Kit Review

Straight build + Partial paint + Panel lining + Decals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack. ZZ is on the larger side among MS units.

MG ZZ Gundam - The head antennae come in two versions: soft movable parts for transformation, and fixed plastic parts for pai

The head antennae come in two versions: soft movable parts for transformation, and fixed plastic parts for painting.

Cockpit hatch open.

The backpack missile pods can open and close.

MG ZZ Gundam - Two core blocks are included: a transformation block that can convert into a Core Fighter, and a fixed core bl

Two core blocks are included: a transformation block that can convert into a Core Fighter, and a fixed core block for the MS mode.

MG ZZ Gundam - Both core blocks have openable canopies. In the case of the fixed core block for MS mode, the pilot is set up

Both core blocks have openable canopies. In the case of the fixed core block for MS mode,
the pilot is set up sitting and facing forward.

Great detail even on the inside of the Double Beam Rifle. That's MG quality for you.

MG ZZ Gundam - The Double Beam Rifle is so huge that there's a peg on the rifle grip that's supposed to lock into the palm of

The Double Beam Rifle is so huge that there's a peg on the rifle grip that's supposed to lock into the palm of the hand.
Even so, the Double Beam Rifle is so heavy that it barely stays in place.. T_T

The ridiculously oversized beam saber can also be locked into the palm of the hand, just like on the PG.

MG ZZ Gundam - The articulation is a bit baffling..; The arms can fold 180 degrees, but the legs can't bend much further than

The articulation is a bit baffling..; The arms can fold 180 degrees, but the legs can't bend much further than this due to the transformation gimmick.
On the plus side, the legs spread out sideways pretty well, so action poses aren't too bad..

MG ZZ Gundam - The arm articulation is a bit unusual — two joints that each bend 90 degrees are stacked vertically. This mean

The arm articulation is a bit unusual — two joints that each bend 90 degrees are stacked vertically.
This means the arm can bend 90 degrees forward without rotating it at all.
Normally you'd have to rotate the arm to bend it forward,
but since that big red wing/shield gets in the way, it seems like they came up with this articulation gimmick to work around it.

MG ZZ Gundam - Despite the leg transformation gimmick, the lower leg covers can swing out to the sides. Thanks to this featur

Despite the leg transformation gimmick, the lower leg covers can swing out to the sides.
Thanks to this feature, the ankle range of motion is increased, allowing for more dynamic action poses.
Back in the day, in those old bootleg Kongkong Comics, there was a ZZ custom build where someone had modified exactly that part to be movable..
It was an incredibly impressive mod at the time, but here in this latest MG, it's built right in from the start. I'm genuinely moved.. T_T

Action po~se

The legs spread out wide easily and the feet have great ground contact.

A drawing-the-sword pose. Looks a little awkward though..

The ridiculously huge beam saber. Almost PG-sized, right?

MG ZZ Gundam - And actually, the beam saber itself is literally the exact same part used on the PG RX-78;; Sure, the beam sab

And actually, the beam saber itself is literally the exact same part used on the PG RX-78;;
Sure, the beam saber is supposed to be on the larger side lore-wise, but slapping a PG-sized beam saber straight onto an MG seems a bit much.. -.-;

MG ZZ Gundam - This kit has a whopping 10 landing gears. Each separated/combined transformation configuration has a different

This kit has a whopping 10 landing gears.
Each separated/combined transformation configuration has a different landing gear setup, and since even the Neo Core Fighter gets its own landing gear,
you end up with that many varied landing gears all over the place.
Thanks to this, stable display is possible in every transformation mode. ;-)

A shot with the MG Zeta. It's bigger than the Zeta~

MG ZZ Gundam - All four of the early Universal Century TV Gundam protagonists are now together as MGs! These four kits hold s

All four of the early Universal Century TV Gundam protagonists are now together as MGs!
These four kits hold so many memories of the old Akaze days..
Click for a larger photo

The transformed Core Top and Core Base

G-Fortress

Transformation review Click!

At last, ZZ — one of the four main Universal Century TV Gundam suits — has gotten the MG treatment. A lot of you probably have fond memories of the Akaze 1/100 ZZ, and that old 1/100 ZZ was actually a pretty solid kit in its own right, with full transformation and impressive build quality. Maybe that's why the reaction when MG ZZ came out felt somehow quieter compared to the Zeta or Mk-II releases..

But the newly renewed MG ZZ covers every shortcoming of the old 1/100 kit and takes it several steps further, delivering a truly complete ZZ Gundam. There's simply no comparison with the old kit!

The transformation gimmick itself isn't all that different from the old 1/100 kit — it couldn't really be, given the design. But compared to the old 1/100, the major improvements are as follows.

