Like I’ve said many times before, Gundam Unicorn really opened the doors for a lot of mobile suits to get kits. But this one here is one that’s always been a bit of frustration in HGUC form for me: the Nemo. It has the bizarre distinction of being the only suit from Zeta to get a Master Grade before some sort of High Grade. Not only that, this isn’t even the one from Zeta! I guess Unicorn opening the door for more unloved/obscure HGUCs to get made has a bit of a bad side. At least this one isn’t covered with all the silly Sleeves emblems.
The Nemo isn’t one of my favorite Feddie grunts. It isn’t my least favorite, either. It’s just… there. Don’t get me wrong, I was sure as hell excited when this thing got announced, and as you can see I bought it pretty fast, but that was mostly the whole “Unicorn Episode 4” rush. There’s a bit of irony to this, too; I’m always complaining about my collection’s lack of AEUG mobile suits, and Bandai finally goes and makes another one, and it’s in Federation colors. Oh well.
In terms of its structure, the Nemo shares a lot of similarities with the GM II and GM III HGUCs, mostly the former. However, despite this, there aren’t any shared runners between the two. It’s a little surprising, really. The two do share the same polycaps and joint structure, but it seems as though that one is becoming standard for kits these days. Not that I’m complaining, though; it works and moves great.
Still, this frame just isn’t as good as the 0083 GM frame to me. There aren’t any double-jointed elbows, and the knees don’t have much movement, either. It’s unfortunate, because everything else moves so nicely.
However, it does have an extra joint in the shoulder that I really like. I hope we see these more often.
Once again, crystal visor with silver paint behind it. A delicious combination.
Now, I enjoy this kit quite a bit, but it has two glaring problems. The first is the color distribution. It’s pretty bad. This kit has a lot of yellow details that aren’t molded in any way, and are a REAL pain to paint, especially on the dark blue pieces. I can understand needing stickers for some parts, but for a High Grade kit, this one needs a LOT.
The other problem I have is with the accessories. It has the standard layout: shield, sabers, gun… but the gun is one we’ve seen several times before: the GM Rifle from 0083! What a bizarre and boring choice for a weapon, especially since the box art shows a second Nemo with the GM II’s rifle! That would’ve been a much better weapon. For the time being, I’m giving mine one of the bazookas the suits in Zeta use.
The shield is pretty cool, though. It can be mounted in two different positions. I like it.
It also uses all the hands from the GM III kit. I still wonder why the GM II didn’t have them…
In spite of some problems, the Nemo is a decent kit. I can’t give it my full recommendation because of the color distribution and lame weapon choice, but it’s worth getting. It looks much better with this weapon, I think. And of course, if you want yours, be sure to check FPNYC or ask!
