Kit Review

Straight build
+ panel lining + decals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Upper body close-up

MG GM v2.0 - Head section. Both the front clear part and the camera on top of the head are done in green clear parts.. but th

Head section. Both the front clear part and the camera on top of the head are done in green clear parts..
The green tint is pretty light so the color doesn't really stand out.

Back and backpack section

Arms and beam spray gun

The legs, showcasing the GM's signature simplicity

MG GM v2.0 - Still those tiny feet.. Sure, you could argue the RX-78 2.0's feet were made smaller to fit inside the G-Fighter

Still those tiny feet..
Sure, you could argue the RX-78 2.0's feet were made smaller to fit inside the G-Fighter, but did the GM really need to have small feet too..??

Outer armor removed

Internal frame

MG GM v2.0 - Head and shoulder frame (1/3)

Head and shoulder frame

Front and rear torso frame

Torso close-up.
Check out the core block frame added to the GM v2.0.

The arm and leg frames are identical to the RX-78 v2.0.

One of the biggest features of the GM v2.0 frame is the addition of the core block.

The core block with PG-level detail.

The core block itself also has a cockpit cover, which opens and closes via a two-stage sliding mechanism.

Pull out the core block and the belly is left wide open like a zombie.

The frame articulation is outstanding, as expected.

Hiyah~!

The GM v2.0's weapons.
Aside from the beam spray gun, they're the same as the RX-78's.

The GM's signature weapon, the beam spray gun.. it really does look cheap..

The parts breakdown for the beam spray gun is pretty impressive, isn't it?

MG GM v2.0 - A detailed inner frame and perfectly seamless one-piece parts.. even the seam lines on this tiny weapon have bee

A detailed inner frame and perfectly seamless one-piece parts..
Even the seam lines on this tiny weapon have been completely eliminated — now THAT'S a true 2.0!

MG GM v2.0 - The GM originally only carries one beam saber on one side.. the unused beam saber rack on the other side can jus

The GM originally only carries one beam saber on one side..
The unused beam saber rack on the other side can just be folded away and stored.

Cockpit hatch open. The frame's hatch opens separately.

MG GM v2.0 - One fun thing about the GM v2.0: you can choose between two different front skirt configurations when building i

One fun thing about the GM v2.0.
You can choose between two different front skirt configurations when building it.

MG GM v2.0 - The left is the plain front skirt, and the right is the more... generously proportioned (-_-) front skirt style.

The left is the plain front skirt, and the right is the more... generously proportioned (-_-) front skirt style.
(You can choose between a feminine GM and a masculine GM — don't take that seriously.)
For a GM whose charm is its simplicity, the plain skirt is probably the way to go, right?

MG GM v2.0 - The skirt looks like one flat, featureless piece, but once you start posing it, it actually splits apart into in

The skirt looks like one flat, featureless piece, but once you start posing it, it actually splits apart into individual sections that move independently.

For a variation kit, there aren't many leftover parts.

Various unit marking stickers are included to recreate the Immortal 4th Squad. (See the manual.)

Articulation is great, as always!

MG GM v2.0 - Beam spray gun action pose (1/3)

Beam spray gun action pose

MG GM v2.0 - A natural kneeling bazooka action pose, just as you'd expect from a 2.0 (1/3)

A natural kneeling bazooka action pose, just as you'd expect from a 2.0

Beam saber action

There's no storage gimmick on the rear skirt,
so the bazooka has to be mounted on the back.

Fully armed

MG GM v2.0 - Beam saber action using Action Base 1 (1/3)

Beam saber action using Action Base 1

MG GM v2.0 - Somehow.. all that flashy weaponry just doesn't seem to suit the GM.. (1/3)

Somehow.. all that flashy weaponry just doesn't seem to suit the GM..

Comparison with the MG GM 1.0.

MG GM v2.0 - True to the 2.0 concept, it's become more compact and clean. The 1.0 had way too many panel lines to the point o

True to the 2.0 concept, it's become more compact and clean.
The 1.0 had way too many panel lines to the point of looking cluttered, and the proportions were pretty far from what a GM should look like...

The beam spray gun has gotten a bit chunkier.

The difference in foot size is massive -.-;
No matter how you look at it, the 2.0 feet seem way too small..

