Robot Tamashii Alvaaron (GNMS-XCVII)

This is the review of Robot Tamashii Alvaaron, the final boss of season 1 in the anime of Mobile Suit Gundam OO.

Robot Tamashii series/line up is produced by Bandai Collectors Division or rather Tamashii Nation and it is aimed for certain market segments of collectors who like to get action figure or completed models.

I like the Robot Tamashii series/line up but it is not really my favorite actually. The premium GFF/GFFN series is still number 1 in my heart and I guess I could like the Super HCM Pro series as well but as at today I don't have any figures from the Super HCM Pro series.

Nonetheless, there are times when one is left with less choices and have to go with what ever options available. For the sake of having this figure in Shewsbury Land collections, I guess I have no choice but to pick up this Robot Tamashii version because as at the day of this review, there is no GFFN or Super HCM Pro version of this figure anyway.

I don't mind to skip this figure anyway but since recently HLJ have this Autumn Sales campaign with 50% discount on shipment fee and thus I can get this item for a mere 1,500 yen (about SGD 23.00) and shipment charges of only 550 yen (about SGD 8.00) - a very good deal not to be missed.

In the anime, Alvaaron is really a bad ass mother fucker - I mean a real devilish boss of the bad guys and certainly fit the billing to be the antagonist of the series.

It all begin with the gigantic Alvaatore (GNMA-XCVII), a huge mobile armor with lots of deadly weapon including that annoying GN Field and hidden inside is this cunning Alvaaron.




Note : The above image is from Gundam Wikia. We do not claim any rights on this image.


According to Gundam Wikia:

The golden mobile armor is themed after a horseshoe crab (or stingray) with thick armor throughout it's body on top of it's super GN Field.

Because of the excess GN particles provided by the seven GN Tau Drives, it can generate a powerful GN Field that can repel GN Beams and fire its GN Cannon in succession with short recharging. While it's super GN Field can shield from attacks, it can't eliminate highly maneuverable units and relies on it's GN Fangs (remote guns, no beam saber-like abilities), thick armor, GN Beam Turrets mounted around the sides of the hull and grappler pincer claws to combat enemy targets.

Two short, thick legs can fold down from the bottom of Alvatore's hull, presumably as landing gear- as it was only ever seen deployed in space, these are easily overlooked and never used. Even without its GN Field, the Alvatore can withstand considerable punishment from by GN Particle weaponry. While nigh impregnable to beam weaponry with it's GN Field up, Alvatore's shielding can be breached by GN Blades.

When the mobile armor section (Alvatore) can't be operated, the upper section of the armor will detach to reveal it's mobile suit form. The top upper-section armor is actually the Alvaaron's wings and the two turrets are actually GN Beam Rifles that complements the mobile suit. The mobile suit itself is themed partially after the Gundams, but also after an angelic centurion.

Alvaaron is a custom made mobile suit, having balanced qualities of artillery and close quarter combat MS. It has two GN Beam Rifles for mid-range firing and two GN Beam Sabers for melee combat.

While its speed and strength is comparable to a Gundam, Alvaaron is not optimized for dealing with high speed MS combatants. The wings of Alvaaron triples as a physical shield/armor, GN Field generator, and particle cannon.

Although a formidable MS against Gundams, Alvaaron's wings are both its strength and weakness. If the wings be damaged in combat, both the GN Field and particle cannon capabilities are disabled. As any with GN Field, Alvaaron's field can be compromised through physical GN Blades. This would reduce Alvaaron to a close range combat MS.

OK now, let's start the review;


The box;




Out of the box;




You will get all these stuff;




Let's have a look at this Alvaaron...











And some close up...










Articulation is quite good, the usual kneeling pose can be achieved.




The twin GN Beam Riffles...



GN Beam Sabers... look at those lovely nub marks.... beautiful isn't it? this is normal though for ALL figures from Robot Tamashii series, some are wisely disguised than others and some are really east to spot.




OK then, some action pose....









They gave 2 colors of beam saber parts - yellow and red.... I personally like the yellow...







Comparison with Robot Tamashii Exia. It seems that this Alvaaron guy is slightly shorter by a few mm.




And as requested by some friends in the previous review or Robot Tamashii Gundam Exia - size comparison between the RT version (on your left) and the 1/144 HG model kit version (on your right) - it seems that they both have almost the same height.





And now we add the Alvaaron guy in the middle - it seems obvious that the Alvaaron is slightly shorter.




Size comparison between RT Gundam Exia and RT Gundam OO - it seems that the RT Gundam OO is slightly shorter by a few mm if compared to Gundam Exia ?




And below is the comparison between 1/144 HG Gundam Exia and 1/144 HG Gundam OO.





Another comparison between HG 1/144 Gundam OO and Robot Tamashii OO Gundam.




And we add the Alvaaron guy again;




From left to right, 1/144 HG Gundam Exia, 1/144 HG Gundam OO, Robot Tamashii Alvaaron, Robot Tamashii OO Gundam and Robot Tamashii Gundam Exia.




I have several Robot Tamashii models from Gundam OO series due to the fact that I'm lazy to work on the GunPlaMo kits. My favorite of them all is the "Robot Tamashii O Gundam".




Overall, if you have Robot Tamashii Gundam Exia and wish to do the final battle scene from Season 1 of the anime, you might be interested to get this Alvaaron. You can have fun with it thanks to the good articulation and apart from the wing/shield part, you don't have to do much assembly work, as simple as it is.

And if you willing to spent a little extra, maybe you can get the Robot Damashii Alvaaron DX the Core of Alvatore for 3,800 yen (about SGD 59.00 before adding shipment charges - if you are in South East Asia, it is roughly within SGD 20.00).

http://www.hlj.com/product/BAN959004

At the end, it doesn't matter if you like beef burger or pizza, as at the day of this review, there is no GunPlaMo kits available for this Alvaaron and if you want it, Robot Tamashii is the only choice available.



end