Kit Review

Straight build
+ panel lining + decals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

MG V-Dash Gundam - Core Booster parts combined as a backpack. (1/4)

MG V-Dash Gundam - Core Booster parts combined as a backpack. (2/4)

Core Booster parts combined as a backpack.

MG V-Dash Gundam - The new weapons — the Gatling gun and beam smart gun. The grip with the hands is decent enough; not super

The new weapons — the Gatling gun and beam smart gun.
The grip with the hands is decent enough; not super tight, but they don't fall off easily either.

The gun cannon mounted on the side skirts.
The connection is weak and it falls off easily, so watch out.

You can attach missile pods to both sides of the legs, but...

MG V-Dash Gundam - This is... kind of a pain. The connection is really iffy — the peg and the hole on the side of the leg don

This is... kind of a pain. The connection is really iffy.
The peg and the hole on the side of the leg don't sit flush, so it's less "plugging in" and more "barely hanging on."
They fall off constantly whenever you try to pose it, which gets pretty annoying.
When attaching them, the peg on the missile pod side is cross-shaped, so you need to carefully align the angle with the square hole
to get it to stay on at all — make sure you line up the angle properly when putting them on.

MG V-Dash Gundam - This kit is basically just a straight bundle of the existing MG V Gundam and Core Booster kits. Outside of

This kit is basically just a straight bundle of the existing MG V Gundam and Core Booster kits.
Outside of the main unit, the accessories are incredibly plentiful.

MG V-Dash Gundam - The biggest head-scratcher is... the x4 pressure you see in the manual. ;;; There are 2 Core Fighters incl

The biggest head-scratcher is... the x4 pressure you see in the manual. ;;;
There are 2 Core Fighters included with the V Gundam, and another 2 in the Core Booster,
meaning you have to build a grand total of 4 Core Fighters. -.-;

MG V-Dash Gundam - Since the Core Booster includes absolutely no decals/seals for the Core Fighters, the end result is that 2

Since the Core Booster includes absolutely no decals/seals for the Core Fighters,
the end result is that 2 of the Core Fighters in this kit get no decals or seals at all.

MG V-Dash Gundam - Anyway, having 4 Core Fighters does mean you can display every aircraft that needs one all at the same tim

Anyway, having 4 Core Fighters does mean
you can display every aircraft that needs one all at the same time, which is a nice bonus.

MG V-Dash Gundam - Since the Core Booster kit includes one extra beam rifle, you can set up a Top Fighter with two beam rifle

Since the Core Booster kit includes one extra beam rifle,
you can set up a Top Fighter with two beam rifles mounted, just like that.

MG V-Dash Gundam - Double firing pose with the Gatling gun + beam smart gun using Action Base 1. (1/6)

MG V-Dash Gundam - Double firing pose with the Gatling gun + beam smart gun using Action Base 1. (2/6)

MG V-Dash Gundam - Double firing pose with the Gatling gun + beam smart gun using Action Base 1. (3/6)

MG V-Dash Gundam - Double firing pose with the Gatling gun + beam smart gun using Action Base 1. (4/6)

Double firing pose with the Gatling gun + beam smart gun using Action Base 1.

MG V-Dash Gundam - Gun cannon firing pose at the hip. (1/5)

MG V-Dash Gundam - Gun cannon firing pose at the hip. (2/5)

MG V-Dash Gundam - Gun cannon firing pose at the hip. (3/5)

Gun cannon firing pose at the hip.

You need to get the hand angle just right to pull off that pose.

MG V-Dash Gundam - The disposable bazooka can attach to the hole on the side of the leg, but just like the missile pods, it b

The disposable bazooka can attach to the hole on the side of the leg,
but just like the missile pods, it barely holds on — it's basically just resting there.

MG V-Dash Gundam - Gatling gun action. (1/4)

MG V-Dash Gundam - Gatling gun action. (2/4)

Gatling gun action.

MG V-Dash Gundam - Beam smart gun action. (1/4)

MG V-Dash Gundam - Beam smart gun action. (2/4)

Beam smart gun action.

