Mecha Analysis: Gundam Build Fighters Try Episode 18

Previously on Mecha Analysis
Gundam G no Reconguista Episode 19
Gundam Build Fighters Try Episode 17

Today on Mecha Analysis, we look at episode 18 of Gundam Build Fighters Try. Something to keep in mind when looking at the Gunpla: Returning from Gundam Build Fighters, the ones responsible for mechanical design of Gundam Build Fighters Try are as follows,

• Kunio Okawara: THE Gundam designer, designing the original RX-78-2, and Zaku II along with many designs through the years. He's had his hand in Zeta, ZZ, 0080, F90, F91, 0083, Victory, G Gundam, 08th, Wing, X, Turn A, SEED, 00, Unicorn, and many other non-Gundam anime. Holy crap this list is long.
• Not much is said about Junichi Akutsu, Junya Ishigaki, and Kenji Teraoka.
• Kanetake Ebikawa, though has been working as a mechanical designer since the late 90s with anime like Blue Submarine No.6 and Full Metal Panic!, did not start designing for the Gundam franchise until 2007 with Mobile Suit Gundam 00. Other notable works include Gunpla Builders Beginning G, Gundam AGE, and Euerka Seven: AO.

---

Episode 18
After last week's relatively disappointing episode, hope for anything interesting this week was pretty low.  It's easy to get hyped for the Star Winning Gundam Real Mode, but looking at the story structure, I can only think of the three episode side stories in Gundam AGE littered through the latter half of the series - first episode introduction, second episode flashback (to make the characters seem important), and the character's death in the third episode - though death is unlikely in this anime, it still bothers me that this format is still a thing. 
Terrible story aside, the showcase of mecha this episode was quite great. Star Winning Gundam, no doubt, takes the spotlight with Fumina's Real Mode.

Team SD-R 

This group of triplets work as seen in the last episode, Snibal-Drago-Gira is created combining three similar looking SD Gundams. Their main attacks are multi-colored beams from the mouth of each dragon.

Their main defense are these particle shields with the three SD heads in the pattern. These shields might be okay for each individual SD Gundam, but for the dragon it seems impractical - couldn't anyone just attack from the side or back?

The SDR seems to have the ability to bind their opponent using an attack from their hands. Needless to say, Sekai gets out of this bind though shear force. Sekai's a monster.

Oh yeah, SDR's hands also have a drill function, because what's a mech anime without drills? Oh doesn't typically have drills...

Team Try Hards

This team is starting to work together, but I feel the synergy is lacking. How does Fumina continue to claim she's a support unit if she's not actually supporting anyone? Though she helped Yuuma get out of the castle, she does not seem to have anything that resembles her previous functions. Hopefully I'm proven wrong, but that is how I currently feel about Star Winning Gundam's performance.

I understand she changed from depending on other's strength to find her own strength, but that does not mean she needs to rid her suit of any supporting functions.

I was somewhat uneasy about Full Burnen. The original BWS had rockets, but ever since the upgrade, I don't think Yuuma ever used rockets. I thought he took them out for better mobility or something. Luckily that is not the case.

Lightning Gundam shows off a new function of the new beam rifle. It can attach directly to the Lightning Gundam with a piece from the Back Weapon System Mk-II. I wonder if that's possible with the kit - it looks pretty sweet, at least in the anime.

Try Burning Gundam continues to use his martial arts to get out of every situation. Despite nothing truly new about his suit, I am happy to hear more from Sei (through China) about the origin of Build Burning Gundam.

Real Mode

Star Winning Gundam may not show any defining support functions, however, it has a special feature that has been teased for quite some time - Real Mode. This mode transforms the SD Gundam into a somewhat regular proportioned suit.

By doing this, she sacrifices the funnel capability, but gains immense amounts of power (I'm assuming through the generators that were originally for the funnel's function). It seems she thinks that trade-off is worth it.

Using the generators scattered throughout the body, Fumina can use her main attack, Winning Beam - a 'W' shaped beam that comes from the 'V'-Fin (W-Fin?).

Other than that, her main weapon is the same as the SD form - the beam rifle/blade...gunblade? It definitely looks really nice with the extended beam effect on there.

While going through collecting screenshots, I noticed there is a silhouette that flashes on the screen during the Real Mode transformation. This is not the first time this has happened. I forget which one had the silhouette last time, but it was of another SD Gundam. This time there really is no parallel, so which Gundam is it and why is it labeled 'ZII?'

That is all I have for now, I hope to see you all tomorrow for G no Reconguista. That episode should be exciting!

And don't forget, the first annual Gunpla Lollapalooza has commenced! Register for a spot to compete by clicking the link on the navigation bar in the header, or by clicking the banner on the side. I hope to see you there!