FIX ZEONOGRAPHYEXPANDED EDITION OF GUNDAM FIX FIGURATION 

 #3001b MS-06F Zaku II / MS-06R-1 High Mobility Type (Shin Matsunaga's Custom)

MS-06F Zaku II (Shin Matsunaga's Custom)

Back view of MS-06R-1 High Mobility Type.

 

ZEONOGRAPHY #3001b MS-06F Zaku II (Shin Matsunaga's Custom) came in the similar packaging design as the GFF series. The major changes were the replacement of Gundam face with the gray and black stripe background, the white lettering (instead of black) and the added ZEONOGRAPHY logo. The package stood out quite well from the GFF packaging but still retained many of the same design elements that ZEONOGRAPHY was unmistakably a part of the GFF series.

 

 ZEONOGRAPHY #3001b MS-06F Zaku II / MS-06R-1

PRINCIPALITY OF  ZEON / ZEONIC MOBILE ASSAULT FORCE MODEL # MS-06R-1 ARMAMENT: 120mm MACHINE GUN (ZAKU MACHINE GUN), 240mm BAZOOKA (ZAKU BAZOOKA), HEAT HAWK AND ZAKU SHIELD

 

ZEONOGRAPHY

 

ZEONOGRAPHY series was an off-shoot series from Gundam Fix Figuration (GFF) line. As the title implied, the new series was to focus on the Principality of Zeon's Mobile Suits based of course on the visions of Katoki Hajime.  This series' sub-title was "Expanded Edition of Gundam FIX Figuration" and the design and concept clearly followed those that had been established by FIX series. The series was basically a way to add Zeon Mobile Suits to the FIX line-up so if you are a fan of FIX line and Zeon Mobile Suits design then this series will not disappointed.

The debut Zeon Mobile Suit for ZEONOGRAPHY (ZOG) was of course the classic Zaku II.  As with other FIX products, the Zaku II had dual identifies. The first one was the standard space assault version Zaku II MS-06F and the alternate mode was the "R-Type" High Mobility Zaku II MS-06R. Bandai released two variations of ZEONOGRAPHY #3001 - variant a and variant b. (The used of a & b suffix got started with FIX #0016 Cross Bone Gundam as a way for Bandai to put out "official variation")  #3001a was painted to represent Johnny Ridden's custom Zaku II and #3001b was painted to represent Shin Kanakuga's custom Zaku II.  Also #3001b was the first version of High Mobility Type (MS-06R-1) which had slightly different legs than #3001a which represent the second version (MS-06R-2).

ZEONOGRAPHY figures had the same high quality that one came to expect from the FIX series.  The alternate mode transformation was done by swapping in the entirely different parts instead of using the added-on armor method. The part swap method gave the figure much more stability and a more seamless design. The paint jobs were well done with super-details in both the standard Zaku II and High Mobility version. The figure had decent articulations for Zaku II figure, even the head can moved up and down and the inner head eye can be reposition. The 'Cyclops' eye lens of Zaku II was made from clear pink plastic 'jewel' instead of painted on like most other Zaku figure which was a very nice touch and made the figure look more realistic. The head can also be replaced with optional non-fin type. The weapon assortment however was a little disappointing with only the Zaku Machine gun and the Zaku Bazooka were included with the figure. Overall, both ZEONOGRAPHY #3001a and #3002b made excellent first Zeon Mobile Suit entries into the FIX series.

MS-06 ZAKU II WAS THE MASS PRODUCED GENERAL PURPOSE ASSAULT MOBILE SUIT OF THE PRINCIPALITY OF ZEON. THE 'F' MODEL WAS OPTIMIZED FOR SPACE COMBAT AND WAS PROBABLY THE MOST WIDELY USED MODEL OF ZAKU II DURING THE ONE YEAR WAR. MS-06F FIRST APPEARED IN THE ORIGINAL 'MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM' SHOW. THE HIGH MOBILITY TYPE (MS-06R) OR SOMETIMES KNOWN AS ZAKU II 'R-TYPE' MODEL WAS THE PROTOTYPE TEST BED TO IMPROVE THE PERFORMANCE OF ZAKU II. THE 'R-TYPE' FIRST APPEARED AS PART OF THE 'GUNDAM MSV' (MOBILE SUIT VARIATIONS) SERIES. MS-06R-1 WAS THE LIMITED PRODUCTION RUN OF THESE HIGH MOBILITY TYPE ZAKU II.  DUE TO COST AND DIFFICULTY TO PILOT ONLY 22 UNITS WERE PRODUCED AND MOST OF THESE SUITS WERE GIVEN TO ELITE PILOT OF ZEON ARMY. ONE OF THE MS-06R-1 WENT TO ACE PILOT NAMED SHIN MATSUNAGA WHOSE UNUSUAL CUSTOM WHITE ZAKU II AND BATTLE RECORD EARN HIM THE NICKNAME 'WHITE WOLF OF SOLOMON'. MS-06R-2 WAS A FURTHER ATTEMPTED TO IMPROVE THE 'R-TYPE' BY GIVEN IT LIGHTER CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND BETTER LEGS ARMORED. HOWEVER ONLY FOUR UNITS OF R-2 TYPE WERE PRODUCED AND ONE OF THESE EXTREMELY LIMITED RUN ZAKU II VARIANTS WENT TO ACE PILOT JOHNNY RIDDEN WHO CUSTOMIZED THE SUIT WITH HIS SIGNATURE CRIMSON COLOR SCHEME AND YELLOW SPIKES.