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So, today we're gonna look at another of those pieces that I never thought I'd run into in the wild, the Tamashii Nations Chogokin Fate/Zero Archer Gilgamesh figure.

 

Released in 2013 at 9,500 Yen, I didn't even know such this figure existed, but sure enough after seeing an ad on Facebook and doing some research, the $80 CAD seemed like a good buy, so 10 minutes in the car later the figure is in my possession. Apparently there is a companion Chogokin Saber, which I didn't know existed either - the only die cast I knew about was the Armoured Girl Project version.

 

Gilgamesh is, unless things have changed drastically, the biggest asshole in the entire Fate universe. He is a Heroic Spirt that hails from ancient times, and is known as "The King of Kings". He pretty much looks down on everyone and anyone, and in his Archer form (which is the case for Fate/Zero) a formidable foe especially with lance Ea and his "Gates of Babylon" Noble Phantasm.

 

I've looked at quite a few Bandai/Tamashii Nations products, mostly within the Figuarts or D-Arts lines, but it's not that often I get my hands on something from the Chogokin lineup. Much like the God Cloth Andromeda Shun I picked up back earlier, Gilgamesh features significant use of die cast metal, and whatever isn't metal is a beautiful chromed plastic. The figure is quite heavy, easily weighing triple the Figma version.

 

So other than being shiny, you'll find that the armour on the Chogokin version is bulkier and more angular than the Figma. Based on what I can tell, the Figma wins the accuracy round, not only for looks but also for featuring a dark blue rather than black for the various crevices, so for all the sticklers out there you're pretty much better off avoiding this one all together.

 

The Chogokin however appears to have far more accurate looking face plates and hair. Furthermore, the detailing on the Chogokin is sharper due to the use of harder materials. You can make it out on the body, but where it really shines is on the script that is etched on the hand guard of his Lance.

 

The contents of the set aren't as impressive as the Andromeda Shun figure, but this figure doesn't have exploding armour that reforms itself into a totem of sorts. You get the figure, three total face plates (neutral, eyes shifted right, smiling), a pair of arms dedicated to making his cross arm pose work, Ea, three gold goblets, a giant gold wine decanter, a variety of posing hands, and a literal pedestal for displaying the figure on.

 

The two dedicated cross chest arms are a very nice touch, and look so much nicer than than the faux arm pieces that come with most figures these days. As this is going to be my display option of choice, it's something I really like.

 

So while the head overall looks better than the Figma version, you'll find the faces themselves somewhat lacking in any real variety, which is something generally pointed out by the other owners. I will say, however, that the faces for Gilgamesh do seem more on point and useful than the ones that come with Saber.

 

Articulation, as you can probably guess, is a dud. You get some movement sure, but ultimately you're going to be sticking with relatively static poses, which in a way works out given the somewhat tame choices of face plate. Sure the points of articulation are there (toes, ankles, double jointed knees, thigh swivel, hips, waist, shoulders with chest compress, bicep swivel, double jointed elbows, wrists, neck, head) along with some other points for moving the armour bits around, you ill find the legs are generally constrained by the skirt, particularly the rear, and Pauldrons interfere with arm movement

 

Thus, as I mentioned before, pretty much static poses. It's a good thing he's a sharp looking figure.

 

Paint wise, there is nothing significant for me to complain about. Most of the paint apps are within the crevices of the armour and gear, and those are well done with no masking issues, and all other painted areas are equally sharp. The chroming of plastic is smooth and while doesn't have the same lustre of the metal piece, it is all smooth with no bubbles or poor finishes. Decal work on the eyes is tack sharp. The areas of greatest weakness in this section would be the hands, which due to the use of softer plastics the finish isn't as nice which in turn affects the smoothness of the paints.

 

You're not going to spending much time staring at those hands, though, and to be perfectly honest they're just rough looking by comparison to the rest of the figure.

 

Similarly, from a build quality perspective this figure is beautifully made. The metal parts are polished with no rough edges, and fit perfectly on the plastic frame that holds it all together. The plastic parts are generally hidden, with the chromed parts being pretty much flawless. As with these plastic/die cast hybrids, the joints do the job, though some can be a bit of a pain to move for fear of breakage, and the plastic on plastic joints work as well as any other Bandai figure. The plastic skirt pieces are well made.

 

Again, the roughest looking pieces, by comparison, are the hands, where there are some mould lines that weren't cleaned quite crisply enough as well as the aforementioned surface imperfections.

 

So in conclusion, a beautiful looking figure that values aesthetics (and use of die cast) over practical posing capabilities. While the bulk of Pauldrons is a necessary evil, posing options could have been vastly improved if they had simply used actual cloth for the skirt portions (which incidentally would have made the figure look even more impressive). It was already 9,500 Yen back in 2013, which puts it in the luxury figure price range, so why not go that extra step?

 

Oh well.. at least it will look damn good sitting on my desk.

Done