Kit Review

Straight build
+ panel lining + decals

1. Basic Photos

The universal standard — size comparison with a cigarette pack

MG Force Impulse Gundam - The joints are solid enough that it stands up straight even with all that stuff on its back. Amazin

The joints are solid enough that it stands up straight even with all that stuff on its back. Amazing T_T

Upper body close-up and head close-up

Force Pack

Force Pack backpack detail.

Shield and rifle detail. The molding is pretty packed in there.

Nicely shaped legs.

The yellow V on the chest and the tiny yellow bits on the knees — the color separation is spot on.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Force Impulse Gundam in standard armed configuration. (1/4)

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Force Impulse Gundam in standard armed configuration. (2/4)

Force Impulse Gundam in standard armed configuration.

The molding on the inside of the shield really stands out.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Force Impulse Gundam core body (1/4)

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Force Impulse Gundam core body (2/4)

Force Impulse Gundam core body

The back with the Core Splendor exposed.

Core Splendor backpack detail.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - The back section is designed so you can remove the Core Splendor and plug in a SEED-style back piec

The back section is designed so you can remove the Core Splendor and plug in a SEED-style back piece instead.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Configure it with the SEED-style back and it becomes compatible with all the backpacks from the SEE

Configure it with the SEED-style back and it becomes compatible with all the backpacks from the SEED kits. More details below...

Front cockpit hatch open.

2. Inner Frame

Outer armor removed

The inner frame. A proper full-body frame.

The upper body front frame.
Impressive for a transforming combination kit.

The back frame. There's even molding inside the frame itself....

Arm and leg frame

Thigh slide gimmick frame

The shin frame is excellent.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - There are two cylinders on the front of the leg frame, but only the lower ankle cylinder actually m

There are two cylinders on the front of the leg frame, but only the lower ankle cylinder actually moves.
Looks like the clearance was tricky to get right — when you bend the ankle downward, the ankle cylinder tends to pop out.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - The MG Impulse's shoulder gimmick is different from other kits, and that's because of the transform

The MG Impulse's shoulder gimmick is different from other kits,
and that's because of the transformation mechanism that requires the arms to pull outward.
It's a pretty clever shoulder joint design that manages to allow forward/backward and up/down movement while still incorporating the transformation gimmick.

A first for MG — the back of the elbow moves independently (just like a knee joint).

MG Force Impulse Gundam - The way the knee and leg frame work together is just beautiful. The knee uses a double split linkag

The way the knee and leg frame work together is just beautiful.
The knee uses a double split linkage system, and there's a slide gimmick in the thigh.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Thanks to the Impulse's unique transformation style, the knees can swing freely both forward and ba

Thanks to the Impulse's unique transformation style, the knees can swing freely both forward and backward...
It's no easy gimmick to pull off, but they've nailed it — sliding thighs and double-linked knees, all fully realized.
Once you get your hands on it, the engineering is genuinely impressive...

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Foot and ankle articulation. Because of the transformation, the ankle bends back really well but do

Foot and ankle articulation. Because of the transformation, the ankle bends back really well but doesn't flex forward much.

The upper and lower body connect via four pegs and sockets. The connection is pretty solid.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - The unavoidable pose... Unfortunately, because of the transformation gimmick the ankle doesn't bend

The unavoidable pose...
Unfortunately, because of the transformation gimmick the ankle doesn't bend forward much,
so the kneeling pose ends up looking a bit awkward.

The inside of the outer armor is packed with molding too. Standard stuff for an MG!

Detail on the inside of the skirt armor. A bit more intricate than other MGs.

3. Weapons &
Accessories

MG Force Impulse Gundam - The MG Force Impulse's accessories are in a league of their own. There's so much stuff you really h

The MG Force Impulse's accessories are in a league of their own.
There's so much stuff you really have to look carefully to figure out what's what.

Beam rifle. There's just something sleek about it.

