HGBuild Fighters

最強機動 Gundam Tryon 3

Three try machines, one giant sword, and a build that fights you the whole way.

MechaGrade Score

2.9/5

最強機動 Gundam Tryon 3 · 1/144 · 2015

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2015

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

I like the idea of the Tryon 3 a lot more than I like building it.

Three separate animal machines, a liger, a manta ray, and a bird, snap together into one combined Gundam, and that partsforming gimmick is genuinely fun to fiddle with once it is done. But getting there involves some of the roughest nub placement I have dealt with in an HG, and the finished kit is looser than I want it to be for how much play value it is selling you on.

Best for: Build Fighters completionists and gimmick collectors who want the partsforming novelty, not first-time builders

The full review

What it is

This is the HGBF take on Minato Sakai's Tryon 3 from Gundam Build Fighters Try, and the core concept is the whole appeal: three try machines, Riku Tryon (a liger, land), Umi Tryon (a manta ray, sea), and Sora Tryon (a bird, sky), that partsform together into one combined Gundam. Splitting it back into three independent little mechs and reassembling them is a genuinely fun five minutes, and it is the kind of kit you hand to someone who has never seen combiner toys and watch their face change. The molded colors read close to the show, which helps a design that is already busy with panel lines and animal motifs.

The catch

The nub placement is the real problem here. Reviewers and my own experience line up on this: several nubs sit on visible outer surfaces instead of tucked into seams, so cleanup means real gate scars on parts you cannot hide. The kit also runs proportionally a little odd next to the anime version, since it borrows heavily from the older HGUC ZZ Gundam frame rather than a fresh mold, which flattens some of the Super Robot chunkiness the design is supposed to have. Poseability is limited by the skirt armor and partsforming joints, the giant sword is genuinely giant and the hands struggle to hold it without drooping, and a few builders report joints loosening over time to the point of the kit not holding a stance on its own.

Who it's for

If you are working through the Build Fighters Try roster or you specifically want the transforming three-in-one gimmick on your shelf, this earns its spot, just go in expecting a fussier build than a standard HG. If you are new to Gunpla or you want a kit that poses cleanly and holds a dynamic stance for photos, skip this one and pick up a mainline HGUC or a more recent HGBF release instead. The Tryon 3 rewards patience with the nub cleanup and forgives you for not caring that much about display poses, since the partsforming trick is the actual reason to own it.

What works

Partsforming into three distinct animal-themed mechs (liger, manta ray, bird) is a genuinely satisfying gimmick
Molded plastic colors track the anime design closely, so it looks right on the shelf without much painting
Comes with a proper arsenal, the Hyper Minovsky Chohoken beam rifle/sword, Tryon 3 Cannon, and Dragon Claw, for a kit at this price point

Worth knowing

Nub and gate placement lands on visible surfaces in multiple spots, meaning real cleanup work to avoid scars
Reused HGUC ZZ Gundam proportions make the combined form look flatter and less Super Robot than the source art
Limited waist and skirt articulation, plus a giant sword the hands struggle to hold steady, and joints that can loosen with handling

Sold? Grab it.

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The build story

What the build is actually like, and the engineering worth knowing about.

Assembly runs in three short stages, one per try machine, before you combine them, which keeps the runners approachable even though there are a lot of small connector parts for the partsforming joints. The rough part is gate cleanup: several nubs sit where you will see them on the finished model, so plan on more knife and file time than a typical HG if you want clean surfaces. Fit between the three sub-units and the combined shell is snug but not precise, and a few builders note the halves can pop apart if you pose too aggressively.

Where it earns points is the transformation itself, splitting the Gundam back into the liger, manta ray, and bird forms and reassembling them is the actual centerpiece, and it works smoothly once everything is together. Articulation covers a ball-jointed neck, peg-and-socket shoulders with rotating upper arms, elbows that bend to roughly 100 degrees, and a limited ball-and-socket waist, enough to hold basic action poses even if the giant sword and the loosened joints work against you over time. Extra open and clenched hands are included, and the weapon loadout (beam rifle/sword combo, cannon, dragon claw) gives you real posing options for a kit in this price band.

Lore & trivia

01The Tryon 3 is piloted by Minato Sakai in Gundam Build Fighters Try, a series set seven years after Sei Iori and Reiji Asuna won the 7th Gunpla Battle World Tournament.
02Its three components are named for the domains they represent: Riku Tryon (land, liger form), Umi Tryon (sea, manta ray form), and Sora Tryon (sky, bird form).
03The kit's frame and proportions draw heavily from the earlier HGUC Double Zeta Gundam mold rather than an all-new engineering base.
04Its signature melee weapon is named the Hyper Minovsky Chohoken, doing double duty as a beam rifle and a blade.