Kit Review

Straight build + Panel lining + Decals

The universal yardstick — size comparison with a cigarette pack.

Basically, it's a variation kit of the RX-78 v1.0.

MG GM - The clear part on the head was just a plain, colorless clear, so I painted it with clear green. If they were going to

The clear part on the head was just a plain, colorless clear, so I painted it with clear green.
If they were going to include it, it would've been nicer to just mold it in green transparent plastic.

MG GM - Just like the RX-78, the molded colors on the ankles and back of the knees don't match, so I had to do some partial p

Just like the RX-78, the molded colors on the ankles and back of the knees don't match, so I had to do some partial painting.

Compared to the RX-78, the Core Fighter is gone, but a small beam spray gun has been added instead.

The backpack now has a rack for storing the bazooka.

It hangs on like this — it's not loose, but the weight makes it sit just a little crooked.

There's also a rack on the right side...

This is where the beam spray gun is mounted.

MG GM - The hatch-open sections from the RX-78 have been omitted, replaced with simple covers. They could've just left the ha

The hatch-open sections from the RX-78 have been omitted, replaced with simple covers.
They could've just left the hatches openable — no real need to go that far...

The hatch-open section on the left arm has been changed to a shield mounting point.

MG GM - Thanks to that, the shield — which used to be awkwardly held in the hand with a loose grip — now locks firmly onto th

Thanks to that, the shield — which used to be awkwardly held in the hand with a loose grip — now locks firmly onto the forearm.

Cockpit open

With the forearm and head hatches gone, only the back of the calves can be opened now.

In the lore, there's no Core Fighter — just a Core Block. But...

The Core Block's detail has gotten a lot more refined.

MG GM - Comparison with the RX-78 v1.0's Core Block. The detail is a massive upgrade over the plain, bland Core Block of the

Comparison with the RX-78 v1.0's Core Block. Compared to the plain, bland Core Block of the First Gundam,
the detail is a massive upgrade.

Articulation is completely identical to the RX-78 v1.0. (Why would it be any different??)

Fully armed shot

Beam rifle action

Spray gun action

Bazooka action

Beam saber action

Just like the RX-78 v1.0, the GM also comes with the same set of extra detail-up parts.

MG GM - Together with the original RX-78 v1.0. The GM is a kit where only certain parts have been changed — the cockpit hatch

Together with the original RX-78 v1.0.
The GM is a kit where only certain parts have been changed — the cockpit hatch, lower body armor, head, knees, and a few other bits.

The backpack style is a bit different though.

The GM — the unsung hero of the One Year War and a unit with a surprisingly dedicated fanbase — has finally gotten the MG treatment. Since it's canonically a mass-production unit that shares a fair amount of compatibility with the RX-78's frame, the kit reuses a large portion of the RX-78 v1.0 as a variation kit. Here's a rundown of what's changed:

- Molded color (changed to a light green and red)
- Head (obviously changed ;;)
- Cockpit hatch (simplified...)
- Skirt (front, rear, and side all replaced)
- Backpack (molded in body color; bazooka rack added in place of the right-side beam saber)
- Knee parts (simplified...)
- Forearm hatch section (changed to a fixed, non-opening style with a shield mount added)
- Core Block upgraded (no Core Fighter, but the Core Block detail has been massively improved)
- Beam spray gun added

Since the basic frame and most parts are carried straight over from the RX-78 v1.0, the articulation and internal structure are identical. The so-so articulation and the forearms that keep popping off — all the same downsides are still here... The RX-78 at least had the hatch-open gimmick to make up for it, but on the GM, the head and forearm hatch-open features have been removed, so only the calves open up.

There are a few things that feel like improvements in this GM variation. First off, the Core Block detail has been upgraded to look really realistic. (Worth noting: this Core Block looks nothing like the later PG-style improved Core Block — it's a GM-exclusive original part.) I really wish they'd done the same for the First Gundam from the start. Also, a lot of people were probably frustrated with the shield mounting on the RX-78 v1.0 — or v1.5 for that matter. Relying entirely on the hand's grip to hold the handle meant it was always loose and never stayed in place properly. On the GM, the forearm hatch-open section has been replaced with a polycap mount where you can plug the shield directly into the forearm. It holds on rock-solid. Nice!

In the lore, the GM has no Core Fighter — just a Core Block. So this kit doesn't include a Core Fighter at all. Instead, the backpack comes with a decent-looking bazooka rack and the GM's signature weapon, the beam spray gun. The bazooka rack on the backpack — something the First Gundam never had — actually looks pretty convincing. It holds well without being loose, so it's a genuinely useful addition. ^^ On top of that, the rack is removable, letting you configure the backpack as a typical GM-style single beam saber setup, or even a dual beam saber layout like the RX-78 — all the relevant parts are included. (Though the dual beam saber backpack in First Gundam style does have a bit of an off molded color...)

The molded color is that characteristic GM light green with a slight bluish tint — it's quite pretty and has a soft, delicate look. The actual color in person is a little nicer than in the photos. Just like the RX-78 v1.0, there are panel lines all over the body, and looking at them now, they feel a bit dated (;;). Especially on the GM, which has a certain charm in its simplicity, I think the panel lines actually work against the overall look.

So far I've only covered the kit's overall quality and what's changed, but honestly, the biggest issue with this GM kit is that it just doesn't feel very GM-like. The GM has this simple, almost goofy kind of charm to it... but this MG GM's overly slender proportions and cluttered panel lines put it pretty far from the original's image. It's clearly a sleek, well-proportioned build — but it just doesn't suit the GM. The HGUC GM is far more faithful to the original design and a lot more endearing for it.

Being a variation kit from the early MG days — which weren't exactly known for great quality to begin with — there's nothing particularly impressive here quality-wise... That said, the nice molded color, the slightly more generous loadout and armor, and the fact that it's the "GM" do add a certain appeal, making it feel like a step up from the RX-78 v1.0 in some ways. The kit itself actually feels better in hand, yet when it comes to scoring it, it somehow ends up lower than the RX-78 v1.0 for one reason or another.

It's a GM that doesn't feel very GM-like, but since it's the only original MG GM out there, there'll inevitably be buyers who pick it up regardless. If you go in without high expectations, it's actually not a bad kit at all ^^;

MG RGM-79 GM
Category	Rating	Analysis
Seam Lines	★	Almost no consideration for seam lines. Only the shoulders and knees get any attention. Step gaps are also quite large.
Molding Color / Color Separation	★★★☆	Molded color is soft and pretty. The backs of the knees and ankle areas are just molded in plain white.
Proportions	★★	It's sleek and well-proportioned, but... maybe a little too slim? Is this really the GM?
Articulation	★	Arms and legs don't bend past 90°. Ankle range of motion is limited. Slight waist articulation.
Joint Strength	★★	Not particularly tight. Elbow joints still pop off easily.
Internal Frame	★★☆	Only the calves have hatch-open functionality. But the Core Block detail-up is massive.
Detail	★★	Excessive panel lines. Suits the GM even less
Weapons / Accessories	★★★★☆	Beam rifle, bazooka, beam saber, beam spray gun, plus various racks — a solid loadout.
Parts Count / Price	★★★	202 parts total (+ 31 detail-up parts). Parts per ¥1,000: 80.8
Uniqueness	★★★★	The unsung hero of the One Year War. Proportions that just don't suit it ;;
Dalong's Point : 49 pts.

MG GM | 1999. 2 | ¥2,500

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.