The secondary grip slides forward and backward.
The red parts are of course color separated.

It can also be mounted on the rear skirt.

The shield in folded mode. Clean and full of detail.

The gimmicks for attaching it to the arm.

Shield in open mode. The detail is on a completely different level from the no-grade.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - True to its SEED lineage, the side armor houses an anti-armor knife. It's folding, of course, and t

True to its SEED lineage, the side armor houses an anti-armor knife.
It's folding, of course, and the detail is way more realistic compared to the Strike.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - The Excalibur that Force Impulse used to fight Freedom in the show is included. It's essentially th

The Excalibur that Force Impulse used to fight Freedom in the show is included.
It's essentially the same as the one from Sword Impulse, and it's also a hint at an MG Sword Impulse down the line.

1/100 figures of Shinn Asuka and Lunamaria come included along with a base.

A generous assortment of landing gear pieces for supporting the transformed components is included.

Various connection gimmicks for attaching the transformed components to Action Base 1.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - The Silhouette Flyer that carries the weapon packs. The white on the wing sections isn't color sepa

The Silhouette Flyer that carries the weapon packs.
The white on the wing sections isn't color separated, but the detail and proportions are very good~.

The underside. It has its own dedicated landing gear.

Love the wing design.

To attach the weapon packs, you pull the bottom of the verniers straight back.

Core Splendor and Silhouette Flyer.

Now, on to the Force Pack...

MG Force Impulse Gundam - The biggest feature of the MG Force Pack is that the wings are foldable. Makes it look so much more

The biggest feature of the MG Force Pack is that the wings are foldable.
Makes it look so much more impressive.. ^_^;

The delicate detail on the wings.

The beam saber section and the upper wings also move faithfully to the design specs...

MG Force Impulse Gundam - And crucially, the front and rear sections of the Force Pack are split and articulated separately —

And crucially, the front and rear sections of the Force Pack are split and articulated separately — which is unusual.
In other words, the backpack itself has a joint.
Even after attaching it to the Impulse core body, you can still move the Force Pack up and down. Pretty cool.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Backpack detail. The molding is meticulously done even on parts that get hidden once connected to t

Backpack detail. The molding is meticulously done even on parts that get hidden once connected to the body...

The lower sub-wing section. Unlike the no-grade, the color separation is all properly done here.

The lower sub-wing mount also opens and closes at a 90-degree angle.

4. Combination/Separation
Transformation

MG Force Impulse Gundam - As you probably know, our Impulse is one of the rare three-stage combination/separation transformin

As you probably know, our Impulse is one of the rare three-stage combination/separation transforming Gundams.
Well, calling it a "transformation" might be a bit generous... ^^;

MG Force Impulse Gundam - An MG-exclusive feature — the front center section of the body can slide upward to cover the face.

An MG-exclusive feature — the front center section of the body can slide upward to cover the face.
Given the undignified pose it has to strike... maybe it's hiding its face out of embarrassment.

Pull the shoulders out to the sides and rotate them 90 degrees upward.

The top and bottom covers of the shield detach and are configured like landing gear.

This is the MG Chest Flyer!
Even being an MG can't save it from that humiliating OTL pose... ;

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Ooh.. still, thanks to the shield's landing gear, the angle holds up nicely and it looks a little l

Ooh.. still, thanks to the shield's landing gear, the angle holds up nicely and it looks a little less pathetic.

Impulse.. the shield landing gear saves it from looking too pathetic.

Underside

Body section

If you plug in the separate connection gimmick on the lower torso area..

It can be mounted on Action Base 1.

Next up is the Leg Flyer. Just like the other grades, fold the knees forward and tuck the feet in.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - What's different about the MG is.. the double knee covers automatically snap into place, locking in

What's different about the MG is.. the double knee covers automatically snap into place,
locking into this somehow cool-looking form.
It's oddly convincing.. until you touch it..

