Head
The head uses quite a few different colors, but somehow it makes it work. I’m surprised at how much I like the use of white for the face guard. It stands out against the darker colors of the helmet. As for the little wings/ears/whatever that come off the sides, they don’t attach very securely to the helmet, but in terms of their look I think they’re growing on me.
Torso
It’s hard not to talk about the torso without comparing it to the Wing Zero’s. Epyon’s felt simpler to build, despite its use of a larger quantity of small pieces. Perhaps the biggest difference is that the Epyon’s chest jewel isn’t nearly as complicated to assemble.
When all finished, the torso boasts just as many colors as Wing Zero, but I’m not sure they work as well. My biggest issue is the use of yellow and that bit of green from the jewel. Alone, they might actually work, but when combined with the maroon and purple it’s a huge color clash.
Shoulders
By all appearances, these should be some of the best shoulders I’ve ever built. In terms of detail they’re great. Multiple pieces of armor are layered and stitched together to create a piece that looks both tough and detailed. When attached to the torso, they add a quite a bit of character and overall menace to the unit.
Unfortunately, the internals are trash. The connection between the shoulder joint and the chest is extremely tight, and the connector itself is cross-shaped, rather than cylindrical. By simply moving the shoulder up and down, the tightness of the connection generated enough torque to twist the connector (and thus break it). I’ve attempted to reattach via super glue, but I’m not sure if it will hold (I had to sand the broken joint flat to apply the glue, and I’m not sure if I got a solid connection). As for the other shoulder, it isn’t yet broken, but I can tell that the joint is warped and ready to go. I can still get some movement out of the arms, but the poseability of this kit has just dropped dramatically.
Arms
If you looked at the Epyon without any prior knowledge, you might not guess that it transforms into a dragon. Or maybe you would, due to the two yellow claws strapped to its wrists.
Seriously though, they actually aren’t too bad. They fold into the arm while in mobile suit mode, so they don’t stick out and get in the way. Aside from the claws, the arms are made up of only a few simple pieces of armor. The best thing about this is that it was near-impossible to put any of the pieces on backwards, like I did with the Proto Zero.
Other Thoughts
- I googled “MG Epyon shoulder joint” and found numerous posts in which other builders struggled with (and in some cases, also broke) their kit’s shoulder joint. I’m glad I’m not the only one, but also sad that it is happening at all. Some folks suggested sanding down the joint so it has a bit more room to move around. Considering this tip was made in a post about an entirely different kit, I’ll keep it in mind for the future, as it is now clear to me that this isn’t an isolated issue.