30MF Liber Knight / Holy Knight Review
Kit info
This set includes the
30MF Liber Knight and the
30MF Class Up Armor (Liber Holy Knight). To my knowledge, it is available in select regions and is priced the same
as the combined cost of the two individual kits. It features unique box art
and a new manual, making this review pertinent to those interested in the
separate Liber Knight and Class Up Armor (Liber Holy Knight) kits as well.
Story
Liber Knight : This is a CLASS I job requiring a sword and shield. It is a
basic job that demands mastery of all types of swordsmanship. Those of this
job combine the offensive abilities of swords, the defensive abilities of
shields, and the martial arts abilities of knights. It is a versatile job that
is useful in any situations.
Liber Holy Knight : This is a CLASS III job requiring swordsmanship imbued
with divine power and advanced physical defense abilities. Members of this job
wield a sword and shield endowed with holy power. Those with this job have
knightly proficiency equal to Paladins, and are highly skilled. Their strength
as holy knights is demonstrated when they are protected by the divine powers
that sleep within the land and select places.
What's in the box (sprues)
Silhouette Parts
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| A [Multicolored] |
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| B [Warm Gray] |
C [Cool Gray]
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| D1 [Warm Gray] |
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| D2 [Warm Gray] |
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| E1 [Cool Gray] |
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| E2 [Cool Gray] |
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| F1 [Clear Blue] |
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F2 [Blue]
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Sprues A~F2 are newly designed for the 30MF series. Given the potential for
future Liber army units to share the same design, it's likely that these
sprues will be reused many times in the future.
Two shades of gray are used for the silhouette, and although the distinction
is subtle, it is present. The shoulder, upper thigh, and the front half of
the head are examples where a cool gray tone is utilized.
Sprues A~C are labeled "30MF Silhouette (30MF シルエット)," and D~F are
labeled "30MF Silhouette 1 (30MF シルエット1)," leading to speculation that
sprues A~C may be common to both the Liber and Rosan armies, while D~F could
contain faction-specific parts.
Or maybe Sprues A~C is used for all the silhouettes and D~F would be
specific to Knight type units.
Knight Armor parts
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| G1 [Pearl White] |
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| G2 [Pearl White] |
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| G3 [Pearl White] |
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| G4 [Pearl White] |
Sprues G1 to G4 are molded in white, each with a subtle pearl sheen, and are
all utilized for the Liber Knight armor.
The sprues labeled 30MF Knight (30MF ナイト) could be shared with the
upcoming Rosan Knight. Observing the pre-release photos of Rosan Knight, it
appears that many armor parts are identical to those of Liber Knight.
Therefore, it's likely that at least some of the G1~G4 sprues will be
shared.
Liber Holy Knight parts
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OJ1-A1 [Multicolored]
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OJ1-A2 [Multicolored]
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Sprues OJ1-A1/A2 are all molded in multicolor (white, gold, and clear blue)
and consists of parts for Holy Knight armor (add-on) parts. These are
labeled "30MF Holy Knight" (surprise, surprise!) and we can almost be sure
that these are exclusively for Liber Holy Knight.
If you get
30MF Class Up Armor (Liber Holy Knight)
kit then you'll get these two sprues.
The gold components are crafted from a swirly, shiny, injection-molded gold
plastic, while the white parts are designed to match the hue of the Liber
Knight armor (Sprues G1~G4).
Instruction Manual
Due to the manual's folding, the second page serves as the cover, while the
first page is the back cover.
Detailed Parts Review (Silhouette)
Head is constructed with 4 parts. Rightmost part will be only used in
silhouette mode. It'll be replaced when Knight armor is worn.
Note the dual-jointed neck: a ball joint at the bottom and a rotating joint
in the middle. Naturally, there's also a ball joint at the base of the head.
Thus, even with a sizable headgear and collar, the head can achieve quite
impressive poses.
The new shoulder joint primarily consists of two parts: one that rotates up
and down and another that rotates front to back. The arm, attached to the
shoulder, can also rotate on its axis, thus achieving the range of motion of
a typical ball joint without the inherent instability of such a joint.
Torso is constructed from 3 parts (2 points of articulation excluding the
waist). Chest armor is only used in silhouette mode, meaning it will be
replaced with Knight armor.
Front to back articulation of torso is quite good.
Side to side articulation is also good.
The waist section combines elements of both 30MM and 30MS designs. The outer
shell mirrors the 30MM style, while the hip joint adopts the characteristic
Y-shaped joint typical of the 30MS design.
The arm construction follows the traditional 30MM/MS style, eschewing the
use of C-joints. Ring accent parts, which can be exchanged for rings with
3mm pegs, are also recognizable features from the 30MS series. Typically,
the upper arm is capable of rotating on its axis just below the shoulder,
and the elbow can flex to approximately 135 degrees.
The set includes three styles of hands for both sides, and fortunately,
there is no need to exchange the back of the hand parts, a common
requirement with many 30MM series models.
