Kit Review

Straight build

Size comparison with a cigarette pack.
It's 1/144 scale, but the bulk is on par with a 1/100.

HG Raphael Gundam - The backpack is pretty heavy, but the GN Bazooka attached to it can act as a support, so standing it up i

The backpack is pretty heavy, but the GN Bazooka attached to it can act as a support, so standing it up isn't a problem.

Upper body

The head.
It looks kind of cramped and boxed in, and the face isn't exactly what I'd call handsome.

View from above the head

HG Raphael Gundam - The massive backpack (1/3)

The massive backpack

Legs

The GN Beam Rifle, which looks a bit plain

The inner body on its own

Close-up of the rear with the backpack removed

HG Raphael Gundam - Just like Seravee Gundam, the backpack is designed to transform into another Gundam — Seravee Gundam II —

Just like Seravee Gundam, the backpack is designed to transform into another Gundam — Seravee Gundam II —
but at the HG level, it doesn't actually transform and just stays as a backpack.
As you can see, the arm and leg positions and shapes are all there, but they're fixed in place.

HG Raphael Gundam - If you look closely, there's even a head in there, but the color separation is ignored — it's just the sh

If you look closely, there's even a head in there,
but the color separation is ignored — it's just the shape.
According to the lore, this backpack is a repaired and repurposed version of the original Seravee Gundam, which is why a lot of it looks similar to Seravee Gundam.

Arm articulation is around 90 degrees, but the legs fold completely.

Shoulder forward/backward movement

The shoulders have double joints, so they can also move up and down to that extent.

The cover on top of the head, which corresponds to the front skirt, can be opened and closed.

HG Raphael Gundam - The heel can be repositioned to achieve a fully folded configuration. It seems like they could've just ma

The heel can be repositioned to achieve a fully folded configuration.
It seems like they could've just made it a simple fold-down design, so it's a bit of a head-scratcher that they went with a swap-out approach instead.

HG Raphael Gundam - The tips of the GN Big Cannon/GN Claw units on the backpack are designed so you choose between a fixed ve

The tips of the GN Big Cannon/GN Claw units on the backpack
are designed so you choose between a fixed version (left) or a movable version (right) and swap them in.
Again, if they'd just designed the movable version properly, there really shouldn't be any need to swap parts at all...

Here's how the movable claw articulates.

The rear section of the claw, which is shared between both versions, moves as shown above.

Comparison of fixed and movable configurations

When deploying the claw, the small GN Drive-like piece on the back is detached and repositioned.

HG Raphael Gundam - The GN Claw can also be displayed separately using a clear stand. (1/3)

The GN Claw can also be displayed separately using a clear stand.

HG Raphael Gundam - When attaching the GN Claw to the backpack, the middle connector piece from the stand is also used on the

When attaching the GN Claw to the backpack,
the middle connector piece from the stand is also used on the backpack.

Firing pose

GN Big Cannon action.
The Big Cannon nozzle is located in the center of the inner side of the GN Claw.

HG Raphael Gundam - GN Claw deployed! (1/4)

HG Raphael Gundam - GN Claw deployed! (2/4)

HG Raphael Gundam - GN Claw deployed! (3/4)

HG Raphael Gundam - GN Claw deployed! (4/4)

GN Claws deployed!

HG Raphael Gundam - GN Claw action (1/6)

HG Raphael Gundam - GN Claw action (2/6)

HG Raphael Gundam - GN Claw action (3/6)

HG Raphael Gundam - GN Claw action (4/6)

GN Claw action

HG Raphael Gundam - Action poses with GN Claws detached (1/4)

HG Raphael Gundam - Action poses with GN Claws detached (2/4)

Action poses with GN Claws detached

Comparing with the HG Quanta really shows you just how massive the Raphael is.

The movie suits this time around have all gotten a pretty big boost in overall bulk.

The 00 movie's four Gundams.

2010 — The last of the four Gundams from the 00 movie, Raphael Gundam, has been released in HG. In terms of lineage, it's Tieria's unit following the Gundam Virtue and Seravee Gundam, and just like the Seravee, the backpack is set up to transform into a separate MS. Unfortunately, it only shows up for about five minutes in the film.

First off, the Raphael Gundam is pretty massive for an HG — in terms of sheer bulk, it's closer to 1/100 scale. The base body itself is already bigger than the Quanta, Zabanya, and Harute, but with that huge backpack sitting on top of its head, it looks even larger. This is definitely going to appeal to folks who like getting a lot of kit for their money.

The Raphael Gundam's base body design feels a bit less refined compared to the Quanta/Zabanya/Harute — it gives off a vibe similar to the Gadessa line from the earlier 00 series. There are more rounded surfaces than sharp angles, and the parts structure is relatively simple. The face, too, doesn't quite have that same handsome look as the other Gundams...

According to the lore, the backpack is a restored and repurposed Seravee Gundam, which transforms into Seravee Gundam II. However, just like the HG Seravee, the HG Raphael doesn't include the transformation feature for the backpack. The overall shape is there, but it's just a fixed backpack. That kind of functionality will probably have to wait for a 1/100 release.

The large backpack and head-mounted unit might make you think it'd be hard to keep balanced, but the GN Cannon parts on the backpack can act as a stand, so it's not too difficult to keep it upright. That said, the leg joints feel slightly weaker than other HG Gundams — probably due to all that extra weight — so you'll need to be a bit careful when posing the legs.

There's one thing that's a bit puzzling when building the Raphael Gundam: there are swap-out and detachable transformation parts scattered throughout the kit. Most of these points could have easily been designed as self-transforming mechanisms, so it's a bit frustrating that they went with the tedious swap-and-detach approach instead. Was it to differentiate it from the 1/100? The GN Claw section in particular is odd — you have to swap between a fixed version and a poseable version, but with just a tiny bit of tweaking, the fairly intricate poseable claw could have worked as the fixed version too. It really feels like a kit that could have done more but deliberately held back.

Overall, the kit has plenty of personality, decent functionality, and quality that's above average — but it still feels like a step down compared to its siblings, the HG Quanta, Zabanya, and Harute. Those three are nearly flawless, so by comparison, the Raphael shows some questionable choices here and there.

That said, it's still a worthwhile kit — you get a lot of size for the price, and the GN Claw action poses are a blast. And being able to complete the four-unit movie lineup alongside the other three definitely gives it a solid reason to exist.

HG Raphael Gundam | 2010. 9 | ¥2,000

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.