Kit Review

Straight build + Panel lining + Decals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Upper body, front / rear

Head

MG Marasai - Arms and weapon section (1/3)

Arms and weapon section

Legs

Bottom of the feet.

MG Marasai - The color separation on the round part of the head is pretty much expected, but.. true to MG standards, even the

The color separation on the round part of the head is pretty much expected, but..
True to MG standards, even the small orange section on the forearm has color separation.

Cockpit hatch open.
The opening is so narrow that the pilot would practically have to crawl in and out..

Actually, if you remove the neck section, you get a much better view of the cockpit and pilot.

MG Marasai - There's a slot below the neck for an LED unit, but it's not included in this kit, so you'll need to borrow one f

There's a slot below the neck for an LED unit,
but it's not included in this kit, so you'll need to borrow one from another kit or buy it separately.

With the eyes lit up.

MG Marasai - The eye LED under various lighting conditions. As you can see, whether it's dark or bright, the green of the eye

The eye LED under various lighting conditions.
As you can see, whether it's dark or bright, the green of the eyes glows softly and clearly.

MG Marasai - Removing the outer armor. Maybe because there's so much of it, you have to spread things out much more than with

Outer armor removed.
Maybe because there's so much armor, you have to spread things out much more than with other MGs.

MG Marasai - Inner frame shots. It's a full-body frame, but the detail style is pretty simple. (1/2)

MG Marasai - Inner frame shots. It's a full-body frame, but the detail style is pretty simple. (2/2)

Internal frame.
It's a full-body frame, but the detail style is pretty simple.

Upper body front/rear frame

Cockpit area frame

There's no particular frame detail on the head section.

The unusually solid one-piece backpack frame.

Arm frame

MG Marasai - Leg frames. The left and right legs got swapped during the frame photo shoot ^^; (They're pretty much the same a

Leg frame.
The left and right legs got swapped during the frame photo shoot ^^;
(They're pretty much the same anyway, so... ahem)

Foot section frame

Frame articulation.
The hip joint height is a bit disappointing, but overall the joints fold up nicely.

Even the squat pose is pulled off very stably.

Frame action pose.

MG Marasai - Some of the inner surfaces of the outer armor panels have molded detail, but.. there aren't many panels that act

Some of the inner surfaces of the outer armor panels have molded detail, but..
There aren't many panels that actually have it, and even the ones that do don't look particularly well thought-out.

The skirt interior detail is also very, very simple.

MG Marasai - The power cable assembly method seems to involve sliding the pipes on while still on the runner and then cutting

The power cable assembly method seems to involve sliding the pipes on while still on the runner and then cutting and cleaning them up..
But the pipes are all bent like that in practice, so fitting more than one or two at a time is really tough -_-;
In the end, it's much easier to just cut them off one by one, clean them up, and then attach them.

MG Marasai - Two sets of hands are included for each side — one type where only the finger section swaps out, as shown on the

Two sets of hands are included for each side —
one type where only the finger section swaps out, as shown on the left, and articulated hands, as shown on the right.

MG Marasai - The articulated hands aren't freely poseable finger by finger — they're basically designed to give the open-hand

The articulated hands aren't freely poseable finger by finger —
they're basically designed to give the open-hand pose a more natural look.

MG Marasai - Only the first knuckle of each finger bends, and as you can see, you can't make a proper fist — the most you can

Only the first knuckle of each finger bends,
and as you can see, you can't make a proper fist — the most you can get is about this far.
(Think of it as stopping at the "counting money" finger position..)

MG Marasai - You can pop open the top of the head and rotate the mono-eye, but it's extremely stiff and a bit of a pain to tu

You can pop open the top of the head and rotate the mono-eye,
but it's extremely stiff and a bit of a pain to turn.

Detail on the inside of the head cover.

1/100 pilot figure.

There's only one leftover part — a single shoulder antenna.

Articulation is decent.
Not quite as good as the bare frame, but it folds up well.

The waist's forward/backward range of motion is also pretty good.

The shoulders extend forward about this far.

MG Marasai - The hip joint isn't a swing-out type — instead, like the MG Zaku v2.0, the fixed mount is positioned at the fron

The hip joint isn't a swing-out type — instead, like the MG Zaku v2.0, the fixed mount is positioned at the front.

When you bend the knee joint, the knee armor is linked and folds slightly along with it.

The front of the foot bends slightly.

The nozzle covers on the sides of the legs also have some articulation.

