Kit Review

Straight build + Panel lining

The universal size reference — a cigarette pack comparison. It's one of the smallest MS out there.

The bazooka can also be stored on the rear.

Leg articulation is really impressive. Way better than the MG.

HGUC Char's Zaku II - The shoulder joint swings forward about 45 degrees, which makes weapon-holding poses look much more nat

The shoulder joint swings forward about 45 degrees, which makes weapon-holding poses look much more natural.

Action pose~ The proportions are pretty solid, right?

HGUC Char's Zaku II - Upper body close-up. You can really see how the shoulder joint flexibility makes the pose look so much

Upper body close-up. You can really see how the shoulder joint flexibility makes the pose look so much more natural.

Want to take a hit?

Great leg articulation means you can pull off all kinds of poses.

The double-jointed ankles are almost weirdly flexible (?)..

HGUC Char's Zaku II - You can even pull off these oddly adorable leg poses (feels like the articulation might be a bit overdo

You can even pull off these oddly adorable leg poses (feels like the articulation might be a bit overdone.. -.-;)

Equipped with the bazooka and tomahawk.

The tomahawk can also be mounted on the side.

HGUC Char's Zaku II - The one blemish... the backpack is simplified way too faithfully to the original design -.-; A lot of p

The one blemish... the backpack is simplified way too faithfully to the original design -.-;
A lot of people are complaining that they should've at least thrown in a couple of verniers.

HGUC Char's Zaku II - Alongside the MG Char's Zaku II. The molded color, detail, and articulation are quite different. The MG

Alongside the MG Char's Zaku II. The molded color, detail, and articulation are quite different.
The MG obviously wins on detail, but the HGUC is "far superior" in molded color, articulation, and proportions.

HGUC Char's Zaku II - Together with its rival, the RX-78 First Gundam. They're about the same height, but the Zaku is definit

Together with its rival, the RX-78 First Gundam. They're about the same height, but the Zaku is definitely chunkier.

HGUC Char's Zaku II - Alongside the similarly styled HGUC Gouf. While the Gouf has a slender build, the Zaku was released wit

Alongside the similarly styled HGUC Gouf.
While the Gouf has a slender build, the Zaku was released with a stockier, more true-to-the-original look.

Gundam's most popular character — a collection of HGUC Char's custom units.

Straight build photos before panel lining.

Ever since the RX-78 got the HGUC treatment, the Zaku II has finally made its HGUC debut as well. Just like how the HGUC RX-78 came out as a superior kit compared to the early '95 MG RX-78, the 2002 HGUC Zaku II has also been reborn with quality that far surpasses the '95 MG Zaku II.

First off, the stocky look faithful to the original design is captured really well. An unnecessarily slender build just doesn't feel like a Zaku..! Sure, that might be a matter of personal taste ^^; Compared to the MG, the detail in every nook and cranny will naturally fall a bit short given the scale difference.. but for starters, compared to the somewhat washed-out molded color of the MG Char's Zaku II, the HGUC's molded color is a noticeably deep and beautiful pink. Very nice! The joints are also very solid and have just the right amount of resistance — no wobbling whatsoever, and poses hold really well.

Above all, the HGUC Zaku II shows articulation that's far beyond the MG, which is basically a brick. Thanks to some unusual joint structures that seem almost out of place on such a stocky design — double-jointed ankles, shoulder swing-out joints — the arm and leg articulation is at quite a high level, so it looks great in just about any pose. The ankle double joints in particular are so over-the-top that sometimes posing it can actually feel a little awkward.. ^^;

The weapons include a bazooka and a tomahawk, which feels pretty decent overall.. The bazooka can be stored on the rear, and the tomahawk can be mounted on the side. The one blemish though.. the backpack is way too plain with not a single vernier in sight. A little more attention there would've been nice.. hmm~

You can really tell that Bandai put a lot of care into this one, befitting its status as the main character's unit. They may have gone the extra mile because it opens the door to all kinds of future color variants, but either way, this is a masterpiece of a kit with outstanding value for the price.

HGUC Char's Zaku II
2002.7
¥1,200

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.