Kit Review

Straight build + Partial paint + Panel lining + Decals

The universal yardstick — size comparison with a cigarette pack.

Cockpit hatch open

MG Zeta Gundam - The head antennas come with both soft parts (for durability during transformation) and plastic parts (folded

The head antennas include soft parts for durability during transformation, and
plastic parts (folded form and flat form) are also included.

Accessories are on the generous side.

Recreates the feature of drawing the beam saber from the side armor.

The grenade cover on the arm is openable.

The classic MG standard set of three hand types: rock-paper-scissors hand, fist, and open hand.

MG Zeta Gundam - A Zeta Gundam exclusive feature! On the rock-paper-scissors hand, the three fingers other than the index fin

A Zeta Gundam exclusive feature! On the rock-paper-scissors hand, the three fingers other than the index finger
each bend once more at the middle joint.
Probably wasn't very practical, since this feature disappeared on later kits;;

The beam rifle is extendable.
It folds up in several places for mounting on the Waverider.

The shield is of course extendable too.

MG Zeta Gundam - The included Hyper Mega Launcher is also extendable. All three grips and their covers can be opened and clos

The included Hyper Mega Launcher is also extendable.
All three grips and their covers can be opened and closed.

The covers and grips at all three points move independently like that. Great detail recreation!

MG Zeta Gundam - The MG Zeta Gundam is known as the "floppy Gundam".. OTL The worst offender is the rear wing connection poin

The MG Zeta Gundam is known as the "floppy Gundam".. OTL
The worst offender is the rear wing connection point,
and if you just leave it alone, the wings inevitably splay out to the sides like that.

It's because the connection point is too small and weak relative to the size of the wings.

MG Zeta Gundam - A quick fix is to apply a tiny drop of super glue into the connection socket and let it cure — that improves

A quick fix is to apply a tiny drop of super glue into the connection socket and let it cure — that improves things quite a bit.

MG Zeta Gundam - Don't write it off just because it's an old kit! Thanks to the transformation mechanism, the limbs fold up c

Don't write it off just because it's an old kit!
Thanks to the transformation mechanism, the limbs fold up completely.
The arm articulation in particular has a wide and natural range of motion.

MG Zeta Gundam - Beam rifle action pose. (1/3)

Beam rifle action pose.

You can get a decent kneeling pose out of it.
The joints are a bit loose though, so it keeps toppling over..;;;;

Beam saber action

MG Zeta Gundam - Grenade action. As you can probably tell, the arms are a bit short — probably due to the transformation mech

Grenade action. As you can probably tell,
the arms are a bit short — probably due to the transformation mechanism.. T_T

The massive Hyper Mega Launcher clocking in at nearly 30cm!

MG Zeta Gundam - It's so huge that holding it up is a real struggle T_T Getting that shot was such a pain, I can't even tell

It's so huge that holding it up is a real struggle T_T
Getting that shot was such a pain, I can't even tell you...

Still, it looks pretty awesome. It's just so big..

You can barely hold it up with both hands, but it takes quite a bit of trial and error to get there.

Holding it upright like that is definitely the way to go! Looks great.

~ Transformation ~

The MG Zeta Gundam's transformation system is almost identical to the PG Zeta's.

Tuck in the shoulders...

Fold the antennas, tuck in the head, and raise the chest~

MG Zeta Gundam - Lifting the "crotch piece" (;;) forward releases the part that locks the two leg connection panels in place.

Lifting the "crotch piece" (;;) forward releases the part that locks the two leg connection panels in place.
For reference, the rear of that crotch piece is what locks the leg connection panel,
but the hold is pretty weak so it keeps coming loose.

MG Zeta Gundam - The leg connection panel mechanism: rotate it 90 degrees upward, then fold it 90 degrees forward to raise an

The leg connection panel mechanism: rotate it 90 degrees upward,
then fold it 90 degrees forward to raise and lock the legs into position.
It's a big improvement over the clunky old mechanism on the original 1/100 Zeta kit,
but the looseness is still a problem T_T

MG Zeta Gundam - The raised leg connection panel can be plugged into the locking pin on the rear skirt, but again it's too lo

The raised leg connection panel can be plugged into the locking pin on the rear skirt,
but again it's too loose and barely holds. Bleh.

MG Zeta Gundam - To fold the knee, you have to slide the joint position at the back of the knee. For reference, on the PG Zet

To fold the knee, you have to slide the joint position at the back of the knee.
For reference, on the PG Zeta, bending the leg causes
that part to snap into place automatically via a spring.

Fold in the heel and toe...

