Kit Review

Straight build + panel lining + decals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - As expected, the back is heavy, so you need to shift the legs back a bit to get the center o

As expected, the back is heavy, so you need to shift the legs back a bit to get the center of gravity right.

Upper body, front view

Red Frame head

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - Seals on the arms and legs (1/3)

Seals on the arms and legs

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - Rear view (1/4)

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - Rear view (2/4)

Rear view

Flashy decals/seals on the wings and shoulders

Legs

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - Red Frame body alone. The original Red Frame backpack is not included.. Looks like a normal

Red Frame body alone.
The original Red Frame backpack is not included..
Looks like a normal version or limited edition will come out later.

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - The Tactical Arms II L can be mounted on the back in 2 different forms. The left is V Form,

The Tactical Arms II L can be mounted on the back in 2 different forms.
The left is V Form, and the right is Delta Form.

Mounted in Delta Form..
I think V Form looks simpler and cooler.

The Tactical Arms II L drops the gatling gun but adds two claw blades instead.

Sword Form.

The center section of the sword has gotten thicker.

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - Flight Form. To mount it in Flight Form, you have to flip it over and plug it into a separat

Flight Form.
To mount it in Flight Form, you have to flip it over and plug it into a separate connector.

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - Arrow Form. (Not "Ero Form") When used as a bow, you can attach a separate clear beam part —

Arrow Form. (Not "Ero Form")
When used as a bow, you can attach a separate clear beam part,
and this beam part is actually the runner that came with the HGUC Kämpfer.

Next up is Work Form..
It's a weapon that attacks with a claw/pincer shape.

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - The rear section of the Tactical Arms II L can be detached like this and used as a separate

The rear section of the Tactical Arms II L can be detached like this and used as a separate weapon called the Beam Torch.
It's ridiculously versatile, I'll give it that;;

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - Just like the MG Blue Frame, an Action Base 2 is included molded in red. It's used to hold t

Just like the MG Blue Frame, an Action Base 2 is included molded in red.
It's used to hold the various weapon forms in place.

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - The Red Frame's iconic weapons — the Gerbera Straight and Tiger Pierce. The color separation

The Red Frame's iconic weapons — the Gerbera Straight and Tiger Pierce.
The color separation is quite precise, as you'd expect from an MG.

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - The scabbard and blade tip each have their names engraved in kanji, but the actual shape of

The scabbard and blade tip each have their names engraved in kanji,
but the actual shape of the two swords is completely identical.

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - The fit on these is a bit iffy.. When you try to draw the sword from the scabbard, the handl

The fit on these is a bit iffy..
When you try to draw the sword from the scabbard, the handle alone tends to pop out awkwardly quite often.
It's caused by the tight fit between the scabbard and blade,
and if that happened in an actual fight, you'd be completely embarrassed... ;;

A 1/100 scale Lowe figure, complete with a display stand.

A good number of parts that were used on the Blue Frame end up as leftover parts.

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - Interestingly, the sword mounting point is attached to the side of the thigh. Up until now —

Interestingly, the sword mounting point is attached to the side of the thigh.
Up until now — including on the PG — they all used the side skirts, but that's changed with the MG.
The connection between the mount and scabbard isn't super secure.. so be careful, as it can come loose while posing.

Outer armor removal shot

Inner frame shots.
Naturally, most of the frame is identical to the Blue Frame.

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - Upper body front and back (1/3)

Upper body front and back

New head frame

Shoulder frame.

Arm frame

Leg frame

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - The articulation is so good that even a kneeling pose comes off naturally. (1/3)

The articulation is so good
that even a kneeling pose comes off naturally.

Great articulation.
That's the Red Frame for you!

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - A sword-drawing pose that looks like it means business (1/4)

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - A sword-drawing pose that looks like it means business (2/4)

A sword-drawing pose that looks like it means business

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - Striking a cool pose.. Both the sword and scabbard can be secured to the peg on the palm, so

Striking a cool pose..
Both the sword and scabbard can be secured to the peg on the palm, so there's no grip issue.

Mounted on the back in Sword Form.

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - My personal favorite pose. The natural kneeling pose pairs really well with the Gerbera Stra

My personal favorite pose.
The natural kneeling pose pairs really well with the Gerbera Straight.

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - Holding it in Sword Form. Needless to say, it's a size and weight that's nearly impossible t

Holding it in Sword Form.
Needless to say, it's a size and weight that's nearly impossible to support without the stand.

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - Sword Form posed horizontally using the stand. (1/4)

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - Sword Form posed horizontally using the stand. (2/4)

Sword Form posed horizontally using the stand.

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - The much-talked-about bow-firing pose. The up-down shoulder joint strength is weak, so you r

The much-talked-about bow-firing pose.
The up-down shoulder joint strength is weak, so you really need a stand to get the pose looking right.

For the bow-firing pose, you grip the handle mounted in the center.

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - A super cool Flight Form pose. I think this form suits the Red Frame best out of all of them

A super cool Flight Form pose.
I think this form suits the Red Frame best out of all of them.

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - Work Form + Beam Torch action with its massive claw/pincer shape (1/4)

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - Work Form + Beam Torch action with its massive claw/pincer shape (2/4)

Work Form + Beam Torch action with its massive claw/pincer shape

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - With Work Form, the center handle locks into the hand so firmly that it should never come lo

With Work Form, the center handle locks into the hand so firmly
that it should never come loose..
If anything, once you plug it in, it's hard to pull back out ;;

With the MG Blue Frame.

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - Both are back-heavy, but the Red Frame seems to have its center of gravity shifted even furt

Both are back-heavy, but the Red Frame seems to have its center of gravity shifted even further back.

Comparison with the Blue Frame's Tactical Arms sword.

The handle and the central structure of the sword are different.

