Thursday, June 25, 2009

TT Hongli HG 1/144 Exia

Before you read this review, please go to this link and this link and read on the original HG Exia first.
Just like the review on the TT Hongli HG 1/144 Union Flag, I will now be reviewing the TT Hongli HG 1/144 Exia.

I bought this at the same time as when I bought the Union Flag in Miri and it costs me RM19. Quite reasonable as the original only goes as low as RM45 now as well as the R2 version being similarly priced. Off course, if you have the original or the R2, there is no point in buying this, or is there? I bought it because I thought that maybe I might mod it later on when the tools are readily available to me and create something. Hehe. =3

Well at any rate, here goes the review!

Part 1: The Box
Nothing much to say, the box looks like a Chinese version of the original Japanese box but just with Chinese and English words plastered all over.

Part 2: Manual Scans


Part 3: The Bootleg
Part 3.1: Up, Left, Down, Right!

Exia and all its armaments. Its open hand is a bit flexible but loose.

Full equip on!

Notice the red GN Cables on the shoulders instead of the original light purple. Wrong color but it shouldn't bother most people unless you are one of those color accuracy picky ones.

Ack! This was the saddest part! One of the parts was not molded properly! Now the rear side of the right leg looks cracked!


Part 3.2: Articulation
I unfortunately didn't do this for the original version but I decided to show off some of Exia's articulation here. The articulation should be on par with the original. =)
The shoulder has quite a range of movement available thanks to the design of the chest for Exia.

Exia is going in for a hug! =O

The arm articulation was a disappointment but most HGs suffer from this aspect. However, the legs can bend faily well though the pelvis joint is not so great. Because the hip and ball joints of the Exia are molded together, Exia's legs range if movement are quite limited. Though, this does not prevent it from doing most action poses.


Reaching for its shoulder mounted beam sabers.

Reaching for its waist mounted beam sabers. It looks a bit awkward from the front though...

GN Long & Short Blades.
Note: The arm almost came off in the first pic.

Part 3.3: Comparisons
For most pics, bootleg on the left, original on the right.
Can you spot the differences? Try to ignore the extra colors of the original Exia.
From my experience, the original is much sharper than the bootleg as well as being more sturdy.

Original on the left and bootleg on the right.
Look closely at the arms! Well, there doesn't seem to be much differences.

The bootleg GN Long & Short Blades looks a bit "fat" to me.

GN Shield. The bootleg one looks a bit "fat" and the sticker does not fit properly in terms of size onto the shield. There are also some missing details on the shield. Caution: The shield can be a bit difficult to stick onto Exia because the connector is shorter and fatter than normal.

Some missing/inaccurate details especially at the rear section of the shield portion of the GN Sword. The shield part has some difficulties in sticking onto the Exia as well.

Original on the left and bootleg on the right.
Nothing much to say for the GN Beam Saber hilts though...

How dare you impersonate me?!
What you say?! My GN Cable is red!
...IMPOSTERS MUST DIE! >=(
OH ****.

Part 3.4: Delicious Action Poses!
This time I used the shield which likes to fall off. XP

*pew**pew**pew*
Looks a bit awkward though...

*pokes*
OW!

Spin Exia! SPIN! >=D @_@

Part 3.5: Setsuna & Graham
And now, I present you a lame reenactment of the first meeting between two guys who loves mech more than anything else!
First Meeting! Exia VS "Custom Flag"!
Setsuna: This signal... A Flag?!
Note: Please pretend the Union Flag is black in color...

Graham: How nice to finally meet you...

Graham: GUNDAM!
Setsuna: Ugh!

Graham: Since the first time I laid my eyes upon you...
Setsuna: ?
Graham: ...this feeling can only be...
Setsuna: ...
Graham: Love!
Setsuna: Love?! O_O

Setsuna: Guh!


*pew**pew**pew*


*slice*
*BOOM!*
*Graham flies off*
*Fin~* XP
I don't really remember the scene's quotes very well for this one, but it is something like that. =P

Next up! Another lame reenactment!
Final Battle! Exia VS "GN Flag"!

*Exia goes out of Trans-AM*
Setsuna: Ah! Flag?! A fake solar furnace?!
Graham: I wanted to meet you...
Graham: I wanted to meet you, Gundam!

Setsuna: A beam saber?!
Graham: I will avenge Howard and Daryl with this GN Flag!
Setsuna: A communication?
*both plots faces appear on each other monitors*
Setsuna: Ah! You're...
Graham: What? The boy from back then? It certainly seems that you and I are tied by destiny's red thread!

Graham: Yes. A destiny of fighting me!

*Flag goes in for another attack*
Graham: I finally understand.
*sword clash again*
Graham: My heart was stolen by your overwhelming abilities! This feeling is truely love!
Setsuna: Love?
Graham: But if you transend love, it becomes hatred. Similar to the way faith gone too far triggers wars!
Setsuna: Ugh! You know that...

Setsuna: ...so why do you fight?!
Graham: You ask a soldier the meaning of war?

Graham: That is nonsense!

Setsuna: You're distorted!