Slide the red part on the back of the waist slightly forward.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Attaching the landing gear for the Leg Flyer. You need to remove the upper crotch cover and reattac

Attaching the landing gear for the Leg Flyer.
You need to remove the upper crotch cover and reattach it together with the landing gear.

The front landing gear.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - The two landing gears that attach to the knees. Cleverly, as you bend the knee, the knee cover auto

The two landing gears that attach to the knees.
Cleverly, as you bend the knee, the knee cover automatically slides up and exposes the landing gear mounting point.
I don't know about everything else, but the knee gimmick on the MG Force Impulse Gundam is genuinely something you could call a work of art.

Leg Flyer transformation complete. (Though calling it a "transformation" is a bit of a stretch..)

Again, the landing gear really makes it look the part.

Bottom view.

The molding on the soles is excellent too.

You can remove the crotch hole cover and plug in the stand adapter piece.

Mounted on Action Base 1.

Chest Flyer and Leg Flyer.

The Core Splendor is designed to attach to the lower waist section by default.

Core Splendor in folded form

MG Force Impulse Gundam - It follows the classic core fighter-style transformation. When pulling the wings downward, you need

It follows the classic core fighter-style transformation.
When pulling the wings downward, you need to pull until you hear a "click," then swing them out to the sides.
Otherwise the wings end up sitting at an awkward angle..

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Attach the landing gear and the air-to-air missile launcher accessory to the wings and the transfor

Attach the landing gear and the air-to-air missile launcher accessory to the wings and the transformation is complete.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - The Core Splendor. It's gotten incredibly sleek in MG form. There's some color separation done on i

The Core Splendor. It's gotten incredibly sleek in MG form.
There's some color separation done on it, but you'll still need to paint a few more spots to match the actual design colors.

Underside

The canopy is an opening type.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Plug the stand adapter into the bottom and you can display it on Action Base 1 as well. Though it's

Plug the stand adapter into the bottom and you can display it on Action Base 1 as well.
Though it's so small it doesn't really have much presence lol

Now the Chest Flyer, Core Splendor, and Leg Flyer are all together..

The Force Silhouette, with the Silhouette Flyer and Force Pack combined.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - You can angle it using the Silhouette Flyer's landing gear, though that's not an official configura

You can angle it using the Silhouette Flyer's landing gear, though that's not an official configuration..

This kit includes a dedicated display stand for the Force Silhouette. (So many accessories!)

MG Force Impulse Gundam - It's designed to support the Force Pack from below, but since it just rests on top, the hold isn't

It's designed to support the Force Pack from below, but since it just rests on top, the hold isn't very secure.

Still, when you set it on the stand it sits nice and level.

Recreating the stored configuration aboard the mothership Minerva.

You can plug the stand adapter into the bottom of the Silhouette Flyer..

Force Silhouette mounted on Action Base 1.

The Silhouette Flyer alone can connect to Action Base 1, but it looks pretty bare-

Now all four units are together.

To display all four in flight mode, you'll need a total of four Action Base 1 stands.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Flight mode display of the Chest Flyer - Core Splendor - Leg Flyer - Force Silhouette, arranged wit

Arranged with reference to the manual photos,
flight mode display of the Chest Flyer - Core Splendor - Leg Flyer - Force Silhouette.
Looks pretty cool :-)

5. Articulation &
Action Poses

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Full bend is a given! But since the hip joints are fixed-type.. the thighs only raise about 90 degr

Full bend is a given!
But since the hip joints are fixed-type.. the thighs only raise about 90 degrees..

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Despite having transformation gimmicks built into the shoulders, they still move as much as you'd w

Despite having transformation gimmicks built into the shoulders, they still move as much as you'd want.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Even though it's a core block-equipped design, the waist is engineered to rotate. You can kind of s

Even though it's a core block-equipped design, the waist is engineered to rotate.
You can kind of see a preview of the MG First 2.0 here.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - The knee gimmick is excellent~. The knee covers are double-split articulated, and the thigh armor i

The knee gimmick is excellent~.
The knee covers are double-split articulated, and the thigh armor is slide-type as well.