MG Zeta Gundam - Push the foot in and the vernier cover on the rear leg automatically slides open, revealing the verniers hid

Push the foot in and the vernier cover on the rear leg automatically slides open,
revealing the verniers hidden inside.

Narrow the waist, fold the front skirt, and tuck the arms inward — the inner structure is done.

MG Zeta Gundam - The wing connection joints are multi-articulated and can fold and unfold, and normally they lock into the gr

The wing connection joints are multi-articulated and can fold and unfold,
and normally they lock into the grooves on the wings to prevent them from going loose.

MG Zeta Gundam - The way the wings unfold is really clever. (Same mechanism as the PG Zeta.) On the old 1/100 Zeta, the wings

The way the wings unfold is really clever. (Same mechanism as the PG Zeta.)
On the old 1/100 Zeta, the wings just slide out a little to the sides and that's it,
but on the MG Zeta, the wings stored inside are pulled out in two layers,
and the arms then slot into the empty space left behind.
That's what allows it to transform into such a slim profile from top to bottom.

~ Waverider ~

Complete! Waverider~

MG Zeta Gundam - The folded beam rifle can be attached at three points: the rear skirt and the front of the stabilizers.

The folded beam rifle can be attached at the rear skirt and
at three points on the front of the stabilizers.

Compared to the old 1/100 kit, the profile is dramatically slimmer~.
The old nostalgic 1/100 was nicknamed the "flying hot dog" for a reason;; So round and chunky..

Cockpit hatch open in Waverider mode

MG Zeta Gundam - The underside. Everything is neatly covered up. Makes sense, since in-universe it's designed to withstand th

The underside. Everything is neatly covered up.
Makes sense, since in-universe it's designed to withstand the frictional heat of atmospheric reentry.

MG Zeta Gundam - The landing gear detail is really nice. The top one is the landing gear that attaches to the Waverider, and

The landing gear detail is really nice.
The top one is the landing gear that attaches to the Waverider,
and the bottom one attaches to the Hyper Mega Launcher.

When the landing gear isn't attached, a cover neatly closes it off — a nice touch~

The Hyper Mega Launcher's landing gear mount also has covers. Very thoughtful.

The Waverider with the Hyper Mega Launcher attached. Long and impressive.

Ooh, total fighter jet vibes~

View from below.

The stabilizer takes a mercury battery (CR1220). Why????

MG Zeta Gundam - Because the stabilizer has an LED, and flipping the switch lights it up! The only MG kit with a light-up fea

Because the stabilizer has an LED,
and flipping the switch lights it up!
The only MG kit with a light-up feature!

The stabilizer glowing in the dark...

As befitting an early MG, detail-up parts are included.

Together with the RX-78 v1.0. The Zeta is the larger of the two, as per the lore.

MG Zeta Gundam - As you can see, I built two Zeta Gundams — one from the original 1996 release and one from the 2004 reissue.

As you can see, I built two Zeta Gundams...
One from the original 1996 release, and one from the 2004 reissue.
I was hoping the loose joints might have been fixed...
but absolutely nothing changed. Not even a hair's worth of difference. Sheesh;

After RX-78 and Zaku — the eternal rivals of the Gundam universe — which Gundam is the most popular? Zeta Gundam, obviously. So it was only natural~ that Zeta Gundam was released as the third MG kit. (Fifth by number, but the first two are just color variants, so they don't really count.) And the biggest problem with this MG Zeta Gundam is that it came out too early because of its popularity, and that's what ultimately leaves you wanting more.

This MG Zeta is a kit that has stirred up a real love-hate relationship among Gunpla fans. It's also a bit of an underrated kit that suffered from expectations being set way too high... It's a kit with a lot of baggage, but that just goes to show how beloved the mobile suit is, right?

First of all, the MG Zeta is like the ultimate showcase of the early MG developers' craftsmanship. For ¥3000 (cheaper back then, of course), the sheer amount of content and the obsessive engineering are hard to believe — you can see traces of the designers striving for perfection everywhere you look. Even the box is a much larger size than your typical ¥3000 MG. Compared to the RX-78 v1.0 and Zaku II, the design approach is a step up, the styling is more refined, and when you look at every little detail, it really is one of the all-time classics.

▶ A love-hate kit. The "floppy Gundam" stigma...

