Kit Review

Straight build + Panel lining + Decals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Upper body, front / rear

Head

The Dark Hound's signature side wings.

Legs

Outer armor removal shot

Internal frame

MG Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound - Frame detail shots — basically identical to the MG Gundam AGE-2. (1/5)

MG Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound - Frame detail shots — basically identical to the MG Gundam AGE-2. (2/5)

MG Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound - Frame detail shots — basically identical to the MG Gundam AGE-2. (3/5)

Frame detail shots
Basically identical to the MG Gundam AGE-2.

Articulation in frame state

Frame action pose

Chicken pose..(-_-) using the transformation gimmick.

Cockpit hatch open.

Originally, both eyes can be fully exposed..

MG Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound - Remove the head antenna and rotate the green cover to one side to switch to the one-eyed look. V

Remove the head antenna and rotate the green cover to one side to switch to the one-eyed look.
Very MG-worthy detail recreation!~

The long, pointed Dods Lancer.

1/100 figure of pilot Captain Ash

MG Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound - 5 clear parts are left over as leftover parts. They included two versions of the same-shaped cle

5 clear parts are left over as leftover parts.
They included two versions of the same-shaped clear parts — one in yellow and one in green — which is why there are extras.

Articulation is pretty good, except for the hip joint area.

MG Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound - The shoulder wings are connected via ball joints, so both sides can move freely and independentl

The shoulder wings are connected via ball joints, so both sides can move freely and independently.

There's also a feature where a smaller wing unfolds from inside the larger wing — nice touch!

The shoulder wings can also be rotated 90 degrees toward the back.

MG Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound - The Anchor Shot mounted on the shoulder wings can be held in the hand like a gun, and you can al

The Anchor Shot mounted on the shoulder wings can be held in the hand like a gun,
and you can also recreate the firing scene using the wire parts.

MG Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound - Beam dagger action. When standing on the ground, the feet are small and the knee joints are unst

Beam dagger action.
When standing on the ground, the feet are small and the knee joints are unstable, so it's not great for posing.

MG Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound - Double beam saber action on Action Base 2 (1/3)

Double beam saber action on Action Base 2

MG Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound - Dods Lancer + Anchor Shot action (1/5)

MG Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound - Dods Lancer + Anchor Shot action (2/5)

MG Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound - Dods Lancer + Anchor Shot action (3/5)

Dods Lancer + Anchor Shot action

MG Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound - Double Anchor Shot action — quite an impressive pose when you see it in person. (1/4)

MG Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound - Double Anchor Shot action — quite an impressive pose when you see it in person. (2/4)

Double Anchor Shot action
Quite an impressive pose when you see it in person.

Transformation

Pull the shoulders outward, lower the shoulder wings, and remove the fingers.

Raise the upper body upward, then bend the waist and arms 90 degrees backward.

MG Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound - Rotate the side skirts 180 degrees forward, raise the front skirt section, and spread the hip jo

Rotate the side skirts 180 degrees forward, raise the front skirt section, and spread the hip joints out to both sides.

Bend the knees and compress them to tuck in tightly.

Slot the fingertips in behind the knees..

Open the chest section and insert the Dods Lancer.

MG Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound - Deploy the landing gear on the Dods Lancer and knees to complete the transformation into Stride

Deploy the landing gear on the Dods Lancer and knees to complete the transformation into Strider Form.
The overall transformation process is also virtually identical to the MG Gundam AGE-2.

Landed on the ground using the landing gear.

MG Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound - Views from various angles. It's incredibly long because of the Dods Lancer. (1/7)

MG Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound - Views from various angles. It's incredibly long because of the Dods Lancer. (2/7)

MG Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound - Views from various angles. It's incredibly long because of the Dods Lancer. (3/7)

MG Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound - Views from various angles. It's incredibly long because of the Dods Lancer. (4/7)

MG Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound - Views from various angles. It's incredibly long because of the Dods Lancer. (5/7)

Various angles.
It's incredibly long because of the Dods Lancer.