Interestingly, the elbow armor moves individually, just like the knee covers.

Either way, this seems to be a kit that poses well.

Anti-armor knife action pose.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Basic shooting stance. (1/3)

Basic shooting stance.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Maybe it's because the ankle joints aren't very flexible forward.. the kneeling pose doesn't look a

Maybe it's because the ankle joints aren't very flexible forward.. the kneeling pose doesn't look all that natural.
Still, it's passable at that level...

MG Force Impulse Gundam - To mount it on Action Base 1, you need to remove the crotch cover and swap in the adapter piece. Th

To mount it on Action Base 1, you need to remove the crotch cover and swap in the adapter piece.
The removed cover can then be stored inside the adapter piece as shown in the photo on the right. (Nice touch!)

Stand on!

The big wings really shine when it's up on a stand.

A natural drawing pose

Beam saber action pose

Excalibur action!

You can also spread the wings into a W shape.. which suddenly reminds me of Gurren Lagann :-)

Overhead strike pose. Absolutely dynamic.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - That pose from the show where it attacks Freedom.. that's exactly why the Excalibur is included. (1

MG Force Impulse Gundam - That pose from the show where it attacks Freedom.. that's exactly why the Excalibur is included. (2

That pose from the show where it attacks Freedom.. that's exactly why the Excalibur is included.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - The official(?) action poses recommended in the manual are pretty dynamic. (1/4)

MG Force Impulse Gundam - The official(?) action poses recommended in the manual are pretty dynamic. (2/4)

The official(?) action poses recommended in the manual
are pretty dynamic.

6. Compatible Weapon Packs

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Deviously.. (lol) the MG Force Impulse Gundam is designed to be fully compatible with all 1/100 SEE

Deviously.. (lol) the MG Force Impulse Gundam is designed to be fully compatible with all 1/100 SEED-series backpacks.
To do this, you need to swap out the back parts as shown earlier.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - First up, fitting the Strike's Aile pack. It's the Aile Impulse Gundam(?). Maybe because the wings

First up, fitting the Strike's Aile pack. It's the Aile Impulse Gundam(?).
Maybe because the wings are similar, I can't really tell much of a difference — the Force Pack looks cooler honestly.. ;;

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Fitted with the MG Strike's Launcher pack. The shoulder weapons are a different structure so they'r

Fitted with the MG Strike's Launcher pack.
The shoulder weapons have a different structure, so they're hard to attach. I tried to at least just rest them on top, but that didn't really work out either;

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Since I had the launcher out, time for an action pose! Honestly, it's way easier to get poses out o

Since I had the launcher out, time for an action pose!
Honestly, it's way easier to get poses out of this than the MG Strike, its original owner.
That just goes to show how much the articulation and joint strength have improved in the MG Impulse.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - The Sword pack equipped look and action poses. The shoulder weapons are still a pain to attach thou

The Sword pack equipped look and action poses.
The shoulder weapons are still a real pain to attach though..;

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Bonus — a comparison between the beam sword from the MG Sword Strike and the Excalibur from the MG

Bonus — a comparison between the beam sword from the MG Sword Strike and the Excalibur from the MG Impulse.
The Excalibur itself is actually bigger, but thanks to the beam parts at the back of the beam sword, the overall length of the beam sword ends up longer.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Next up, the Noir pack.. somehow feels a bit off; (1/3)

Next up, the Noir pack.. somehow feels a bit off;

MG Force Impulse Gundam - What's the best match for the MG Impulse? Definitely the IWSP pack, the most recently released weap

What's the best match for the MG Impulse? Definitely the IWSP pack, the most recently released weapon pack.
The detail is the best of the bunch, and the overall setup is so well put together — it's a perfect match for the modern-style MG Impulse.

