Mobile Suit XXXC-0182 Gundam Nataku - Model number: XXXG-01D - Code name: Gundam Deathscythe - Unit type: mobile suit - Manufacturer: Professor G (with assistance from Scavenger Group) - Operator: Gundam pilots - First deployment: 7 April AC 195 - Accommodation: pilot only, in standard cockpit in torso - Dimensions: head height 16.3 meters - Weight: empty 7.2 metric tons; max gross weight unknown - Construction: gundanium alloy - Powerplant: ultracompact fusion reactor, power output rating unknown - Performance ability levels: fighting 140; weapons 120; speed 160; power 120; armor 120 - Equipment and design features: sensors, range unknown; 2 x hyper jammer ECM suite on backpack; self-destruct system - Fixed armaments: 2 x vulcan gun, fire-linked, mounted in head; 2 x machinecannon, fire-linked, mounted on torso; beam scythe, stored in recharge rack on rear waist armor, hand-carried in use; buster shield, equipped with beam blade, can be launched at target and retrieved

The innards

When the five scientists who designed the XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Zero in AC 180 went their separate ways, each of them took copies of the plans for their original Gundam design. Professor G, who went into hiding in the L2 colonies, then went on to design and build his own Gundam based on their original plans. With the assistance of an underground scavengers' guild known as the Sweeper Group, Professor G built a Gundam that specialized in stealthiness and close-quarters combat. His creation was called the XXXG-01D Gundam Deathscythe, and it proved to be a true mechanical terror when it was launched to Earth to fight OZ during Operation Meteor in AC 195. "Gundam 02," as the Deathscythe was code-named by OZ forces, was equipped with standard vulcan guns and machinecannons for ranged weapons. However, its primary armament was its large, deadly beam scythe, capable of slicing through enemy mobile suits like a knife through hot butter. The Deathscythe also carried a "buster shield," which mounted two solid blades and a beam blade and could be launched spinning into a target for a rather messy, destructive effect. But in order to use these weapons effectively, the Deathscythe was also equipped with a "hyper jammer" ECM system, making the Gundam invisible to various types of electronic sensors, thus allowing the mobile suit to slip in and attack when the enemy isn't looking. The Deathscythe's pilot, Duo Maxwell, became well known as the "God of Death" for his mastery of these stealthy strikes.

Finally, the DRAGON CLAWS-AWS-AWS! These are huge, weird, Ashtaron-esque jointed crusher claws that are mounted on a 5-inch-long dragon head that locks into place under the Nataku's forearms. To activate them, you swing the arm forward, rotate it around the elbow 180 degrees so the wrist is turned completely away from the body, flip down a funky shield that covers the fist and contains a joint for a long red, multi-segmented articulated dragon neck, which is connected to the back of the huge stylized dragon head (with fins!), and extend the long finger-like claws (with teeth!).

Bandai has tried something different with the hands, instead of having the hands being flexible, they include a couple of different hands and then you choose what hand you want for the pose. This goes true for the double beam trident, which is good because getting the weapons to sit in these hands right can be a pain sometimes. However the bad thing is that if you want to change hand position, you have to change parts which is also a pain.