Cockpit hatch opening scene after transformation.

MG Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound - Together with the MG Gundam AGE-2. Aside from the head, weapons, shoulder wings, and chest emble

Together with the MG Gundam AGE-2.
Aside from the head, weapons, shoulder wings, and chest emblem, it's a color variant kit with an identical structure.

Together with the HG Dark Hound.

Straight build

Space pirate Captain Ash's mobile suit, the Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound, has been released as an MG. Honestly, I figured anything from Gundam AGE that wasn't a main-character white Gundam would have a hard time getting an MG release... but it seems like it was made possible as a parts-recycling exercise, since about 80% of the parts from the previously released MG Gundam AGE-2 could be reused.

First off, aside from the head, shoulder wings, Dods Lancer, and chest emblem, this is a color variant kit that shares identical parts with the MG Gundam AGE-2 — so the frame detail, articulation, joint strength, transformation gimmick, and all other basic kit characteristics are completely the same. For a transforming kit, the articulation is decent, but the feet are still small and the knee transformation gimmick comes apart easily, making action poses a bit of a pain. The transformation gimmick itself is well-designed in true MG fashion and isn't bad overall, but it feels a little loose after transforming — not quite that satisfying locked-in feel. The rest of the kit is neither particularly bad nor particularly good, so there's not much I feel like singling out...

That said, the MG Dark Hound does have a few unique features of its own — most notably, the signature one-eyed look is recreated as a switchable gimmick. By removing the head antenna and rotating the green clear part, you can choose between the fully two-eyed look or the one-eyed look. It's a pretty clever idea.^^

Also, the signature shoulder wings are split into two independent sides that can each move freely, and there's even a smaller wing that can be pulled out from inside the larger one — they paid attention to details you wouldn't necessarily expect. On top of that, the Anchor Shot mounted in the center of the shoulder wings can recreate the firing scene using a wire, or be detached and held in the hand.

The overall quality is on par with the MG Gundam AGE-2 — it's a clean build, but doesn't leave a strong impression. The knee joints that tend to come loose due to the transformation gimmick are still an issue. Those things keep the score from being particularly high for a recent kit, but it's still a kit that stays true to the MG concept in its own way, so if you're a fan of the Dark Hound, it's worth building at least once.

The real problem, though... is that this is an unpopular unit from an unpopular series, so it's surprising it even got an MG release at all — in fact, it seems like most people don't even know this MG exists. At this rate, I can't help but wonder if it'll end up carrying on the legacy of the obscure MG Spiegel as time goes on. And to make matters worse, it was released the same month as the hugely popular RG Zeta, which buried it even further... it really is a tragic MG. T_T)/

MG AGE-2 Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound
Category	Rating	Analysis
Seam Lines	★★★★★	Nearly perfect, as expected from a new release.
Molding Color / Color Separation	★★★★★	The color combo is dull, but the design colors themselves are perfectly reproduced.
Proportions	★★★★★	Nothing exciting, but proportions are faithful to the MG standard.
Articulation	★★★★☆	Pretty good for a transforming kit, except for the hip joint range of motion.
Joint Strength	★★★★	Doesn't feel super tight, but gets the job done. The knee area is a letdown though.
Internal Frame	★★★★☆	Somewhat simple, but full-body frame is reproduced.
Detail	★★★★☆	Clean and solid overall, but not particularly refined.
Weapons / Accessories	★★★★★	The Dark Hound-exclusive switchable one-eyed gimmick and shoulder wings are well done.
Parts Count / Price	★★★★★	353 parts total. 84 parts per ¥1,000. Not bad value for money.
Uniqueness	★★★★	Only released because a color variant was possible..
Dalong's Point : 94 pts.

MG Gundam AGE-2 Dark Hound | 2012. 11 | ¥4,600

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.