Club G MG

Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image]

Kit Review

Straight build + Stickers

MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Two kits are bundled together.

Two kits are bundled together.

MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Turn A Gundam [Nano Skin Image] (1/2) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Turn A Gundam [Nano Skin Image] (2/2)

Turn A Gundam [Nano Skin Image]

MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Detail shots (1/6) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Detail shots (2/6) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Detail shots (3/6) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Detail shots (4/6) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Detail shots (5/6) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Detail shots (6/6)


Detail shots

MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Turn X [Nano Skin Image] (1/2) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Turn X [Nano Skin Image] (2/2)

Turn X [Nano Skin Image]

MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Detail shots (1/10) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Detail shots (2/10) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Detail shots (3/10) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Detail shots (4/10) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Detail shots (5/10) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Detail shots (6/10) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Detail shots (7/10) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Detail shots (8/10) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Detail shots (9/10) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Detail shots (10/10)

Detail shots

MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - The notorious Nano Skin Image waterslide decals. Left is for Turn A Gundam,

The notorious Nano Skin Image waterslide decals.
Left is for Turn A Gundam, right is for Turn X.

MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Look closely and you'll see it's one continuous pattern with no borders whats MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Look closely and you'll see it's one continuous pattern with no borders whats

Look closely and you'll see it's one continuous pattern with no borders whatsoever.
Basically, whether you use a knife or scissors, you're on your own to cut them into whatever shape you want.
There's no guide telling you where to put what, so absolutely everything is left up to you to figure out.

MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - I referenced some build examples and painstakingly cut them out with a knife MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - I referenced some build examples and painstakingly cut them out with a knife

I referenced some build examples and painstakingly cut them out with a knife and scissors.
It might not look like much, but just cutting them took me 3 hours. -_-
Cutting them out with bumpy, detailed edges would look better, but when you actually try it, it's way too much work, so I ended up just cutting them out in rough chunks.

MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - The weapons, accessories, and articulation are identical to the standard rele MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - The weapons, accessories, and articulation are identical to the standard rele MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - The weapons, accessories, and articulation are identical to the standard rele MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - The weapons, accessories, and articulation are identical to the standard rele

The weapons, accessories, and articulation are identical to the standard release.

MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Turn A Gundam [Nano Skin Image] action poses (1/8) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Turn A Gundam [Nano Skin Image] action poses (2/8) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Turn A Gundam [Nano Skin Image] action poses (3/8) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Turn A Gundam [Nano Skin Image] action poses (4/8) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Turn A Gundam [Nano Skin Image] action poses (5/8) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Turn A Gundam [Nano Skin Image] action poses (6/8) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Turn A Gundam [Nano Skin Image] action poses (7/8) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Turn A Gundam [Nano Skin Image] action poses (8/8)

Turn A Gundam [Nano Skin Image] action poses

MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - With the expansion effect unit "Moonlight Butterfly" for Turn A Gundam, relea MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - With the expansion effect unit "Moonlight Butterfly" for Turn A Gundam, relea MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - With the expansion effect unit "Moonlight Butterfly" for Turn A Gundam, relea

With the expansion effect unit "Moonlight Butterfly" for Turn A Gundam, released through Club G

MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Turn X [Nano Skin Image] action poses (1/8) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Turn X [Nano Skin Image] action poses (2/8) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Turn X [Nano Skin Image] action poses (3/8) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Turn X [Nano Skin Image] action poses (4/8) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Turn X [Nano Skin Image] action poses (5/8) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Turn X [Nano Skin Image] action poses (6/8) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Turn X [Nano Skin Image] action poses (7/8) MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Turn X [Nano Skin Image] action poses (8/8)

Turn X [Nano Skin Image] action poses

MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - With the expansion effect unit "Moonlight Butterfly" for Turn A Gundam, relea MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - With the expansion effect unit "Moonlight Butterfly" for Turn A Gundam, relea MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - With the expansion effect unit "Moonlight Butterfly" for Turn A Gundam, relea

With the expansion effect unit "Moonlight Butterfly" for Turn A Gundam, released through Club G

MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Comparison shots with the standard release MG Turn A Gundam / Turn X. With th MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Comparison shots with the standard release MG Turn A Gundam / Turn X. With th

Comparison shots with the standard release MG Turn A Gundam / Turn X.
With the metallic molding on top of the waterslide decals, the overall look is quite different.

MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Alongside the MG Turn A Gundam (Moonlight Butterfly Ver.) released through Cl MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] - Alongside the MG Turn A Gundam (Moonlight Butterfly Ver.) released through Cl

Alongside the MG Turn A Gundam (Moonlight Butterfly Ver.) released through Club G.
Both feature pearl/metallic molding and share a similar color feel and look.
But up close the molded colors are subtly different — the silver parts from the original have been changed to a pearl-toned armor color.

This is the MG Turn A Gundam / Turn X [Nano Skin Image], released as a Club G (Premium Bandai) online exclusive. It bundles together the standard release MG Turn A Gundamand MG Turn Xwith changed molded colors, plus the addition of Nano Skin Image waterslide decals. It was released to commemorate an exhibition by Syd Mead, the mechanical designer behind the Turn A series.

Syd Mead was also well known as the mechanical designer for Blade Runner, Aliens, Star Trek, and more. This release was produced by Master Kawaguchi to commemorate the "Syd Mead Exhibition Progressions TYO 2019," with waterslide decals added to mark the occasion. The molded colors across the board feature pearl & metallic finishes, giving it a distinct look compared to the standard release. It looks similar to the MG Turn A Gundam
(Moonlight Butterfly Ver.)also released through Club G, but look closely and you'll notice some frame colors are different, and the overall color tone is subtly distinct.

The real highlight of this kit is ultimately the Nano Skin Image waterslide decals — but the thing is, the application process is pretty daunting and can drain a serious amount of energy. As you can see in the review photos above, the decal pattern for each kit comes as one big solid sheet, so you're basically left to cut and apply them however you see fit. There's no guide telling you where to put what shape, so you're truly on your own from start to finish.

The whole concept of "nano skin" isn't about specific patterns appearing on specific parts — it's meant to visualize the moment when the nano skin, the armor material in the lore, becomes visible on the mobile suit. So I get that they wanted to give you creative freedom, but cutting out decals one by one along 1mm hexagonal lines takes serious concentration and skill. It's tough with an art knife and not easy with scissors either. I tried a bunch of different approaches and eventually just went with scissors and cut them out roughly. It felt like it took over 3 hours just to cut out a few dozen decals — way more tiring than it looks. Ironically, actually applying them was much easier and didn't take nearly as long. Everything else — weapons, accessories — is completely identical to the original kit, and the articulation and joint strength are solid all around.

All that said, it's a visually quite unique and cool kit. Just keep in mind that the waterslide decal work is no joke. And at ¥11,500, it's a pretty steep price tag — hard to justify picking it up unless you're a real Turn A series fan. Either way, it's a uniquely interesting kit in many respects, and it really fits the bill for what a "limited edition" release should be. :-)

MG Turn A Gundam/Turn X [Nano Skin Image] | 2019.8 | ¥11,500

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.