Kit Review

Straight build
+ panel lining + decals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Colorful upper body

Head

MG Shenlong Gundam - Arm section and the Dragon Fang attached to it (1/4)

MG Shenlong Gundam - Arm section and the Dragon Fang attached to it (2/4)

Arm section and the Dragon Fang attached to it

MG Shenlong Gundam - Looking at the shoulder area, the color separation is achieved through some really clever parts division

Looking at the shoulder area, the color separation is achieved through some really clever parts division.
That's MG for you!!

Shield section

Back and backpack section

Simple legs

Cockpit hatch open

The weapons include three items: Dragon Fang, shield, and beam trident.

MG Shenlong Gundam - The front and back of the shield combine 4 blue parts and 6 yellow parts to achieve excellent color sepa

Front and back of the shield
4 blue parts and 6 yellow parts are combined to achieve excellent color separation.

Beam parts for the beam trident.

The beam trident can be gripped using a locking peg,
so it holds really securely.

You can also mount the beam trident by swapping out the center part of the backpack.

The star of Shenlong Gundam's arsenal is definitely the Dragon Fang!

The front section can be spread open to form a dragon's mouth shape.

If you look closely, you can also spot the dragon's eyes done with green stickers.

Articulation of the structure attached to the rear

The mounting section also rotates 180 degrees, letting you lock it at various angles.

Outer armor removal shot

Detail inside the skirt

Upper body frame

Head frame

Back section frame.

With the backpack frame removed

Leg frame.

MG Shenlong Gundam - Articulation in frame state is, as expected, great. (1/3)

Articulation in frame state is, as expected, great.

The finger-swapping system on the MG Wing series still isn't quite my favorite.

The 1/100 pilot figure of Chang Wufei comes with a display stand.

MG Shenlong Gundam - Articulation is on the excellent side. The MG Wing series shares the same frame, but there are slight di

Articulation is on the excellent side.
The MG Wing series shares the same frame, but there are slight differences depending on the armor shape.

MG Shenlong Gundam - Striking a cool pose.. (1/4)

MG Shenlong Gundam - Striking a cool pose.. (2/4)

Striking a cool pose..

MG Shenlong Gundam - Beam trident action (1/4)

MG Shenlong Gundam - Beam trident action (2/4)

Beam trident action

MG Shenlong Gundam - Aerial action using Action Base 1 (1/6)

MG Shenlong Gundam - Aerial action using Action Base 1 (2/6)

MG Shenlong Gundam - Aerial action using Action Base 1 (3/6)

MG Shenlong Gundam - Aerial action using Action Base 1 (4/6)

Aerial action using Action Base 1

MG Shenlong Gundam - Dragon Fang pose (1/5)

MG Shenlong Gundam - Dragon Fang pose (2/5)

MG Shenlong Gundam - Dragon Fang pose (3/5)

Dragon Fang pose

MG Shenlong Gundam - Dragon Fang attack! This is pretty much the signature pose for Shenlong Gundam. (1/6)

MG Shenlong Gundam - Dragon Fang attack! This is pretty much the signature pose for Shenlong Gundam. (2/6)

MG Shenlong Gundam - Dragon Fang attack! This is pretty much the signature pose for Shenlong Gundam. (3/6)

MG Shenlong Gundam - Dragon Fang attack! This is pretty much the signature pose for Shenlong Gundam. (4/6)

Dragon Fang attack!
This is pretty much the signature pose for Shenlong Gundam.

Together with the MG Wing Gundam, which uses the original frame.

Together with Gundam Deathscythe.
Both came out really clean as MGs..

Together with Deathscythe Hell.

The MG Wing Gundam series lineup.
Looks like more kits are going to keep coming out one after another.

Straight build

The fourth kit in the MG Wing Gundam series using the shared frame has been chosen as Shenlong Gundam. As the name suggests, this unit feels like it belongs in a Chinese category, and it is indeed the mobile suit of Chinese pilot Chang Wufei. It may lack a bit of the charisma compared to Wing or Deathscythe, but it's still a unit with a clean design in its own right.