Shooting pose

MG Marasai - Beam saber action pose (1/5)

MG Marasai - Beam saber action pose (2/5)

MG Marasai - Beam saber action pose (3/5)

Beam saber action pose

MG Marasai - Beam rifle + beam saber combined action poses on Action Base 1 (1/5)

MG Marasai - Beam rifle + beam saber combined action poses on Action Base 1 (2/5)

MG Marasai - Beam rifle + beam saber combined action poses on Action Base 1 (3/5)

Beam rifle + beam saber combined action poses on Action Base 1

MG Marasai - Two types of stand mounting parts are included — the standard hip joint pin on the left, plus a large dedicated

Two types of stand mounting parts are included —
the standard hip joint pin on the left, plus a large dedicated backpack mounting part.

The attachment point on the backpack mounting part slides up and down over a wide range.

Open the two covers on top of the backpack and plug in the backpack mounting part for a solid hold.

MG Marasai - Aerial poses using the backpack mounting part (1/5)

MG Marasai - Aerial poses using the backpack mounting part (2/5)

MG Marasai - Aerial poses using the backpack mounting part (3/5)

Aerial poses using the backpack mounting part

Together with the MG Hyaku-Shiki Ballute Pack.

MG Marasai - This kit includes a Marasai-specific joint part for connecting to the Ballute Pack that comes with the MG Hyaku-

This kit includes a Marasai-specific joint part for connecting to the Ballute Pack that comes with the MG Hyaku-Shiki.

First, disassemble and remove the existing backpack mounting pin, then attach the Marasai-specific part.

Likewise, swap out the mounting pin on the front part with the Marasai-specific part..

Then plug the dedicated joint parts into the holes on both sides of the legs and you're all set.

Marasai Ballute Pack complete.

MG Marasai - Held securely in place using the dedicated joint parts. (1/3)

Held securely in place using the dedicated joint parts.

MG Marasai - You can also attach the backpack mounting part to the Ballute Pack the same way.. but the connection isn't super

You can also attach the backpack mounting part to the Ballute Pack the same way..
but the connection isn't super solid, so it feels a little iffy.

MG Marasai - Marasai Ballute Pack on Action Base 1. The center of gravity is off, so it's pretty much impossible to get it in

Marasai Ballute Pack on Action Base 1.
The center of gravity is off, so it's pretty much impossible to get it into a horizontal flying pose like that ㅡ,.ㅡ

MG Marasai - Together with the MG Rick-Dias and Hi-Zack. Both look a bit depressing quality-wise by today's standards.. but t

Together with the MG Rick-Dias and Hi-Zack.
Both look a bit depressing quality-wise by today's standards.. but the Marasai is a step up from either of them.

Together with the MG Nemo.
Personally, the two kits feel like they're about the same quality level...

Together with the HGUC Marasai.

MG Marasai - From the molded colors to the overall style, they're remarkably identical — almost makes you wonder if they just

From the molded colors to the overall style, it's almost like they just scaled one up from the other —
they're remarkably identical. ;;

Straight build

It's been a long, long time!! A proper Universal Century kit has finally made it to MG, and it's the long-awaited Marasai. This is probably the kind of kit where plenty of old-school fans are just thrilled it exists at all, quality aside. I mean, the Hi-Zack got one, the Nemo got one, the Rick-Dias got one, even the Doven Wolf got one — and yet the Marasai had been left out all this time.

Anyway, it had old-school fans' expectations riding high even before release, but the development reports along the way didn't really do much to build excitement. I had a feeling we weren't going to get anything as groundbreaking as the Zaku v2.0, and looking at Bandai's recent track record, it really seemed like the developers weren't exactly burning the midnight oil on this one. Personally, my only hope was that it would at least show a bit more effort than the Doven Wolf. And that's pretty much exactly what we got.

As you can already tell just from the comparison photos above.. at a glance, it's hard to tell whether you're looking at the HGUC or the MG — it really does feel like a scaled-up copy of the HGUC Marasai. The molded colors look about 99% identical, and even the overall proportions and detail feel like a carbon copy. Sure, if you look closely, the MG is a little more slender and has slightly more detail, but even hardcore fans might do a double-take trying to tell them apart at first glance.

Of course, part of that is because the HGUC Marasai was already such a well-done kit — but I can't really say this MG succeeds in delivering that distinct MG feeling. In person it's much bigger and heftier than the HGUC, so you do get that "yep, this is an MG" sense, at least.

If I had to sum up the overall quality in one word, it'd be "decent." Not outstanding by any means, but the articulation is pretty good given the size and design, the joint strength isn't super tight but not loose either, the full inner frame is properly done but the frame molding itself is a bit plain, and the exterior detail keeps things simple. I wasn't expecting anything huge going in, and it landed right about where I expected — nothing more, nothing less.

