GNR-010/XN | XN-Raiser | Custom Parts

There is an earlier post regarding this topic, as this post is a follow up and more recent update. The link is here.

The official pictures are out! For those interested in more info of the XN-Raiser, please buy a copy of the Hobby Dengki Magazine at an outlet near you =)

Before, there was much speculation regarding the spec and techs of the unit. All was made clear in the magazine in August 2009. Much of the contents were very surprising, yet expected.

Apparently, this the official cover of the model kit. Very sexy indeed... Big round of applause for Sunrise! (*CLAP*CLAP*CLAP*) Very ingenious art design, especially the detailing of the 00 Gundam with the much anticipated add-on (and its the 40th Anniversary!). Now onwards to the unit design~!

GN-009 Seraphim Gundam

A hidden MS in another MS. Hmmm.... kinda cliche but still a worthy type of gundam. This system is very new to me, as it impressed me since it was release in S1. Kept as a add-on, this hidden MS type is used for combat support, back up and as a decoy.

New Seasons!

It's already quite late into the summer solstice, leaving many sweltering in their undergarments (if you happen to be at Comiket 76 last weekend). The heat here is, as usual, unbearable to the point scrambled eggs can be cooked on the roadside...

Now, on to more important matters!

As everyone (or at least you otakus) would know the new season is upon us, meaning only one thing... New Series!

Mahjong Madness

To be honest, I had no idea how to play mahjong... I don't even know where to start. And please don't ask be about the point system...

But I have been quite interested in the game ever since Saki came out. Well, I had no idea what ron, tsumo, or whatever terms they use in mahjong. So as you can imagine, I've been watching Saki with no clue whats going on or how they win, let alone the thousands of point they accumulate.

Sick of being Sick...

A small update on my life and reality rather than the normal posts of fiction and my interest.

Caught the cold from my sister (thanks alot...) and been kinda worried. Her school already has 2 confirmed cases of the latest virus strain, H1N1. So I was thinking,

"Do I have the virus?"

GN-008 Seravee Gundam

My personal favourite among the types of Gundam. Always huge, intimidating and packing hella punch, these artillery types always dominated the battle zone with sheer brute, raw power. An expert at long range fire and bombardments, these gundams make up for the core power of a squad, destroying enemies with their overwhelming firepower.

First appeared in Kidou Senshi Gundam 00 S2 Episode 1, Seravee Gundam was the first operational gundam at that time as Celestial Being had gone underground to regroup. Piloted by Innovado, Tieria Erde, he came to the rescue of the damaged Exia from the previous season, already showing the power of the upgraded version of its predecessor, Virtue Gundam.

Tieria Erde, a by-the-book guy in S1, has relaxed himself around other members as he has gained some "human emotions" during the 5 year hiatus of Celestial Being. Still in an unstable state, deciding which path he is to follow; Celestial Being or the Innovado's plan. Finally knowing which path to step on, he battles with other Gundam Meisters to change the world.

Unit Design.

As I said earlier, this is one of my favourite, so expect this next few line to be a little biased =P

A slim-down look. That's more or less the comparison between Virtue and Seravee. Virtue had previously the bulky and chubby look. Now, its successor, Seravee has forgone the added blasters the Virtue had on its shoulder to a more permanent installation on its shoulder. Now it looks more sturdy than the predecessor.

The head unit still has a slight resemblance to the Virtue, but a bit less fatter. Also, the Seravee has a more bulky but slim version of the legs, as the unit no longer has the purge ability the Virtue had. Still, it has a very broad look, with GN Drives/Condensers fitted on the back legs and side arm areas.

Mobility wise, there is definitely an upgraded to that aspect as the Seravee can preform more complicated and aglie moves compared to Virtue. So yeah, an excellent improvement in its auxiliary systems.

Weaponry System

There is a certain limit a gundam can have on the unit. Ranging from blasters to sabers and more specialised gear, Seravee had once again exceeded my expectations Sunrise can come up with.
Supporting 2 GN Bazooka II, a later version of the one Virtue used, each are hand held as they are able to unleash highly condensed particles, eating away and damaging MS. Originally, they were 1 unit, much like the GN Bazooka for Virtue. Seems that it was separate, giving the Seravee less charging time needed for the bazookas.

When combined, they form a near replica of the previous version, giving it the firepower an artillery type originally has.

Another obvious armament is the 4 GN Cannons mounted on the leg unit and back shoulder unit. This Quad Cannon provides the Seravee the firepower and charging time for the GN Bazookas. Not to be taken lightly as they can deliver shots from certain angles as they are rotatable.

With these 2 primary weapons, they are able to perform combination attacks which enchance the firepower of the GN Bazookas. Here are some of the combos;

Twin Buster Cannon
Double Bazooka Burst Mode (w/o Trans)
Hyper Burst Mode (w/ Trans)
Double Bazooka Cannon
Double Bazooka Buster Cannon

Apart from range weapons, Seravee has a ridiculous number of saber. 6 GN Sabers~! They are stored at the arm units and GN Cannons where hidden arms are located. Definitely covering the artillery-type weakness which is close-combat, they easily overpower MSs with less sabers...