Comparison with the RX-78 2.0.

The somewhat awkward proportions of the RX-78 v2.0 actually suit the GM much better.

Straight build

The GM v2.0, the RX-78 2.0 variation everyone saw coming, has
been released. The GM is to the Federation what the Zaku is to Zeon, but..
it's fair to say the GM lacks the charisma and presence of the Zaku. That said, the GM has its own
charm — that lovable, mass-produced grunt feel that's all its own.

The old MG GM, which was based on the MG RX-78 v1.0, was..
well, widely panned for being very un-GM-like. As a kit on its own
merits it had a certain sleek, fresh feel to it, but the
problem was it had none of that rough-around-the-edges(?) charm from the original.
It just didn't feel like the GM we knew.
Ironically, the much simpler HGUC GM felt far more like a proper GM.

Since the GM v2.0 is built directly on the RX-78 2.0 as its base,
the proportions and quality are pretty much what you'd expect, but it's a kit
that feels like a massive leap forward compared to the old GM 1.0. When the RX-78 2.0
first came out, there was a lot of talk about how the proportions looked
a bit rough and not quite refined enough, but that slightly awkward,
in-between look actually suits the GM really well.
It almost feels like those proportions were never meant for the RX-78 in the first place — they were optimized for the GM all along!

Either way, it's a massive upgrade over the 1.0 and the overall
feel is really good. The articulation and full inner frame are excellent,
as you'd expect from a 2.0. And the fact that the outer armor has no
unnecessary panel lines makes it feel even more GM-like.

There's one unexpected highlight in the GM v2.0 — it includes a core block
frame that wasn't in the RX-78 2.0. It makes sense that a core block would
replace the core fighter, but the detail on this new core block is
really impressive. It's practically PG-level, and it even features a
two-stage sliding cockpit cover. Nice!

Just like the RX-78 2.0, all the weapons are made from one-piece parts,
eliminating seam lines entirely. I used to think seam lines on weapons
were just something you had to live with, but the recent 2.0 releases have been
knocking out every single weapon as a seamless one-piece. The GM's signature
(cheap-looking) beam spray gun is no exception — it's broken down into
individual one-piece parts to eliminate seam lines. In the old days they would've
just split it straight down the middle, but the way they've cleverly divided it
here looks like a lot of work went into it. That's 2.0 for you..

The overall quality is naturally excellent, but in terms of pure
emotional impact, it actually surpasses the RX-78 2.0 — the main character kit.
The RX-78 has been released in so many versions that version upgrades have
started to feel a bit routine, whereas the GM is getting a massive overhaul
for the first time in over a decade, which probably adds to that feeling.

All things considered, ¥3500 is a fair price compared to the MG lineup
that's been quietly creeping up in cost lately, the quality is solid as you'd
expect from a 2.0, and most importantly, we finally have a GM that really
feels like a GM in 1/100 scale. It's got that irresistible mass-produced
"gotta have more than one" pull that grunt suits always have.
If it's this good, having at least one seems like a no-brainer. :-)

MG GM-79 GM v2.0
Category	Rating	Analysis
Seam Lines	★★★★★★	Seam lines? What are those? Everything — weapons included — is seamless~
Molding Color / Color Separation	★★★★★	Even more refined molded colors. Perfect color separation. Clear green.
Proportions	★★★★★★	Turns out the RX-78 2.0's awkward proportions were actually meant for the GM v2.0 all along.
Articulation	★★★★★	A GM that moves this freely.. who would've thought.
Joint Strength	★★★★☆	No loose joints overall, but the skirts tend to pop off easily.
Internal Frame	★★★★★☆	This is what a full inner frame is all about. Core block frame added!
Detail	★★★★★	Incredible detail hiding beneath that simple exterior..
Weapons / Accessories	★★★★★	Seems like everything the GM needs is included.
Parts Count / Price	★★★★★	299 parts total. 85.4 parts per ¥1000 — great value for the price!
Uniqueness	★★★★★★★	In terms of feel alone, it surpasses the RX-78 2.0. A complete transformation.
Dalong's Point : 108 pts.

MG GM v2.0 | 2009. 2 | ¥3,500

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.