Kit Review

Straight build
+ panel lining + decals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Upper body close-up
The chest armor got narrower with the v2.0.

That droopy, pouty mouth — somehow gives it a weirdly charming face.

Rear and backpack section.
The backpack is pretty simple.

The spike armor on the shoulders, now much bigger.

The forearms have gotten a lot beefier..

Leg section

MG Gouf v2.0 - The way the leg armor attaches is the same as the MG Zaku 2.0. Back with the 1.0, the leg armor frame was mold

The way the leg armor attaches is the same as the MG Zaku 2.0.
Back with the 1.0, the leg armor frame was molded all in one piece, which was pretty shocking at the time..

Weapons.

MG Gouf v2.0 - First off.. the bead-threading method has been changed in an interesting way — unlike the Zaku 2.0, the beads

First off.. the bead-threading method has been changed in an interesting way —
Unlike the Zaku 2.0, the beads aren't molded already threaded onto the pipe core via dual-injection.
But it's not the old 1.0 method of threading each bead one by one either..
It's kind of a mashup of the Zaku 2.0 technique and the 1.0-level approach.
As you can see, the beads are lined up in a row, and then you slide the pipe core through all of them at once.

MG Gouf v2.0 - So you push the pipe through the beads like that, thread it through, clip the gate, then move on to the next b

So you push the pipe through the beads like that, thread it through, clip the gate, then move on to the next bead.

MG Gouf v2.0 - And the result looks just like the single-piece dual-injected beads from the Zaku 2.0. The difference is.. on

And the result looks just like the single-piece dual-injected beads from the Zaku 2.0.
The difference is.. on the Zaku 2.0, that came straight out of the mold with no assembly needed,
whereas on the Gouf v2.0, you have to do all those steps manually.
Probably changed it to this more tedious manual process to cut down on the cost of dual-injection molding.

MG Gouf v2.0 - The Gouf's heat rod works like this.. each segment is connected with soft flexible joints. (The same method us

The Gouf's heat rod works like this.. each segment is connected with soft flexible joints.
(The same method used on the HY2M Gouf)

It does feel like it bends more naturally than the wire-through-the-middle approach.

The detail on the inside of the shield. Clean and looks great.

MG Gouf v2.0 - The front-to-back head split is likely to stir up some debate.. It seems like they did it that way to keep the

The front-to-back head split is likely to stir up some debate..
It seems like they did it that way to keep the volume looking smooth, but it does leave a visible seam line.
Well, you could always just go "Red Sun!" and declare that curve a panel line..

MG Gouf v2.0 - The left arm can be built with either a normal hand or the finger vulcan hand — but they cheaped out by making

The left arm can be built with either a normal hand or the finger vulcan hand..
But they cheaped out by making both share the same wrist joint, so swapping them out is a bit of a hassle.
( -_-+ Just include two sets, come on)

MG Gouf v2.0 - Included are 1/100 figures of Ramba Ral and his wife Hamon — talk about rubbing it in... Every time I see them

Included are 1/100 figures of Ramba Ral and his wife Hamon — talk about rubbing it in...
Every time I see them I think, Ral... that height, that build, and yet he's got a total bombshell like her..
There's definitely something about Ramba Ral that we don't know about..

MG Gouf v2.0 - Cockpit hatch open. It opens and closes more smoothly than the 1.0.. but the problem is it tends to pop open o

Cockpit hatch open. It opens and closes more smoothly than the 1.0..
But the problem is it tends to pop open on its own pretty easily.
Put it in an action pose, notice something looks off.. and sure enough the hatch is half open -.-;

The inner frame with the backpack removed. It's different from the Zaku, alright — different from the Zaku..

Outer armor removal shot

Internal frame

Torso frame. The torso is overall different from the Zaku 2.0.

Head frame. The frame around the mouth area is pretty long too..

Back and backpack frame.

MG Gouf v2.0 - Shoulder and arm frame. (1/3)

Shoulder and arm frame.

Leg frame

The beefy Gouf thigh frame.

