Read time: 5-10 minutes.

Hello everyone! Welcome to the very first Irie Review, where I will be diving into a model kit and providing my honest opinions after the snap process. I will be going over a variety of subjects ranging from build quality, anime accuracy and even customization possibilities. It is my hope to provide new and unique information on a model giving you the reader more purchasing power. Keeping that in mind let's dive in!

Box Tear Down

Box Art & Info

Release

January, 2006

Price

1,980 yen or about $19.13 USD (Assuming you can find it for MSRP)

What's Included in the box?

Box Contents

Instruction Manual
9 runners including Poly Caps
1 Sticker Sheet

Anime Synopsis

The Nirvash Type Zero Spec 2 is the evolved version of the Nirvash Type Zero. The Spec 2 can first be seen in development during the 30th episode “Change of Life” of the anime Eureka Seven. The Type Zero itself is considered to be the first discovered Light Finding Operation (LFO) and is the foundation for all future LFO technology within the series. The Spec 2 also makes an appearance within Eureka Seven Astral Ocean (AO).

In addition to being the first of its kind, the Nirvash is also the only LFO requiring two pilots to unlock its full potential (those pilots being Eureka herself and the kid everyone loves to hate, Renton Thurston). It is their overall growth and development that fuels the evolution of Nirvash's capabilities.

Build

Length of build: 2 Hr.

Build Difficulty: Beginner

Overview

Working on this model from start to finish took about 5 hours, but in reality it should have taken 2 to 3. What can I say? With the sudden Influx of GSquad videos and my addiction to re-watching the anime of whatever I'm building, I tend to lose track of time. While working on a model I always go in with an idea of what it is I want. In fact, this thought usually develops before even buying. Will I straight build, repaint, or add some custom flair? I believe it is important to keep these things in mind, as not all models are made equal.

Being that it is an older model, I knew the Nirvash would be one of those kits that would require a little extra love. Keeping that in mind, while going through my snap build I always begin picking out key areas that I'll be changing. Such as the shoulders! I just don't like mech designs without shoulder pads. Hate me if you want but “I’m a Gundam”.

Plastic Quality (Type and what’s it like to work with)

Normally, Bandai model kits have relatively good plastic quality, especially as we approach the newer model gunpla releases. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about this model. The plastic feels rather brittle and prone to snapping if not careful. The high gloss shine and the quality of the plastic makes for a rather unfun build. This is due to sanding and snipping now becoming even more difficult so as not to wear the plastic even more.

Nubs

Which leads me to my next point: The nub clean up on this can be considered a chore. Going through the normal 2 snip method may bite into the part, cracking it slightly. The locations of the nubs are also very visible on the model and the same can be said for cleaning up. Any sanding done to the kit will cause the gloss to fade creating uneven tones. Luckily, Bandai provides stickers to cover most of the nubs shown.

Accessories

Rifle
Wing Dagger x2
Ref Board
Stand

Anime Accuracy and Action Poses!?

Color Separation/Anime Accuracy

Stickers, stickers, stickers and more stickers! The color separation on this kit is to be expected from a non-gunpla model in that time period. Requiring a large sticker sheet to provide a variety of colors not molded in plastic. This can be seen on sections of the face, arms, legs and refboard. Be very careful applying these stickers as the glue is very sticky and is not easily peeled off once placed.

Articulation & Action Poses

When it comes to its take on model kits, Bandai never seizes to amaze me! For a model produced in 2005, it can pull off any of the iconic poses from the show. Through the use of male polycaps on under the feet and an included action stand/base it can even pull off some pretty sweet refboard poses. The joints are relatively sturdy but due to the plastic the kit probably won’t hold up as long as modern Bandai models. Where the kit lacks in color separation it makes up for it with its articulation for those that like posing their figures.

Shelf Presence (good straight out of the box?)

So, is this kit good straight out the box? My honest answer is no, as a large majority of the Spec 2 relies on stickers for color correction. The sticker sheet itself only provides a handful. I would recommend doing the panel lines and possibly using some red metallic paint for the smaller sections in place of the stickers.

Final thoughts and Rating

Wrap up

The overall design of the Nirvash is both savage and beautiful, as it brings a more organic feel to the model. In comparison to the standard mecha/gunpla build making this worth building just to spice up your backlog. However, the plastic quality and lack of color separation are major setbacks on this model. This was a common trend for the time in which it was released, but it definitely won't meet the standards of today’s entry level builder. In order to truly get the most out of this model kit some extra effort will be required. Keeping this in mind, I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of the series like myself as it's definitely worth having one LFO on the shelf! If you’re interested in seeing how the customization on this Nirvash turns out, stay to my Instagram for future updates.