1/144 Zaku Sniper Type Unbox

I am happy that my kit shipped from GGInfinite on time (slightly early) and in mint condition. I cracked this baby open, and I am impressed at the level of detail for a High Grade. No surprise I suppose- The kit's official name is MS-05L Zaku I Sniper Type [Yonem Kirks] and it is a 2012 release from Gundam Unicorn.

I wanted to document this kit carefully because I have not seen any English reviews of it on the internet- either on a website, blog or on youtube. THUS, if I have to be one of the first, I want to offer some details regarding this 2012 High Grade.

With Mom out of state, the cats tend to lounge with me. This is a rare photo- the cat in the back, Kelly, tends to not like sleeping with the others, but minds them sometimes when she is too sleepy to care.

Really nice work on the box art, Bandai. I had to pay a little more to get this kit in, but the price and subject were well worth it.I wanted to start a Zaku collection. I like sniper rifles, so this kit is a nice marriage of the two!

Side of the box. They always paint the kits up here, so you won't be getting that if you build it straight out of the box. A selling point of newer Master Grades is to include a "this is what you get when you finish building it out of the box" photo.

Action base compatible. I will have mine standing on a custom wood base, as shown in the pose on the left.

This is what you get when you crack the box open. I removed the plastic bags in advance. There is a lot of plastic for a HG! Not a BAD thing- I love extra detail wherever I can get it.

A Plate, including parts for the legs and feet. Right off the bat, first impressions are good. Hopefully, I won't have to deal with much seamwork.

Plate A2.

Plate A3. Parts for the chest. You won't be getting these parts in a darker brown- and I question why Bandai went with this Olive Drab over the correct Dark Tan. Regardless, I bought paint and I intend on painting these parts to suit my aesthetic tastes.

Plate B. Shoulder armor stuff.

Plate C. Misc parts and the Zaku Rifle, which I am contemplating leaving on the tree if I can't throw the rifle somewhere on his body.

Plate B2? Off the top of my head I cannot remember. More parts for the arms, head and shoulders.

Plate D1. Parts for the arms and sniper rifle. Already I can tell this will require some seamwork, but who knows? I may put some color apps in there.

Plate D2. Misc parts.

Plate... I forget. These are extra barrels for the sniper rifle that fit on the backpack, which seems to be the energy unit for the rifle.

Polycaps and some mesh piping. I have no clue where the mesh piping goes, but we will find out.

Backpack unit in puke green. In the photoshoot on the box and in the manual, they have the backpack colored a desert tan.

Excellent quality for a HG manual.