The leg frame exterior — different from the Zaku's.

Since it uses the Zaku 2.0's skeleton.. the frame articulation is excellent.

MG Gouf v2.0 - Frame action shots. Very dynamic. (1/3)

Frame action shots. Very dynamic.

The molds packed densely into the inside of the armor..

MG Gouf v2.0 - Articulation. Arm/leg bend is on par with the Zaku 2.0, but the ankles and hip joints are a bit more limited t

Articulation. Arm/leg bend is on par with the Zaku 2.0,
but the ankles and hip joints are a bit more limited than the Zaku 2.0.

MG Gouf v2.0 - How to improve the Gouf's characteristic skirt structure.. was a major point of interest, and as you can see,

How to improve the Gouf's characteristic skirt structure.. was a major point of interest,
and as you can see, it makes use of the Zaku 2.0's side skirt system.
You can push the side skirts back when raising the legs,
and the front skirt pieces also swing upward, so you can at least get the hip joints up to 90 degrees.

MG Gouf v2.0 - The front skirts move together attached to the side skirts like this — when you think about the usual setup wh

The front skirts move together attached to the side skirts like this —
when you think about the usual setup where they hang off the sides of the crotch.. it's actually a pretty clever rethink of the design..
The front skirt articulation has always been a problem for the Gouf due to its design structure (for reference, the Gouf 1.0 had no movement at all)
but true to the 2.0 name, they've solved it nicely.

The shoulder joints are the same as the Zaku 2.0, so the range of motion is equivalent.

True to the 2.0, even the finger vulcan has an articulated middle knuckle. (The 1.0 was one solid piece)

MG Gouf v2.0 - Kneeling down and firing the finger vulcan! The victorious 2.0 delivers! (1/5)

MG Gouf v2.0 - Kneeling down and firing the finger vulcan! The victorious 2.0 delivers! (2/5)

MG Gouf v2.0 - Kneeling down and firing the finger vulcan! The victorious 2.0 delivers! (3/5)

Kneeling down and firing the finger vulcan!
The victorious 2.0 delivers!

The naturalness of the poses is just on another level.

Drawing the heat saber stored on the back of the shield.

Heat saber action

Some pretty dynamic heat saber action poses.

MG Gouf v2.0 - Recreating the box art pose. (1/4)

MG Gouf v2.0 - Recreating the box art pose. (2/4)

Recreating the box art pose.

Heat rod action pose using Action Base 1.

The heat rod is too weak to hold horizontal.. it just droops right down. T_T

You have to hold it like this to get it airborne.

MG Gouf v2.0 - The new heat rod is flexible, but.. it's too weak to hold a pose, so you end up having to position it like thi

The new heat rod is flexible, but.. it's too weak to hold a pose, so you end up having to position it like this
to get a stable action pose.

MG Gouf v2.0 - Together with the Gouf 1.0. The color difference is pretty dramatic. The 2.0 is much brighter and looks a lot

Together with the Gouf 1.0.
The color difference is pretty dramatic. The 2.0 is much brighter and looks a lot more vibrant.

The change in torso design — the upper chest area has gotten noticeably narrower.

The Gouf v2.0 head, updated to be more anime-accurate. Though the mouth sticks out more than the head itself..;

The spike armor, now even bigger and more imposing.

The backpacks are pretty similar.

With the v2.0, the thighs have also gotten a lot beefier.

Leg comparison. The knee area has gotten huge.

The shape of the power cables wrapping around the waist has changed too.

The finger vulcan, now bigger and thicker.
On the 2.0, the middle knuckle is now articulated.

The 2.0 shield, massively enlarged.
The Gouf 1.0's shield was way too small..

MG Gouf v2.0 - A comparison of the heat rods. The 1.0 method of threading beads onto a wire core and the 2.0 method of linkin

A comparison of the heat rods.
The 1.0 method of threading beads onto a wire through the center, versus the 2.0 method of linking each individual joint — both have their own pros and cons.

A comparison of the inside of the shields. The 2.0 side definitely has much more depth and dimension.

