Bandai’s 0-0-0 (Triple Zero) 1/12-Scale Plastic Model Kit, from Bluefin Brands, was one of the many exclusive items offered at Star Wars Celebration this year.
Based on the previously released Star Wars C-3PO kit, 0-0-0 brings the evil protocol droid from the pages of Marvel Comics‘ Darth Vader and Doctor Aphra series to life as a roughly 6-inch-scale, articulated model. Produced in limited quantities for its Celebration debut in Chicago, a small batch is now available for those who weren’t able to make the trek to the Windy City this past April.
Packaged in an unassuming plain black and white rectangular box, the model kit includes an instruction booklet printed in Japanese and English. As this is a recolored version of the golden C-3PO, there’s an additional sheet with a few notes on decal placement, and a few odds and ends since the included booklet actually is from the C-3PO kit.
Having not built a model kit in many years — probably since high school — at first glance the number of pieces (not sure how many, exactly, as it’s not on the box) was daunting, but I was up for the challenge. In fact, I’d been told at the Bluefin booth at Celebration that it was possible to complete the kit in as few as 30 minutes.
Despite having no tools and little skill, my sinister protocol droid quickly took shape. It’s impressive just how many layers of detail are present in a figure that’s not really designed to be played with, as various panels and plates effectively cover up additional nuances that may never be seen again after the build.
In the interest of time, I took a shortcut that’s been put in place by design. The 0-0-0 comes with parts to build his arms either articulated or in a fixed position. I opted for the fixed, shaving enough time that I was able to complete the build in just under two hours. By morning, 0-0-0 was making a cameo appearance in a television segment alongside some other cool products from Star Wars Celebration.
At a glance, you’d think this was an action figure, and in the hands of a skilled builder with the right tools and paints, Bandai‘s 0-0-0 could certainly be built and customized into a high-quality showpiece.
