Kit Review

Straight build + panel lining + decals + partial painting

Size comparison with a cigarette pack. The build is absolutely massive~!

The main body with the shield removed.

Outer armor removed. The GP series has a tradition of only the legs having removable armor;;

Inner frame shot

The leg frame is pretty decent.

The back of the legs has some detail..

The mold on the inside of the leg outer armor is more intricate compared to other kits.

With the armor removed, you can roughly pull off a squatting pose.

The only spot that needs partial painting — the gray area on the top of the foot..

MG Physalis - The head antennae come in two types as expected — soft material and plastic. The face is upside down in the pho

The head antennae come in two types as expected — soft material and plastic.
The face is upside down in the photo, but.. it's a good-looking kit. Heh heh..

The typical three-hand set — open/flat/fist.

MG Physalis - The oversized shield, which is one of the GP02's biggest charms. That thick, hefty volume is really well captur

The oversized shield, which is one of the GP02's biggest charms. That thick, hefty volume is really well captured.

The front section of the Atomic Bazooka is stored inside the shield.

The handle rotates 90 degrees to lock and release..

In the open position, you can split it in half like this.

The Atomic Bazooka separated from the shield.

MG Physalis - The most complained-about part of this kit is the shield attachment.. It's so big and heavy that you have to se

The most complained-about part of this kit is the shield attachment..
It's so big and heavy that you have to set it on the ground, but then the arms are too short to reach the handle properly.
It's quite the troublesome situation;;

MG Physalis - A lot of people resort to resting it on the foot just to get a grip on it.. but then the shield is so heavy it

A lot of people resort to resting it on the foot just to get a grip on it..
But then the shield is so heavy it tilts forward and the arm can barely hold it up — quite the dilemma.
Anyway, it's a point that keeps coming up;

Cockpit hatch open

For its size, the articulation isn't all that bad.

When the knee bends, there's a separate knee piece that moves independently. Same concept as the GP01.

MG Physalis - A lot of people point out that the waist ball joint is too long. The gap between the upper and lower body is la

A lot of people point out that the waist ball joint is too long.
The gap between the upper and lower body is larger than it needs to be, which makes the waist feel a bit unstable..

Inside the large shoulder verniers. There's some kind of interesting gimmick in there...

MG Physalis - When you fold the outer verniers inward, the inner verniers are linked and automatically fold in the same direc

When you fold the outer verniers inward, the inner verniers are linked and automatically fold in the same direction.
It's a fun feature to play with..

The shoulder verniers fully spread out. Absolutely full of impact.

A rear shot in flight pose..

With the verniers spread out, the width is massive — measuring about 27cm with a ruler. Qubeley-level.

Assembling the Atomic Bazooka!

MG Physalis - You can pull out the scope from the back of the Atomic Bazooka.. but it's a bit hard to actually get it up to t

You can pull out the scope from the back of the Atomic Bazooka.. but it's a bit hard to actually get it up to the eye. ^^;

The total length of the Atomic Bazooka is 25cm. Not quite as long as you'd expect.

Open up the right side of the backpack and you'll find a nuclear warhead stored inside.

Atomic Bazooka action! You can almost hear Gato's booming voice.. "Solomon! I have returned!!"

The sheer presence of this thing is absolutely killer.

With the shield too..

That darn shield.. barely hanging on there, sheesh..

The beam sabers are located at the top of the side skirts.

Beam saber action!

A shot with the MG GP01. The volume difference is no contest.

A gathering of the GP trio, all designed by Kawamori Shoji.

MG Physalis - A width comparison with the MG Qubeley, going against release order. When the GP02 has its verniers fully sprea

A width comparison with the MG Qubeley, going against release order.
When the GP02 has its verniers fully spread, even the Qubeley can't match it in size..

Soft-focus shot. Looking up from below it looks a bit stubby, but that build is still something.. b

MG Physalis - Bonus shot. A comparison with the old 1/144 GP02 (fully painted) — widely regarded as having the worst proporti

Bonus shot. A comparison with the old 1/144 GP02 (fully painted) — widely regarded as having the worst proportions of any kit ever.
Painted it straight out of the box without any modifications, and yeah, it looks pretty rough.. OTL

Following the GP01 and GP01FB, the MG GP02 was released as the next in line. It was revered as the most intensely charismatic Gundam in the 0083 series.. but the old 1/144 No Grade GP02 carried the unfortunate distinction of having one of the worst proportions of any kit ever made. Maybe because the old version was such a disaster, every aspect of this MG GP02 stands out all the more by comparison. ^^;

