber. Rather than attaching to the arm, the Gatling shield attaches firmly into a hole in the three chamber Gatling gun. The three chamber Gatling gun has nicely molded barrels. The sight is moveable and has a clear orange lens. The ammo pack is molded into the gun so a reloading pose is out of the question. The gun attaches to a cuff that slides onto the left arm only. The attachment point is a little weak and glue does a lot to hold it on. The new heat rod is a plastic-coated wire with the grappler on the end. Its slightly less than a foot long. The wire holds the grappler well, with only a minimum amount of sagging when fully extended. The storage is molded into the right arm and has a folded-up grappler plug for when the cable is not attached. The heat saber is two pieces, looks mean, and fits into the sheath in the shield easily. There's a little peg on the handle for support when held. The ring in the pommel can be hollowed out easily with a hot tool. The Norris Packard figure has a separate cape that has to plug into the back, all molded in flesh color.

Conclusion

The Gouf Custom looks as big and mean as you could hope for. The lack of spare ammo packs is aggravating since there is an attachment point for them and it wouldn't be too hard to add two simple pieces of plastic to the kit. I was very annoyed when I saw the hands. Posing the kit with the Gatling shield off the ground requires some balancing skill, but on the other hand it can act as a third leg. The whole assembly would be excellent for a kitbash though. If you're willing to tackle its flaws, or just love the big gun, the Gouf Custom is a decent kit.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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