For defense purposes, the Seravee has the GN Field equipped, much like the predecessor has but with a higher output of GN particles. This has increase the amount of punishment Seravee can take and providing it valuable charging time.

Also, the field can be used for offensive purposes. Seravee is able to generate the field not only around the unit but also in front of it. Acting as a glass orb, it refracted and focuses the GN Cannon and GN Bazooka's fire into the GN Field, creating a huge scorching ray of light to vapourize enemy MS.

Another hidden feature is the Face Burst Mode. Located at the back of Seravee is the hidden MS, Seraphim Gundam. This is another unit, capable of producing its own particles. Combine that with the Seravee that already has that procution ability, this gives the Seravee that firepower.

The face reveals itself to produce more particles, channeling it to Seravee's unit, increasing the destructive yield of the blast. This is much better than the Nadleeh system, which requires Virtue to purge all parts to reveal its form as Seravee and Seraphim can fight side-by-side to a certain extent as there is only Tieria Erde to pilot it.

Most of its destructive attacks come from the Trans-Am mode. Releasing most of the unit's stored particles and Seraphim's, most MS should be advised to stay away from it.
Basically, this is a gundam built for destruction;

Seravee GN + Seraphim GN x 3 (Trans-Am) = BOOM

A formula for disaster...

The Seravee Gundam did get a make over too before the final battle. Equipped with more blasters, it gives more enemy MS a reason to not mess with it.

The GN-008GNHW/B Seravee Gundam. Here is a more detailed report of the unit's Heavy Weapon system.

I will leave that for another post along with Seraphim Gundam.

Next Gundam post: GN-009 Seraphim Gundam

Look forward to it~!

GN-007 Arios Gundam

"A transformable gundam". That's the main idea behind the few similar gundams that share this feature through out the Gundam universe. A disruptor and fast moving vehicle/gundam, able to transform to a commonly plane shaped vehicle, they move around the battlefield at blinding speeds creating confusion among enemy ranks.

First operational in Kidou Senshi Gundam 00 S2, Arios wasn't launched at first with it's pilot. The unit's operator, Allelujah Haptism, was captured by the Federation, only to be rescued by the Celestial Being's blitz attack on the prison. Arios was deployed to rendevous with Hallelujah to facilitate his escape and to return as a Gundam Meister.

Arios, the successor of Kyrios, is the next generation of gundams to come. A combat support type, it weaves around the field in search of targets. Able to handle close-combat missions as well as solo and stealth missions, it is a very versatile gundam in the battlefield.

Unit Design

Well, firstly, to who ever first laid eyes on Arios, would have noticed that Arios is a lot broader than it's predecessor. This is due to the transformable "claws" located on the shoulder of the unit.

Similar to Kyrios which has it's left hand full with the pincer claw shield, this feature has been transferred to the shoulder parts. Will explain in greater detail in a the Weaponry section.

However, it still retains its sharp design, having many sharp edges and an ariel design. The head of the unit has 4 'horns' compared to other gundams, another interesting design. Other than that, it has "GN Drives" (or a more compact version as it doesn't have a huge solar drive) placed at the both leg units.

Weaponry System.

Different from Kyrios, it carries an upgraded version of the previous main gun, the GN Twin Beam Rifle II. Supporting 2 barrels, it fires at an amazing rate with condensed GN particles.
Also, at some point of time, it was later equipped with another, supporting 2 beam rifles.

Also, it carries 2 GN Sub-Machine Guns under the forearm unit of Arios. These 2 weapons are entirely new to the Gundam 00 universe as they prove to be the other main weapon Arios uses. And it has changed the way Arios moves and fights, no longer relying on a hand-held weapon. One thing for sure, it has surpassed the firing rate of the GN Twin Beam Rifle it has, giving the unit lethal speed to fit this type of mobile suit.

Also included in its armaments are 2 GN Sabers at the leg units. However, Allelujah prefers to utilize energy weapons rather than saber as they are hardly seen.

Apart from those, not much attention is paid to the defense of the unit. Located on the shoulders of the unit, there are GN Beam Shields for protection instead of its predecessor. Despite it's very lacking defense, its speed and agility makes up for this weak point.

As said earlier, Kyrios previously had the GN Shield which had taken up the left hand. Now, the Kyrios has the same concept, GN Beam Shield, installed in the fighter mode. When in flight mode, it is able to deploy its claw-like pincers onto the enemy, clamping down on the hull of the mobile suit, either taking them away from the battle zone or tearing them apart with its GN particle infused pincer.

There must have been many hardships of not being able to fully utilize the Arios as Allelujah is no longer a Super Soilder, thanks to the head injury preventing Hallelujah, his alter ego, to awaken in the previous season's operation.

To make up for this, Celestial Being attached a support/addition unit to the Arios.
The GNR-101A GN Archer.

When combined, it becomes the GNR-101A Archer Arios.
This new unit also functions as a GN Tail Booster, powering up the Arios for more speed, more firepower and more maneuverability.

However, I'll leave that to another post for more in depth details.

The Arios Gundam also did get a make over for the final battle. This included some awesome armaments that really change the firepower of the Arios, GN-007GNHW/M Arios Gundam.
Read here to know more about the HW (Heavy Weapons) version.


Next gundam post; GN-008 Seravee Gundam

Look forward to it~!