Kit Review

Straight build
+ panel lining

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Upper body

Head

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Arms and weapon section (1/3)

Arms and weapon section

Backpack. The nozzle detail is pretty standard.

HGUC ZZ Gundam - The legs are relatively slim for the scale. (1/3)

The legs are relatively slim for the scale.

The Core Fighter is included separately from the main body.

Core Fighter

The underside. Pretty bare-bones.

HGUC ZZ Gundam - The giant hole gaping open at the back of the Core Fighter (-_-;) — it's an unavoidable opening needed to co

The giant hole gaping open at the back of the Core Fighter (-_-;)
It's an unavoidable opening needed to connect with the lower body's ball joint.

Three types of hands are included in total.

Both the rifle and beam saber lock onto pegs on the dedicated hand palms,
so there are zero grip issues.

The front skirts are individually split and can each move independently.

Oh wow.. they even included the missile pod open gimmick on the backpack.

Articulation is, well... decent enough for a ZZ..

Action pose

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Aerial firing pose using Action Base 2 (1/4)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Aerial firing pose using Action Base 2 (2/4)

Aerial firing pose using Action Base 2

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Beam saber action pose (1/4)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Beam saber action pose (2/4)

Beam saber action pose

Transformation

This is a parts-swap transformation rather than a full transformation, so you'll need the extra parts shown above to transform it.

HGUC ZZ Gundam - When configured in MS mode, the extra parts for the G-Fortress transformation can be neatly stored in the ba

When configured in MS mode, the extra parts for the G-Fortress transformation
can be neatly stored in the base section.

First, separate the body into pieces..

Remove the surrounding parts from the upper body, then insert the internal transformation gimmick parts.

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Reattach the removed parts in their new positions. Normally there should be a gimmick where the chest cover

Reattach the removed parts in their new positions.
Normally there should be a gimmick where the chest cover slides up, but since this is a parts-swap design, there's a lot of taking off and putting on.

The transformation gimmick on the Double Beam Rifle is pretty much the same as the existing ZZ.

Fold up the Double Beam Rifle, then attach the red chest parts you set aside earlier to the top of the body.

HGUC ZZ Gundam - The arm transformation is also parts-swap. Instead of the old forearm-rotation gimmick, you simply swap out

The arm transformation is also parts-swap.
Instead of the old forearm-rotation gimmick, you simply swap out the hands and verniers.

Arm before and after transformation

Core Top complete!

Now for the lower body.. separate it into sections as shown above.

Remove all the armor from the leg sections..

Then remove the locking gimmick parts on the inner sides of both legs.

HGUC ZZ Gundam - The role of those locking parts is to hold the leg armor spread outward in MS mode. The left shows MS mode,

The role of those locking parts is to hold the leg armor spread outward in MS mode.
The left shows MS mode, and the right shows the legs with the locking parts removed for transformation.

Attach the verniers at the knee area, and slide both shin armor pieces down to their lower positions.

HGUC ZZ Gundam - The round shin armor pieces are attached separately to the upper and lower sections respectively. It's defin

The round shin armor pieces are attached separately to the upper and lower sections respectively.
It's definitely easier to transform compared to the old method of rotating the leg sections.

Leg section before and after transformation.

After reattaching the legs, spread the side wings and remove one part from the tail section.

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Since the backpack's mounting point is fixed rather than adjustable, you'll need to swap the mounting parts

Since the backpack's mounting point is fixed rather than adjustable,
you'll need to swap the mounting parts and attach it on top of the legs.

The Core Fighter's wing sections can be repositioned via parts-swap.

Wings folded in close to the body

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Now you just combine these 3 parts — the method of connecting the backpack and the rear leg verniers to impr

Now you just combine these 3 parts —
the method of connecting the backpack and the rear leg verniers to improve stability is the same as the MG.

Core Base complete!

HGUC ZZ Gundam - So that's how the Core Top and Core Base come together. Being a parts-swap transformation, the stability is

So that's how the Core Top and Core Base come together.
Being a parts-swap transformation, the stability is quite solid.

The Core Top/Core Base are compatible with the 1/100 Action Base 1.

