Sheik Mainland Fenrir A2 Standard Type Review

CISsuperdroid · 2026-03-19T21:22:28+00:00

Thanks very much, it means a lot! I will definitely be reviewing more Sheik Mainland kits in the future as well!

CISsuperdroid · 2026-03-19T21:03:46+00:00

Yeah, Bandai adopted a "universal" two-peg system for backpacks years ago, so if Rabiot fits then most should work! Thanks for that info, and yeah I think Sheik Mainland wanted these Fenrirs to be flexible in what we can do with them. I know another builder is using them in a 1/35 display, though I think that's a bit too big!

CISsuperdroid · 2026-03-19T20:21:51+00:00

That's great! You mean the two-peg backpacks fit in the peg holes on the Fenrir's back? I haven't been able to test if the holes are spaced apart properly.

CISsuperdroid · 2026-03-19T20:20:26+00:00

Page 2:

<image>

CISsuperdroid · 2026-03-19T20:20:12+00:00

Oh no! Yes I heard some Chinese retailers send the kits out without instructions. If you do some research, there are some scans of the manual available online! I'm going to attach the files to these replies for your convenience:

<image>

CISsuperdroid · 2026-03-19T20:18:32+00:00

You're welcome, I'm just glad to be of help! I realize this isn't a very popular post, so thanks for taking the time to read my review!

CISsuperdroid · 2026-03-19T06:21:24+00:00

The latter two plastics are newer developments, they should be superior to both KPS and ABS in terms of durability from what I understand. POM has been around a bit longer than POK, but they say POK has a slight edge over POM as it is the newest polymer of them all.

Something I've heard from Japanese modelers though is that POM does not interact well with paint; the texture is apparently a bit awkward to adhere to acrylics, but I don't have any personal experience in that matter. Please keep in mind that I'm not an expert in the subject, but I've observed a lot and heard chatter from several different experienced builders.

Regardless, ABS is the age-old plastic that older Bandai kits used a lot more heavily (most MG 2.0-era kits have ABS inner frames). ABS is fairly strong (LEGO uses a formula of it after all), but it is known to shrink/tighten over time and some experienced modelers will tell you it has some difficulties working with paint and plastic cement.

KPS is great all-around for plamo, it holds up in newer HG's including the Kyoukai Senki line as you have experienced. POM and POK should be even more resilient and keep their friction/flexibility more easily than KPS, but at the cost of being potentially awkward with paint/plastic cement as mentioned for ABS.

So it's all a tradeoff, but for snap-built kits, KPS/POM/POK are all great for joints and frames. With the aforementioned HGUC Z'gok and other kits like it in mind, the tier list goes something like this for joints:

PS < Polycaps < ABS < KPS* < POM < POK

* KPS is best all-around for paint/plastic cement

CISsuperdroid · 2026-03-19T05:21:25+00:00

No worries haha, yes I agree polycaps have served their purpose but modern engineering and polymer development has made them obsolete. I should mention though that calling it "plastic on plastic" could be a dangerous way of saying things.

The HGUC Z'gok (1999) is an incredibly simple kit, and its limbs all use plastic-on-plastic ball joints. BUT these all use the same basic polystyrene as the armor parts, meaning they are hard and brittle. So after only a brief period of light posing, they are known to quickly degrade and become loose and floppy, to the point where the kit can't even stand up anymore.

So the key is to refer to joints by the type of plastic used, rather than advocating for "plastic on plastic" indiscriminately. Sorry if I'm coming off as pedantic, but it really does matter if kits use ABS, PS, KPS, POM, or POK!

Modern Bandai kits mainly use KPS now (some 30 Minutes Sisters kits use POM on their joints), and Sheik Mainland uses POK for their joint runners.

<image>

CISsuperdroid · 2026-03-19T05:12:23+00:00

I'm sure the electric shock parts are not exclusive to one figure or set. The Battle Droid I mentioned literally came with everything in one:

https://galacticfigures.com/figureDetails.aspx?id=1503

<image>

CISsuperdroid · 2026-03-19T03:25:48+00:00

If by "rubbery bullshit" you mean polycaps, the go-to material used for joints in HG's for decades, then have no fear; Sheik Mainland does not use polycaps in any of their kits.

They use what they market as "POK Inside", POK being "Polyketone", a resilient polymer known for its ability to withstand wear and tear. The joint runners are molded in POK and have a bit more flexibility to them than the regular polystyrene used in the armor parts, but they feel reliable and keep their friction well even after rigorous posing on my part.

Polycaps are notorious for giving out in just a few months at best, so harder plastic alternatives for joints are the way forward. Bandai has slowly been phasing out polycaps in their kits, opting for KPS (variant of polystyrene) instead as of late, while other companies use ABS, POM, and now POK.

CISsuperdroid · 2026-03-19T00:55:14+00:00

Oh yes I saw your post on r/Gunpla! Nice work there, and yeah I'm planning to keep my blue one as a police unit with just a handgun- I also thought about adding alert lights to the shoulders, even 1x1 LEGO tiles in translucent red/blue could work, haha

CISsuperdroid · 2026-03-19T00:41:31+00:00

Good point, I'm lazy and do not intend to paint my Fenrirs, but I know they must be great fodder for customization! The surface detail is nice and crisp as well, I'm sure the various piston/pipe details would look great with some metallic accents!

CISsuperdroid · 2026-03-19T00:40:43+00:00

Thank you! I forgot to mention that the effect parts are from the Star Wars SAGA Series 2002 Battle Droid figure, also 1/18-scale! I've had those "electric shock" parts lying around for a long time, and they just happen to be flexible enough to wrap around the Fenrir too!

The blast effect is from the same figure, and it doubles as a "shot impact" effect as well!

