Kit Review

Straight build + Panel lining + Decals

Unicorn Mode

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Upper body front and back

The head and backpack, where the Banshee's distinctive head antenna really stand out.

Armed Armor VN and BS.

Legs

Outer armor removed

Internal frame

MG Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee - Detailed shots of each part of the frame. The fluorescent orange frame looks gorgeous. ^^ (1/5

MG Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee - Detailed shots of each part of the frame. The fluorescent orange frame looks gorgeous. ^^ (2/5

MG Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee - Detailed shots of each part of the frame. The fluorescent orange frame looks gorgeous. ^^ (3/5

Detailed shots of each part of the frame.
The fluorescent orange frame looks gorgeous. ^^

With just the frame, you can at least get this much articulation out of it.

MG Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee - Frame action pose (1/3)

Frame action pose

1/100 standing figure of pilot Marida Cruz.

MG Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee - There are quite a few leftover parts — shield parts not used on the Banshee, plus the head/tor

There are quite a few leftover parts —
the shield parts that aren't used on the Banshee, and
the head/torso/leg frame parts that were replaced with new ones.

MG Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee - Articulation. Since it's based on the improved OVA version, it manages this much at least — bu

Articulation.
Since it's based on the improved OVA version, it manages this much at least — but the articulation is still pretty poor.

MG Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee - Unicorn Mode action poses. (1/4)

MG Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee - Unicorn Mode action poses. (2/4)

Unicorn Mode action poses.

MG Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee - Beam saber action pose (1/4)

MG Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee - Beam saber action pose (2/4)

Beam saber action pose

Together with the MG Unicorn Gundam in Unicorn Mode.

Together with the HGUC Banshee in Unicorn Mode.

MG Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee - The horn needs to split apart for the transformation into Destroy Mode... Just like the Unicor

The horn needs to split apart for the transformation into Destroy Mode...
Just like the Unicorn OVA version,
all three types are included: transformable, Unicorn Mode, and Destroy Mode.

MG Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee - Movement of the Armed Armor VN mounted on the left arm. The upper and lower claws operate in t

Movement of the Armed Armor VN mounted on the left arm.
The upper and lower claws operate in two stages, folding and unfolding.

MG Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee - Movement of the Armed Armor BS mounted on the right arm. It rotates 180 degrees to come out in

Movement of the Armed Armor BS mounted on the right arm.
It rotates 180 degrees to come out in front of the hand, and you can pull the tip to expose the inner frame.

Destroy Mode

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Upper body front and back

Head and backpack.

The Armed Armor VN and BS in their deployed state.

Legs

MG Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee - Armed Armor BS action poses. (1/5)

MG Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee - Armed Armor BS action poses. (2/5)

MG Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee - Armed Armor BS action poses. (3/5)

Armed Armor BS action poses.

MG Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee - Armed Armor VN action poses. (1/5)

MG Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee - Armed Armor VN action poses. (2/5)

MG Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee - Armed Armor VN action poses. (3/5)

Armed Armor VN action poses.

Together with the MG Unicorn Gundam in Destroy Mode.

Together with the HGUC Banshee in Destroy Mode.

Unicorn Mode straight build shots.

Destroy Mode straight build shots.

Just as everyone expected, the Banshee has gotten the MG treatment following the HGUC release. Since it's essentially a color variant of the existing Unicorn Gundam, it was probably pretty easy to put into production — and thankfully, it was released based on the OVA version with the improved knee joints.

The MG Banshee comes with molded colors changed to a heavy, Titans-style palette, along with dramatically redesigned head antenna and the addition of the Armed Armor VN and BS weapons on each arm. The parts count has gone up quite a bit, so the price is ¥5,500 — ¥500 more than the MG Unicorn — but in practice, a good number of parts end up as leftover parts, including the shield and old parts that were replaced, so the actual number of parts you use to build the kit is pretty much the same between the Unicorn and the Banshee.

The newly added Armed Armor VN and BS, unlike the HGUC versions, are fully articulated and transformable, showing off the clean movement gimmicks you'd expect from an MG. The head antenna, now elaborately complex like a set of antlers, comes in all three variants just like the OVA version — transformable, Unicorn Mode, and Destroy Mode — so you can swap them out to your preference. Everything else about the basic body is 100% identical to the OVA Unicorn.

About 90% of the parts are shared with the existing Unicorn, but thanks to the Titans-style armor color and the gorgeous fluorescent orange frame, the overall feel of the kit is quite different from the MG Unicorn. The complementary color contrast is stronger, making the colors really pop — and the heavy, weighty color scheme makes it look even more powerful, you know? Setting aside its in-story image, if I compare it side by side with the MG Unicorn, I honestly think the Banshee looks way cooler. ^^ Especially in Destroy Mode — the visual impact is just fantastic!

And while the complex transformation gimmick resulting in some of the worst articulation among MG kits is something you can kind of accept, the still-flimsy ankle joints are really hard to forgive. That nagging feeling that it could topple over at any moment even when standing straight up is still there. T_T At least the Destroy Mode fares a bit better than Unicorn Mode in terms of standing stability, thanks to the ankle armor structure — so there's that.

The MG Unicorn/Banshee is one of the pinnacles of Bandai's engineering, crafted with clear intent by Katoki Hajime and Bandai — and while the incredibly precise gimmickry does cost it somewhat in terms of articulation and joint strength, I still think it's one of the best MG kits out there. It's a matter of where you place your values, but when you consider the unique concept, the obsessive engineering, and the sheer spectacle of Destroy Mode, it really does feel like a very special MG. It's far from a perfect kit, but there's a level of craftsmanship here that goes beyond just quality, you know? The MG Banshee adds the irresistibly attractive Titans-style colors and that striking orange frame with its bold complementary contrast, making it my favorite kit in the MG Unicorn lineup. :-)

MG RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee
Category	Rating	Analysis
Seam Lines	★★★★★	Thanks to the Unicorn's characteristic split armor design, seam lines are basically a non-issue..
Molding Color / Color Separation	★★★★★	The color combination in Destroy Mode is just fantastic.
Proportions	★★★★☆	The legs are a bit too long, but the proportions are sleek.
Articulation	★★★	Even with the improved OVA version as the base, the articulation is still among the worst in the MG lineup.
Joint Strength	★★★★	The ankles still feel flimsy. T_T Is it just a structural limitation?
Internal Frame	★★★★★	A gorgeous full-body frame in a fresh new orange color.
Detail	★★★★★	The outer armor is simple, but Destroy Mode's intricacy is something else.
Weapons / Accessories	★★★★★	Armed Armor VN and BS, perfectly realized as you'd expect from an MG.
Parts Count / Price	★★★★★	426 parts total. 77.5 parts per ¥1,000. Excellent value for the price.
Uniqueness	★★★★★ ★★★★★	The MG Unicorn is always something special. The Banshee in Titans colors is even stronger and cooler!!
Dalong's Point : 103 pts.

MG Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee | 2012. 3 | ¥6,100

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.