Super cool action poses

Full of impact!

MG Force Impulse Gundam - I have a feeling some people might end up hunting down the MG IWSP kit just to put it on the MG Imp

I have a feeling some people might end up hunting down the MG IWSP kit just to put it on the MG Impulse -.-;

Oh right, and also..

MG Force Impulse Gundam - The two backpacks from the old 1/100 Akatsuki kit were compatible with the MG Strike. Naturally, th

The two backpacks from the old 1/100 Akatsuki kit were compatible with the MG Strike.
Naturally, they're 100% compatible with the MG Impulse too;;;;

MG Impulse with the Shiranui pack.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - MG Impulse with the Oowashi pack. Honestly, the gold-colored weapon packs just don't match the Impu

MG Impulse with the Oowashi pack.
Honestly, the gold-colored weapon packs just don't match the Impulse very well;;

7. Comparison with the 1/100 No Grade

Together with the 1/100 No Grade Force Impulse Gundam.

Comparing the two Impulse Gundams in their standard armed configurations.

Side-by-side comparison.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Body comparison. The MG is noticeably taller, and the proportions have shifted to something much mo

Body comparison. The MG is noticeably taller, and the proportions have shifted to something much more MG-like.

Head comparison. As expected, the MG has a smaller face and head.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Torso comparison. Same design concept, but the MG is slimmer and longer. The difference in molding

Torso comparison. Same design concept, but the MG is slimmer and longer.
The difference in molding detail is very noticeable.

Arm comparison. Aside from being slimmer and longer, there aren't any major changes.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Leg comparison. The feet are almost half the size ^^; (1/3)

Leg comparison. The feet are almost half the size ^^;

Articulation comparison.

Rifle comparison. The MG is definitely better, but it's not a dramatic difference.

The shield is a whole different story though~ ^^;

Chest Flyer comparison

The MG version has landing gear on the shield, which makes it feel quite different.

That said.. the awkward pose is still there ^^;

Leg Flyer comparison. The difference in detail is immediately obvious.

Again, the MG has landing gear, so it has a very different feel.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Beyond just the landing gear, take a close look at the differences in the position and shape of the

Beyond just the landing gear, take a close look at the differences in the position and shape of the knee armor.

Either way, the MG version still looks at least somewhat less rough;;

The transformed forms are also generally more elongated on the MG side.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Core Splendor stowed configuration comparison. The center is the MG, the left is the partially pain

Core Splendor stowed configuration comparison.
The center is the MG, the left is the partially painted 1/100, and the right is the unpainted 1/100.

Core Splendor comparison.

Going up to MG changed the length, size, and shape dramatically.

The MG Core Splendor really does seem like it turned out great.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Silhouette Flyer comparison. The one on the left (1/100) has partial paint applied to the wings and

Silhouette Flyer comparison.
The one on the left (1/100) has partial paint applied to the wings and upper section.

The MG version is a bit slimmer and longer.

Force Silhouette comparison.

The shape is nearly the same, but the difference in detail is significant.

Force pack only comparison.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - The MG's wing span is just a little longer. More than that though, the angle of the wings themselve

The MG's wing span is just a little longer. More than that though, the angle of the wings themselves has changed, so the overall feel is quite different.

On the other hand, the lower sub-wings on the MG are over 30% longer.

Vernier section detail comparison.

Wing detail comparison

Above all.. the best thing about the MG Force pack is definitely that the wings can fold.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - The beam sabers that attach to the Force pack also feel completely different. The beam saber grip o

The beam sabers that attach to the Force pack also feel completely different.
The beam saber grip on the MG Force Impulse is so thick it's practically a club..

