Kit Review

Straight build + Stickers + Panel lining

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) (1/6)

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) (2/6)

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) (3/6)

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) (4/6)

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) (5/6)

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) (6/6)

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) - Detail shots (1/4)

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) - Detail shots (2/4)

Detail shots

All the standard weapons are included.

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) - The extend/retract gimmicks on each weapon are nicely reproduced, though the sh

The extend/retract gimmicks on each weapon are nicely reproduced,
though the shield extends via swappable parts rather than a moving mechanism.

The grenade launcher's muzzle cover is also reproduced as an openable hatch.

For a Zeta Gundam, the limb articulation is surprisingly good.

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) - The shoulder articulation is especially impressive — they swing forward and als

The shoulder articulation is especially impressive — they swing forward and also raise up quite high.

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) - A new-style waist joint that locks the polycap horizontally has been used, so t

A new-style waist joint that locks the polycap horizontally has been used, so the waist bends forward quite a bit too.

Interestingly, the wing units also pivot forward and backward.

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) - The rear skirt moves as well, which helps extend the hip joint's range of motio

The rear skirt moves as well, which helps extend the hip joint's range of motion.

Grenade launcher firing pose.
Great stance~~

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) - Dynamic aerial firing pose. (1/3)

Dynamic aerial firing pose.

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) - Hyper Mega Launcher firing pose. It holds it up just fine with no real issues.

Hyper Mega Launcher firing pose.
It holds it up just fine with no real issues.

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) - Beam saber action pose (1/3)

Beam saber action pose

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) - Dynamic dual-wield pose. Can't believe you can pull this off with a Zeta Gundam

Dynamic dual-wield pose.
Can't believe you can pull this off with a Zeta Gundam!!!

Transformation

First, detach the limbs and backpack.

Next, remove the various armor pieces from the body.

Push the verniers on the sides of the shoulders inward, just like on the MG.

Prepare the separate parts for the Waverider.

Slot the arms into the Waverider frame parts..

Plug the armor pieces you removed from the body onto the frame.

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) - Remove the parts behind the knees, fold the joints and reposition them into the

Remove the parts behind the knees, fold the joints and reposition them into the new slots..

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) - Fold the feet and push them in, and the rear cover automatically slides along w

Fold the feet and push them in, and the rear cover automatically slides along with them, exposing the verniers.

Attach the folded legs and the stabilizers as well.

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) - Unfold the wing units in two stages. You can see the space inside the wings whe

Unfold the wing units in two stages.
You can see the space inside the wings where the arms are stored, just like on the MG.

Attach the wings and shield to the underside.

Then mount the Hyper Mega Launcher on top of the shield,

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) - and pull out the fixing pin at the rear of the beam rifle and plug it into the

and pull out the fixing pin at the rear of the beam rifle and plug it into the stabilizer section — transformation complete.
Looks like the beam rifle's fixing pin has been upgraded to a movable type on this kit.

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) - The Waverider with all weapons attached. Parts fit together extremely securely

The Waverider with all weapons attached.
Parts fit together extremely securely in Waverider mode.

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) - A separate joint part for mounting the Waverider on an Action Base is also incl

A separate joint part for mounting the Waverider on an Action Base is also included.

Mounted on a clear stand using the joint part.

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) - The Waverider on its own. Even with the arms stored inside, it still looks slim

The Waverider on its own.
Even with the arms stored inside, it still looks slim and solid overall.

Body parts left over after transforming into Waverider mode.

Alongside the HGUC Zeta Gundam v1.0 released in 2003.

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) - Alongside the HGUC Zeta Gundam v1.0's Waverider. It's gotten slimmer yet notice

Alongside the HGUC Zeta Gundam v1.0's Waverider.
It's gotten slimmer yet noticeably bigger overall.