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - With the 1/100 Red Frame, once known as the legendary no-grade kit. The MG has gone on a die

With the 1/100 Red Frame, once known as the legendary no-grade kit.
The MG has gone on a diet overall.

The sword mounting point has moved from the side skirt to the thigh.

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - Comparison of the Gerbera Straight. The 1/100 no-grade has absolutely no color separation. (

Comparison of the Gerbera Straight.
The 1/100 no-grade has absolutely no color separation. (The photo above has been partially painted.)

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai - A shot with the PG Red Frame. Even though it's the same MS, the overall concept is quite dif

A shot with the PG Red Frame.
Even though it's the same MS, the overall concept is quite different..

Straight-built state

Following the top-tier MG Blue Frame Second Revise,
it was only natural that the Red Frame would get the MG treatment as well. However, it wasn't released as the normal-type Red Frame, but rather in the Red Frame Kai specification. This is a configuration that swaps out the normal backpack for the Tactical Arms II L — an evolved version of the Second's Tactical Arms.

The Tactical Arms II L on this Red Frame Kai drops the gatling gun from the original Tactical Arms and adds a claw-type structure in its place, and the handle section has been changed to a detachable beam weapon called the Beam Torch. The base body itself represents the normal-type Red Frame, and just like the PG first-run limited edition, both the Gerbera Straight and Tiger Pierce are included.

Pretty much all the characteristics of the base body are naturally identical to the previous MG Blue Frame — it's a premium-quality kit recognized for its incredibly intricate parts layout and design, color separation, outstanding articulation, and solid joint strength. That said, the weakness in the up-and-down shoulder joint fixation carries over as well, which means there are some pose limitations when going for action poses — a bit of a shame. If you try to have it hold something heavy, the shoulders just droop right down, so you'll need to use a few tricks to work around that.

The highlight of this kit is, of course, the Tactical Arms II L, which can be used in a wider variety of configurations compared to the Blue Frame's version.

- V Form: Stored and fixed on the back in a V-shape.
-
Delta Form: Wings arranged in an inverted triangle shape to absorb solar wind/power beams and convert them into thrust.
- Flight Form: The claw sections spread out like wings for use in flight.
- Sword Form: Used as a massive sword.
- Work Form: Mounted on the arm and used as a claw-type weapon.
- Arrow Form: Configured into a bow shape for use as a ranged weapon.
- Beam Torch: The handle section detaches for use as a separate beam weapon.

This is truly a prime example of a multi-purpose weapon at its finest. What's particularly impressive is that even in configurations like the Work Form — where holding it in one hand is quite a burden — the connection between the palm and the mounting point is so incredibly tight that it absolutely won't come loose. The downside, though, is that it's so tight it's a pain to attach and detach;;

The overall transformation gimmicks and styling of the Tactical Arms II L are really great, but.. when mounted on the back, the center of gravity tends to shift further rearward compared to the Blue Frame. So you'll need to spread the legs a bit further back to balance it out, and be careful because the weight can sometimes cause it to separate from the body. If you pick it up by just the torso, the Tactical Arms II L on the back can just drop right to the floor.

The Gerbera Straight and Tiger Pierce have quite nice color separation as you'd expect from an MG, and both the sword and scabbard can be secured to the palm peg, so there's almost no stress from grip strength. That said, when drawing the sword, the blade and scabbard are so tight that the handle often just pulls out on its own, and the sword tends to fall out easily when fitted into the thigh mounting parts — a bit of a letdown.

Setting aside the finer pros and cons, I think the biggest strength of this kit is still the "cool factor." It's less about the sheer size or shape, and more like... the refined style that radiates from the diverse weapon configurations and dynamic poses is just excellent. As a display piece it's an A+ kit — the articulation is great and things hold together well, so you can pull off flashy poses without too much stress.

On the assembly side too, with over 450 parts, there's a real sense of abundance and a satisfying variety of building experiences. You might grumble that the build time gets too long, but the feel of assembling each section is a little different from your typical MG, so it's hard to get bored with this kit.

It's not quite in the same league as the MG Sinanju — which overwhelms you with a spine-chilling presence — but just like the Blue Frame, you can't deny that this is a kit with an exceptionally high level of quality. There are a few more spots where the fit feels a bit ambiguous compared to the Blue Frame, but overall, I still get the feeling that the Red Frame, being the main character unit, is just a cut above. :-)

GOOD 3 : Incredible cool factor.
Flashy articulation. Versatile Tactical Arms II L.
BAD 3 : Disappointing up-and-down shoulder joint strength, center of gravity shifts too far back, ambiguous sword mounting.

MG MBF-P03R Gundam Astray Red Frame kai
Category	Rating	Analysis
Seam Lines	★★★★★	Well, it was designed to be broken up into pieces from the start, so...
Molding Color / Color Separation	★★★★★	Brilliant color separation on both the body and weapons. The Gerbera Straight is split up nicely too.
Proportions	★★★★☆	It's sleek, but it feels like it went a bit too hard on the diet.
Articulation	★★★★★★★	Who could even dare to compete against the Astray's articulation..
Joint Strength	★★★★★	The base body is excellent, but the mounting of the added weapons leaves a little to be desired.
Internal Frame	★★★★★	Well, it's a unit with a perfect frame to begin with, so...
Detail	★★★★★☆	Dense frame detail and meticulous molding throughout.
Weapons / Accessories	★★★★★★	The even more advanced Tactical Arms II L. Oozing cool factor.
Parts Count / Price	★★★★★☆	456 parts total. 91.2 parts per ¥1,000. 28 runners — absolutely packed!
Uniqueness	★★★★★★★	The word "cool factor" was made for the Red Frame.
Dalong's Point : 112 pts.

MG Gundam Astray Red Frame kai | 2010. 2 | ¥5,400

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.