Kit Review

Straight build
+ Decals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Various angles (1/10)

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Various angles (2/10)

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Various angles (3/10)

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Various angles (4/10)

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Various angles (5/10)

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Various angles (6/10)

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Various angles (7/10)

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Various angles (8/10)

Various angles

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Close-up shots, top and bottom. The detail and overall composition are pretty impressi

Close-up shots, top and bottom.
The detail and overall composition are pretty impressive.

Rear view

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Cockpit hatch open shot (1/3)

Cockpit hatch open shot

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Unicorn Gundam body molded in HD color (gloss injection). (1/6)

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Unicorn Gundam body molded in HD color (gloss injection). (2/6)

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Unicorn Gundam body molded in HD color (gloss injection). (3/6)

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Unicorn Gundam body molded in HD color (gloss injection). (4/6)

Unicorn Gundam body molded in HD color (gloss injection).

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - With gloss injection you'd expect some reflective sheen.. but it doesn't shine as much

With gloss injection you'd expect some reflective sheen..
But it doesn't shine as much as I expected.

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Close-up shots. Again, there's not really any noticeable gloss or sheen to speak of. I

Close-up shots.
Again, there's not really any noticeable gloss or sheen to speak of.
If anything, the molded color just feels slightly on the beige side.

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - MG cage. The detail, composition, and build feel are all absolutely excellent.. (1/5)

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - MG cage. The detail, composition, and build feel are all absolutely excellent.. (2/5)

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - MG cage. The detail, composition, and build feel are all absolutely excellent.. (3/5)

MG cage.
The detail, composition, and build feel are all absolutely excellent..

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Close-up shots. (1/4)

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Close-up shots. (2/4)

Close-up shots.

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - The bottom. Most display stands store accessories in the base, but the MS cage has a s

Underside.
Most display stands store accessories in the base,
but the MS cage has a separate storage compartment in the back, so nothing is stored in the bottom.

A total of 12 clamps wrap around the MS,
and each one opens and closes individually.

The top clamp mechanism is the part that wraps around and secures the shoulders.

A total of 5 clamps on each side open and close.

The topmost clamp also opens and closes front-to-back and up-and-down.

Detail inside the hangar bay.

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - There's also a small storage compartment in the center of the back, where you can stas

There's also a small storage compartment in the center of the back,
where you can stash miscellaneous bits.

The back has space to store 2 rifles, 4 shields, and 2 bazookas.

The structure slowly opening for the Unicorn's launch..

Fully open

First step..

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - You can also use the hole in the base to connect it to an Action Base stand. (Note: Ac

You can also use the hole in the base to connect it to an Action Base stand.
(Note: Action Base is not included with this kit~)

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Launch! (1/4)

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Launch! (2/4)

Launch!

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Bazooka action pose on the stand with the MS cage and Action Base combined. (1/4)

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Bazooka action pose on the stand with the MS cage and Action Base combined. (2/4)

Bazooka action pose on the stand with the MS cage and Action Base combined.

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Destroy mode. (1/6)

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Destroy mode. (2/6)

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Destroy mode. (3/6)

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Destroy mode. (4/6)

Destroy mode.

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Close-up shots. Again, aside from the slightly yellowish tint, you can't really say it

Close-up shots.
Again, aside from the slightly yellowish tint, you can't really say it has much of a shine..

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Launch shot (1/4)

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Launch shot (2/4)

Launch shot

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Double beam saber action (1/4)

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Double beam saber action (2/4)

Double beam saber action

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Comparison with the OVA version Unicorn mode released at the same time. Other than the

Comparison with the OVA version Unicorn mode released at the same time.
Other than the color shifting slightly toward beige, there's not much difference..

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - The gloss injection HD color version does have a bit more shine, but you really have t

The gloss injection HD color version does have a bit more shine,
but you really have to look closely to notice it.

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Well.. rather than feeling like "HD," it just feels like the difference between pure w

Well.. rather than feeling like "HD," it just feels like the difference between pure white and beige molded color.