Following the 0083 tradition of naming units after flowers, the GP02 is called the Physalis. The name — pronounced "Sai-saris" or "Sai-salis" (not "Physalis" as written) — refers to the Chinese lantern flower, whose flower language means "deception." It's also commonly nicknamed "Salsari" as a term of endearment. (Sounds like a dog's name, but ;)

The GP02 itself is already one of the most imposing, heavyset MS in the Gundam lineup, and the MG GP02 reproduces that massive, commanding presence at 200%. Bulk, presence, sheer weight — any word you throw at it fits perfectly, and the proportions are genuinely moving. It's not just fat — it's slim where it needs to be slim and thick where it needs to be thick, a truly "well-built" big guy. Kawamori Shoji's design, which was already ahead of its time, went through a dramatic transformation in the hands of Katoki Hajime.

For such a chunky build, the articulation is actually above average — and since it's such a big guy to begin with, even a slight pose looks incredibly dynamic. On top of that, the joints are on the sturdy side, which is a real bonus! While the earlier GP01s had joints that were a bit iffy, the GP02's body joints are appropriately stiff and hold poses well. The waist ball joint is unnecessarily long, which makes the waist feel a bit loose, but at least it's not floppy. Overall, the joint strength is satisfying.

That said.. the thing that catches a lot of people off guard after building the GP02 is the shield attachment issue. Unlike the GP01s, the GP02 has a good, firm grip. You'd want to use that grip to hold the shield securely.. and ideally you'd set the huge shield on the ground and grab it from there.. but when you actually put it down, the hand can't quite reach the handle (-_-;;) So if you prop it up on the foot to grab it, you can get a hold of it, but then the big heavy shield is dangling in the air and the slender arm just can't support the weight.

Anyway, it's a shield with incredible size and volume.. but a lot of people have lost their patience trying to get it to stay in place properly. You can just give up and lean it gently against the body (;;), or since the shield is so big it covers up the gorgeous body anyway, displaying it without the shield — like I do — is also an option. (Is that really an option...? Ahem;;) Either way, whenever the GP02 kit comes up in conversation, the shield attachment being a pain is always the first complaint — it's definitely the one blemish on an otherwise great kit.

When you spread the GP02's shoulder verniers out to the sides, the width surpasses even the MG Qubeley. And if you fold the tips of the shoulder verniers 90 degrees, the inner verniers link up and move in the same direction — a nice little bonus! (It's genuinely fun to play with!) Spread both shoulders out and attach the Atomic Bazooka for an action pose, and the result is absolutely killer. It's an indescribable feeling that just hits you..

One of the characteristics of the GP series is that only the legs have an inner frame.. It's a bit of a shame that the body and arms don't, but the leg frame detail is still top-tier. The GP02's leg frame is thick and hefty with really excellent detail. The mold on the inside of the leg armor is even more refined than other recent kits. If anything, I feel like newer kits are getting more generic and bland over time — looking at the GP02's leg frame, you can feel the craftsmanship of the early developers. Seems like they really put in the effort~ Thanks~

Anyway, for those who are weak to sheer presence, this is an ultra-super-mega-recommended item, and it's a must-have for 0083 fans too. The overall quality is a step above the GP01s, so it's a kit you can pick up without much hesitation. It's hard to believe this is an early MG — the 13th release — given how clean the quality is. Above all, that unique sense of weight that only the Physalis has.. is something you just can't get from any other kit!

MG RX-78GP02A Physalis
Category	Rating	Analysis
Seam Lines	★★★★☆	Overall well hidden, but the seam lines on the large shoulder verniers are a bit..
Molding Color / Color Separation	★★★★☆	Most of it is fine.. but the gray on the top of the foot looks like it was done carelessly.
Proportions	★★★★★	This is what it means to have proportions that surpass the original design.
Articulation	★★★☆	Better than it looks. Above average.
Joint Strength	★★★★☆	The body joints are satisfying, but the shield attachment is a bit of a mess..
Internal Frame	★★★★	Inner frame only on the legs. But the frame detail is top-tier among MGs.
Detail	★★★★★	Excellent!
Weapons / Accessories	★★★★☆	The Atomic Bazooka and the massive shield with its incredible volume really carry the kit.
Parts Count / Price	★★★★☆	337 parts total. Parts per ¥1,000: 84.3. The individual parts are seriously chunky.
Uniqueness	★★★★★	The sense of weight and commanding presence are the best of the best!
Dalong's Point : 90 pts.

MG Physalis | 1998. 6 | ¥4,400

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.