HG GNX-U02X

Masurao

Kit Review

Straight build

HG Masurao - Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

HG Masurao (1/6) HG Masurao (2/6) HG Masurao (3/6) HG Masurao (4/6) HG Masurao (5/6) HG Masurao (6/6)

HG Masurao - Upper body and head (1/2) HG Masurao - Upper body and head (2/2)

Upper body and head

HG Masurao - Arms

Arms

HG Masurao - Back section. Like the Susanowo, power cables are represented using wire. (1/2) HG Masurao - Back section. Like the Susanowo, power cables are represented using wire. (2/2)

Back section. Like the Susanowo, power cables are represented using wire.

HG Masurao - Legs (1/2) HG Masurao - Legs (2/2)

Legs.

HG Masurao - Beam sabers stored inside the binders

Beam sabers stored inside the binders

HG Masurao - Hands include 2 sets of open hands, weapon-holding hands, and fists, plus one extra fist.

Hands include 2 sets of open hands, weapon-holding hands, and fists, plus one extra fist.

HG Masurao - Two swords rendered in orange soft parts. The short one is named "Daryl" and the long one is named &qu

Two swords rendered in orange soft parts.
The short one is named "Daryl" and the long one is named "Howard".

HG Masurao - Leftover parts. The hand armor part on the left was accidentally photographed as the B31 part — the actual lefto

Leftover parts.
The hand armor part on the left was accidentally photographed as the B31 part — the actual leftover part is the A24 hand armor part.

HG Masurao - Articulation is quite impressive.

Articulation is quite impressive.

HG Masurao - The shoulder's forward/backward range of motion is pretty good too.

The shoulder's forward/backward range of motion is pretty good too.

HG Masurao - Unlike the Susanowo, the binders are attached right next to the hip joints, with the mounting section able to ro

Unlike the Susanowo, the binders are attached right next to the hip joints,
with the mounting section able to rotate forward and backward.

HG Masurao - A cocky pose — looks just like a scene straight out of Gundam: Battle Assault. (1/3) HG Masurao - A cocky pose — looks just like a scene straight out of Gundam: Battle Assault. (2/3) HG Masurao - A cocky pose — looks just like a scene straight out of Gundam: Battle Assault. (3/3)

A cocky pose.
Looks just like a scene straight out of Gundam: Battle Assault.

HG Masurao - Action pose. Maybe it's the samurai-style design, but the swords really suit it. (1/4) HG Masurao - Action pose. Maybe it's the samurai-style design, but the swords really suit it. (2/4) HG Masurao - Action pose. Maybe it's the samurai-style design, but the swords really suit it. (3/4) HG Masurao - Action pose. Maybe it's the samurai-style design, but the swords really suit it. (4/4)

Action pose.
Maybe it's the samurai-style design, but the swords really suit it.

HG Masurao - Dual-sword action using Action Base 2 (1/4) HG Masurao - Dual-sword action using Action Base 2 (2/4) HG Masurao - Dual-sword action using Action Base 2 (3/4) HG Masurao - Dual-sword action using Action Base 2 (4/4)

Dual-sword action using Action Base 2

HG Masurao - Breakthrough action (1/4) HG Masurao - Breakthrough action (2/4) HG Masurao - Breakthrough action (3/4) HG Masurao - Breakthrough action (4/4)

Breakthrough action

HG Masurao - All kinds of sword-fighting action poses are possible. (1/3) HG Masurao - All kinds of sword-fighting action poses are possible. (2/3) HG Masurao - All kinds of sword-fighting action poses are possible. (3/3)

All kinds of sword-fighting action poses are possible.

HG Masurao - Beam chakram action (1/4) HG Masurao - Beam chakram action (2/4) HG Masurao - Beam chakram action (3/4) HG Masurao - Beam chakram action (4/4)

Beam chakram action

HG Masurao - Together with HG Susanowo. They look pretty similar, but there are quite a few differences. (1/2) HG Masurao - Together with HG Susanowo. They look pretty similar, but there are quite a few differences. (2/2)

Together with HG Susanowo.
They look pretty similar, but there are quite a few differences.

HG Masurao - Look closely and you'll notice the head antenna design is different..

Look closely and you'll notice the head antenna design is different..

HG Masurao - The backpack shape is a little different too.

The backpack shape is a little different too.

HG Masurao - The side binder shape (color combination) is different, and the sword mounting positions and types differ as wel HG Masurao - The side binder shape (color combination) is different, and the sword mounting positions and types differ as wel

The side binder shape (color combination) is different, and the sword mounting positions and types differ as well.

HG Masurao - The side binder mounting position is different too — on the Susanowo they're attached at the rear with a hinge s

The side binder mounting position is different too —
on the Susanowo they're attached at the rear with a hinge support, whereas on the Masurao they're mounted right next to the hip joints.

HG Masurao - On the Susanowo only the left arm armor is distinctive, but on the Masurao both arms are shaped exactly the same

On the Susanowo only the left arm armor is distinctive, but on the Masurao both arms are shaped exactly the same.

HG Masurao - Together with HG 00 Gundam.

Together with HG 00 Gundam.

The ultra-cool Graham — a.k.a. Mr. Bushido — gets his mobile suit, the Masurao, released as an HG kit. Looks-wise it's pretty similar to the previously released HG Susanowo, but the backstory goes that the Masurao was originally a modified Flag, which was then further improved into the Susanowo. The release order feels a bit backwards, but... well, there you go.

Even though it basically looks similar to the Susanowo, once you dig into the details there are quite a few differences — the head antennae, forearm armor, side binders, sword types and positions, binder mounts, and so on. That said, flip it around and you could say they're hard to tell apart unless you look closely ;; For a quick rule of thumb: if you see red, it's the Masurao; if you see white, it's the Susanowo.

It's got a wide range of articulation, no skirt armor to restrict movement, and a design that lends itself to over-the-top poses, so it's a great kit for striking action poses. On top of that, unlike the Susanowo, both swords are rendered in orange soft beam parts, which makes sword-wielding poses a whole lot easier to pull off.

As long as you don't mind the heavily Japanese-influenced design, this is a solid kit well worth building without any quality concerns. If you're a fan of the ever-so-cool Graham, this is definitely something you'll want to build alongside the Susanowo. :-)

HG Masurao | 2009. 12 | ¥1,500

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.