Kit Review

Straight build + panel lining + decals + partial painting

The universal yardstick — size comparison with a cigarette pack.

MG Zaku-II High Mobility Type ~ Black Tristar (1/2)

MG Zaku-II High Mobility Type ~ Black Tristar (2/2)

MG Zaku-II High Mobility Type ~ Black Tristar - The newly added 320mm bazooka makes the weapons loadout look pretty generous

The newly added 320mm bazooka makes the weapons loadout look pretty generous for a high mobility type.

3 sets of hands: rock-paper-scissors poseable hands, open hands, and fists.

MG Zaku-II High Mobility Type ~ Black Tristar - The 320mm bazooka can be assembled as either the L816K or L819K type by swapp

The 320mm bazooka can be assembled as either the L816K or L819K type by swapping out the rear section.

320mm L819K Bazooka

320mm L816K Bazooka

MG Zaku-II High Mobility Type ~ Black Tristar - Just like the Black Tristar Zaku I, the Black Tristar Zaku II has terrible co

Just like the Black Tristar Zaku I, the Black Tristar Zaku II has terrible color separation. T_T
The arms and legs are completely different colors from what they're supposed to be.

The thickened forearm section painted black with partial painting.

MG Zaku-II High Mobility Type ~ Black Tristar - The leg cylinders are pure white parts straight out of the box, so they need

The leg cylinders are pure white parts straight out of the box, so they need to be painted black except for the vernier connection areas.

MG Zaku-II High Mobility Type ~ Black Tristar - Almost entirely requires partial painting. The foot tops also need to be pain

Almost entirely requires partial painting. The foot tops also need to be painted black.

The red sections on the high mobility backpack also need partial painting.

Head & cockpit hatch open

Foot top open

The mechanical frame of the backpack.

Same old leg frame as always~

MG Zaku-II High Mobility Type ~ Black Tristar - Heat hawk mounted on the side. The heat hawk has more of a purple tint to it,

Heat hawk mounted on the side. The heat hawk has more of a purple tint to it,
but the camera makes it come out looking blue ;;
Also worth noting — it's a quirk of the high mobility types that the large backpack means you can't mount any of the bazookas on the rear skirt.

Fully armed. The coloring definitely gives off a powerful vibe.

MG Zaku-II High Mobility Type ~ Black Tristar - Articulation-wise, well... the high mobility type has even worse articulation

Articulation-wise, well... the high mobility type has even worse articulation than the already-not-great MG Zaku series;;

320mm bazooka action pose

You can swap out the rear section of the 320mm bazooka~

MG Zaku-II High Mobility Type ~ Black Tristar

Standard 280mm bazooka action pose

Zaku machine gun action pose.

Heat hawk action pose.

Leftover parts. Seems like a bit more than other Zakus...

The bonus optional detail-up parts are still included.

MG Zaku-II High Mobility Type ~ Black Tristar - The included 1/20 Mash figure from the Black Tristar. Did this add 200 yen to

The included 1/20 Mash figure from the Black Tristar.
Did this add 200 yen to the price...?!?

MG Zaku-II High Mobility Type ~ Black Tristar - Together with the Black Tristar Zaku I. The two MG brothers notorious for the

Together with the Black Tristar Zaku I. The two MG brothers notorious for their poor color separation...

MG Zaku-II High Mobility Type ~ Black Tristar - The high mobility trio. Together with the Shin Matsunaga and Johnny Ridden un

The high mobility trio. Together with the Shin Matsunaga and Johnny Ridden units.

The backpacks are all identical.

MG Zaku-II High Mobility Type ~ Black Tristar - Differences in the upper body of the three high mobility types. The shoulder

Differences in the upper body of the three high mobility types.
The shoulder markings are slightly different, and the combination of spike armor horn sizes and markings varies on each one.

MG Zaku-II High Mobility Type ~ Black Tristar - The Black Tristar High Mobility Zaku II has noticeably thicker forearms compa

The Black Tristar High Mobility Zaku II has noticeably thicker forearms compared to the others.

MG Zaku-II High Mobility Type ~ Black Tristar - The Shin Matsunaga unit and the Black Tristar unit share the same leg structu

The Shin Matsunaga unit and the Black Tristar unit share the same leg structure. Only the Johnny Ridden unit is different.

MG Zaku-II High Mobility Type ~ Black Tristar - There are 5 variations of the early MG Zaku II in total. I'm not sure about e

There are 5 variations of the early MG Zaku II in total. I'm not sure about everything else, but the coloring on all five is really all over the place.

Following the Black Tristar Zaku I, the Black Tristar Zaku II has now gotten the MG treatment. Unfortunately, just like the Zaku I, this is a variation where color separation was completely ignored. T_T The arms, legs, foot tops, and other areas are molded with worse color accuracy than even the Black Tristar Zaku I, and there are far more areas that need partial painting. On the flip side, once you paint it to match the official colors, the coloring looks seriously imposing.

And while other Zaku variations are priced at 2500 yen or 2800 yen (for the high mobility types), this one alone is 3000 yen. Compared to the 2800 yen high mobility type, you get the 320mm bazooka and a Mash figure from the Black Tristar added in, so a 200 yen increase doesn't seem like all that much. Maybe that's why it boasts the most parts and the most volume of any kit in the Zaku series. The newly added 320mm bazooka can have its rear section swapped between two variants, which means you can combine it three different ways along with the standard 280mm bazooka. That's why it has a more generous weapons loadout than the other high mobility Zaku IIs.

The articulation and structural features are the same as the existing high mobility types, but the overall look is a mashup of the Johnny Ridden and Shin Matsunaga units. The body is basically the same as the Shin Matsunaga unit, but the Black Tristar version has no head antenna, thicker forearms, and different markings on both shoulders. Above all, the coloring is at the complete opposite end of the spectrum, so the overall feel is quite different.

Just like the Black Tristar Zaku I, it carries the stigma of poor molded colors, but once you get a good paint job on it, it's a seriously charismatic machine. It's the kit with the most presence out of the entire Zaku series. The extra content that accounts for that 200 yen increase is pretty substantial too, so the kit feels nice and packed. The quality is still a bit iffy and it's still a variation aimed at dedicated fans, but it's an essential kit if you want to put together the Black Tristar trio. Beyond that? Well, that's debatable...^^;

MG MS-06R-1A Zaku-II High Mobility Type ~ Black Tristar
Category	Rating	Analysis
Seam Lines	★	Almost no consideration for seam lines.
Molding Color / Color Separation	★★★	Color separation is critically bad;; Partial painting at minimum is a must if you want it to look right.
Proportions	★★★★☆	The presence it has just sitting on a shelf is the best in the Zaku series!
Articulation	★	Arms and legs won't bend past 90 degrees. Limited ankle range of motion. Skirt armor is very restrictive.
Joint Strength	★	Elbow and knee joints are weak. Pipes fall out easily. Grip strength is lacking -.-
Internal Frame	★★☆	Top of the head, backpack, parts of the legs. Backpack detail has become more refined.
Detail	★★★★☆	Lots of panel lines. More complex and intricate detailing.
Weapons / Accessories	★★★★★	Compared to other high mobility types, the 320mm bazooka and figure are added in. Feels like a generous package.
Parts Count / Price	★★★★☆	330 parts total (+ 28 detail-up parts). Parts per 1000 yen: 110
Uniqueness	★★	A variation that gave up on color separation. But paint it up and it looks pretty great.
Dalong's Point : 58 pts.

MG Zaku-II High Mobility Type ~ Black Tristar | 1999. 6 | ¥3,000

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.