MG V-Dash Gundam - Double beam rifle action. (1/4)

MG V-Dash Gundam - Double beam rifle action. (2/4)

Double beam rifle action.

Beam Jabelin action.

This kit was released alongside the MG Core Booster as a combined MG V Gundam + Core Booster bundle — it's a straight package with no extras added. The only thing missing compared to the standalone Core Booster kit is the generic 1/144 stand that came with it, but that's not really a high-priority accessory, so it's hardly a big deal.

For reviews of the MG V Gundam and Core Booster on their own, please check the respective reviews. This review focuses only on the combined form of these two items.

View MG V Gundam review / View MG Core Booster review

The Core Booster connects to the V Gundam by plugging into the back of the Core Fighter on the rear, making use of the Core Fighter + Core Booster connection point as-is. The hold is solid enough that it doesn't fall off easily, but the long wing sections on either side of the Core Booster are a bit iffy, and the proportions tend to get thrown off easily. That said, there's no denying that it gives the overall silhouette and presence a nice boost.

The various weapons included with the Core Booster kit can be attached in several places. The beam smart gun and Gatling gun that go in the hands are manageable enough to hold. Despite their large size, they lock into V Gundam's swap-style fixed hands well enough, though the fit isn't super tight, so you'll want to be careful they don't drop during action poses.

The biggest issue with this kit is that the connection on all the other weapon accessories is really poor. The gun cannon that mounts on the side skirts keeps falling off due to a weak connection, and the missile pods and disposable bazooka that are supposed to attach to the holes on the sides of the legs are even worse. You have to plug the cross-shaped peg on the weapon into the square hole on the leg, and if you don't align the cross and the hole at just the right angle, it simply won't hold.

Even if you do get the angle right, the hold is so weak that they keep falling off anyway — and if you don't bother with the angle, they won't even catch at all. It's a frustratingly vague level of connection. Given the overall quality of the kit's gimmicks, this is a pretty annoying point. The Core Booster wings on either side of the backpack are also a bit iffy, and all these extra weapons are uniformly mediocre in terms of staying power, making the kit quite a hassle to handle. Anyone who wants to load it up with weapons and strike an action pose is probably going to get fed up with stuff raining off constantly.

The kit itself is packed with nearly 600 parts, which is impressive, but including 4 Core Fighters feels like overkill. Between the 2 in the V Gundam and the 2 in the Core Booster, you end up with 4 in total — honestly, just 2 would've been perfectly fine. It would've been much better to drop 2 of the Core Fighters and bring the price down instead. The parts count is already high as it is, and having to build 4 Core Fighters on top of that is... a bit much, isn't it. ^^;

Overall, this is a kit with a lot going for it — great gimmicks, proportions, color separation, and a wealth of accessories — but the joint strength leaves something to be desired for a transforming kit, and the poor connection on the extra weapons is a significant letdown. So if you're someone who enjoys gimmicks and sheer abundance, it's well worth recommending for the price — but if you prefer a tight, stable kit, this one's probably not for you. :-)

MG LM312V04 + SD-VB03A V-Dash Gundam
Category	Rating	Analysis
Seam Lines	★★★★★	Thanks to the clever part splits, seam lines are basically a non-issue~
Molding Color / Color Separation	★★★★★	The overall color separation is straight-up A-grade.
Proportions	★★★★★	Proportions that look even better than the standard version.
Articulation	★★★★★★	The best articulation design you could possibly squeeze out of a fully transforming unit.
Joint Strength	★★★	The joints are a bit shaky, and the connection on the extra parts is poor...
Internal Frame	★★★★★★	The fact that it's packed full inside is definitely a selling point.
Detail	★★★★★★	In terms of refinement, it holds its own against any MG out there.
Weapons / Accessories	★★★★★★	It doesn't get more generous than this. Accessories that have more volume than the main unit itself.
Parts Count / Price	★★★★★	596 parts total. Parts per ¥1,000: 102.8. The richness of the contents is top-tier.
Uniqueness	★★★★★★	Generous and gimmick-packed as always, but the weak durability is a real shame.
Dalong's Point : 106 pts.

MG V-Dash Gundam | 2010. 7 | ¥6,200

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.