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Comparison between the Excalibur included with the 1/100 Sword Impulse and the one included with th

Comparison between the Excalibur included with the 1/100 Sword Impulse and the one included with the MG Force Impulse.
The size difference is pretty serious ^^;

8. Other Comparisons and Wrap-up.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - First, I have to compare it with the MG Aile Strike — the predecessor and spiritual counterpart fro

First, I have to compare it with the MG Aile Strike — the predecessor and spiritual counterpart from the previous series.
What's surprising though.. the MG Strike was a pretty solid kit in its own right,
but next to the MG Impulse, it almost looks like one of those 1/100 vs. MG comparison shots.
That's because the MG Impulse is so much taller and slimmer. The MG Strike ends up looking kind of chubby;;

Side view. The size difference is really something-

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Body-only comparison. The proportions have changed, but moving to the MG Impulse also more than dou

Body-only comparison. The proportions have changed, but
moving to the MG Impulse also more than doubled the density of the detail and molding.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Comparison between the similarly-conceived Aile pack and Force pack. Both can fold their wings, but

Comparison between the similarly-conceived Aile pack and Force pack.
Both can fold their wings, but the Force pack folds them in two stages -

MG Force Impulse Gundam - The wing spans are pretty similar. At first glance I assumed the Force pack wings would be bigger,

The wing spans are pretty similar. At first glance I assumed the Force pack wings would be bigger,
but the MG Aile wings are no slouch either.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - The difference in wing detail. The MG Strike went for a clean, simple style, while the MG Impulse g

The difference in wing detail.
The MG Strike went for a clean, simple style, while the MG Impulse goes all-in on complex detail.

Top of the backpack section comparison.

The beam sabers on the MG Impulse side are also much thicker and longer.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Above all.. the fact that the MG Impulse can fold its wings one extra step in a really cool way is

Above all.. the fact that the MG Impulse can fold its wings one extra step in a really cool way is definitely its biggest selling point!

MG Force Impulse Gundam - Bonus. Comparison between the MG First's Core Fighter and the MG Impulse's Core Splendor. Honestly,

Bonus. Comparison between the MG First's Core Fighter and the MG Impulse's Core Splendor.
Honestly, the newer one just looks cooler and more refined.

The three SEED Destiny MG musketeers together. All three are top-notch quality.

MG Force Impulse Gundam - The foot design is asymmetrical, similar to the MG Destiny, but the exterior detail on the MG Force

The foot design is asymmetrical, similar to the MG Destiny,
but compared to the MG Destiny, the exterior detail on the MG Force Impulse is far more refined and complex.
The MG Destiny feels like it sits right in the middle between the MG Strike/Freedom and the MG Force Impulse.

The MG Force Impulse is the ultimate example of a total transformation done right!

Straight-built state

The Impulse Gundam, which felt like it was always just around the corner but never quite arriving, has finally been released as an MG. There was already a ton of buzz before it came out, but the result exceeded all expectations!! It's become the ultimate example of what a complete transformation really looks like.

Usually, when a new Gundam is revealed at the illustration stage, you all know how it goes — it somehow looks a bit rough. Maybe it's the Okawara Kunio-style proportions, but the design and poses just look awkward. Then once it starts showing up in the anime and getting some action, the image improves a little. And then when Bandai releases it as a proper Gunpla, that's usually when it finally shines.

The Impulse Gundam was a unit that got absolutely roasted right from the start, thanks to that infamous OTL pose. Sure, the HG and 1/100 releases — especially the Sword Impulse — helped improve its image a bit. But it's hard to deny that it's been consistently ranked near the top of the "least favorite Gundam" lists. Even in the anime, it got overshadowed by Freedom and Destiny pretty quickly, and its status as the early protagonist faded faster than expected. (Aw... poor thing..)

The biggest question before the MG Force Impulse dropped was: how much of an image improvement would it deliver compared to the already decent 1/100, HG, and 1/60 releases? And once again, Bandai has given Gunpla fans a pleasant surprise they never saw coming.