First of all, as you'd expect from a modern MG, the build quality is incredibly clean. Assembly is easy and fun without any real stress, and things like the clever color separation on the shield and the unique assembly of the Dragon Fang make this a kit with a really satisfying build experience. The previous MG Wing series kits were already good, but MG Shenlong in particular gives you that feeling of "it literally can't get any cleaner than this." There aren't too many panel lining spots, and the amount of decals and seals is just right, so you can work on it without feeling overwhelmed.

The MG Wing shared frame has excellent articulation on its own, but as we've seen before, the various armor pieces do impose some real-world limitations. MG Shenlong is no exception — the great hip joints are blocked by the front skirt and can't move to their full range. That said, unlike MG Wing or Deathscythe, the skirt armor pieces almost never pop off. That one thing alone gives the kit a huge boost in stability, and the frustration of parts falling off all over the place during action poses is drastically reduced.

Joint strength is also tuned just right — not too stiff, not too loose — which should give even those who are picky about joint tightness a reassuring sense of stability. The Dragon Fang's grip is ever so slightly on the weak side, and I wish the part that secures the beam trident to the back were a bit tighter, but neither issue is severe enough to be a dealbreaker.

The Dragon Fang, which is the highlight of Shenlong Gundam, is both stylish and highly refined as a gimmick — just having it attached already feels like it elevates the overall proportions. The dragon-mouth open pose is also implemented in a slick way, adding a whole extra level of impact to action poses. On top of that, the intricate color separation on the shield is more than enough to make you go "whoa~."

Overall, it's a bit strange, but this kit somehow feels like a step up in quality compared to its predecessors, Wing and Deathscythe. Even though it has relatively less charisma and a simpler design, the satisfaction you feel in your hands is actually greater. Maybe it's because, unlike Wing or Deathscythe, there's nothing particularly bulky hanging off the back, which makes the stability stand out even more?? Either way, this oddly satisfying sense of quality is clearly a notch above the previous kits, and I'd say it's fair to call it the "definitive form" of the MG Wing platform.

Maybe they were trying to make up for its lower popularity with sheer kit quality, or maybe the straightforward design of the unit itself just translated naturally into a clean kit. It's not something you'd call revolutionary or outstanding, but it's also hard to find any real faults — it's a kit with a high level of polish. In terms of build quality I'd give it a perfect 100, but since it doesn't quite reach the level of artisanal craftsmanship you feel from something like the Acguy, I'm giving it 99 points. If you're looking for something different from the usual Gundams while still craving that clean, MG-worthy finish, this is a kit I'd recommend without hesitation on the quality front. :-)

MG XXXG-01S Shenlong Gundam
Category	Rating	Analysis
Seam Lines	★★★★★	Seam lines are virtually nowhere to be found, thanks to single-piece molding and smart parts division.
Molding Color / Color Separation	★★★★★	Bright, vibrant, and clean color scheme. Excellent color separation on the shield.
Proportions	★★★★★	It's a whole different beast from the 1/100 — a complete transformation.
Articulation	★★★★☆	The front skirt still gets in the way, but articulation is still very good overall.
Joint Strength	★★★★★	Very stable overall. The skirt armor barely falls off either.
Internal Frame	★★★★☆	A solid all-around frame. Being a shared frame, it does feel a little familiar though..
Detail	★★★★★	Simple, yet more than enough to feel like a proper MG.
Weapons / Accessories	★★★★★	A shield with great depth and a Dragon Fang that looks absolutely killer.
Parts Count / Price	★★★★☆	256 parts total. 67.4 parts per ¥1,000. Reasonable for the price.
Uniqueness	★★★★★★	The culmination of the Wing platform. A clean MG that really shines in stability.
Dalong's Point : 99 pts.

MG Shenlong Gundam | 2011. 3 | ¥4,200

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.