The leg construction borrows from the 30MM/MS series, notably omitting
C-joint parts to enhance stability. The upper thigh features dual rotating
axes, located just below the hip and around the colored ring, allowing the
hip armor to rotate independently of the hip joint.
Colored rings, along with optional 3mm peg replacement rings, are also
featured on the legs, similar to the 30MS.
The leg can be almost fully folded due to the dual-jointed knee component,
and the ankle possesses a significant range of articulation.
Articulation (Silhouette)
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Lower torso can get quite low thanks to excellent range of movement in
knees and ankles.
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Standard kneeling position is no problem.
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Terminator kneel pose is also easy.
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| Some yoga poses. |
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Articulation is great and joints are very stable so one legged pose is
no problem.
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I don't know WTF is this but when I googled "male yoga pose" I got
this.
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I tried some baseball poses. I can see some talented people using some
custom parts to make a baseball scene.
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Asian style kneeling pose.
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Well... let's call this anime girl kneeling pose. Actually I see girls
do this IRL quite often where I live.
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| Tehee |
Some poses with modern rifle. The rifle is from 30MM Baskyrotto kit and it
fits the silhouette's hands perfectly.
Excellent articulation makes shouldering it and acquiring a clear sight
picture effortless.
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The prone shooting position is also highly reproducible due to the
excellent articulation provided by a dual-jointed torso.
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Good shouldering and sight picture acquisition while prone are
impressive feats. Those who have attempted this with Gunpla or 30MM
models can attest how impressive this is.
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Detailed Parts Review (Liber Knight)
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Knight mode uses three pieces for the head. One for lower face, one
for the visor, and another for the comb. Silhouette mode's mouthpiece
is replaced by lower face part.
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This is how the head looks like in Knight mode.
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Torso gets three major armor parts. Chest, back, and also the gorget
(collar). Silhouette mode's chest piece will be removed. There are
also some joint parts (in blue) to attach the spaulders.
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The waist is equipped with four pieces of skirt armor: front, back,
and one on each side. The side skirts are connected to the rear
skirt—differing from most Gunpla or 30MM kits—and can pivot outwards
to accommodate leg movement.
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The arms are equipped with four pieces of armor: the spaulder, which
connects to the back armor, along with the upper arm, lower arm, and wrist
pieces. Interchangeable rings featuring 3mm pegs, similar to the 30MS
series, allow for some armor pieces to pivot at their attachment points.
C shaped shoulder pieces from silhouette mode are removed for Knight mode.
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Legs get cuisses, poleyns, and sabatons. (In plain speak that would be
thigh, knee, and foot armor.)
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The shield and the swords are made of 2 parts each. Also some joint
parts for attaching the equipment is provided.
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How it looks in Knight mode. Notice the replaced parts from the
silhouette mode.
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How it looks from the back. Joints parts for the spaulders and side
skirts are in blue so they somewhat stand out. If you don't like that
then you could paint them white.
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Articulation (Liber Knight)
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An unconventional spaulder configuration, attaching to the back, may
not have the aesthetic appeal of traditional spaulder joints, yet it
offers complete swing-away capability for extreme articulation of
shoulder joints when necessary.
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Flexing of elbow is slightly hampered by big spaulder in this picture
but not always.
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Same with spaulders, side skirts can completely move away to enable
extreme leg articulation.
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Knight mode significantly increases the bulk of the kit, yet the
articulation remains nearly flawless. The unique design of the spaulders and
side skirt attachments greatly aids in achieving extreme poses. While it may
not appear as sleek, the trade-off is beneficial IMO.
Detailed Parts Review (Liber Holy Knight)
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Most of the Holy Knight pieces are added on top of Knight mode armor
pieces. Only the top of the spaulder pieces., wrist armor and visor
gets replaced.
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The shield and the sword each gets blue transparent parts. (Which is
explained as water element core according to the lore on the manual.)
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Completed Holy Knight mode with all the replaced parts from Knight
mode.
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Size comparison and compatibility analysis with other 30ML series
As indicated in the articulation analysis (poses with rifle), 30ML equipment
is well-suited for the Liber Knight's hands. Additionally, the various 3mm
holes offer extensive customization possibilities. In this section, I will
examine the sizing of each series of kits relative to one another and
explore the potential for interchanging body parts.
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The Liber Knight stands slightly taller than Neverlia, the tallest
sister in the 30MS series. This size discrepancy can be easily
attributed to typical gender differences. So I'd say Liber Knight fits
perfectly fine with 30MS kits size-wise.
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When comparing the size of 30MM mechs, such as Spinatio, Verdenova,
and OG Alto, the Liber Knight is notably larger, especially against
older models like the Alto. However, it doesn't appear as large when
placed next to the Acerby. Given that the Acerby is highly compatible
with the 30MS series, this comes as no surprise.