One thing that does earn MG points is the mono-eye LED unit support. You do have to buy the LED unit separately, but the effect is pretty nice — the eye glows a soft green regardless of the lighting conditions. The color separation on the small orange sections on the forearms is also a nice touch, and the dedicated joint parts for combining with the Hyaku-Shiki's Ballute Pack, plus the unique backpack stand attachment parts, are a welcome bonus.

Overall it's decent, but there are a few disappointments here and there. First off, the swap-style finger parts that are so trendy lately — not a fan. They might look better proportionally, but they don't hold the beam rifle securely at all. I got so frustrated that I just glued the rifle-gripping fingers for the review, and even then it still felt a little wobbly. The open hand with limited articulation included as a substitute is a slight consolation though — at least that one has decent proportions.

The Ballute Pack parts and the unique backpack stand attachment parts are a welcome addition, but combining both and putting it on a stand doesn't work out so well. The center of gravity gets thrown way off, and the backpack stand attachment parts don't hold the Ballute Pack securely — it keeps falling off. I tried posing the Marasai with the Ballute Pack on a stand in various ways, but in the end, aside from that awkward reclining pose you see in the review photos, there really wasn't anything else workable. It kept falling apart on me over and over again.

In terms of quality, you can compare it to the other MG kits in the same series — the Rick-Dias, Hi-Zack, and Nemo. (The Dio is in a league of its own, so let's leave that out.) The MG Rick-Dias and Hi-Zack had decent bulk and style but felt somehow unsatisfying as MGs — the Hi-Zack especially so. (One of the cursed Universal Century MGs, that one. ㅡ_ㅡ) The Marasai beats both of them in every way. Compared to the Nemo, it's about on par or maybe just a slight step up.

But after pulling out these MG buddies after a long time and poking around comparing them, the conclusion I came to was... maybe there's some truth to the rumor that they intentionally balanced the quality to match the existing Rick-Dias/Hi-Zack/Nemo. (ㅡ_ㅡ) As time goes on, I have a feeling they'll all start to blur together. In short, "the quality is just okay, but we're grateful they exist at all" — that's the vibe.

Of course, it feels a bit unfair to lump this brand-new MG Marasai in with kits that have been sitting on shelves for years. The Marasai is clearly a bit more solid in quality across the board. It's just that the gap... feels like it'll look smaller and smaller as time goes by. ^^;

Bottom line — as expected, this is definitely not a Universal Century MG built with burning passion and obsessive attention to detail. But maybe because the MG Dio got so much flak, this one at least feels noticeably better in terms of value and quality, so it'll clearly outsell the Dio. Maybe the Bandai developers figured that unless they were going to go all-out, the hardcore fans would be lukewarm either way? (And honestly, that might be spot on!) Old-school fans have had their standards raised so high that this feels less like a kit made to earn big praise and more like one made with a "just don't get roasted" mindset — sticking to the basics "adequately." And for a "Marasai" that's on the larger side, the ¥4,000 price tag might already be telling you everything you need to know about the quality level.

Either way, as an old-school fan like me... I'm just glad it exists— that's how I feel about this kit. Though I'll admit, somewhere in the back of my mind there was a tiny hope for that one knockout punch after all this time, so there is that lingering 2% of disappointment. But if you go in without huge expectations and just enjoy it for what it is, I think it's a great kit for reliving some nostalgia at a reasonable price. :-)

MG RMS-108 Marasai
Category	Rating	Analysis
Seam Lines	★★★★★	The shoulder spikes and various parts separation are nearly perfect.
Molding Color / Color Separation	★★★★★	Molded colors are excellent. Color separation on the head and forearms shows off its modern kit credentials.
Proportions	★★★★★	Similar to the already-impressive HGUC, but overall more refined.
Articulation	★★★★☆	Not bad, but nothing flashy either.
Joint Strength	★★★★☆	Not super tight, but solid overall. Grip strength, not so great!
Internal Frame	★★★★☆	Clean full inner frame, but overly simple.
Detail	★★★★☆	Faithful to the basics, but doesn't feel particularly precise.
Weapons / Accessories	★★★★★	Solid basic loadout, unique stand attachment parts and Ballute Pack parts.
Parts Count / Price	★★★★★	362 parts total. 90.5 parts per ¥1,000. A surprisingly generous kit for the price.
Uniqueness	★★★★★★	The very definition of "decent," but hey — glad it's here. T_T
Dalong's Point : 98 pts.

MG Marasai | 2012. 5 | ¥4,000

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.