HGGTO 1/144 E.F.S.F Mass-Produced Mobile Suit RGM-79KC "GM Intercept Custom" [Fellow Booster Equipped]
We're getting to the end of the MSV-R series of P-Bandai GM variants now, with the GM Intercept Custom. The GM Intercept Custom is the most direct variant of the GM Sniper Custom, and is from the same line of variations as the GM Cannon Space Assault. The GM Intercept Custom adapts the Sniper Custom's layout, but changes the Sniper's auxilllary visor for a narrow piece of armour to protect the camera during combat. The backpack is also simplified to allow the suit to be compatible with the Fellow Booster, a large thruster pack that helps the suit fulfil its battlefield role of intercepting enemy ships and mobile suits before they reach lines of engagement.
As a build, the majority of this kit is essentially identical to the GM Cannon, featuring the exact same parts (although with a different head and slightly different colour blocking) and pretty much the exact same sticker decals. The standout feature is the Fellow Booster, a reliatively complex build for its size with some really nice detailling.
For the mobile suit itself, the colour blocking is as standard for the HGGTO line, with the only real colour correction required being the grey for the forehead vulcans and the red fire-retardant coating for the thrusters. I touched up all of the inner frame parts with my usual weathering technique, as well as adding a little titanium pigment powder to the dark-grey armour panel sections.
The Fellow Booster is less colour-correct - the thrusters have the same colour correction requirements, but you also have to fill in the red detailing on the "wings" of the booster. I ended up using the marking decals, which have gone on fairly smoothly and look almost as good as the actual colour-correct red plastic, but these are probably something most people would prefer to paint.
I added some extra detailing with the gold on the various thrusters, as well as adding some copper to the piping on the engines of the Fellow Booster which add a nice pop of colour to the build. I also added some chrome behind the visor, which helps it to remain visible even behind the slit-armour visor.
There's an incredible amount of stickers for this kit, which just like the other HGGTO GMs help to replicate the original lineart from Kunio Okawara. I'm pretty proud of how the sticker application on this kit worked out, I think they're sitting especially well and look almost printed on, as compared to the cloudy look this type of sticker decal can sometimes have.
Without some of the extra accessories the MSV-R line of GMs have, the GM Intercept Custom is super poseable, and you can get some great flexibility out of it.
The main accessories for this kit are fairly toned down. There's the standard set of two open fists, and a right-handed pistol grip. For weapons, there's just a beam spray gun and a single beam saber, which is mounted to the rear skirt instead of the backpack due to the Fellow Booster. I think the heat discolouration on this beam spray gun is one of the best attempts at it so far.
The beam saber comes with two trans-dark pink beam saber effects, although there's only one beam saber hilt. This is a fairly parts-efficient kit, so the spare effect is the only spare part from the build.
With the Fellow Booster, apart from several auxillary thrusters, the GM Intercept also gains a dual set of shoulder-mounted missiles, which are much bigger than the set included with the GM Missile Pod, so there's no real need for any further accessories. This lets the entire suit feel light and nimble, able to drop in behind enemy lines and quickly extract once advancing ships and mobile suits have been disabled.
I think that so far this is one of my favourite HGGTO builds. I really love the colourway and the understated simplicity of the design, although the booster does make it a little difficult to display without a display base. I think out of all the P-Bandai GM variants, this one is probably the most worth it.
There's just one HGGTO GM variant left in my backlog now, so it might be a good time to try and build some of the other kits in my backlog before finally finishing off this series.
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