Studio HalfEye - Perfect Change Grungust

  
I'm not very well versed in the Super Robot Wars series, or the OG portion for that matter. But a lack of familiarity has never kept me away from cool robots before, and the Grungust is one cool looking robot.

This 2007 release features three distinct modes and the usual impressive engineering you'd expect. My usual photo space was blocked by a TFCon haul when I took these pictures, so please excuse the dip in quality.

- Grungust -

 

Grungust's humanoid mode.

The colors really pop - I especially like the separation on the arms.

Headsculpt is very well done, as usual. That star-like chest design is definitely a standout.



Small panels open up for the Final Beam attack. These like to pop off a lot. My copy has a paint defect on the bottom there, but I'm gonna throw the previous owner under the bus and assume it's not a production issue.

Those yellow bits on the legs open to reveal some missiles.

Grungust is a really unique super robot that definitely stands out. Based on what I've seen of the SRW games, this is a very solid representation. Size-wise, it's about the same as the other Perfect Change figures.

 

You'll see more of the articulation in the following section, and overall it's pretty good. The arms and legs have a decent range, but the head is very restricted and the waist movement is nonexistent (though this is a given thanks to the way it transforms). 

- Accessories -

 

While light compared to all that came with Gunbuster, when ordered directly from Studio HalfEye, Grungust came with an awesome bonus...

"Boost Knuckle!"

One of my favorite figure accessories, for sure.

This effect is actually two plates on separate armatures. On the back, Kanji (which I think says "Keito Ragoken") is shown. I think it could've used some paint though - it is more noticeable in person as-is but couldn't hurt. Either way it's a great touch.

Grungust's sword is here too, though it can't be stored on the robot like in the game.

- Gust Lander -

 

I didn't take too many pictures of the actual transformation process for either mode, but here are a couple general ones:

 
There's a whole lot going on with the torso. Lots of things flip around, compress, or expand to make the transformation work.

One of the more notable aspects is how the treads extend for this mode. Fun to do and well thought out.

Transformed head for the Gust Lander.

"Go, go, Gust Lander!"

I'd say the legs are the star of this mode overall.

Getting to this mode was extremely challenging for me (and I'm usually pretty good at this stuff!). There aren't really any tabs, so a lot of things like the waist need to be 'finessed' into place.

In the end, it was probably around two hours to get here. No joke. It just didn't want to cooperate. This is a spot where something like video instructions would help.

I like the end result a good amount, but I wouldn't be eager to do it again.

- Wing Gust -

 

"Up, up, and away! Wing Gust!"

A static flight stand is included not only for display, but also to help keep the legs locked in this position.

 The piece resting over the head is very well hidden in the other modes.

 

I really, really like this. Something about the V-shape I think. The transformation here is much more manageable than the Gust Lander.

Though the final result is not as sleek as the lineart, the way this is able to achieve the look of the stretched out front section is very clever. As a note, I have the face mistransformed - the guard should be down in this mode.

- Conclusion -

This guy has its ups and downs. On one hand, it looks fantastic. The color work is great and all three modes are distinct and impressive. Grungust is already a neat design and its flair isn't lost here. And man, that Boost Knuckle effect is a treat.

The main issue with this is getting to those other modes. It's mostly down to the lack of solid tabs or locking points for parts. Particularly an issue with the Gust Lander mode in general and the chest in robot mode. That star shape is 4 points coming together and not locking in, so it can take some finagling to get just right.

In general, Studio HalfEye figures don't use nearly as many as, say, a Masterpiece Transformer, but this seems like a small amount even for them.

With that said, the upshot is you get a very clean looking robot mode with surfaces uncompromised by tabs or holes. It just means you have to be more patient than usual with the transformation. Don't get me wrong, it's got that great SHE engineering as expected, but it's not very easy to work with.

Still, I'm happy to have it as always. Though I can't say the same about the super limited red-colored version of this figure, which I'm sure I'll never have.