Kit Review

Straight build

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

HG Union Flag - Close-up of the upper body and head. The face uses an orange clear part with a silver foil sticker applied to

Close-up of the upper body and head.
The face uses an orange clear part with a silver foil sticker applied to the back, and it actually looks pretty convincing.

HG Union Flag - Slim arms, legs, and weapons.. The hands do feel a bit unbalanced — they look a little too big. (1/3)

Slim arms, legs, and weapons..
The hands do feel a bit unbalanced — they look a little too big.

The wings can be folded..

Or they can be swept back cleanly like this.

Articulation is just so-so..

Action pose

Mounted on the 1/144 Action Base 2

Being a flight-type unit, it does look better up on a stand.

Transformation

Bend the lower body forward at a right angle, then fold the legs all the way back.

HG Union Flag - Bend the arms 90 degrees, then plug the elbow pegs into the holes beside the knees to lock them in place. It

Bend the arms 90 degrees, then plug the elbow pegs into the holes beside the knees to lock them in place.
It really just roughly positions the arms though — the hold isn't very secure;

Tuck the head in slightly, plug the rifle onto the crotch (;;), and then..

Flip up the structures on the outer ankles and the transformation is complete

Well.. it's basically just folding the waist and legs, but the transformed look is surprisingly convincing.

Top and bottom views

Can also be displayed on a stand.

Well, it does give off a decent aircraft vibe.

Side view

It's a simple transformation, but it's a pretty convincing design.

Together with the HG Exia.

Unlike the FG line, which released all four Celestial Being Gundam kits at once, the second HG kit for Gundam 00 turned out to be the Union Flag. This Union Flag can transform into a flight vehicle with a simple transformation, and its design is quite different from your typical Gundam aesthetic — which you could say makes it all the more unique.

Being an HG kit, over 90% of the colors are handled through color separation and seals, covering most of the design's color scheme. The articulation feels a little lacking, but given that it's a transforming kit, that's pretty acceptable — and joint strength, one of the most important things in a transforming kit, passes the test. Nothing feels loose, so everything holds together well. The ball-jointed arms do feel like they pop off a bit more easily compared to the rest, but it's not a serious issue.

In terms of parts breakdown, the face section is put together nicely. The orange clear part combined with a silver foil sticker on the back gives it a pretty realistic look. The seals on the arms and legs also blend in well without feeling out of place, completing the color scheme nicely.

The transformation itself is a bit of a product of the original design, and it can look a little rough at first glance — but once you actually transform it, it looks better than you'd expect. ^^; The transformation gimmick is impressively detailed for the scale, and it's a nice touch that you can still mount it on a standard action base even in vehicle mode.

It doesn't quite feel like as big a leap forward as the HG Exia did, but it's definitely a step up in quality compared to the older SEED kits. True to the HG format, the straight build alone brings out most of the colors, and with solid articulation and a well-executed transformation gimmick, this is a great kit you can build without hesitation if you like the design and style. ^^

HG Union Flag | 2007. 10 | ¥1,000

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.