Comparison with the gloss king, Titanium Finish.

The Titanium Finish wins on gloss, no contest..

A collection of 4 Unicorn Gundams.

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - HD color version, OVA version, Titanium Finish, Ver.Ka.. lined up together.. they all.

HD color version, OVA version, Titanium Finish, Ver.Ka..
Lined up together.. they all.. look pretty much the same ;
Look closely and you can spot the subtle differences between them.

Together with the OVA version Destroy mode.

Again, aside from the yellowish color difference, there's not much to tell them apart.

Together with the Titanium Finish Destroy mode.

The Destroy mode quartet..

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Group shot in Destroy mode. Only someone who's actually done it knows how sore your fi

Group shot in Destroy mode.
Only someone who's actually done it knows how sore your fingers get transforming all of them.. T_T

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - The normally molded OVA version stored inside. Again, no real difference from the HD c

The normally molded OVA version stored inside.
Again, no real difference from the HD color..

This time, the Ver.Ka stored inside

The Ver.Ka at least looks a bit different thanks to all the flashy decals and seals.

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - Titanium Finish stored inside. (1/3)

Titanium Finish stored inside.

Oh.. the combination of the MS cage and Titanium Finish is fantastic.

The most impressive (= most expensive) combo..

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - This time I randomly tried storing the MG First 2.0 inside.. but it's a bit short comp

This time I randomly tried storing the MG First 2.0 inside..
But it's a bit short compared to the Unicorn, so it looks a little awkward.

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage - This time with the Mk-II 2.0 HD color version stored inside. The size is roughly close

This time with the Mk-II 2.0 HD color version stored inside.
The size is roughly close, but the Mk-II is too bulky so it doesn't quite fit the look.
It feels less like it's being stored and more like it's been caught in some kind of trap..;;

HD color + MS cage straight build shot

This kit is a special package released alongside the MG Unicorn Gundam OVA version, and includes the HD color Unicorn molded in gloss injection along with the MS cage. It's packed in a large box befitting its ¥8000 price range, and the Unicorn Gundam itself is naturally the OVA version with the revised waist and knees.

First off, this is a gloss injection kit that's been released under the HD color label for a while now.. but compared to other gloss injection kits, the reflective sheen feels weaker. Normally when you hear "HD color version" you'd expect a subtle reflective sheen off a smooth surface, but with the Unicorn HD color version, you really have to look closely to tell it's even gloss injection. More than anything, the bigger difference is that the molded color has shifted to a slightly yellowish beige compared to the standard version.

The highlight of this kit is definitely the MS cage, which appears in episode 1 of Unicorn. It's basically a hangar that stores and services the Unicorn Gundam in Unicorn Mode, and it's quite something... Similar accessories have been released or bundled before, but this is bigger and more elaborate than any maintenance unit/hangar we've seen so far. A total of 12 movable clamp structures can open and close, and there's a central storage compartment and a weapons storage section in the back — it's very well thought out functionally. It's also been designed as a multi-purpose piece, letting you use it as a display stand by utilizing an Action Base support.

The MS cage's detail isn't ultra-fine, but in terms of size and overall sculpt it shows very "Bandai-like" quality, and there's a noticeable gap in quality compared to Kotobukiya's Chain Base, which still feels a bit lacking in molding technology. On top of that, the MS cage actually gets more decals applied to it than the Unicorn body itself, which gives it a surprisingly premium feel.

To sum it up, the HD color molding isn't anything to get too excited about, but the MS cage is pretty impressive. The body feels less like a gloss injection version and more like the molded color just shifted slightly toward a beige tone, but the Unicorn-dedicated MS cage has some fun movable gimmicks and the overall detail is really nice.

That said, since the hangar is designed specifically to fit the Unicorn, it does feel a little awkward to use with other kits, which is a bit of a shame... But the accessories included are more worthwhile than any other expansion set out there, so I don't think the ¥7,500 price tag is unreasonable at all. :-)

MG Unicorn Gundam HD color + MS cage | 2010. 2 | ¥7,900

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.