GBT#19-MSN 04 Sazabi

Now that I’m thinking about it, I think Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack has some of my favorite Mobile Suits in the entire Gundam franchise.  Neo Zeon’s suits are the epitome of Zeon design and I’ve stated my love for Amuro’s Nu Gundam and the Londo Bell Jegan’s many times.  But if those two are in my Top 3 suits from this movie, you better believe Char Aznable’s final Mobile Suit, the Sazabi is there too.  The dude has sat in the pilots seat of many an impressive and bad ass Mobile Suit but this just feels like the culmination of all of Char’s past suits thrown into one and then some.  So yeah, I really wanted to build it and have it square off with Nu Gundam on a shelf somewhere.

 
Suit History

In UC 0093, Char Aznable reappeared after a six year absence to lead a Second Neo Zeon Rebellion against the Earth Sphere.  Despite being the supreme commander of Neo Zeon, Char partook in several battles and operations personally utilizing the MSN-04 Sazabi.  Besides bearing Char’s traditional trademark red colors, the Sazabi was equipped with numerous weapons and functions that took full advantage of Char’s natural skills and Newtype capabilities.  Between the powerful beam rifle, multiple funnels and lengthy beam sabers, the Sazabi was able to wipe out platoons of Mobile Suits and Federation Battleships with minimal effort.  The funnels were similar to those of Amuro Ray’s RX-93 v Gundam and could be controlled mentally by Char himself.  Despite it’s rather large size, the Sazabi was equipped with enough thrusters that enabled it to move far faster than one would expect, continuing another Char signature staple of being able to move up to three times the speed of a normal Mobile Suit.
 
Char’s Sazabi and Amuro’s Nu Gundam would clash multiple times during the relatively brief Second Neo Zeon War.  This would all culminate in a duel on the asteroid Axis, which had been set on a collision course with the Earth.  Despite the Sazabi’s capabilities, Amuro ultimately destroyed the suit while sparing Char’s life, although both pilots would be designated as Missing in Action following the final battle of the war.

 
Build Experience

I’ve always admired how immense the Sazabi is and how Char can still make the thing dance around like it’s light as a feather.  The suits wide proportions, especially the legs, remind me of The O that I built back in 2023.  It even has a ridiculous amount of detail that you’d never really see unless you popped the legs open themselves.  Heck, you could hide an extra pair of arms down there if you wanted to.  The material of this HG model also stood out, specifically the outer shell and coating.  It feels so smooth, sleek and very polished, it’s borderline the quality of a Master Grade build.  Point I’m trying to make is that much like the Xi or The O, this is a High Grade Gunpla that could be mistaken for more than meets the eye but not in a bad way.  If anything, it makes the build more unique and makes the Sazabi itself more unpredictable I’m sure. 

The armamaments are pretty standard but look cool as hell.  The Beam Rifle looks awesome but I really like the more regal Beam Saber best of the weapons.  It just has the feel of, as I said, regality.  It’s the Beam Saber of a ruler that belongs on a Mobile Suit leading the charge into battle…which fits Char’s role and personality to a T.  I also like the funnels on the inner part of the Sazabi’s shoulders.  The Gunpla does come with six deployable funnel but it’s pretty cool to see them docked on the Sazabi itself and the containers holding them can pop open, giving the illusion that they’re about to be unleased.  It’s a small detail but it makes me giggle maniacally.

 

Conclusion/Rating
Of the three Char’s Counterattack Gunpla I’ve build (four if you include the MS Variant of the Hi-Nu Gundam), the Sazabi is my favorite.  It brings together the challenge of building a more advanced High Grade model while also feeling like it could be a mere step behind a Master Grade.  The quality of the pieces are a cut above normal and the more I worked on it, the more I knew I was building one of my favorite bad guy type Mobile Suits in Gunpla form.  It’s a Gunpla meant to take up a lot of space but it deserves it because it’s that bad ass and can take on all challenges, starting with Nu Gundam.
 
9.5/10
 

Next Time we see the return of an old friend that also happens to of the more recent Gundam models in the franchise.  We tackle our second Ad Stella Gunpla kit on the Season Finale of Gunpla Builder Thursday right here at the Gundam Anime Corner.