[Joe Moore]

E2046 is an online retailer specializing in anime and Japanese modeling and garage kits. They also produce their own line of kits as well. Their kits come pre-painted, but unassembled, to allow collectors and and to have high quality items without the need to learn painting techniques. This is their "Gathering" line of resin model kits. E2046 was kind enough to supply us with one of these kits for review.

For review we were sent their Jinohga Armor Hunter pre-painted resin model kit. The Jinohga Armor Hunter is based on designs from the insanely popular Monster Hunter series. The armor that the Hunter wears here is from Jinouga, the main creature, a Fanged Wyvern, from Monster Hunter Portable 3rd for the Sony PSP.

Packaging
The Jinohga Armor Hunter comes in a very sturdy, secure and well constructed cardboard box. The box is black with a montage display on the front showcasing the assembled model kit. When opened, the packaging houses a secure, pre-cut, foam tray. The pieces are snugly placed in their areas and surrounded by soft packing foam pieces to ensure that the model kit is undisturbed in transit.

The Model Kit
Once taken out of the packaging, the kit requires a quick bit of assembly. No instructions are provided, however, they are not needed. The kit comes together easily. Included are the torso, the head, each arm, the base as well as the Gathering title block. Each piece fits firmly together and sits on the base perfectly. You should have it assembled in less than 30 seconds. Once assembled, the kit stands about 11 inches tall from the base to the top of the sword. You'll notice quickly that the kit is extremely light, weighing a pound or less. So moving it around shouldn't be an issue.

Review
The first thing you'll notice is that the kit is beautifully painted. The armor pieces have a clean shine to them while the skin, hair and cloth areas have a more matte finish. The armor areas are also painted in multiple layers with different shades of blues and golds to highlight the textures. While the skin and cloth areas have a more flat and even color, which creates a great contrast.

The sculpting is also very well done. Each section is handled differently. With the skin being very smooth and clean and the metallic armor pieces getting rough textures to give it more depth. When dealing with garage kits, there can be a chance to get soft or unrefined edges. Thankfully, that is not the case here. Angles feature sharp points and the grooves in the sword are clean. The Jinohga Armor Hunter is featured in a dynamic pose, showcasing the character as she leaps into the air ready to strike at a foe. The light weight of the kit allows for a great sense of movement without fear of the kit snapping over time.

The one downside to a kit of this nature, featuring so many small details, is that the resin can be brittle in some areas. Some of the armor pieces feature tiny bits of rope and cloth that hang off the figure ever so slightly. These areas are extremely fragile. When moving the figure around, care must be taken and movement should be done via the legs or the base itself. A careless squeeze of the arms or torso can and will result in a tiny piece breaking off, as it happened to this kit with very little pressure being applied. A quick lesson was learned, and the mistake was not repeated.

Bottom Line
The Jinohga Armor Hunter pre-painted resin model kit is a beautiful piece. Fans of Monster Hunter will be well served to grab this while it's available. The sculpting and painting are really fantastic. While the resin can give way to small breakages, if care is taken, you will have a beautiful display piece for a long time.

Check out a full gallery below. You can order the Jinohga Armor Hunter by Clicking Here.