Kit Review

Straight build + Stickers

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

HG Zeta Gundam - Body, feet/legs, and forearm parts molded with multiple colors in a single part using System Insert technolo

Body, feet/legs, and forearm parts molded with multiple colors in a single part using System Insert technology

Unlike the traditional Waverider, the wings and shield use a Wave Shooter-style design.

Weapons loadout

Inside of the shield

The bottom section of the shield flips open — this is a gimmick needed for transformation.

Even in MS mode, the beam rifle can be mounted on the rear skirt.

Three hands are included in total, with an additional right hand specifically for holding the beam rifle.

HG Zeta Gundam - The limbs bend to an honest 90 degrees, but the hip joints can't raise very high due to the transformation g

The limbs bend to an honest 90 degrees, but the hip joints can't raise very high due to the transformation gimmick.

HG Zeta Gundam - Action poses. It's a shame you can't spread the legs very wide. (1/4)

HG Zeta Gundam - Action poses. It's a shame you can't spread the legs very wide. (2/4)

HG Zeta Gundam - Action poses. It's a shame you can't spread the legs very wide. (3/4)

HG Zeta Gundam - Action poses. It's a shame you can't spread the legs very wide. (4/4)

Action pose.
It's a shame you can't spread the legs very wide.

Transformation

Remove the head, then slightly lift the chest and pull the waist parts out as a whole unit.

Fold the chest armor up 90 degrees as shown above, then...

HG Zeta Gundam - Spread the hip joints out to the sides and fold the arms inward toward the body. The hip joint mechanism is

Spread the hip joints out to the sides and fold the arms inward toward the body.
The hip joint mechanism is designed very simply, so positioning everything is nice and easy.

HG Zeta Gundam - Pull out the soft fixing pin hidden inside the shield, then plug it into the underside of the body. At this

Pull out the soft fixing pin hidden inside the shield, then plug it into the underside of the body.
At this point, you can open the bottom cover of the shield upward to make it easier to secure the pin.

Rotate the side skirts 180 degrees upward, then...

HG Zeta Gundam - Rotate the wings 90 degrees and position them to the sides of the body. It's a much simpler transformation c

Rotate the wings 90 degrees and position them to the sides of the body.
It's a much simpler transformation compared to the Waverider conversion on the MG or RG.

Position the legs in a Z-shape as shown above, then spread out the stabilizers and wings.

HG Zeta Gundam - Swap the front of the beam rifle for the smaller piece, fold in the grip, and plug it into the rear skirt sl

Swap the front of the beam rifle for the smaller piece, fold in the grip, and plug it into the rear skirt slot — transformation complete.

HG Zeta Gundam - Wave Shooter. It tips backward when just set on a flat surface, so I propped something up behind the lower s

Wave Shooter.
It tips backward when just set on a flat surface, so I propped something up behind the lower section for the photos.

HG Zeta Gundam - Bottom view. Despite the simple transformation, the lines come together really nicely.

Underside view.
Despite the simple transformation, the lines come together really nicely.

Alongside the 1985 1/144 Zeta Gundam.

Alongside the 2003 HGUC Zeta Gundam.

The shield and wings look completely different.

HG Zeta Gundam - Comparing this kit's Wave Shooter with the HGUC Zeta Gundam's Waverider. The HG is noticeably bigger than th

Comparing this kit's Wave Shooter with the HGUC Zeta Gundam's Waverider.
The HG is noticeably bigger than the HGUC.

HG Zeta Gundam - A look at the history of the 1/144 domestic release Zeta Gundam through comparisons of the 1/144, HG, HGUC,

A look at the history of the 1/144 domestic release Zeta Gundam through comparisons of the 1/144, HG, HGUC, and HGUC [G.E.P.] versions.

Alongside the HG First and Gundam Mk-II.

* This kit is one of the original four HG releases from 1990, but the review was uploaded in January 2021. I bought and built these kits back in the early '90s myself, but since I had painted and modified them, I wasn't able to review them. I eventually managed to track down an unbuilt kit and reviewed it as a straight build, so please keep that in mind.^^

This kit is the HG Zeta Gundam, one of the very first HG series kits released in 1990. Like the HG First and Mk-II, System Insert technology is used so that multiple molded colors come out in a single part — however, because of the transformation gimmick, a one-piece injection-molded joint frame wasn't used, and dedicated polycaps are included instead.

Looking at it in MS mode first, the straight build visuals are incomparably better than the old 1/144 kit. Since the color scheme is inherently more colorful than the First or Mk-II, the dramatic visual difference feels even more striking. That said, System Insert alone apparently wasn't enough, as some color areas are handled with seals — but the seals actually look better than expected, giving an almost painted or naturally color-separated feel.

That said, because the hip joint mechanism only faces forward for the transformation, the proportions end up feeling a bit stiff. It's hard to spread the legs out to the sides even slightly, and the hip joints are also difficult to move forward and back, which is a bit of a letdown. The elbow and knee articulation itself is a standard 90 degrees, but those fixed-feeling hip joints make it tough to pull off dynamic poses. On the bright side, the dedicated polycaps do keep the joint strength solid and stable despite all the transformation gimmicks, which is a relief.

The real highlight of this old HG Zeta Gundam is the transformation process. Unlike the HGUC which went with a parts-swap approach, this one goes for a full conversion. Sure, you do have to detach the head and waist, but with the Wave Shooter shield and wings instead of the Waverider setup, the transformation becomes incredibly easy. The hip joints and wing pivot points are usually the tricky parts, but on this kit you just give each one a single simple fold and everything snaps into place. I'm not sure about everything else, but the easiest and most straightforward Zeta Gundam transformation ever— that's definitely something I can say about it.

To add a bit more on the Wave Shooter — unlike the traditional Waverider designed for atmospheric re-entry, the Wave Shooter is a flight unit built purely for in-atmosphere flying. With its large wing binders, wings, and wide shield, it's capable of low-altitude flight within the atmosphere and has improved cruising range, according to the lore. Honestly though, it kind of feels like a forced setting invented to justify an easier transformation for the HG, since doing a full 180-degree wing rotation into Waverider mode is notoriously tricky. ^^;

The Wave Shooter form looks pretty good too — the lines come together better than you'd expect for such a simple transformation, and the larger wings give it a nice sense of volume. The downside is that it tips backward badly when set on a flat surface, making it hard to display, and there's no stand hole either so you can't really put it on a flight stand. It would've been nice if a Hyper Mega Cannon were included to act as a support — that's a bit of a missed opportunity. Anyway, the Wave Shooter is definitely structurally easier to transform than the traditional Waverider, and it was later paid homage to with the Club G limited HGUC Zeta Gundam [G.E.P.] version, which was released as a Wave Shooter variant.

Either way, this kit shows off a straight build visual and transformation gimmick that's hard to believe came from 1990. The joints are also sturdier than the HG First or Mk-II, making it more enjoyable to handle. Above all, the Wave Shooter transformation — simple yet delivering a great-looking result — feels like something that's genuinely earned its place as a "legend." :-)

HG Zeta Gundam | 1990.6 | ¥1,200

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.