Here at Gunpla 101, we’ve recently started working with fellow Gunpla fan Mario Lebel to provide thoughtful, detailed reviews on some of the newest, most beginner friendly Gunpla models on the market. Today, Mario is reviewing HG 1/144 Gundam Barbatos.

First Impressions

The Barbatos has been smashing its way into the hearts of Gundam fans since last year and I’ve been looking forward to building my very own. Though there have been six different Barbatos models released since the start of Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, I decided to go with the original 1/144 release.

It’s a nice looking suit but at first glance, it does look a little slim when compared to more heavily armored kits. Thanks to its accessories, however, it still manages to look tough. That huge mace which was a big selling point for me.

Color and Design

The Barbatos is a lot more colorful than you would expect. Amidst the white pieces you’ll find traditional colors like Gundam blue, red, and yellow, as well as some pink and dark grey. The color isn’t slathered all over the kit. Instead it’s used sparingly to help bring out smaller details and to accent the design. I thought pink was an odd choice at first, especially because it’s used in such a small quantity as to make it seem like an afterthought. Since my initial reaction, I’ve come to like it as it gives the Barbatos a hint of something different. It also helped that the pink was used specifically in conjunction with that triangular logo, again, adding to its uniqueness and almost justifying its inclusion by being so closely linked to that logo.

You’ll notice that there is a lot of frame showing in comparison to other HG models. This kit has almost a full frame which is very unusual for the HG line, but it’s been a common feature in the Iron-Blooded Orphan kits. There are fewer armor pieces, which show off the inner frame and give the model a slimmer look. Even the shoulders, which are big and bulky, are raised in such a way that you can see the shoulder joints and upper arms. The thin waist nicely leads downwards to a lithe lower body, giving this kit an energetic, even athletic look. That meshes well with the movements of the Barbatos as depicted in the anime.

Even the Gundam’s equipment gives this model a feeling of being quick on its feet. Rather than a full sized shield, it gets a sturdy gauntlet. The weapons are handheld and short range. The Barbatos is very physical, and the design supports this idea each step of the way.

My only real complaint here has to do with the V-fin on the kit’s forehead. I like the size, but I dislike the placement. It’s too low on the face and it easily obscures the eyes when taking pictures of your kit, which is unfortunate.

Difficulty

If you’re like me and sometimes have difficulty with sticker application, you’ll run into a little trouble there. This kit has a lot of small stickers which need to be placed precisely. All of the pink highlights are foil stickers, but those aren’t too bad as there are grooves along the pieces that you can follow.

The more difficult sticker applications will be in areas where the stickers need to fold along two or more faces of the same piece. Those stickers really shouldn’t have have been included in the kit. Rather, the pieces on which those stickers are applied should have been made as separate pieces. The only reason you apply the sticker is to give a single plastic piece two colors. I shouldn’t be surprised though since this is the kind of cost-saving shortcuts that make the HG line affordable. More experienced builders will want to paint their pieces instead of using the stickers.

The more problematic thing with the stickers is that the pink stickers can peel off really easily. I’ve noticed it when posing my kit for the review pictures. These are the kind of stickers you want to apply carefully and then top coat to ensure they stay in place. Better yet, if you’re feeling up to it, you could paint those symbols on the kit, as the stickers cover a groove in the plastic which is in the same shape as the sticker.

Articulation

The articulation on this kit is pretty great. The less-than-average number of armor pieces give the joints more room to move around. Even the bulkier parts, like the shoulders, have their armor pieces raised off the frame, giving the arms plenty of room to rotate freely.

Other parts of the kit, like the waist and the ankles, have next to no armor pieces, again providing plenty of mobility to those areas. The movement at the ankles is very impressive as they can swivel back and forth ensuring that no matter the position you put your Barbatos in, its feet can always be flat on the ground, helping your kit stay balanced and upright when posing. In addition, the feet can bend in the middle, which isn’t something I’ve seen before, but it helps when posing your kit in various action shots. The skirt pieces aren’t too obtrusive either. They’re aided by the good articulation at the waist and the fact that the legs are double jointed.

Extras 

There are two notable absences here: no extra hands and no beam rifle. That’s really unusual since rifles, or other types of guns, are the most basic type of weapon a Gundam can have.

I certainly don’t miss it because the weapons we get instead more than make up for the absence. The sword, katana blade, and large mace are excellent. Swords have been included with several kits before and this one is not much different. The mace is completely new. I can’t think of another kit that comes with such an unusual weapon. I like the design, I like the size, and it’s a great accessory while posing your kit. The sword is also very good to pose with. I find it’s more fun to do action shots with these kinds of weapons than it is with a rifle.

The mace and the sword can be securely attached to the backpack. Two small plastic clamps hold the weapons with ease and since the backpack is small, having the weapons on the back of the kit doesn’t really affect the balance.

You get an extra left forearm. It’s identical to the right forearm, except it has no gauntlet. I prefer the arm with the gauntlet so that is what I keep on my kit. According to the kit’s manual, the extra arm is meant to be used to attach a wire claw. I’m not sure where you can buy that as it’s not included in any of the HG Iron-Blooded Arms kits. Extras hands would have been nice, but the two you get are really all you need since they hold the weapons effectively.

Final Verdict

Gundam Barbatos is a modest suit and the design is built around a few ideas that flow nicely together throughout the entire kit. The Barbatos is a thin and lightweight kit meant to be used in close range combat and everything from its armor and weapons show that clearly. Overall it’s spare and simple, but its modesty isn’t an indicator of its quality. It’s infinitely poseable and the inclusion of the fierce looking mace gives the Barbatos and intimidating quality which works really well. It’s a solid streamlined kit and a good way to introduce the HG Iron-Blooded line.

If you want a bulkier kit, then you’re in luck because there are two other HG Barbatos kits, both of which come with more weapons and one of them even includes a Kutan Type-III Long Distance Booster. Personally, I like this slimmer Barbatos the most, especially since the majority of the other Iron-Blooded kits are pretty bulky.

Which Barbatos kit is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!

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Previously: Mario Lebel reviews HG 1/144 Gundam Portent