MG Gouf v2.0 - Articulation comparison. Still, it's way better than the Zaku 1.0 vs. 2.0 comparison. The biggest weakness of

Articulation comparison.
Still, it's way better than the Zaku 1.0 vs. 2.0 comparison.
The biggest weakness of the Gouf v1.0 seems to be the front skirt that doesn't move..

Together with the MG Gouf One Year War Version and the HGUC Gouf.
The molded colors are all over the place..

Together with the Zaku 2.0.
Both share the same base inner frame.

MG Gouf v2.0 - The Gouf v2.0's feet did get smaller compared to the 1.0, but they're noticeably less reduced in size compared

The Gouf v2.0's feet did get smaller compared to the 1.0,
but they're noticeably less reduced in size compared to the Zaku 2.0's feet.

Anyway, it's one good-looking Gouf v2.0.
(The heat rod can be used in all sorts of ways.. lol)

Straight build

After the Zaku 2.0 came out, it was only a matter of time before the Gouf got the 2.0 treatment as well. As expected, it makes use of the well-designed Zaku 2.0's base inner frame, and as a result, two runners of the Zaku 2.0's arm/leg joint parts are included as-is. The torso uses the Gouf's original frame and gimmicks, but the basic skeleton of the arms and legs is almost entirely borrowed from the Zaku 2.0.

First of all, unlike the Zaku, the Gouf's 1.0 version was actually pretty decent to begin with. The overall proportions of the MG Gouf v1.0 were far more convincing than the Zaku 1.0, the articulation was better, and the inner frame wasn't bad either. The one-piece molded armor used on the legs was quite shocking for its time. In other words, the Gouf's version upgrade doesn't carry the same sense of dramatic improvement that the Zaku's did.

As you can tell just from the comparison photos of the MG Gouf v1.0 and v2.0 above, at a glance the silhouettes don't look all that different. Of course, if you look closely there are plenty of differences, and picking them up you can immediately feel that the 2.0 is much heavier and sturdier — it's a completely different feel. But either way, it just goes to show that the Gouf v1.0 was a pretty solid kit in its own right.

With the move to 2.0, you can see the effort put into capturing the chunky, beefy image of the original design in various areas. The enlarged spike armor, the narrowed upper body to emphasize the shoulders, the elongated snout, the beefed-up forearms and thighs, the thicker knees, and so on. I think it's an excellent design and set of proportions that nicely balances that nostalgic, classic feel with a modern sense of toughness. Personally, I find the elongated, stretched-out snout area to be very distinctive and charming. ^_^;

The articulation is also excellent — well above average — thanks to being based on the Zaku 2.0, though strictly speaking it does fall a bit short of the Zaku 2.0 itself. For one, the hip joint only raises to 90 degrees due to the limited movement of the Gouf's unique front skirt, and the ankle range of motion feels somewhat reduced because the feet are larger than the Zaku's. So naturally replicating the Zaku 2.0's signature coin-picking-up pose is a bit of a stretch.. On the other hand, a kneeling pose is handled more than adequately. Keep in mind this is all relative to the Zaku 2.0 — on its own merits, the articulation is clearly A-grade.

One thing I was particularly curious about was how the Gouf's quirky front skirt would be handled. Using the Zaku 2.0's system, a mechanism was applied where the side skirts slide backward, and the front skirt is uniquely attached to the side skirts and swings upward from there. Thanks to this, the thigh can raise at least 90 degrees — and considering that on other Gouf kits, that weird front skirt often prevented the thigh from raising much at all, this is a genuinely impressive modern solution.

Perhaps in response to the complaints that the Zaku 2.0's feet were too small, the Gouf v2.0's feet, while smaller than the 1.0's, are noticeably larger than the Zaku 2.0's. This improves ground contact and gives the proportions a more stable feel, though the reduced range of motion that comes with the larger size is unavoidable.

Joint strength is generally very good overall, but the shoulder joints are a bit of an issue. Perhaps because they were designed around the weight of the Zaku's arms — which don't carry any particularly heavy weapons — the left arm with the much-enlarged shield (compared to the 1.0) struggles to hold itself up under the shield's weight. A bit of a disappointment.