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Core Top from various angles (1/9)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Core Top from various angles (2/9)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Core Top from various angles (3/9)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Core Top from various angles (4/9)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Core Top from various angles (5/9)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Core Top from various angles (6/9)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Core Top from various angles (7/9)

Core Top from various angles

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Core Base from various angles (1/10)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Core Base from various angles (2/10)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Core Base from various angles (3/10)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Core Base from various angles (4/10)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Core Base from various angles (5/10)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Core Base from various angles (6/10)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Core Base from various angles (7/10)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Core Base from various angles (8/10)

Core Base from various angles

Core Base with missile pod open.

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Now for the G-Fortress.. remove the Core Fighter, fold the side skirt wings down, and connect everything tog

Now for the G-Fortress..
Remove the Core Fighter, fold the side skirt wings down, and connect everything together.

Inserting the locking plate on the underside of the body makes it hold together even more securely.

G-Fortress complete!

The leftover MS mode parts after transformation can also be stored on the base plate as shown above.

MS mode parts left over after the parts-swap transformation is done.

HGUC ZZ Gundam - G-Fortress from various angles (1/10)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - G-Fortress from various angles (2/10)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - G-Fortress from various angles (3/10)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - G-Fortress from various angles (4/10)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - G-Fortress from various angles (5/10)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - G-Fortress from various angles (6/10)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - G-Fortress from various angles (7/10)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - G-Fortress from various angles (8/10)

G-Fortress from various angles

With the HGUC First.

With the HGUC Zeta, also a parts-swap transformation kit.

The First and Zeta came out in white,
but the ZZ was molded in a slightly old-school blue tone..

With the MG ZZ Gundam.

Bonus shot.
With the HG ZZ Gundam from the '90s.

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Comparison with the HG ZZ Gundam's G-Fortress. I didn't do a separate review of the old HG ZZ for a few reas

Comparison with the HG ZZ Gundam's G-Fortress.
I didn't do a separate review of the old HG ZZ for a few reasons..
Compared to the old HG that forced a full transformation,
the HGUC ZZ went with parts-swap and is clearly superior in terms of stability and proportions.

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Straight build shots (1/10)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Straight build shots (2/10)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Straight build shots (3/10)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Straight build shots (4/10)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Straight build shots (5/10)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Straight build shots (6/10)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Straight build shots (7/10)

HGUC ZZ Gundam - Straight build shots (8/10)

Straight build shots

Finally.. well, better late than never — ZZ Gundam has made it into the HGUC lineup.
Most of the other main suits from the ZZ anime had already come out, so the
protagonist ZZ itself definitely feels like it took way too long to arrive.

As expected, the transformation follows the same parts-swap approach as the HGUC Zeta.
The swap process is a bit involved, but the proportions before and after transformation
are really clean. And true to the parts-swap design, the stability is excellent too —
it's noticeably more solid than the old HG or MG in both modes.
Pretty much all the half-baked full-transformation gimmicks have been dropped,
and it's fully committed to the parts-swap approach.

Unlike other HGUC/MG Gundams, the HGUC ZZ is molded in a blue tone rather than white,
and that color choice does give it a slightly dated feel.
Of course, one look at the proportions and you can tell it's clearly a modern kit —
but I'm still a little puzzled as to why they went with that (somewhat old-looking) blue..
It does bring back a certain nostalgic feeling, though.

Beyond the solid proportions thanks to the parts-swap design, the kit also uses
new polycap parts, so joint strength is excellent as well. The grip issue that plagued
the MG ZZ is completely solved here in the HGUC version through smart use of locking pins.
Despite being a transforming kit, any sense of flimsiness has been thoroughly eliminated
across the board.

It's not a full transformation, but ZZ — a kit packed with fond memories — has been
cleanly reborn in 1/144 scale, and that alone makes it very welcome. And having come out
this late, it's definitely been polished up nicely. That said, maybe it's just the nature
of ZZ as an MS.. it feels a little lacking in that sleek, sharp wow-factor,
and it's hard to expect a really strong emotional punch from this kit.

With this, all four early Universal Century Gundam protagonists are now out in HGUC,
and it's starting to feel like only the more obscure kits are left now.
Either way, this is a clean and well-done 1/144 ZZ that should make a pretty great gift
for old-school fans. :-)

HGUC ZZ Gundam | 2010.6 | ¥2,500

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.