Graham: You made me this way!
Setsuna: Ugh!
Graham: The existence of Gundams!

*pew**pew**pew*

Graham: That is why I will defeat you. I don't care about the world. By my own will...
Setsuna: You're also part of this world!

Graham: Then, this is the voice of the world!
Setsuna: No! You're just enforcing your own ego! I will sever your distortion!
Graham: Well said, Gundam!
Setsuna & Graham: Grrahh!!!

*STAB*

Graham: Howard... Daryl... *I have avenged you...
Setsuna: Gundam...

<~BOOM~>

Exact quotes were used for the final battle because it is more epic than what I can remember. I noticed that my pictures are very lacking when I look back at the anime. ^^; Ah well, at least it kinda works.

Part 4: Conclusion
Pros
  • Not too far off the original.
  • Fair detail.
  • Stickers can actually stick and quite color accurate.
  • No extra cutting seems to be necessary.
  • Good price(RM14-19).
Cons
  • Some details are either off or non-existant though not easily noticeable.
  • Slightly blurry looking and some parts are a bit bloated though ignorable.
  • Inaccurate GN Cable color(red instead of light purple) but red is also nice. =)
  • Unfinished mold(though not applicable to all models). <- Rare case.
  • Shields do not connect to arm socket properly.
  • The arms can come off the body easily when you play around with the arms.
  • Lose "open hand".
Overall, the TT Hongli Exia is not such a bad buy. It is not that far off the original and provides decent playability together with it. The connector for the shields can be annoying when they fall down, especially when you are posing it around though. If you can get this for RM10-RM19, it is already at a great price and a much better buy than the Union Flag. Actually, my buying of this model is for future modding ideas which I'm still thinking about. Hehe. ^^

And that's it for now. Yay, wasted some of my free time. =P

19 comments:

Irvin Lance Bernardo said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
lockheart said...

hey the TT HONG LI makes fakes model kits and everything they make is loose like my TT HONG LI destiny,impulse and even my dynames with the gn arms....

Cass said...

Even so, they are quite "fun" to deal with if you can get them at dirt cheap prices. As they can be inexpensive, you can do oh so many things with them that you'll probably won't do to an original. =P

mangyver5223 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
mangyver5223 said...

HEY! I give a suggestion for the cracked part of exia's leg. Remove both part (also non-cracked part) of the two legs whole by cutting it properly so that it will look nice.

mangyver5223 said...

U can strengthen the loose part of joint by putting a little bit of super glue on it. I've experinced it with many before with my bootleg model

Anonymous said...

bro,
where in sarawak can i get TT Hongli brand..???
reply asap toyulat@yahoo.com

Cass said...

You can try Wonderland at 4 1/2th Mile Everise or Wisma Satok. Wondertoys, IIRC, also has some but the one that has em' are located at Serian from what I've heard.

I heard there's a shop in Tabuan selling them for a decent price but I don't know the exact name and location unfortunately. If you live around that area, it might turn to your favor.

Oh yes, you can search around Sarawak Plaza. You should be able to find some bootlegs there too.

I haven't had the time nor expandable funds currently, so I haven't gone bootleg hunting for a while... so sorry if the info I have is lacking. ^^;

mangyver5223 said...

I have good tips for u,if u wanna make the orb at exia,dynames,kyrios,virtue etc can glowing in the dark,you can put glow in the dark paste at inner side of orb.you can try to find it at stationery shop.The colours are many but I prefer 2 use green ones.so nice when in the dark.I've done it to my kyrios and dynames models.

Cass said...

^Hey, that sounds like a good idea. Never thought of that! Got any pictures on how this "glow in the dark paste" looks like? Afraid to say I've never bought one before. ^^;

mangyver5223 said...

i'll show its photo when i upload it on my blog. I'll inform u when it uploaded.

Anonymous said...

Hi!!! rndmstuff.blogspot.com is one of the best innovative websites of its kind. I take advantage of reading it every day. Keep it that way.

divinelight said...

I have HG 1/100 for this kit and I also have a crack in the leg, no matter how I press it, it won't come out.

but RM14-19???
I bought HG 1/144 about RM25 in my country...

Cass said...

I managed to find it @ RM19 in a shop in Miri (small shop). I kinda put a "RM14" there because I know you can get it for a much lower price than that from another place...

Anonymous said...

The author of rndmstuff.blogspot.com has written an excellent article. You have made your point and there is not much to argue about. It is like the following universal truth that you can not argue with: Figuring out why it doesn't work is almost always more fun as using it. Thanks for the info.

Anonymous said...

Hi, where can i find this in TT HONGLI in JB?

s3tsuna said...

hey, i like your review. why does you make the repair version of it?i do the same thing to mine. coz this is totally piece of crap.(sorry 4 my bad english)

Cass said...

@s3tsuna: I don't plan to convert it to Repair though. However, I do have another idea in mind but I don't think I'll do it that soon, still need more "parts". ^^

Anonymous said...

Can it really hold the GN Long blade and the short blade? Mine is loose, either the hand has too much space or the handle of the blades is just thin.

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