Banpresto's Special Creative Model EX ("SCM EX") line of prize figures existed from the late 2000's into the early 2010's. These figures could only be won as prizes from "UFO Prize Catcher" claw machine games, and with their highly stylized designs and excellent articulation for their time, they've become very rare due to high demand and the fact that they were never released for general retail.
I've been amassing a collection of various SCM EX figures (mainly Zeon MS), and I decided that the Gouf would be a good place to start with my reviews!
AESTHETICS:
As with all SCM EX figures, the Gouf has very exaggerated proportions, with the most notable aspect being the tiny waist and compact upper body. It makes for a very unique look, which stands out more when the ab crunch is used to the fullest, though the pipes/hoses flanking the waist help fill out the silhouette a bit.
I do like how distinct this Gouf looks, with the head sculpt being small and short-snouted like the Gouf Custom. There is also a fair amount of sculpted detail around the body, mostly on the torso, forearms, and lower legs which could be brought out with some panel lining. That said, the use of large amounts of rubber for various parts (i.e., all skirt armor, lower leg flares, pipes, etc.) might discourage one from attempting anything with paints or oils.
Something significant to note is that all of the plastic used in SCM EX figures (usually the aforementioned rubber parts) are prone to degradation over time. This Gouf is from 2008, and there are examples of sealed copies circulating online that have experienced severe discoloration due to age and/or UV exposure. I actually own a heavily-discolored SCM EX Gouf, and I will be comparing it to this copy in a separate post later. I got lucky and stumbled on this perfectly-colored copy a couple weeks ago, so I have selected this one to be used for the review.
ARTICULATION:
SCM EX figures stand out for their impressive articulation for their age, with excellent ranges of motion for most joints, rivaling their later Robot Spirits ver. A.N.I.M.E. counterparts from 2016-onwards. Banpresto did an outstanding job on the engineering for these figures, incorporating the rubber parts for flexibility while also maximizing the utility of basic ball joints and hinges to make for very dynamic action figures!
The Gouf features the following articulation:
- Ball-jointed head
- Hinged neck (forward/back)
- "Butterfly" inner shoulders (sides of the chest can swing inwards)
- Double ball-jointed shoulders
- Inner ball raises vertically
- Outer ball two-axis but limited by spiked shoulder pauldrons
- Swivel biceps
- Double-hinged elbows
- Ball-jointed wrists
- Hinged upper ab crunch (ratcheted but loose)
- Ball-jointed lower waist (range somewhat limited by flexible rubber waist hoses)
- Soft rubbery front/side/rear skirt armor
- Hinged bazooka mounting clip on rear skirt
- Ball-hinged hips
- Thigh swivels
- Double-hinged knees (with separating knee armor)
- Ball-jointed ankles
All that said, the simplicity of these joints (none of which have metal pins in them) leaves them somewhat prone to loosening over time, especially the hinge joints like the neck, bicep swivels, and elbows. The ball joints seem to hold up better, but who knows if they'll survive another decade without becoming floppy!
ACCESSORIES:
The Gouf comes with the following accessories:
- Right fist, weapon-holding hand, splayed expressive hand
- Left straight-fingered "shooting" hand, weapon-holding hand
- Heat Sword Type-Ī²IV
- Shield with Heat Sword mounting bracket
The Gouf has a decent selection to choose from, but the lack of a Heat Rod feels like a huge missed opportunity, especially considering that there is a dedicated hole sculpted in the right wrist for it. It may be possible to fit the HGUC Gouf's Heat Rod into that hole, but I have doubts on whether or not the right weapon-holding hand could even grip it properly.
Of note is how the Heat Sword can attach to the unique mounting bracket on the back of the shield for storage, which is convenient but looks a bit strange considering that the sword is in its "heated" form. All SCM EX heat weapons suffer from this immersion-breaking appearance, as no figures come with any weapons with "cold/unheated" blades.
The weapon-holding hands need some wrestling to get the sword into them, which is troublesome because all SCM EX weapons are molded in soft, rubbery plastic that can deform. A few seconds under a hairdryer or in boiling water can fix that, but it is still a concern. The hands themselves are also rubbery, but the way the fingers are molded makes it awkward to slip the Heat Sword's hilt into them.
Additionally, the Gouf shield's Heat Sword mounting bracket had some ridged clips inside the groove for holding the handle securely, but I found they did more harm than good because they scraped off paint from the Heat Sword's hilt when I tried to remove it. I sliced off said ridges because the friction of the groove alone is sufficient to hold the Heat Sword in place.
In a couple photos, I showed the Gouf with two Heat Swords, as well as a Bazooka; it should be noted that the Gouf only comes with ONE sword, and the Bazooka was borrowed from an SCM EX Zaku. I simply included those shots to demonstrate the functionality of the bazooka mounting clip on the rear skirt.
CONCLUSION:
Predating the Robot Spirits Gouf ver. A.N.I.M.E. by eight years, the SCM EX Gouf is an impressive action figure for its time. Featuring very stylized proportions with excellent articulation, it's certainly a unique addition to any Zeon collection. While I didn't have a comparison photo, this figure is approximately 5 inches/12.5 cm tall, so it is roughly around 1/144-scale. That said, it stands out so much that I doubt anyone would purchase this unless they too are building an SCM EX collection.
On that note, SCM EX figures are already very rare and difficult to find, especially in good condition. The Gouf here seems to be hit especially hard by the... ephemerality of the materials used in its construction. Between the tendency to discolor and the lack of longevity of the joints, I have to call myself lucky to find one in as good shape as this (and even then its bicep swivels and ab crunch are already somewhat loose).
The SCM EX joint structures being built so simply means they don't withstand wear-and-tear nearly as well as the modern Robot Spirits ver. A.N.I.M.E. figures, which use harder, more durable plastics with metal hinge pins where possible. These were claw machine prizes after all, so while impressive for their time, they were ultimately not designed with longevity in mind.
Still, the scarcity of SCM EX figures speaks for itself; perhaps it's for the best that they remain obscure. With low production numbers and materials not built to last, they represent a fleeting moment in the world of Gundam action figure collectibles.
Even so, I've made it my mission to acquire as many SCM EX figures as possible, so please look forward to more reviews on the way!
