Gunpla: The MSM-03 Gogg (HGUC)

OK, let's talk about a little something I did a while ago, but ended up being pushed back by more immediate topics.....

When the fascistic Zeon forces invaded Earth during the original Gundam series, one problem they had was the absence of a navy. Yes, they had a space navy, but not a navy-navy. One solution to this was, of course, to create giant robots to fight under-water, and this idea is something the franchise tends to revisit. Not to any great extent, but it's not unusual for a few episodes to introduce a few swimming mecha with unusual designs. Today's subject was the first of these, and in some ways a demonstration of how the original Gundam show can tend towards the “super robot” style of things.

 

 

The Gogg is decidedly light on detail and goes for an internal weapon motif. Something that First Gundam popularised was the idea of handheld mecha weapons above all else, but amphibious MS didn't play by that rule, and were also among the least humanoid of the Zeon roster. In many respects, you could call them a throwback to the kind of mecha Gundam was breaking away from, only exceeded by the Mobile Armours in terms of 70's sci-fi styling. However, as simplistic and toyetic as the Gogg looks, and it would not look out of place fighting Mazinger Z, there is a truism or two at play here. The first is that there's nothing wrong with simple if it's done well, and that it's always a joy to have articulated fingers on a robot for cheap laughs.

As a build project, this was a kit of two halves. The legs and body are fairly unremarkable in construction, if fairly good for the time in terms of colours and stickers. There's a lot of (necessarily?) smooth surfaces, and 70's style colouring, so only minor details in obscure places need finishing. Stuff like the inside of the non-standard ankle joint, which I washed but didn't paint, and marker work. I was quite pleased with how the gut area came out; I think I'm getting the hang of paint markers. On the other hand, there are the, well, hands and arms. This is a somewhat more involved, with a load of plastic-on-plastic joints to represent the segmented arms and claws. As this kit is circa 2000, this causes some concern with regards to the joints wearing out, especially as you are expected to detach/reattach segments for "swim mode". As it stands, my example has no immediate cause for concern, but I wouldn't push your luck. The age of the kit means that there's no hole for a stand, which would have been really desirable for something like this, but there is a trio of thrusters in the gooch zone, so I'd imagine it would be an easy mod. 

So, nitpicks aside, what the Gogg ends up being is rolypoly fun. I mean, yes, it will shred you with its iron nails, but it's not intimidating in the conventional sense. All of Zeons original amphibious suits are a bit like that, especially the Acguy, it's probably why they are so memetic. It waddles like an obese man, the leg/body/head/arm design not allowing for dynamic poses, but it will give you the finger. And sometimes, that's enough.