For those that have followed the Armored Core games over the years, many of you will know that Shoji Kawamori penned much of the mecha design. However, in the newer games such as Armored Core 4 and For Answer his role was almost non-existent. Instead From Software opted to use the very talented in-house illustrator, Yuzo Kojima. That said, in the case of For Answer, Kawamori was called back to create one specific design; that of Line Ark’s White Glint.

Due to the fact that it was such a strikingly elegant design, White Glint consequently adorned all the packaging and was exclusively featured in the opening CG movie (which we’ve included at the end of the review). So, when Kotobukiya were announcing they were releasing a model kit of the design earlier in the year many fans were suitably happy with the news. What follows is a photo review of the kit in a partially painted form, followed by fully painted photos.

The design itself was also interesting on a few counts, the new Assault Armor feature seen in For Answer (where the player purges their Primal Armor in a spherical burst of energy) was debuted by White Glint. In addition, the design also sported a new Over Boost setup where the whole back of the mecha literally unfolds to reveal numerous boosters. This was also an integral part of the new Vanguard Overboost system (or VOB for short), where solid fuel rockets were literally strapped to the back of a Next allowing it to travel at supersonic speeds (you can also buy a kit of the VOB if you’re curious).

There was also a sizeable amount of confusion surrounding White Glint when For Answer was finally released abroad. Specifically, due to the female nature of the pilot. This confused many, as in the previous game a White Glint named Next was piloted by a male Linx, specifically that of Joshua O’Brien. The truth is that in the Japanese release, whilst not overtly stated, it’s insinuated that the pilot of the new White Glint in For Answer is actually the player from the previous game; so the gender is obviously not fixed. This is why the official Japanese site and in-game materials refer to the Linx as an “Unknown”. So, as is often the case with the Armored Core games, the Western localisation isn’t entirely accurate in this instance.

Anyway, on with the review. We’ve also included the opening movie and some in-game footage featuring White Glint at the end. Enjoy!

Kit: 1/72 White Glint
Price: 6800 yen
Size/Weight: 33.5 x 21.5 x 13.0 cm/930g

For many, White Glint was an aesthetic nod to Kawamori’s much loved earlier designs. Though what made this design so impressive was that Kawamori’s illustrations were almost exactly replicated in-game, something the earlier games had obvious technical problems with due to their more basic host hardware. As such, the kit itself is very accurate to not only the art seen in game but also the original illustrations. We’ve included the original illustration work by Kawamori below.

The kit itself, like all other Kotobukiya efforts, is very much about the quality of the sculpt. As such the assembly is more complex than it may initially appear in its finished state. The kit also features much of the gimmicks the design in the game has, which means the complexity in terms of assembly is also a bit more than the other Armored Core kits (notably that of the Noblesse Oblige kit, which we’ve also reviewed).

It’s also worth noting that whilst the finished kit is expertly jointed, resulting in striking poses, it’s also quite fragile. If handled improperly, some of the stabilisers on the legs especially will easily snap off at the joint. The feet are also quite delicate in the heel area, as the two pieces of plastic that act as the main points of stability can pop off. Though these can be obviously re-attached with ease. Surprisingly, the Overboost setup at the rear of the kit is remarkably sturdy and the hinge system, whilst very simple, works admirably.

Overall, the White Glint kit is a testament to Kotobukiya’s craftsmanship and is very enjoyably kit to make. Due to the colour of the base parts, not much paint is needed (bar a little bit of black here and there). As such, we can thoroughly recommend this kit to anyone who played and enjoyed For Answer, or if you’re a discerning fan of Kawamori’s illustration.

[flash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7_FBFkSU90]

[flash http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19rzJ29LyJM]

There are also some very nice photos of a professionally painted White Glint and its Vanguard Overboost, here and here.