But the biggest reason so many Gunpla fans have a love-hate relationship with it today is the weak joints due to the technical limitations of the time... earning it the infamous nickname: MG Zeta = the floppy Gundam. To be fair though, the MG Zeta's joints aren't really *that* loose. It doesn't fall over on its own when you stand it up, and while it's not super tight, it's nowhere near as bad as, say, the original Gelgoog release — which was genuinely like a fresh, wriggling live octopus. The body joints at least hold a pose reasonably well... but

The biggest eyesore is the rear wing section. The connection point is designed way too flimsy for the size of the wings, and as you can see in the photos, they just droop and splay open on their own — it's a pretty serious issue. (Same story whether it's the 1996 original or the 2004 reissue — so luck of the draw won't save you either.) And as you'd expect from an early kit, the grip strength is also weak (-_-;), and the complex transformation gimmicks mean things move around in all sorts of unintended ways when you're posing it. The weight of the backpack also puts a lot of stress on the knees, and the joints aren't quite stiff enough to handle that load comfortably.

On top of that, the transformation gimmick has improved dramatically compared to the old 1/100 structure, but the sheer number of folding and moving parts ends up being its own worst enemy. In practice, rather than just standing it up in MS mode, once you transform it into Waverider mode, the whole thing starts creaking and groaning and just won't stay locked in place. There are locking mechanisms here and there, but they don't seem to do much good; The newly attempted leg connector plate transformation gimmick in particular is a genuinely clever idea structurally, but it ends up being more trouble than it's worth since it won't stay locked in Waverider mode. So the entire leg assembly just wobbles around after transforming into Waverider. And the wing units locked down at the bottom are also iffy — they don't sit flush against the body and tend to droop downward.. Bottom line, this kit is less stable in Waverider mode than in MS mode.

That said, the loose rear wing problem can be almost completely fixed by dabbing a little super glue on the connection points and letting it cure for a few hours. It basically narrows and stiffens up the joint socket. The finger grip strength can also be improved a lot the same way, and honestly, if you're building the MG Zeta, I'd strongly recommend at least reinforcing the rear wing connections with super glue. It's almost embarrassing to even call it a mod — it's that simple — but the results are excellent.

Anyway, a lot of people got really frustrated with these loose joint gimmicks, which is how it ended up with the infamous nickname "Floppy Gundam" (or "Octopus Gundam~"). It really would've been a groundbreaking kit if only the joints were solid — that's a huge missed opportunity.

▶
Reassessing the MG Zeta

Setting aside those weak joints, the MG Zeta is actually a pretty impressive kit. Back in '96, it caused even more of a sensation than the MG First v1.0, with every model magazine falling over themselves to heap praise on it. I personally built the MG Zeta back then and was so blown away that I literally teared up. By the standards of the time, the color separation and accuracy to the official colors were incredible, the transformation was in a completely different league from the old 1/100, the proportions had that sleek and distinctive Katoki Hajime style, there was an LED lighting feature, killer-looking landing gear with amazing detail, and a perfectly executed Hyper Mega Launcher! T_T I genuinely paid my respects to the Bandai developers who gave absolutely everything to bring out the best in the Zeta.

And since old Bandai Gunpla joints up to that point were generally pretty mediocre, the looseness of the MG Zeta's joints was really only seen as something to fix up rather than a serious flaw. But later releases like the Re-GZ and Zeta Plus — which could be considered successor kits — showed off tight, solid joints throughout the whole body, unlike the MG Zeta, and that's when the loose joints started getting seriously criticized. A lot of people began hoping for a version upgrade like the RX-78 got. Especially compared to the Zeta Plus's more refined and "solid" transformation system, the excuse that "it's like this because it's a transforming kit" just didn't hold water anymore.

Even looking back from 2005 when I'm updating this review, if you take a careful look, it's clear that the MG Zeta was genuinely a landmark kit in its own right. The proportions felt so fresh and refined at the time — a massive leap over the old 1/100. From today's perspective, opinions vary a lot from person to person, and it seems like somewhere along the way, many people got tired of the Katoki Hajime aesthetic and started wanting proportions closer to the original design. Of course, proportions are always a matter of personal taste. I think people got a bit fed up with the MG Zeta's design — and the PG Zeta, which looks virtually identical — and then the HGUC Zeta came out with its more retro-style look and became popular, which probably pushed things even further in that direction. Trends change, after all.

Looking at the MG Zeta's weapons, every single one of them has its gimmicks executed so well that it honestly holds its own against the PG. If anything, the PG is missing a great weapon like the Hyper Mega Launcher. The grenade recreation is nice (though to be fair, even the old 1/100 had that), and the beam saber storage on the sides is a good touch too. It's also great that the cockpit hatch is recreated in both MS mode and Waverider mode. The MG Zeta is also uniquely the only kit where an extra knuckle joint on the hand is articulated. Sure, it's not really that useful in practice (since the grip is weak anyway;;), and it's a feature that completely disappeared in later kits — but it's still one of the things that makes the MG Zeta special.

