MG RX-78-2 GUNDAM REVIEW
by Derringer   2008-06-23 14:02:21.0

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See Also Related Reviews: .|. HG RX-78-2 Gundam by Captain Luthor James Hellskrem .|. MG RX-78-2 Gundam Ver. 2.0 by Fignuts .|. MG RGM-79 GM by Derringer .|. MG RX-93 v Gundam by Nima .|. HG RGM-79 GM by VITO

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Ver 1.0 Master Grade of the original Gundam, and also the first Master Grade kit. It coincidentally happened to be my first MG kit also several years ago.

The head is composed of a front and back half, with another section composing the top. The top has a gimmick that allows you to flip it open to reveal the partial internal frame of the head. This frame actually serves no purpose for construction of the model other than adding a neat aesthetic appearance. This head portion will eventually become loose if you keep opening it to look at the head. Seam lines will be visible when viewed from the sides.

The body is hollow since it has the transformation gimmick of inserting the core figter. The waist cannot turn more than 90 degrees in either direction because the skirt armor hinders it. It's a basic torso, but it's very frustrating that the torso can't rotate properly. The vents have a mesh material within to simulate real ventilation holes.

The shoulders introduce the concept of simply "hanging" onto the arm assembly via a moveable flag. This does allow easier painting since one can remove the shoulder and arm without disassembling the entire unit. The shoulders come pre stamped with the UNT Spacy logo and also the red horse emblem.

The shoulders tried to have its seam line disguised as a panel line which is also right down the middle. This model incorporates a moveable bicep that connects to the lower arm assembly that features a hatch to view the internal parts.

Hands come in 3 pairs. Closed fist. Open palm. Moveable fingers. Very nice for posing, though the hands have difficulty after a while for holding things since it does get loose.

Legs and feet have a nice modern rendition of the classic lineart. I love the hooved feet! Unfortunately poseability is very nill. There are only so many standing poses this particular model can produce. Legs have very little movement before being impeded by the underside of the crotch assembly. Also, the seams are visible to a very large extent since all the pieces are in halves right down the anterior plane.

Core fighter is a nice addition and does not have to be inserted into the Gundam thanks to the Coreblock substitute. it's a shame you have to remove the dorsal fin for it to transform. This was rectified in the ver Ka release. It even has landing gear.

Beam rifle with moveable target sight comes in 2 halves and can be attached to either side of the skirt armor. Bazooka has a large seam down the middle that's readily visible.

Beam sabers are fairly basic, but will probably not stay firm when grasped by the old style hands (which surprisingly were present on every single MG until the MG OYW Gundam release)

The shield has a little clear plastic piece to simulate a glass window. Very nice

It's sad there was no Gundam Hammer nor Beam Javelin, which was present on the 1.5 release.

This kit along with the first dozen or so MG kits included all these little handles, vents, bolts, etc. to simulate "real detailing" They were definitely a nice touch and I'm sad that newer MG kits no longer have them.

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See Also Related Reviews: .|. HG RX-78-2 Gundam by Captain Luthor James Hellskrem .|. MG RX-78-2 Gundam Ver. 2.0 by Fignuts .|. MG RGM-79 GM by Derringer .|. MG RX-93 v Gundam by Nima .|. HG RGM-79 GM by VITO

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