If you’re going to call yourself Full Armor Gundam, you might as well arrive carrying practically everything in the armoury.

The BB Senshi #103 Musha Full Armor Gundam – officially Musha Zenbusou Gundam (武者全武装頑駄無) – is a classic SD kit from New SD Sengokuden: Chijou Saikyou Hen. Originally released on 25 July 1992, this heavily equipped Musha warrior is based on the FA-78-1 Full Armor Gundam and combines traditional samurai styling with an almost ridiculous collection of weapons and armour.

Musha Full Armor Gundam

Musha Full Armor Gundam is exactly what the name suggests.

Armour.

Cannons.

Sword.

Shield.

More armour.

And then even more equipment that can be rearranged into different configurations.

Where some BB Senshi kits focus on a single transformation or signature weapon, #103 is built around the idea of loading the character with equipment and then finding different ways of using it.

For a small 1992 SD kit, there’s a surprising amount going on.

From New SD Sengokuden: Chijou Saikyou Hen

Musha Full Armor Gundam appears in New SD Sengokuden: Chijou Saikyou Hen and forms part of the Amatsu trio alongside Musha Gekitou Gundam and Musha F91.

The three aren’t just related within the story.

Their BB Senshi kits were designed with interchangeable and combining equipment, rewarding collectors who put the trio together.

That’s classic early-’90s BB Senshi.

Buy one and you’ve got a model.

Buy all three and suddenly you’re assembling increasingly ridiculous super weapons.

Based on the Full Armor Gundam

Underneath all the Sengokuden styling, the inspiration is the FA-78-1 Full Armor Gundam.

It’s particularly obvious in the green-heavy armour, additional weapon systems and cannon-equipped silhouette.

But rather than simply turning the Full Armor Gundam into an SD model, the designers reinterpreted the concept as a fully equipped Musha warrior.

The result combines mechanical Full Armor Gundam styling with oversized samurai armour and weapons.

Lightly Armoured Form

Remove the major armour components and Musha Full Armor Gundam can be displayed in its simpler Lightly Armoured form.

This reveals considerably more of the underlying warrior design and gives you a good look at the mechanical detailing normally hidden beneath the armour.

It’s also useful when painting.

Rather than trying to work around all the equipment, you can finish the underlying character and armour components separately before assembling the complete Musha configuration.

Musha Warrior Form

Attach the armour and the character transforms into its far more imposing Musha Warrior configuration.

This is probably the most immediately recognisable form.

The huge helmet ornaments, shoulder armour, cannons and additional equipment turn the relatively simple base character into something that properly deserves the Full Armor name.

There’s a lot packed onto a very small Gundam.

Enhanced Form

And it doesn’t stop there.

The armour and equipment can be rearranged to create an Enhanced Form.

Components normally carried around the back and body move to different positions, while the shield is separated and repurposed around the feet. The Power Hand and Power Sword are also fitted to the arms.

The transformation noticeably increases the character’s bulk.

It’s a clever bit of old-school BB Senshi engineering because Bandai isn’t relying on a completely separate pile of transformation parts.

The equipment you already have is simply used differently.

Steel Flame Sword

The character’s primary traditional weapon is the Kouenken – Steel Flame Sword.

It’s carried at the waist in its sheath and gives the model the essential samurai sword appearance.

Within the character’s lore, the sword is associated with the powerful Soumetsuha finishing technique.

With all those cannons attached to the body, you’d think a sword might be unnecessary.

Apparently not.

This is Musha Gundam.

There’s always room for another weapon.

Beam Cannon

Mounted around the shoulder is the large Beam Cannon.

And because this is an early BB Senshi kit, Bandai didn’t simply mould a cannon and call it finished.

It has a spring-loaded projectile firing gimmick.

Four projectiles are supplied, allowing the Beam Cannon to actually fire them using its mechanical trigger.

It’s the sort of feature that instantly identifies this as a product from a different era of Gunpla.

Twin Beam Cannon

The Twin Beam Cannon adds even more ranged firepower.

Normally positioned around the arm, it can be relocated when converting Musha Full Armor Gundam into its enhanced configuration.

Combined with the main Beam Cannon, it gives the fully equipped character a wonderfully overloaded appearance.

The clue was in the name.

They weren’t calling him Musha Slightly More Armed Than Average Gundam.

Heavy-Duty Shield

The distinctive Gankyou no Tate, or Heavy-Duty Shield, is another clever multi-purpose component.

In the standard configuration, it’s a shield.

When converting into the Enhanced Form, the component separates and becomes additional equipment around the feet, increasing the height and bulk of the character.

It’s a great example of the playful engineering found throughout the older BB Senshi range.

A shield doesn’t have to remain a shield.

Apparently it can become shoes.

