“It feels real.”

That was the impression it gave me once I completed it. This is the latest revision of the ever popular and classic Gundam RX-78-2  design. Can Bandai improve what already seems to be the “Perfect” Gundam in the RX-78-2 2.0?

Looks: 10/10

A first glance at the updated redesign and you’ll notice the color separation absent from all previous MG Gundams. That’s because the design takes some references from the RG Gundam from some years back, which was based off the 1/1 RG Gundam at Odaiba. This feature was implemented on the 1/1 Gundam to make it feel as if it was like a real war machine in the current era.

For someone who has been to the 1/1 Gundam in Japan, this reminds me of the statue there. All the little intricate details and the various two tone colors makes it look like a near replica of the 1/1 Gundam. Let’s face it; it is THE progenitor of the Gundam franchise so it’s hard to hate this colour scheme. I guess this is Bandai’s way of giving it a redesigned look, and it is certainly a welcome one. An RX-78-2 for the new generation.

Articulation: 10/10

First of all, this is the original Gundam. There are no gimmicky wings or bulky armour parts in the way of this suit. It is simply, purely a sleek mobile suit. With that said, the mobile suit’s articulation is near flawless. This is attributed most to the updated frame made for the 3.0. As said earlier, even with the parts separations gimmick that enhances the looks, it does not affect the articulation of this kit at all.

The main improvement to the articulation is the shoulder joints. It is made in such a way that it feels very natural to move around. The arms have a lot more freedom of posability compared to its predecessor. Also, the shoulder armour is made in such a way that it complements the arms even with the parts separation features that enhances the overall look of the Gundam. It also uses the new Gundam hands which offer individual finger posability.

The most important pose the Gundam has to be able to do: Last Shooting!

Weapons: 8/10

Very standard Gundam weapons on this end: Beam Saber, Beam Rifle, Bazooka and Shield. The main issue with this weapon set is that is lacks the Gundam Hammer included in the previous kit (now available as an online exclusive) and that almost everything here is rehashed from the 2.0. While it is pretty acceptable in that the weapons are already really well made the last time round, it gets a little boring to build the exact same thing over again.

The Shield does have a nice feature being able to hook onto the Gundam’s arm without the need for extra support. Useful when one needs to use the hands for other purposes at times.

Fun factor: 9/10

Using an entirely new frame, fans that have built the Gundam many times over will not get bored while building this. The interlocking mechanisms for the parts separation adds to the challenge of building the 3.0. It looks pretty fantastic when it is completed and there’s no need to be afraid of parts being damaged if you want to play with it since the kit is pretty tough. It is a shame that the kit suffers from reused weapon parts as mentioned earlier. It is a chore to build something you’ve made before again.

Extras: 7/10

The kit comes with the option of using the Core Fighter or the Core Block as the core of the 3.0, a nice addition that comes with the Gundam. You also get alternate vent covers you can choose to use on your Gundam to show that it is using its Magnetic Coating feature. Again, the Core Fighter is just a slightly recoloured version of the 2.0 kit and unused parts of the 2.0 kit that can’t be used on the 3.0.

There is also another additional extra but it is, yet again, an on-line exclusive. It is the LED light that can be used for the 3.0. I will give this a pass as most kits don’t have LEDs included anyways.

Overall: 9/10

A fantastic kit for all Gundam lovers of all ages, this is a must-buy for Gundam fans. If you have yet to have a RX-78-2 in your collection, I’d strongly recommend the MG RX-78-2 3.0. Actually, this happened to be my favourite Gunpla I’ve build the entire of last year. I didn’t have a standard MG RX-78-2 in my collection (only the Ver Ka) so it was a good choice to pick this up. I had a blast building it the entire time and it was a truly enjoyable experience. I hope you guys will pick this up as well!