Kit Review

Straight build + Panel lining + Decals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

MG Gundam Astray Blue Frame D - Detail shots (1/4)

MG Gundam Astray Blue Frame D - Detail shots (2/4)

Detail shots

MG Gundam Astray Blue Frame D - Moving to the D type brought changes to the head and shoulders, with new weapons added to the

Moving to the D type brought changes to the head and shoulders, with new weapons added to the forearms and side skirts, among other areas.

Outer armor removal shot

Internal frame

Aside from the head, the body frame is identical to the previous version.

The D type base body + Aile pack
comes loaded with a large number of blade-shaped Dragoons.

MG Gundam Astray Blue Frame D - There are 5 types of weapon accessories in total — from top to bottom, they're called the Swo

There are 5 types of weapon accessories in total — from top to bottom,
they're called the Sword Dragoon, Blade Gun, Stealth Dragoon, Sensor Dragoon, and Beam Cannon Dragoon.
(Phew... the names are needlessly complicated -_-)

You can also combine all of them together.

They can form the long and stylish Sipel Sword. (Mind your pronunciation)

MG Gundam Astray Blue Frame D - The Sword Dragoon is designed to be held in the hand on its own, and the box art even shows a

The Sword Dragoon is designed to be held in the hand on its own, and the box art even shows a pose using just this weapon... but in practice,
the grip strength is weak and the fixing pin is flimsy, making it really hard to hold. T_T

The Aile pack is carried over directly from the MG Aile Strike RM version.

The Astray D type base body on its own

The base body with the revised head, shoulders, and backpack section.

A typical long rod-style MG display stand and joint parts are included.

MG Gundam Astray Blue Frame D - The stand connects to the underside of the newly added back parts for the Aile pack connectio

The stand connects to the underside of the newly added back parts for the Aile pack connection — and the hold is nice and solid. ^^

Figures of Guy Murakumo and Elza Weiss are included.

Some parts from the normal Astray are left over as leftover parts.

Articulation is excellent, just like the previous kit!

MG Gundam Astray Blue Frame D - Stealth Dragoon action (1/3)

Stealth Dragoon action

MG Gundam Astray Blue Frame D - Blade Gun action (1/3)

Blade Gun action

MG Gundam Astray Blue Frame D - Double Sipel Sword action (1/4)

MG Gundam Astray Blue Frame D - Double Sipel Sword action (2/4)

Double Sipel Sword action

MG Gundam Astray Blue Frame D - Single Sipel Sword action. The weapon looks really stylish~ (1/3)

Single Sipel Sword action.
The weapon looks really stylish~

Together with the MG Blue Frame Second Revise.

Straight build

Probably because of the year-end blockbuster PG Unicorn, new MG releases were pretty sparse in the second half of 2014 — but after a three-month drought, the MG Gundam Astray Blue Frame D finally dropped. This one isn't a brand-new kit either, just a variation, and it really does seem like every developer was tied up working on the PG for the first time in ages. So yes, this is a recycled MG that snuck out while everyone was busy... but once I finished building it, wow!! It came out as the best quality of all the MG Astrays, which were already incredible to begin with. @_@

First of all, the MG Astray base body is one of the finest kits in the entire MG lineup. Articulation, joint strength, detail, frame, proportions — it's one of those near-perfect base bodies where it's hard to find anything to complain about. On top of that, the design allows for all kinds of variations through different weapon packs, and this D type sports a flashy look with blade-shaped Dragoon weapons covering the whole body alongside the Aile pack.

The Aile pack reuses the updated runners from the MG Aile Strike RM version, so the quality is equally high. Beyond that, five newly added weapons — the Sword Dragoon, Blade Gun, Stealth Dragoon, Sensor Dragoon, and Beam Cannon Dragoon — are mounted all over the body, with 2 to 4 of each.

When you hang this many little weapons all over the place, attachment security tends to be a concern — but with this D type, that's one thing you don't need to worry about at all. The connection points are solid enough that nothing falls off easily no matter what pose you put it in, and throughout all the twisting and turning while posing for action shots, not a single weapon part dropped off. (That's genuinely rare for a kit like this.)

Combining all five of the new blade/Dragoon weapons together completes the massive Sipel Sword — a seriously stylish and awesome combined weapon. Large combination weapons like this can run into grip issues, but since it actually attaches to the forearm rather than being held in the hand, it doesn't fall off easily, cleverly sidestepping the grip problem altogether. ^^; That said, while all five weapons are designed to be held in the hand, the largest one — the Sword Dragoon — doesn't connect well with the hand, and that grip issue is probably the kit's only real weak point.

Also, Dragoon systems like this are really meant to be posed with the units fanned out in all directions like fin funnels, but unfortunately the Dragoon display stand is sold separately as a Club G exclusive — just so you know.

To sum it all up, the already excellent MG Astray base body pairs beautifully with the stylish and flashy new weapons, making this my favorite Astray in the entire series. It's visually satisfying, the overall attachment security is solid, and it's easy to handle — honestly, it's hard to find fault with this one. ^^

It's obviously a must-have for Astray fans, but I'd also recommend it to any Gunpla fan who hasn't built an MG Astray yet — it's a top-tier MG that's well worth picking up. :-)

MG MBF-P03D Gundam Astray Blue Frame D
Category	Rating	Analysis
Seam Lines	★★★★★	A meaningless rating category for the MG Astray!
Molding Color / Color Separation	★★★★★	Clean color separation right down to the newly added weapons
Proportions	★★★★★☆	The best-looking Astray in the entire series.
Articulation	★★★★★★★	Top-tier MG quality, as expected.
Joint Strength	★★★★★★	Joints sturdy enough to handle the Aile pack without breaking a sweat
Internal Frame	★★★★★	The Astray has always lived and died by its frame.
Detail	★★★★★☆	Detail and expressiveness have already hit their peak with this base body
Weapons / Accessories	★★★★★★	The new Dragoon system's flashiness and functionality are top-notch.
Parts Count / Price	★★★★★★	442 parts total. 92.1 parts per ¥1,000. The best value for money in recent memory.
Uniqueness	★★★★★★★	A kit with a surprising amount of effort put into it. Very few drawbacks..
Dalong's Point : 116 pts.

MG Gundam Astray Blue Frame D | 2014. 11 | ¥4,800

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.