The Efreet Custom is one of the main mecha from the 'Gundam: The Blue Destiny' games.
Starting with the Efreet Custom from Gundam: The Blue Destiny, we are finally getting proper toys from these classic Sega Saturn games. Educational Toys For Kids Learning
Released back in 1996, the Blue Destiny games were split across three releases. Effectively three chapters of one larger game, the series was eventually bundled together.
The Blue Destiny games were also a marked departure from previous Gundam games, as they tried to recreate mobile suit combat from the vantage point of the pilot’s cockpit. Moreover, they took this first person approach and make a more action type game, with fixed orbit lock-ons and explosive combat.
The other big aspect to these games is that you started out playing with grunt level GMs and slowly upgraded to a Gundam over the course of the three entries.
It also had an interesting story that dealt with a new EXAM system to allow regular pilots to perform like Newtypes, but it didn’t always work out properly and that was down to how the EXAM system worked.
In short, it used the downloaded mind of an actual Newtype to make it work, and she wasn’t best pleased about that.
The EXAM system started out as a Zeon project, but its main scientist defected to the Federation. The result of this meant that both Zeon and the Federation had their own EXAM system capable mobile suits.
Zeon’s entry was the Efreet Custom piloted by Nimbus Schterzen. The Efreet was also a curious Zeon mobile suit, as it had an interesting gaming history behind it.
Originating in the Super Famicom game Cross Dimension 0079, it faced off against the Gundam Pixy. It then appeared in the Blue Destiny games as this Custom variant and then popped up again in Gundam Senki 0081 as the more menacing Efreet Nacht. It also appeared in Gundam Unicorn in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo as the Efreet Schneid.
Seeing this speeding towards you in the game was rather terrifying.
All the versions of the Efreet, including the Custom, had one main thing in common though; they were built for high speed close combat.
That meant facing down the Efreet Custom in the Blue Destiny games was a terrifying experience. Doubly so as you had to do it via a claustrophobic first person cockpit view. As it zoomed around you waving its Heat Swords, it definitely made for a tense gaming encounter.
So to have the first of the Blue Destiny Robot Damashii releases cover the Efreet Custom feels rather fitting, as it’s arguably one of the scariest Gundam gaming antagonists out there.
As for this toy, it’s a Ver. Anime release, which is a little odd. Normally, the Ver. Anime toys are meant to recreate the original anime designs as faithfully as possible. However, this mobile suit has never had its own anime, so it should probably be called Ver. Game instead?
Regardless, it is very accurate to the original design. From its sculpt to the detailing and paintwork. The articulation is also very thorough and allows for a wide range of poses, which is good as this is meant to be a very agile mobile suit.
You also get a variety of extra parts and accessories, with effect parts for when the EXAM system activates. These are pink flames at the rear as well as pink colored booster parts. One nice touch is that you can swap out the mono eye with a nice pink effect part as well.
These are technically not accurate to the Sega Saturn of the game, but did appear in Gundam: Side Stories and the various Gundam Extreme Versus games.
Overall, it’s a very nice figure of a very specific and well loved video game mobile suit design. The fact we even have it is kind of amazing and it’s an added bonus that it’s just so well done.
While this Robot Damashii Efreet Custom toy is now available in Japan, it will be released internationally this March and can be pre-ordered via Amazon for $94.
Robot Damashii Efreet Custom Gallery
Disclosure: Bandai Spirits sent me this figure for the purposes of this review.
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