NOTE: Be very careful, more careful than you think you need to be, when twisting the panels around. They are a break risk.
The titular Gundam X is a forgotten weapon in a post-apocalyptic setting, equipped with a remote-power cannon with devastating power. Its panels fold out to receive "super microwave power" from a station on the moon. Piloted by a plucky young survivalist.
Unfortunately the show didn't take off and was shortened to 39 episodes, later becoming a cult classic.
Aesthetics:
The Gundam X is one of my favorite designs due to its simple and effective use of colors, without looking childish or busy.
Just like the Double X (its successor) it has holographic backing inside of its panels that shimmer with a rainbow effect through the transparent prism panels.
Panel lines are pretty good on this kit, particularly on the legs and front skirts, adding visual interest to otherwise mostly white areas.
The kit only comes with sticker decals, no dry-transfers. The foil camera stickers are optional, since all of the cameras are green.
Mechanics:
The articulation is solid, good bends on everything and a wide range of motion.
The biggest feature is the satellite cannon mounted on its backpack, which folds and twists to form an X shape with its panels and the gun comes over the right shoulder with a fold-out handle and the barrel extends.
The left side has a pivoting rotary cannon that can point over the shoulder of the Gundam.
The cockpit opens up nicely.
One of the backpack's four polycap slots are empty, which may be for a P-Bandai expansion. Similarly the back skirt has an unused storage function.
Equipment:
1 Beam Rifle/Shield - Two in one weapon that folds up to be a shield with a pop-out camera - Stored in one of the backpack polycap slots
1 Beam Saber Hilt - Stored at the back end of the cannon, this handle, more than a hilt, is a massive beam saber
1 Green Beam Saber Effect Part - A big neon green effect part for the beam saber
1 pilot and 1 Garrod Ran minifig
2 Base adapters - One standard for under the crotch and one for supporting under the backpack, which is very nice
Conclusion:
It's a cheap and good kit, definitely one of the more interesting ones. It does not have a lot of parts and it's quick to build, which I personally enjoyed (kind of like a Wing kit, bit more advanced).
You can sort of feel how Bandai didn't want to spend a lot of money on it, since there's no good way for the model to hold the cannon handle. This is the main weapon, the defining aspect of the Gundam X to the point that it's named after the panels on its back, so you would think that Bandai could've made either a wrist tilting mechanic or something as simple as a hand with a longer stem for its ball-joint, so the cannon was easier to pose. This is kind of disappointing.
Stability-wise, this is a top heavy kit. It CAN stand on its own, but it puts a lot of leverage on the joints all the way down to its feet and the polycaps just can't handle it if you don't pose it for stability. However, the backpack base adapter is perfect for supporting the kit using something like an Action Base 4 (a low pose base), while standing.
Note that when twisting the panels, you have to pinch the mechanism it turns on, or it will come apart. It's not a huge deal, but it is a slight break risk.
All that being said, I recommend the kit for its novelty, but I also recommend getting an Action Base 4 or another base that can hold a low position to slot in an MG adapter.