The MG Zeta's transformation system was genuinely groundbreaking, and the structural concept itself is excellent — solid enough that it carried straight over to the Zeta Plus. The MG Zeta just fell short in how it locks the transformation parts in place, which led to a lot of complaints, but regardless, the Waverider proportions once transformed are top-notch. The heavily revised leg connector plate transformation method is effective, but the locking issue is still the critical flaw.. And even now — it's the only MG with a lighting system— there's an LED and button cell battery with a switch built into the stabilizer, so you can actually light up the stabilizer tail in Waverider mode! It really shows just how much love the Bandai developers put into developing the Zeta.

One thing though.. because the focus was entirely on the transformation gimmick, there's no inner frame whatsoever ^^; Then again, the transformation gimmick packed inside is so intricate that it fills that space.. Even if a version upgrade were to happen, recreating a frame would probably still be a tough ask given the structure. The bluish molded color with that ivory tint was an intentional color choice, but at this point it feels a bit dated and old-fashioned;; The limb articulation surprisingly achieves full bend, but there are limits to how dynamic the action poses can actually get. The shoulder range of motion is narrow, though the arm movement angle is decent enough.

▶
Conclusion

Anyway, for those who have memories of the old 1/100 Zeta Gundam (mostly those Akaze memories...), the MG Zeta is an incredibly special kit. That old 1/100 from the '80s looks pretty rough by today's standards, but back then, just the fact that it pulled off that seemingly impossible transformation gimmick was enough to move a lot of people deeply — it's a kit full of nostalgia. And then the MG Zeta came along and showed a massively improved transformation over the old version, giving you a slim, actually airplane-like Waverider instead of the hot dog-shaped one from the old 1/100, which made it hit even harder emotionally. At least in 1996, anyway.

Any Gunpla enthusiast who thinks back on this MG Zeta will probably find themselves flooded with all kinds of mixed feelings and memories, just like me. It's been getting blasted by the generation that's only ever known high-quality modern kits, but that's also a reflection of just how popular and highly anticipated it was. If you remember when the MG Zeta first came out, though, it's not a kit you can just dismiss so easily. Rather than outright criticism, it's more like... as Gunpla quality kept getting better over time, the disappointment with the MG Zeta just kept growing?

As you look through the photos above — more detailed than almost any other kit review — you'll get a sense that the MG Zeta itself is by no means a cheap kit. For the price of ¥3,000, it's a kit where everything about the Zeta has been faithfully recreated with real craftsman's spirit from the developers. And at least in MS mode, it's definitely not as floppy as people make it out to be. It holds a decent pose and stands just fine! The frustration mainly comes from the transformation process..;; That said, the Waverider form does look pretty great once you get it transformed. (Even if it won't stay locked properly;;)

In the end, the joints and the limitations of an older kit make it hard to give it full marks on quality — but you can't just call it a cheap kit either. For Gunpla enthusiasts, it's the embodiment of love and hate. So what's the way for the MG Zeta to shed its bad reputation? A 2.0 release, of course. And so, in December 2005, the Zeta 2.0 was finally born ^^
>> View the MG Zeta 2.0 Review

MG MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam
Category	Rating	Analysis
Seam Lines	★★☆	It's an early MG. Don't expect too much; though it's not bad enough to really bother you.
Molding Color / Color Separation	★★★★	The color separation is impressive. But that washed-out bluish molded color feels a bit dated now.
Proportions	★★★★	Sleek Katoki Hajime-style proportions. But opinions are pretty divided on this one.
Articulation	★★★★	Surprisingly achieves full bend despite how it looks. But applying that to action poses is another story..
Joint Strength	★★☆	MS mode is fine, but the personality really comes out when you try to transform it into Waverider..;;
Internal Frame	★★	None.. it's a transforming kit after all.. Instead of a frame, the internal transformation gimmick is excellent.
Detail	★★★★☆	It's lost some sharpness with age, but you can tell a lot of effort went into it, so it's satisfying.
Weapons / Accessories	★★★★★	Every accessory the Zeta needs is recreated with remarkable completeness.
Parts Count / Price	★★★★★	363 parts total. Parts per ¥1,000: 121. Incredible value for the price.
Uniqueness	★★★★★	At the end of the day, it's the Zeta Gundam.
Dalong's Point : 77 pts.

MG Zeta Gundam | 1996.4 | ¥3,000

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.