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Size comparison vs gunplas. Here, the Liber Knight stands beside MG Grandpa
and HG Lfrith. Although it is larger than the HG models, it is not as large
as the MG ones. Larger HG mechs, such as the Nu, might be comparable in size
to the Liber Knight. Generally, HG weapons are compatible with 30MM/MS, so
they should fit the Liber Knight well. However, MG weapons have differently
sized grips and would require modifications to fit.
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Heads and legs are compatible with 30MM models; however, the size
discrepancy and varying head clearances can lead to some rather
comical combinations.
The arms are incompatible; 30MM
models utilize a ball joint for the shoulder connection, whereas 30MF
models employ a 3mm peg.
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However, the somewhat larger head of Acerby fits perfectly with the
Liber Knight. The color scheme of Acerby B also matches the accent
color of the Liber Knight.
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The 30MS head is compatible, but with certain limitations. Longer
hairstyles may clash with the armor and silhouette, making them
impractical. For instance, Ilshana's hairstyle caused interference
with the Liber Knight's collar armor, necessitating its removal.
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Luluce's default hair usually fits well with all the armor pieces
attached, but for some reason, the head on my Luluce was quite loose
on the ball joint. This may vary from one figure to another.
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The Horse Mecha, burdened by a heavy rider, seems ill-fitted; it's
simply too small. I foresee the release of a new horse kit, one that
will be appropriately sized for 30MF units.
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Legs and arms for 30MS models can indeed be swapped, but at what
price? The drama, the suspense... oh my eyes!!! So go forth, swap
those limbs, and let your 30MF creations stride and grasp in newfound
horrible glory!
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Kotobukiya's MSG series of weapons is typically compatible with
30MM/MS models, which means they should also fit 30MF models well. I
only needed to sand the grip down slightly for a proper fit, but aside
from that, it functions flawlessly.
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Image Gallery (Snap Build)
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By the power of the grayskull legally distinctive
generic ancient power!!!
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I got the POWER!!!
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Image Gallery (Panel lined and gold parts painted)
The standout flaw of this kit, apart from vanishing off shelves faster than
a knight's steed, is the somewhat tacky gold injection plastic on the Holy
Knight's armor. Considering the kit's modest asking price of 700 JPY, the
quality is perfectly adequate, though it did inspire me to break out my
airbrush.
The process involved applying panel lines and top coats to both the frame
and Knight armor components, followed by a layer of gold paint on the
designated parts. For the armor sections (parts in white), IPP's semi-gloss
super clear lacquer was used, while the frame received a matte finish with
IPP's matte super clear lacquer. The gold sections were primed with GSI
Aqueous gray primer, coated with IPP's super white gloss lacquer as a base,
and then layered with IPP's super gold lacquer paint. To complete the look,
Ak's intermediate gauzy agent was applied to the gold parts.
Well enjoy the pictures!
Conclusion
Upon Bandai's announcement of the 30 Minute Fantasy series, I speculated they
would expand the 30MM collection with a Knight theme, particularly the
Spinatio Knights, by incorporating a diverse range of fantasy-themed
accessories, given 30MM line's focus on science fiction. However, my
assumptions were quite off the mark.
The silhouette stands out remarkably. It seamlessly combines the benefits of
both the 30MM and 30MS frames, resulting in an impressive frame. Having
constructed numerous Bandai kits, including every 30MM variant (indeed, at
least one of each model out of those 50 thousand color variations), and
many dozens (primarily MG, as well as HG, RG, and PG) of Gunplas, I find the
build straightforward yet the articulation surpasses all I've encountered.
Furthermore, the elimination of C-joints and polycaps significantly enhances
the silhouette's stability in various poses. My plan was to pen a review the
evening the package arrived, yet I found myself utterly captivated by the
silhouette, absorbed in its experimentation and posing. Time slipped away
unnoticed, and suddenly, it was already beyond midnight. (That was a week
ago.) I strongly suggest acquiring this kit solely for the silhouette, even if
fantasy settings don't appeal to you. The silhouette's quality is exceptional.
Should fantasy settings not be to your liking, you can easily use any of the
30MM accessories to transform it into a sci-fi or contemporary warrior with
outstanding proportions and flexibility almost instantly.
The armor kits (Knight and Holy Knight) are typical of Bandai's offerings,
which is not a drawback as it signifies they boast quality designs, are
straightforward to assemble, and offer many customization possibilities. The
only aspect I found disappointing was the molded gold plastic; however, given
the Class Up Armor kit's price point of 700 JPY, it is quite reasonable.
Nonetheless, I would strongly suggest at least acquiring a gold Gundam marker
to paint those parts with a more authentic gold appearance.
Unfortunately, by the time many of you read this review, this kit will likely
be sold out everywhere. Ordinarily, I wouldn't suggest paying scalpers, but if
the price is within $50 or so, I would say it's worth it. It's really that
good.
I'm now eagerly anticipating the next 30MF series. Considering I usually
prefer Sci-Fi over Fantasy, this is indeed a glowing endorsement.
Highly recommended. Get it if you can whenever it's available again!
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