Power Hand & Power Sword

The transformation also introduces the Power Hand and Power Sword.

The Power Hand attaches to the right arm and features its own opening and closing movement, while the Power Sword is fitted to the opposite arm.

These components dramatically change the appearance of the arms and push the character even further toward its heavily upgraded form.

Maximum Form

Collectors with BB Senshi #102 Musha Gekitou Gundam can take things another step.

Equipment can be exchanged between the two characters to create their enhanced Maximum Forms, increasing their offensive or defensive capabilities.

This cross-kit compatibility is one of the most entertaining elements of the Chijou Saikyou Hen BB Senshi releases.

The kits weren’t designed to exist completely independently.

They were designed to interact.

Great Buster Cannon

And then things get properly silly.

Collect Musha F91, Musha Gekitou Gundam and Musha Full Armor Gundam, combine their relevant cannon equipment and you can construct the enormous Great Buster Cannon.

Yes.

Three SD Gundams.

Three sets of weapons.

One massive combined cannon.

The Great Buster Cannon is specifically created by combining weapon components from the trio, turning their individual equipment into one huge superweapon.

It’s pure early-’90s SD Gundam.

And it’s brilliant.

Gold-Plated Components

The original BB #103 also uses gold-plated parts alongside its primary moulded colours, giving important decorative elements a proper metallic appearance straight from the box.

That gold works particularly well against the Full Armor-inspired green colour scheme.

Builders can leave the plated components as supplied or repaint them for a more subdued metallic finish.

Classic 1992 BB Senshi Construction

This is a genuinely old-school Gunpla.

BB #103 dates back to 1992, and its engineering reflects that.

Don’t expect modern SDCS articulation or contemporary colour separation.

The construction is simple.

The proportions are chunky.

Articulation is limited.

Some colour details rely heavily on stickers or additional painting.

But that’s also a huge part of the appeal.

These kits were designed as models and toys, with armour swapping, spring-loaded weapons and cross-kit combination gimmicks taking priority over being able to perform twenty-seven different kneeling poses.

Brilliant Painting Project

Musha Full Armor Gundam is also an excellent choice for builders who enjoy painting classic SD kits.

There’s a huge amount of raised and recessed armour detail waiting to be picked out.

Gold.

Metallic silver.

Gunmetal.

Different greens.

Red accents.

Black mechanical details.

Even a relatively straightforward painted finish can dramatically transform the appearance of the completed model.

Go further with shading and metallic details and these classic BB Senshi designs can look absolutely fantastic.

Product Features

Manufacturer: Bandai
Range: SD Gundam BB Senshi
Number: #103
Character: Musha Full Armor Gundam / Musha Zenbusou Gundam
Japanese name: 武者全武装頑駄無
Series: New SD Sengokuden: Chijou Saikyou Hen
Design inspiration: FA-78-1 Full Armor Gundam
Original release: 25 July 1992
Original Japanese price: ¥500 before tax / current Bandai listing ¥550 including tax
Lightly Armoured configuration
Musha Warrior configuration
Enhanced Form
Rear equipment rearrangement gimmicks
Spring-loaded Beam Cannon
Four firing projectiles
Power Hand with opening/closing gimmick
Power Sword
Multi-purpose shield components
Gold-plated parts
Equipment compatibility with related BB Senshi kits
Great Buster Cannon combination possible with the associated trio
Snap-fit plastic model construction
Painting recommended for maximum colour accuracy

Weapons & Equipment

Kouenken / Steel Flame Sword
Beam Cannon
Twin Beam Cannon
Gankyou no Tate / Heavy-Duty Shield
Power Hand
Power Sword
Spring-loaded projectiles
Full armour equipment
Gold-plated decorative components

Why Add BB #103 Musha Full Armor Gundam to Your Collection?

Because this is BB Senshi from an era when Bandai seemed determined to turn every spare piece of armour into another gimmick.

On its own, #103 already gives you multiple configurations, a sword, shield, Beam Cannon, Twin Beam Cannon, Power Hand, Power Sword and an actual spring-loaded projectile feature. Rearrange the armour and you’ve got the Enhanced Form.

Start adding the related Chijou Saikyou Hen kits and things get even better. Equipment can be exchanged with Musha Gekitou Gundam, while weapons from the three associated warriors combine into the enormous Great Buster Cannon.

For classic SD Gundam collectors, Musha Gundam fans, Full Armor Gundam enthusiasts or builders who miss the wonderfully strange gimmicks of early BB Senshi, #103 is exactly the sort of kit worth having.

Sword ready. Shield fitted. Cannons loaded. Power armour attached. BB #103 takes the phrase “Full Armor” extremely seriously — apparently the only acceptable amount of weaponry was all of it.