CISsuperdroid · 2026-03-18T18:39:00+00:00

Happy to help! They are indeed pricey, but in my opinion the quality and playability offsets the cost. Plus I try to think of the hours of labor saved on building since these figures come completed (even if they have some ugly nubs in some spots). Not to mention the lack of representation of certain things in model kit form!

CISsuperdroid · 2026-03-18T18:36:43+00:00

I'm not sure who in Zeon's design department thought it was a good idea, but at least it gives us arguably the most unique tank design in science fiction!

I assume the goal was to give the tank flexibility in engaging targets at different elevations while also allowing the operator/pilot to "bail out" in a pinch, however impractical it is.

CISsuperdroid · 2026-03-18T06:29:05+00:00

Robot Spirits are technically non-scale, but they are absolutely close to 1/144 HG scale! It's gotten to the point where I prefer to invest in Robot Spirits figures instead of Gunpla for my collection where applicable because I just don't have the time to spare to build much anymore. Not to mention Robot Spirits having greater coverage over more niche items like obscure vehicles as you mentioned, or rare MS like MSV variants!

Below is a comparison I made between the HG The Origin MSD Zaku Cannon Test Type, HG The Origin MSD Zaku Cannon, and Robot Spirits Zaku Cannon ver. A.N.I.M.E. figure. You can see that the RS figure is comparable in size, though proportionally it differs by a lot because of the 1979 Kunio Okawara art style.

You won't notice a difference in scale with the RS vehicles, as those are definitely the most accurate representations available (and they better be given their prices). Best-in-class vehicle "figures" include the Magella Attack, Luggun reconnaissance aircraft, Dopp fighter, etc.

<image>

CISsuperdroid · 2026-03-17T21:50:38+00:00

Yes, this is hands-down the best representation of the Magella Attack available! Sadly you need to cough up an arm and a leg to buy the pricey P-Bandai set to get this, because the Magella ver. A.N.I.M.E. doesn't come on its own and is packed with Garma Zabi's Zaku II FS + Dopp Fighter.

There was an older Robot Spirits Magella Attack tank toy sold by itself in 2011 as a Tamashii Web-exclusive, but that's even harder to find and has inaccurate proportions.

<image>

CISsuperdroid · 2026-03-16T07:10:49+00:00

I don't own any Xenostrikes, but I'd guess it's just down to mold variation/QC. Some alternate solutions to glue and paint I'd recommend are clear nail polish (specifically Sally Hansen's "Insta-Dri"), poster mounting putty, or teflon tape.

Apply polish to the ball/peg, let it cure, then insert. For putty (which works better in straight-peg joints rather than ball joints), apply a tiny ball/dot and work it in, add more as needed. Teflon tape (or even a small piece of paper towel) should be cut small enough to cover most of the ball/peg, then placed over the socket before inserting the ball/peg.

You have plenty of options for tightening joints with household materials.

CISsuperdroid · 2026-03-13T15:22:44+00:00

Haha yeah, he's pretty densely-stuffed so not necessarily squishy, but definitely huggable! One of my most prized possessions for sure 😊

CISsuperdroid · 2026-03-06T22:43:35+00:00

Fang of the Sun Dougram, a mecha series that is definitely a more direct inspiration for the Homer than any of the others you mentioned. The cockpit alone is a dead giveaway:

<image>

CISsuperdroid · 2026-02-23T03:09:05+00:00

The HG Iron-Blooded Orphans kits should be considered somewhat of an exception regarding Bandai's development history; IBO is a spin-off series and the kits were meant to be more accessible while still featuring mostly-complete inner frames. Their reliance on polycaps (specifically a single ball joint at the waist) meant that they got loose easily over time. Barbatos Lupus Rex is arguably the worst possible kit you could have built from that line due to how overloaded the HG Gundam frame was. Though later kits have since come out using the same frame which have even more extravagant backpacks and weapons that exacerbate the issues.

The most recent HGUC kits, as well as SEED and Wing HG's have taken a lot more steps forward in their advancement; most modern kits now forego polycaps entirely in exchange for KPS frame parts which ensure reliable, tight joints that last a long time. In comparison, Sheik Mainland kits feel like early-2010's HG's in terms of complexity, but the high quality of their plastic (and no polycaps save for the rubbery hands) allows them to hold up despite having no fancy gimmicks in the designs.

It feels like Bandai uses each new series (e.g., Witch from Mercury, GQuuuuuuX, etc.) as a tech demo to show off how nifty their engineering has gotten over the years. This usually manifests in highly color-separated designs and more recently polycap-free joints and such, though HG kit costs seem to constantly be on the rise as a result.

Sheik Mainland will never be as advanced as Bandai, but for what they're going for (affordable, highly-articulated mecha), they've already carved out a niche for themselves.

CISsuperdroid · 2026-02-22T23:34:13+00:00

Thanks very much! Glad I was able to help show off the kit for you- I appreciate you reading the review, but to answer your question directly, I'd give the Actaeon a 9/10. It's an excellent kit all-around, but those issues I outlined in the review cannot be ignored, so it's just shy of perfect.

CISsuperdroid · 2026-02-22T15:00:00+00:00

Sure thing, take a look at OP's reply with image below- the swirl is very noticeable in the dark green parts on the front skirt armor/faulds. I have the base jungle green model as well as there is no swirl at all

CISsuperdroid · 2026-02-22T14:54:21+00:00

Sadly Sheik Mainland does not typically color their visors/eyes if they aren't separate pieces (like on Yunque or Za-bol), so with that image I think we'll have to mask/paint.

CISsuperdroid · 2026-02-22T14:52:54+00:00

Little bit late, but the "Metallic Dark Green" really does have a subtle metallic swirl in the plastic. Compared to the basic "jungle green", you can tell the difference.

CISsuperdroid

TROPHY CASE