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) - Comparison with the HGUC Zeta Gundam v1.0's Waverider fully loaded with weapons

Comparison with the HGUC Zeta Gundam v1.0's Waverider fully loaded with weapons.
The Hyper Mega Launcher is noticeably larger, and its mounting position on the body has shifted forward too.

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) - Alongside the RG Zeta Gundam. I was going to compare the Waveriders too, but th

Alongside the RG Zeta Gundam.
I was going to compare the Waveriders too, but the RG transformation is such a pain and the risk of breakage is real, so I passed on that.. ^^;

The HGUC version-up parade continues, and this time the HGUC Zeta Gundam has been reborn in a new edition. Previous releases came under the "Revive" label, but this Zeta Gundam comes with the name "Gundam Evolution Project (GEP)." According to Bandai, it's a series celebrating the 40th anniversary of Gunpla, with dramatically upgraded articulation compared to the original kits. Honestly it feels pretty much the same as a Revive — just with a different name. -.-

When it was first announced, there were complaints that the red sections on the wing units still weren't color-separated. Unlike the HGUC Zeta Gundam v1.0 which just left them black and quietly moved on, the GEP version does at least include red stickers for those areas. Fortunately the color on those red stickers isn't bad at all, so if you apply them carefully they actually look pretty decent.

The overall proportions feel like a simplified take on the RG Zeta Gundam, though the v1.0 already had solid proportions so the difference isn't dramatic. That said, the articulation has been upgraded to an incomparable degree, just as Bandai promised. For starters, a special shoulder joint has been used that lets the shoulders swing in all directions — forward, backward, and upward — with a wide range of motion, and the waist bends forward quite a lot too. On top of that, rear skirt articulation and forward/backward wing movement have been added — gimmicks you won't even find on the MG — making it possible to pull off dynamic poses you've never seen on any Zeta Gundam before.

Rather than going for a full transformation like the v1.0, this kit sticks with the parts-swapping approach, but in exchange the articulation in MS mode has been maxed out just like other Revive kits — and that's where it really shines. The transformation itself has also been engineered with precision to minimize leftover parts while ensuring everything fits together cleanly in the modern style. Notably, the v1.0's Waverider left the arms out entirely, but the GEP version actually removes the arms and stores them inside — and it still ends up slimmer than the v1.0.

Thanks to making the most of the parts-swapping transformation, the Waverider's sturdiness and fit are genuinely impressive — it fits together more cleanly and looks sharper than any other Waverider out there. It's like snapping together a perfectly designed puzzle where every piece just clicks into place. The transformation process is similar to the v1.0 but somehow feels even easier, so the tedium of transforming it is reduced too. It's especially a breath of fresh air compared to the notoriously brutal transformation on the RG Zeta Gundam.

That said, there are a few things worth pointing out. The verniers on the sides of the shoulders are designed to fold inward for transformation, but they go in way too easily, making them a hassle to manage in MS mode. This is an issue on the MG too, but it's even worse here. I'd finish shooting an action pose, check the photos, and find the shoulder verniers had slipped inward — happened constantly and forced me to reshoot over and over. It's a surprisingly annoying little thing.

The joint strength is solid overall and holds poses well, but the balance is a bit off in places. The shoulder joint operates in two stages — a ball joint on the shoulder side and an inner pivot joint — and the ball joint is stiff while the inner joint is loose, so when you rotate the shoulder the balance is off and there's a very real risk of the inner joint snapping. Be careful to move the shoulders gently so that inner joint doesn't break — seriously, watch out for this one.

All that said, the completely transformed articulation and excellent Waverider conversion make this a really satisfying kit to build and fun to play with once it's done — it feels like the highest quality of any Revive kit so far. Even if you've been a long-time Gunpla burnout case, this is the kind of kit that'll make you go "whoa!!" and get you excited again, so I'd happily recommend it to all Gunpla fans across the board. :-)

HGUC Zeta Gundam (Gunpla Evolution Project) | 2017.4 | ¥2,000

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.