HGUC RGM-79SP

GM Sniper II

Kit Review

Straight build + Stickers + Panel lining

HGUC GM Sniper II - Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

HGUC GM Sniper II (1/6) HGUC GM Sniper II (2/6) HGUC GM Sniper II (3/6) HGUC GM Sniper II (4/6) HGUC GM Sniper II (5/6) HGUC GM Sniper II (6/6)

HGUC GM Sniper II - Upper body, front / rear (1/2) HGUC GM Sniper II - Upper body, front / rear (2/2)

Upper body, front / rear

HGUC GM Sniper II - The head visor can open and close. (1/2) HGUC GM Sniper II - The head visor can open and close. (2/2)

The head visor can open and close.

HGUC GM Sniper II - Legs (1/2) HGUC GM Sniper II - Legs (2/2)

Legs

HGUC GM Sniper II - Weapons.

Weapons.

HGUC GM Sniper II - The beam saber is stored in the rear skirt.

The beam saber is stored in the rear skirt.

HGUC GM Sniper II - A total of 5 hands are included.

A total of 5 hands are included.

HGUC GM Sniper II - Articulation is pretty average..

Articulation is pretty average..

HGUC GM Sniper II - Beam saber action pose (1/2) HGUC GM Sniper II - Beam saber action pose (2/2)

Beam saber action pose

HGUC GM Sniper II - Machine gun + beam saber action pose using Action Base 2. (1/3) HGUC GM Sniper II - Machine gun + beam saber action pose using Action Base 2. (2/3) HGUC GM Sniper II - Machine gun + beam saber action pose using Action Base 2. (3/3)

Machine gun + beam saber action pose using Action Base 2.

HGUC GM Sniper II - Machine gun firing pose. (1/2) HGUC GM Sniper II - Machine gun firing pose. (2/2)

Machine gun firing pose.

HGUC GM Sniper II - Sniper gun — sniper rifle action pose. (1/4) HGUC GM Sniper II - Sniper gun — sniper rifle action pose. (2/4) HGUC GM Sniper II - Sniper gun — sniper rifle action pose. (3/4) HGUC GM Sniper II - Sniper gun — sniper rifle action pose. (4/4)

Sniper gun — sniper rifle action pose.

HGUC GM Sniper II - As a bonus, a same-scale Draken-E is included.

As a bonus, a same-scale Draken-E is included.

HGUC GM Sniper II - Draken-E front/rear. (1/2) HGUC GM Sniper II - Draken-E front/rear. (2/2)

Draken-E front/rear.

HGUC GM Sniper II - The legs are fixed, and only the shoulders can rotate.

The legs are fixed, and only the shoulders can rotate.

HGUC GM Sniper II - The arms can be swapped out for work-use arms. (1/2) HGUC GM Sniper II - The arms can be swapped out for work-use arms. (2/2)

The arms can be swapped out for work-use arms.

HGUC GM Sniper II - Together with the HGUC Zaku Sniper.

Together with the HGUC Zaku Sniper.

HGUC GM Sniper II - Together with the 0080 HGUC NT-1 and Kämpfer.

Together with the 0080 HGUC NT-1 and Kämpfer.

HGUC GM Sniper II - Together with the 0080 GMs.

Together with the 0080 GMs.

HGUC GM Sniper II - Straight build (1/2) HGUC GM Sniper II - Straight build (2/2)

Straight build

After all the talk about it coming out someday, the GM Sniper II from 0080 has finally made it to HGUC. Since all the other 0080 suits had already gotten the HGUC treatment, I figured it would show up eventually — but it still feels like it took longer than expected.

Overall, the kit quality is just plain solid — nothing more, nothing less. Thanks to the new-style polycaps, joint strength is nice and sturdy throughout, and the color separation is decent enough that a straight build looks pretty good. The round section on the shield isn't color-separated, which is a bit of an eyesore, but the overall molded colors themselves are fine.

The polycaps are the newer type, but the articulation is pretty much your standard 90-degree bend — nothing fancy. So pulling off dramatic poses is tough, but you can just barely manage basic action poses and the kneeling sniper stance that's kind of the GM Sniper II's signature look. The head visor gimmick is also reproduced and adds a nice touch of realism, and the clear parts on the head look pretty good — so the effort to stay true to its role as a sniper is worth giving credit for.

So yeah, this kit doesn't really bring anything beyond the excitement of "the GM Sniper II finally got an HGUC release," but what it lacks in wow factor it makes up for with solid, no-complaints quality. And maybe as an apology for the long wait, the Draken-E is thrown in as a bonus — and for its size, the detail is actually pretty decent. It's molded in a single color so painting is basically a must, but the fact that they even included work-use arms shows they put in some genuine effort.

Either way, it feels like this finally puts a cap on the long, long 0080 HGUC lineup. For those who've been waiting, it's a solid, up-to-date kit that makes for a great little gift — and for old-school fans, it's a nice excuse to reminisce about War in the Pocket after all this time. :-)

HGUC GM Sniper II | 2012.9 | ¥1,700

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.