Kotobukiya KWG-10M Sanjuro Medabots Plastic Model Kit

This figure is outstanding. I have not gotten any of the other Medabots kits from Kotobukiya and only got this kit because it looked interesting. I am quite knowledgeable about Medabots, but this figure would appeal to any fans of beetles and robots. Sanjuro has excellent articulation- a full 26 points of articulation using polycap ball-joints, hinges, and swivel joints. The details molded into the plastic bits are also well-applied. The number of interchangeable parts is equally impressive, with a total of four interchangeable "face" plates that can show different expressions in the eyes, a replacement bit and an extended accordion-like appendage for the sword arm and an interchangeable left arm- a knight's shield! This shield can be combined with the sword arm to make a more noble appearance than Sanjuro would with his regular hammer fist. The sword-arm bits are to make it look like the sword is in its "scabbard." The accordion attaches to the back to replace the collapsed accordion of the "battle-ready" sword, while a yellow bit with a hole molded in it is supposed to replace the area where the sword was. These bits make the sword look like it retracted into the accordion-thing. Though this kit is fun, it is NOT for little kids. It is fun to play with and pose, but its joints can only hold up tightness and sturdiness for so long (as the plastic in these kits is a bit thin), and the assembly is a bit complicated. It can be done, but it takes time and patience. There are many small parts and bits that can be lost, eaten, or misplaced in the kit. If you lose a piece, it may be essential, and it will be difficult to get replacement parts, as the replacement part card is entirely in Japanese. The instructions, however, are relatively clear and the Japanese text can be ignored with the model still coming together perfectly. Something else I noticed, however, was that the completed figure straight-out-of-the-box was lacking some colors on its torso and sword. The sword is all-white, and the chest is missing two yellow dots on the lower half. The dots can be ignored, as they are a minor accent, but the sword being the same white color as the hand bothers me a bit. I chose not to paint them to avoid splattering it everywhere and because I know that, to replace the sword with the accordion appendage, you must pull the sword off its hole BY THE BLADE. If I had painted this sword, the paint would smudge and eventually come off over multiple replacements. Still, even without the paint, the model is good. The fact that the box art is much better than the inside , and the fact that there was no indication of a need to paint for best results, kind of ticks me off, though (I can't be sure, as it's all in Japanese). Overall, though, I think that this kit is, for the most part, executed well. It has detailed pictures in the instructions (for non-Japanese buyers), excellent detail in the molding, and wonderful poseability in the final product. I highly recommend this figure to any who like Medabots or simply are interested in beetles and robots.

Great quality for the price! His limbs do fall off quite easily however.

Took me hours to build it but it's worth it :)