[Third Party] - DADA Model: Exia Repair IV

Moving into the breakdown of the kit, keep in mind that since this is a new manufacturer and that there is no "legit" release of this variation in plastic model form, there will be QC issues that I will only bring up once or twice unless its a HUGE issue.

This means flashing, extra pegs with no receiving end, fitment problems. Your standard issue third party plastic model kit manufacturing errors.

• Purchasing Link: DADA Model GN-001RE IV EXIA REPAIR 4 

First thing you'll notice about this kit is that it comes delivered in a plain cardboard box with absolutely no markings other than a sticker and QR code. It was delivered tightly bubble wrapped and had included hard plastic corner guards to ensure that there is minimal damage to the box and its contents, I had no doubt that the pieces remained on the runners after its journey from Asia. Major thumbs up to the seller!

Plastic quality is acceptable less minor flashing issues and haze in a couple pieces, nothing a little bit of sanding cant fix.

 

A+ packaging

Manual

The included manual is barebones and quite small compared to the usual booklets included in kits from major manufacturers. There is no color guide, no decal placement page, no suit information or any of the extras you're probably used to.

I would say that most of the manual is suggestive more than instructional, there will be incorrect runner letters and even omitted parts numbers throughout the booklet.  Visually you will be able to figure out what needs to be done, the drawings are small but overall is informative enough that you can guess which piece is needed. Keep in mind that there will be times where the scaling on the diagrams are completely out of whack. You'll have the right part as indicated but looks much smaller/larger in the booklet causing some confusion.

Included: manual, runners, sticker sheet, waterslide decals, GN Cables

Head

...and here's where the problems start. Page 1, step 1.

Bring hobby cement, and lots of it if you want it to look presentable. The sculpt is great but you will need to make minor modifications and cement quite a few pieces together to make it look perfect. Biggest issue is where the red chin piece connects to the underside of the eyes, there's quite a noticeable gap between these parts if left completely out of the box.  The rest of the head goes together *fairly easily* Stickers included for the eyes, front and rear jewel, and the GN Condensers 

Torso

Your standard Master Grade torso build. If you've done one, you've done them all. Fitment is a bit on the tight side, I had to snip some pegs on an angle for easier assembly. Don't push too hard with the colored pieces to avoid stress marks, some areas are thinner than usual. My kit in particular has a visible gap between the front and the rear chest armor, I wasn't able to narrow down which piece was causing the issue so I've left it as is. Not super noticeable once the whole kit is completed.

No side to side movement as its not a ball joint, but ab crunch is A+. I have a feeling this will be a weak point for those who love articulation.

A new addition to the back of the torso is an attachment where the GN Drive would normally go, this is a rotatable mount for the GN Tachi.

Hip

Again, standard issue build.  Simple and to the point, backside has a rack (for lack of better word) built into it for attaching 2x GN Bayonets. The underside has a PC material rectangle for what I assume to be a Metal Build style stand (not included) you see in a lot of third party kits of MB kits.

Arms

Here's where things start to get interesting. The right arm is what you would usually expect with any Exia variant. The left arm on the other hand is a completely different mold and unique to the Repair 4.

Assembly of this new arm is a bit of a headache, I ended up snipping off all the pegs as it was riddled with fitment issues and cemented all the parts in place instead. The hand is made out of the same material as the polycaps and had an insane amount of flashing, hobby knife is your best friend here.

Stickers included for GN Condensers on both arms. 

Zero problem holding any of the 7x swords. Left wrist might feel a little floppy to some builders, again due to the softer PC material hands.

Note that due to the included PC runner being made out of a softer material than what you're probably used to, the arms will be a little hard to move up and down since it isn't as solid, the only way around this is to remove the limb from the torso and sticking the end of a painting clip in while making the necessary adjustments, you can use whatever fits the hole.

Legs

Usual MG build. Simple inner frame with standard detailed outer armor, GN Condensers had to be glued in due to misplaced holes and friction mount. Very straight forward and the least problematic of all the limbs. Joints are nice and tight, absolutely zero flop.

Feet

No weak ankles and feet. The most common complaint of MG Exia is something you won't have to worry about with this kit, there's tons of flexibility and side to side movement.  I believe these are based on the Dragon Momoko line of Exia kits, so no ball joints.  Overall very solid and will hold the weight of the kit with the GN Shield attached no problem.

 

Accessories

Seven Swords

Glue, glue, glue, glue, glue. While the included green blades are very nice (you might have small QC issues on the edges attached to the runner) the handles have fitment issues and are very loose. It doesn't help that the manual has a ton of mislabeling for this section, 

I would double check with official MB product photos to make sure everything is in the right place before using cement for final placement.

GN Shield

Nothing to write home about. Assemble as instructed. GN Battle Blades and GN Battle Swords are held without issue, but do last to avoid swords coming off while posing.

Very solid, attachment point to the main body via a single peg which might pose an issue overtime. I've left mine off except for photo purposes only.

Waterslide Decals

Included with the kit is a full waterslide decal sheet, you'll have all the markings needed to replicate the MB Repair 4.  There will be spelling errors so if you're a purist... look at purchasing correct waterslides if they're available. Also missing are decals for the GN Battle Swords and instead doubled up on GN Battle Blades. 

Conclusion

This kit requires a bit of elbow grease to get looking right, but the end result is definitely worth it. Anyone who doesn't want to shell out the money for an MB Repair 4 and has some build time behind them will have absolutely no issues putting this together for an awesome addition to their collection.

As far as 3rd party goes, even with some glaring issues, I give this an 8/10.

Enjoy some extra photos :)