First off, the proportions have changed dramatically. It's a given that it'd be sleeker and more slender compared to the No Grade 1/100, but with the Force Impulse, the degree of change is massive. As you can see in the photos above, standing it next to the MG Strike — which was already pretty decent — the difference is stark, almost like comparing a 1/100 to an MG. Of course, proportions are always going to be a matter of personal taste, but there's no denying that it's been updated to a very polished, modern look. You really get that "wait, is this actually the same Impulse Gundam?" feeling.

On top of that, the detail and molding have been upgraded to among the best of any MG. Looking at the overall style, it might seem like it's on par with the MG Destiny in terms of change, but compare them side by side and the MG Force Impulse's detail is noticeably more precise and the molding far more refined. Panel lining became a serious workout as a result, but all things considered, I'd dare say it's number one among all MGs in terms of detail. The SEED-series MGs had full inner frames but the detail was generally pretty flat — the MG Force Impulse's frame detail is as dense and packed as the MG F91, which is incredibly satisfying visually.

The color separation, as you'd expect from a modern MG, has a lot of improvements, and I especially love that the V-shape on the chest is now a separate color-separated part. The fact that they went with actual part separation instead of stickers even for those tiny yellow bits on the knees shows they really put in the effort. The Silhouette Flyer and Core Splendor do have pretty wild color combinations though, so perfect color separation wasn't quite achievable. Still, that's just the nature of the original design being complex — even a straight build looks sharp enough.

The most impressive change is the sheer number of new and intricate gimmicks packed in. Things like a separate elbow gimmick that moves like a knee joint, double-jointed knees with a sliding thigh mechanism, and especially the knees that need to fold forward and backward — all perfectly reproduced. It might not be obvious just from photos, but once you actually handle it, you can feel through your fingertips just how much thought went into this thing.

On top of that, the Core Splendor's docking mechanism is more refined, and waist rotation is possible despite the core block system. This had people speculating it was a test run in preparation for the MG First 2.0, but I'm not so sure that's the case. If anything, the gimmick structure gives me a stronger feeling that it was designed with a future MG V Gundam in mind.

Articulation-wise, as expected from a modern MG, full limb bend is a given — but the range of motion at the front of the ankle is limited, so deep kneeling poses feel a bit awkward. Surprisingly, the hip joint uses a classic design with no special gimmick, so the thigh only raises to about 90 degrees, which is a bit of a letdown. That said, the proportions are excellent and the basic articulation is solid, so action poses still look pretty cool.

Personally, the part where I really felt "wow, this has genuinely improved!" with the MG Force Impulse is none other than the joint strength — specifically the ankle joints. The MG Strike, Freedom, Freedom 2.0, and so on — all great kits with fantastic articulation, but every single one had seriously weak ankles. Of course, that's exactly why a stand was always included, and it was kind of just accepted as "well, just put it on the stand and call it a day." Even the more recent MG Freedom 2.0 left me frustrated with its floppy ankle joints, and I just shrugged it off with "eh, that's just how SEED MGs are." But the MG Force Impulse — the ankle joints are properly improved, and it stands up straight and firm even with the big Force pack on its back. That's genuinely moving. T_T

Maybe that's why the MG Force Impulse doesn't come with a stand. It's confident enough in its joints that if you need one, go grab an Action Base or whatever — that seems to be the message. Either way, every joint on the whole body is solid, and that's a massive win.

The MG Force Impulse faithfully reproduces every aspect of the design — and then some — including the unique combination/separation/transformation system, which works really well. In particular, all units include landing gear, which not only makes displaying them more convenient but also adds a nice visual boost. The Chest Flyer looks much more impressive thanks to the shield landing gear, and the Leg Flyer becomes at least somewhat presentable thanks to its unique knee gimmick. Though there's no getting around that signature awkward, dejected pose of the Chest Flyer. ^^;

The Force pack in particular has been upgraded far beyond the old MG Aile pack in terms of structure, functionality, and detail. The wings fold in half in a convincing way, a joint has been added that lets the center of the backpack fold as well, and the beam saber connection joints are improved — in every way, it really feels like they gave it their absolute best.

