Kit Review

Straight build + Panel lining + Decals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

MG Shining Gundam - Upper front torso. The face is a bit... oddly designed. OTL The green parts on the chest use dome seals t

Upper front torso. The face is a bit... oddly designed. OTL
The green parts on the chest use dome seals that give it a great sense of depth.

The head antenna comes in two versions — soft and plastic.

Interestingly, both beam sabers are stored together on the left side of the waist.

MG Shining Gundam - The chest push-in/pull-out gimmick works the same as God Gundam. But honestly, this is meant for the arms

The chest push-in/pull-out gimmick works the same as God Gundam.
But honestly, this is meant for the arms-crossed pose...
It just keeps sliding in every time you accidentally touch it, and having to pull it back out every time gets pretty annoying. -_-

Just like God Gundam, it comes with 4 pairs of hands including clear parts.

Core Lander detachment

MG Shining Gundam - The Core Lander... I wonder if it can actually fly in that shape, hmm... The underside just looks like th

The Core Lander... I wonder if it can actually fly in that shape, hmm...
The underside just looks like the backpack taken off. ^^;

MG Shining Gundam - The cockpit hatch does open though. But the cockpit and pilot detail on the G Gundam series is pretty ter

The cockpit hatch does open though.
But the cockpit and pilot detail on the G Gundam series is pretty terrible, I have to say.

Inner detail on the arm armor and thigh sections.

Interestingly, the two beam sabers are different lengths.

Outer armor removed

Internal frame

MG Shining Gundam - The articulation on the frame alone is the best in the G Gundam series. The torso and arms are the same,

The articulation on the frame alone is the best in the G Gundam series.
The torso and arms are the same, but the leg frame is slightly different from God Gundam.

MG Shining Gundam - Leg frame comparison between God Gundam and Shining Gundam. The torso and arms are identical to God Gunda

Leg frame comparison between God Gundam and Shining Gundam.
The torso and arms are identical to God Gundam's action frame.

MG Shining Gundam - Uniquely, Shining Gundam is the only one with double ball-joint ankles, so ankle articulation in frame fo

Uniquely, Shining Gundam is the only one with double ball-joint ankles, so ankle articulation in frame form is top-notch.
The problem is it drops off significantly once you put the armor on. -_-;
The movable cylinders above and below the knees are the same as the others.

A full kneeling pose is possible, and the squatting pose looks more realistic than anyone else's!

MG Shining Gundam - Leg articulation is relatively lacking. The skirt is quite restrictive... but the shoulders do swing forw

Leg articulation is relatively lacking. The skirt is quite restrictive...
But the shoulders do swing forward nicely.

Action poses!

Kneeling
Kneeling in frame form. Much more natural.

MG Shining Gundam - With the armor on, the leg range of motion is a bit limited, so kicking poses look slightly unnatural. Th

With the armor on, the leg range of motion is a bit limited, so kicking poses look slightly unnatural.
The frame's kicking pose is way more natural, right?

Flying kick~ (actually lying down...)

MG Shining Gundam - Transformation into Super Mode. Looks like it belongs to the Super Saiyan tribe with the hair standing on

Transformation into Super Mode. Looks like it belongs to the Super Saiyan tribe with the hair standing on end. ^^;
The mask section isn't a flip-open type — it's a swap-out replacement.

For Super Mode, the toes extend and the side covers on the legs open up.

Pull the shoulders up and flip the forearm covers outward — Super Mode complete!

Beam saber action

Dual blades~~

The other included 1/20 Domon Kasshu figure. Quite the revealing outfit.

Comparison with God Gundam.

The main units of G Gundam, assembled together.

I'm still the early series protagonist, you know~

Following the MG God Gundam and Master, it was only natural that Shining Gundam would get the MG treatment. Shining Gundam is the unit that the protagonist Domon Kasshu piloted before switching to God Gundam — in Gundam SEED terms, you could think of it as the Strike that came before the Freedom.

It basically shares almost the same internal action frame as the God/Master, with only the leg section being a bit different. Not only is the leg frame design itself different, but uniquely, Shining Gundam alone has double ball-joint ankles, giving it excellent ankle articulation in frame form. Once you put the armor on though... it becomes pretty much on par with the others. -.-;;

The overall kit character feels almost identical to God Gundam, just with different outer armor. Though, having been worn down by God Gundam's super stiff joints, by the time I got to Shining Gundam I didn't tighten the screws all the way... so it does move a bit more smoothly. (^^;) Still, the shoulders and arms are way too stiff, and it feels like they could snap at any moment if you move them wrong.;

Compared to God Gundam, the front skirt has a narrower range of motion, so the legs can't kick up as high. Still, being an action frame kit and all, the variety of hand parts and the naturalness of action poses are impressive. Shining Gundam's beam sabers are uniquely stored together on the left side of the waist, and the two beam sabers are set up to be different lengths from each other.

The "I'm fired up~!" version — Shining Gundam's Super Mode — is also perfectly recreated. All the various gimmicks for Super Mode are faithfully implemented, though the one disappointment is that the face mask isn't a movable type but rather a swap-out replacement. Either way, the action poses in Super Mode are even more dynamic.

Overall, the quality is almost identical to God Gundam — perfect color separation, natural articulation, and (extremely) solid joints make this a reasonably well-built kit. That said, the design feels a bit inferior to God Gundam, and a lot of people point out that the face isn't very attractive. Leaving the mask open does look at least a little better than keeping it closed. ^^; Comparing the two, God Gundam does feel like the slightly better kit. Still, if you're a G Gundam fan, this is definitely one to build alongside God Gundam and Master Gundam.

MG GF13-017NJ Shining Gundam
Category	Rating	Analysis
Seam Lines	★★★★★	Seam lines are barely visible.
Molding Color / Color Separation	★★★★★	Molded color / color separation is perfect.
Proportions	★★★★☆	The inherent proportions are well-preserved, but the original proportions themselves are a bit...
Articulation	★★★★☆	Frame articulation is top-notch. Even if it drops a bit with armor on, the action poses are great.
Joint Strength	★★★★☆	The joints are so stiff they're actually becoming a bit of a problem.
Internal Frame	★★★★☆	Full-body action frame. Focused on the movable frame rather than detail.
Detail	★★★★☆	Detail worthy of an MG.
Weapons / Accessories	★★★☆	8 hands. Knockoff beam sabers. Feels relatively a bit sparse overall.
Parts Count / Price	★★★★	241 parts total. Parts per ¥1,000: 96.4. Slightly more parts than average. ^^;
Uniqueness	★★★☆	Still, it's the protagonist unit that needs to stand alongside God Gundam!
Dalong's Point : 87 pts.

MG Shining Gundam | 2002.5 | ¥2,500

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.