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STH-16 IO Frame Shiden (Teiwaz Corps)

The Tekkadan grunt suit reborn in Teiwaz blue, and it moves better than a background mech has any right to.

MechaGrade Score

3.7/5

IO Frame Shiden (Teiwaz Corps) · 1/144 · 2018

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2018

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is a P-Bandai recolor of a genuinely good HG, and the base kit underneath the new color scheme is the real reason to buy it.

The IO Frame's articulation punches well above its price band for a mass-production suit, and the two-tone blue molding actually sells the Teiwaz identity without much paint work. The catch is that you're paying exclusive-kit prices for what is, structurally, the same 2016 Shiden with a new runner of blue plastic, so this one is for people who specifically want the Teiwaz colorway, not first-time buyers who just want any Shiden.

Best for: IBO completionists and colorway collectors who already know the base Shiden is solid and want the Teiwaz Corps version specifically

The full review

What it is

This is the IO Frame Shiden, the suit that carried season 2 of Iron-Blooded Orphans as Tekkadan's mainline grunt, reissued through Bandai's online shop in a two-tone Teiwaz blue instead of the original grey and orange. Snapping this together, I was reminded why the original release got so much love: it's an easy, breezy build with real snap-fit confidence, no wobble in the joints as you go, and gate placement that stays mostly out of visible surfaces. The blue molding is genuinely well judged, two shades that read as panel variation rather than a flat recolor, so a good chunk of the suit looks finished before a marker ever touches it.

The catch

The honest issue is that this is a recolor, not a new mold, so if you already own any version of the Shiden you already own this kit's engineering. It was a P-Bandai exclusive, which means you're paying above standard HG pricing for plastic that is otherwise identical under the paint job. A few builders flag the feet as a weak point, the ankle halves can pop apart under stress and benefit from a dab of glue before you start posing it hard. And like most HGs from this era, the finer details (vents, sensor accents) still lean on stickers or hand painting rather than molded color.

Who it's for

Buy this if you're building out the Iron-Blooded Orphans roster and want the Teiwaz-affiliated look on your shelf next to the Tekkadan-grey version, or if the two-tone blue just does it for you visually. Skip it if you only want one Shiden and don't care about the specific unit affiliation, since the standard-release HG Shiden gets you the same build and the same articulation for less money. It's also a fine pick for someone who wants a taste of the IO Frame's engineering before stepping up to the Gundam Barbatos kits that share the same design language.

The build story

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

The build moves fast and doesn't fight you. Parts seat with a confident click, nub placement keeps cleanup mostly to the undersides and joint sockets, and there's very little of the seam-line anxiety you get on more complex HGs. The riot shield and partizan assemble easily and the collapsing handle on the partizan is a nice functional touch rather than just a static accessory.

Where this kit earns its reputation is articulation: a double ball-jointed neck, swing-and-swivel shoulders, elbows that bend past 90 degrees, a 360-degree waist, and double-jointed knees all add up to poses that actually hold their shape on the shelf. Loadout is generous for an HG, rifle, gauntlet, partizan, and riot shield, giving you real options for a dynamic display without hunting down aftermarket weapons.

Lore & trivia

01The IO Frame Shiden was Tekkadan's mainline mass-production mobile suit throughout the second season of Iron-Blooded Orphans, filling the same narrative role the Gundam Barbatos's escorts played earlier in the series.
02The Teiwaz Corps version was a Bandai Hobby Online Shop exclusive release, distinguishing it from the standard grey and orange Tekkadan colorway of the original 2016 HG.
03The suit's partizan features an in-fiction collapsing handle that lets the pilot adjust its striking range, and the kit reproduces this as a functional design point rather than a static sculpt.
04The IO Frame chassis used in the Shiden shares its core design lineage with the frame underpinning Gundam Barbatos, part of what made the HG line's articulation stand out for its price point.