In all honesty, the Sword Impulse tends to be more popular than the Force Impulse for various reasons, and naturally this kit's parts and runners are already laid out with a Sword release in mind. On top of that, one Excalibur sword is already included, so all they'd need is the Sword-specific backpack to put it out. Of course, that'll depend on the MG Force Impulse's sales performance — but given this level of quality, it's more than worthy of becoming a solid seller for Bandai, so I'd expect an MG Sword Impulse to follow before too long. As for the Blast Impulse, though — it got the cold shoulder even in the HG and 1/100 lineups, so an MG release seems pretty uncertain...

The MG Force Impulse is a kit that has improved far beyond expectations, but of course it has its downsides too. Here's a rundown of the shortcomings. Most of them are minor, and a lot of them are unavoidable due to the transformation gimmicks.

- The Force pack's wing joints are a little loose, so the wings can droop downward.
- The shoulder joint gimmick is impressive, but it seems small and weak — when holding something heavy, the shoulders tend to sag downward.
- The ankle barely bends forward, which limits articulation. (On the plus side, it won't topple forward either...;)
- The waist parts that connect to the lower body tend to pop off easily. They keep coming loose unnecessarily when separating the upper and lower body.

In conclusion, building the MG Force Impulse left me genuinely impressed by Bandai's engineering once again. More than the technical skill, it's an unexpected level of craftsmanship. Maybe because the unit had a bit of a rough image, they put in extra effort on the quality. It's a kit that's almost a wildly surprising turnaround.

The MG Force Impulse is the first non-Universal Century kit I've given a score of over 100 points — and if you build it yourself, I think you'll clearly feel that it's on a different level from the MG Strike/Freedom/Destiny/Freedom 2.0. Because it systematically addresses the weaknesses of the SEED MGs, I think you'll understand why it deserved a different kind of score. Either way, it's a kit where you can feel the upgrades everywhere through your fingertips — it's a genuinely satisfying build. The meaning behind the high score of 103 points is an acknowledgment of Bandai's ability to effortlessly refresh the image of an existing unit, and a thank-you for the unexpected level of craftsmanship. It also means I was genuinely surprised quite a bit while building it.

And those accessories — the sheer volume of them — it's more than enough to make you feel like Bandai was going for something here. They clearly set out to flip the script on this kit's image once and for all, so we should enjoy it, right? ^^; The complex transformation and the absurd number of accessories are exactly why this ended up being the first review on the site to exceed 300 photos — but it's a kit that absolutely deserves that kind of treatment and reception. I'll say it: it's one of the more landmark MGs out there.

MG ZGMF-X56S/α Force Impulse Gundam
Category	Rating	Analysis
Seam Lines	★★★★★	Solid parts and smart part separation in pursuit of perfection
Molding Color / Color Separation	★★★★☆	Not perfect, but color separation on details like the yellow V on the chest and the knees is a nice touch.
Proportions	★★★★★☆	The latest trends, fully realized. A massive upgrade.
Articulation	★★★★☆	There are some shortcomings, but the articulation is top-tier and solid at its core.
Joint Strength	★★★★★	Not loose, not overly stiff. Just right.
Internal Frame	★★★★★	Full inner frame + top-tier frame detail unlike anything before.
Detail	★★★★★☆	The fineness and precision of the molding is among the best of any current MG.
Weapons / Accessories	★★★★★☆	No kit has ever come with more accessories. Goes beyond the source material specs.
Parts Count / Price	★★★★★	378 parts total. 84 parts per ¥1000. An incredibly generous kit.
Uniqueness	★★★★★★	Surprisingly, a lot of effort went into this kit. A legendary transformation.
Dalong's Point : 103 pts.

MG Force Impulse Gundam | 2008. 5 | ¥4,900

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.