The assembly method for the Gouf v2.0's power cables is likely to be a bit of a talking point. Unlike the Zaku 2.0, which used dual-injection molding to make them look great right out of the box, the Gouf uses the same structure but requires manual threading. That said, as shown in the diagrams below, it does include a separate guide section for painters — just like the Zaku 2.0 — so you can thread multiple beads onto the runner all at once, cut them off, paint them, and then slide them into the power cable core that attaches to the main body. In other words, it keeps the Zaku 2.0's painter-friendly system intact, but replaces the expensive dual-injection molding with a manual process.

I understand it's an attempt to cut production costs, but honestly, for anyone not planning to paint, it's an unnecessarily complicated system. If you have no intention of painting, I'd suggest skipping the painting guide tube shown in the manual and just cutting each bead off individually (without using the guide) and threading them straight onto the power cable core — the old-school 1.0 way. The reason is that the painting guide tube... anyone who's built the Zaku 2.0 will know this, but it's incredibly stiff, and moving each bead through it one by one is a real pain. The Gouf v2.0 is just as stiff, so if you're not going to paint anyway, there's no point struggling to push them in and pull them back out. Unless you're really particular about cleaning up every gate mark, I'd recommend just threading them one by one like the 1.0.

The 2.0's heat rod uses a joint-linking method for each individual segment — similar to the HY2M Gouf — and compared to the 1.0's wire-through-beads approach, it has a softer, more flexible feel. The segment parts are made of soft material, which contributes to that feel, and while the bending is smooth, the holding strength is weaker than the 1.0's wire method. As you can see in the action poses above, the joint segments are too weak to hold the heat rod extended horizontally — it just droops downward. It got more flexible, but lost holding strength in return. I guess there really is no such thing as a free lunch.

To sum up the overall feel of the kit: it doesn't quite have the same sense of revolutionary change as the Zaku 2.0, and in terms of articulation and a few other areas it falls slightly short of the Zaku 2.0 — but as a standalone kit, it's an absolutely outstanding build. It feels great in the hands, poses easily, and above all, when you see that chunky, beefy standing pose, one thought comes to mind: "It's not like the Zaku. No, not like the Zaku at all."

Personally, in terms of stability and sheer presence, I'd rate it a notch above the Zaku 2.0. Since it's built on the highly acclaimed Zaku 2.0 skeleton, the inner frame and structure are naturally A+ grade. No matter how decent the MG Gouf v1.0 was for an older kit, the 2.0 is overwhelmingly superior in every single way.

All in all, it's not an exaggeration to call this the definitive Gouf, and it's a truly outstanding 2.0 version that offers a different kind of building satisfaction and excitement compared to the Zaku. :-)

MG MS-07B Gouf v2.0
Category	Rating	Analysis
Seam Lines	★★★★☆	Perfect, aside from the seam line running across the head.
Molding Color / Color Separation	★★★★★	Refined molded colors. Flawless color separation.
Proportions	★★★★★★	Proportions that are heavy and imposing while staying true to the original design.
Articulation	★★★★★☆	New skirt articulation gimmick and more than adequate 2.0-level articulation.
Joint Strength	★★★★☆	Better than the Zaku 2.0. The shoulder and heat rod are a slight letdown.
Internal Frame	★★★★★★	A complete full-body frame worthy of the 2.0 name. Beautiful.
Detail	★★★★★	Simple yet elegant detailing.
Weapons / Accessories	★★★★★	Faithful to the basics. Greatly detailed-up shield. New heat rod.
Parts Count / Price	★★★★★	423 parts total. 111.3 parts per ¥1,000. High part count thanks to the beads.
Uniqueness	★★★★★★★	The version-up effect may be less dramatic, but the clean, polished quality of the kit itself is top-notch!
Dalong's Point : 107 pts.

MG Gouf v2.0 | 2009. 5 | ¥4,200

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.