1. Perfect color separation : The color separation on the yellow and blue verniers and various other areas is spot-on, so even a straight build gets you 99% of the ZZ feel!
2. Solid joints : A critical point for a transforming kit. Nearly every joint is stiff, so poses hold without falling apart.
3. Locking gimmicks : Various sections lock in place with locking pins during transformation, holding everything together firmly! The Double Beam Rifle attachment point, the backpack lock, the leg-to-backpack connection, and the upper-to-lower body connection all have their own dedicated locking mechanisms.
4. Landing gears : With as many as 10 different landing gears, the kit maintains a perfect stance even after transformation.

Thanks to these four factors, this kit truly shows ZZ Gundam in its most complete and definitive form. Sure, being a transforming kit means there's no inner frame to speak of, but the densely packed detail and transformation gimmicks throughout more than make up for it.

One thing to know before building this MG ZZ is that it has more parts than just about any other MG out there. The total part count is 520 pieces — more than double the typical MG, and the build time is at least double as well. When you open that box — which doesn't even look that thick for a ¥4,000 kit — and see over 20 runners worth of parts staring back at you, it's a bit of a shock ^^; But all those parts are what give it such great detail in every nook and cranny, and what makes the transformation gimmick work so well.

Even if the transformation gimmick looks similar to the old 1/100 kit, actually transforming it feels completely different. The stiff joints make locking things in place easy, and the locking mechanisms scattered throughout give a really satisfying snap-into-place feel during transformation. After transforming, the various landing gear combinations let you display it in a sharp, stable pose, and the spots where all those landing gears plug in are covered by separate covers when not in use — so in MS mode, not a single landing gear socket is visible. The knee landing gear covers in particular aren't even removable — they're hinged and open/close, which is a really nice touch! You can really tell a lot of care went into this.

The backpack, which used to feel hollow and empty in the old kit, is now packed with detail all the way inside, and the internal detail is quite good. It's a large and heavy backpack, but thanks to locking mechanisms that are precise and solid in a way that's hard to put into words, it stays firmly in place in both MS mode and during transformation. And in true MG fashion, even the backpack missile pods open and close~

One thing though — the Double Beam Rifle is so heavy that holding it in MS mode is quite a struggle. There is a peg on the palm for locking it in, but the direction of the peg isn't oriented to actually support the weight against gravity, so it barely holds at all. T_T It's more like you can just lean it against the hand and prop it up. Also, while the joints are nice and stiff, if you force certain tight spots during transformation, there are some points that could snap. The red wing sections and arm areas in particular need extra care.

In conclusion, MG ZZ is already so close to perfect that a version-up feels unnecessary — more so than just about any other main protagonist kit. Some people who remember the old 1/100 kit might glance at it and say it doesn't look all that different, but once you actually build it, there's no way you can say that. The feel is completely different. It's a massive upgrade.

That said, both in terms of design and original lore, the transformation style and structure are probably the most toy-like of any Gundam out there. It almost feels like this thing was designed from the ground up with plastic model transformation in mind — and honestly, it kind of was — so the transformation method itself never really seemed all that practical to begin with. Maybe that's why ZZ in particular tends to be a love-it-or-hate-it item depending on the generation. It's a great kit for those who remember the old kit and have that nostalgic attachment, but for newer fans who didn't experience the Universal Century in real time, it might look a bit... toy-like?

Even so, it's undeniably the main character of its own series. And it's an MS that holds a lot of great memories for many people. Despite being a relatively early MG release, it's one of the rare kits that comes remarkably close to perfection. Especially for those who have memories of the 1/100 Akaze kit, this is an absolute must-buy! It brings back the nostalgia while making you marvel at how far the technology has come ^^

MG MSZ-010 ZZ Gundam
Category	Rating	Analysis
Seam Lines	★★★★★	The complex design and high part count leave almost no room for seam lines to show.
Molding Color / Color Separation	★★★★★	Practically perfect. The parts breakdown is genuinely impressive.
Proportions	★★★★★	Proportions that feel even more imposing than the old kit. What a massive frame!
Articulation	★★★★	Arms are great, but leg articulation is lacking. Somehow though, it still poses well.
Joint Strength	★★★★☆	Stiff all over. The weak grip strength is the one blemish.
Internal Frame	★★★★	None whatsoever.. -_-; But you could argue the densely packed transformation gimmick inside the body IS the frame!
Detail	★★★★★	Everything ZZ needs is already there.
Weapons / Accessories	★★★★★	Everything you need is included. The main body itself is already so packed..
Parts Count / Price	★★★★★	520 parts total. Parts per ¥1,000: 130 pieces. Incredible value for the price;;;;
Uniqueness	★★★★★	The perfect ZZ we've all been dreaming of.
Dalong's Point : 95 pts.

MG ZZ Gundam

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.