Kit Review

Straight build + panel lining + partial painting + decals

The universal standard — size comparison with a cigarette pack

MG Freedom Gundam - Because of the heavy backpack, you do need to pull the legs back a bit to get it standing properly. In pa

Because of the heavy backpack, you do need to pull the legs back a bit to get it standing properly.
In particular, pulling the double-jointed ankles as far back as possible makes a big difference in keeping it upright.

Upper body close-up

Cockpit hatch open

Inner skirt molding — true to MG fashion, there's molding on the inside of every armor panel.

There is an inner frame, but it's closer to an action frame than anything truly mechanical.

Outer armor removed.

Internal frame

MG Freedom Gundam - The arms are a bit plain compared to the Aile Strike, and the torso is even plainer. Especially that bare

The arms are a bit plain compared to the Aile Strike, and the torso is even plainer.
Especially that bare waist;;

The back is even more bare.

The leg frame. Decent enough. The sliding armor is not implemented.

MG Freedom Gundam - The ankle guard attachment point is a bit unusual. Normally it connects from both sides of the ankle, but

The ankle guard attachment point is a bit unusual.
Normally it connects from both sides of the ankle, but on the MG Freedom it connects via a ball joint at the back of the ankle, giving it a greater range of movement.

MG Freedom Gundam - When you bend the leg, the knee section rises up in sync — a sophisticated mechanism usually reserved for

When you bend the leg, the knee section rises up in sync.
A sophisticated mechanism usually reserved for PGs, applied beautifully here on an MG as well.

MG Freedom Gundam - The leg articulation is downright brutal..!! The front of the foot in particular bends forward completely

The leg articulation is downright brutal..!!
The front of the foot in particular bends forward completely and dramatically.

MG Freedom Gundam - The blue border around the gun is handled with a sticker..!! They did a perfect color separation job on t

The blue border around the gun is handled with a sticker..!!
They did a perfect color separation job on the red stripe of the wings, then suddenly slap a sticker on the gun barrel — what a travesty -.-;;
This kit is nearly perfect in terms of molded colors, so I really have to wonder what they were thinking with this odd decision. Sheesh.

MG Freedom Gundam - I thought about using the sticker but just went ahead and painted it instead — the only spot I did any pa

I thought about using the sticker but just went ahead and painted it instead — the only spot I did any partial painting.
Anyway, the mechanical frame inside the gun barrel is actually really nice. Way better than the arm or leg inner frames~ -.-;

The beam rifle can also be stored on the rear skirt.

MG Freedom Gundam - Interestingly, the structure on the side of the shield can be attached on either the left or right side.

Interestingly, the structure on the side of the shield can be attached on either the left or right side.
Consideration for left-handed Freedom pilots??

The shield can be plugged into two different positions on the arm.

Articulation is top-notch! Fully foldable joints.

Just like the MG Aile, it can pull off a perfect crouching pose.

Wow... that leg articulation though...

The legs can be spread almost completely straight while still standing.

The shoulders also extend upward to an almost ridiculous degree, just like the MG Aile.

MG Freedom Gundam - The shoulder joints also move forward and backward — though the front-to-back range feels relatively limi

The shoulder joints also move forward and backward — though the front-to-back range feels relatively limited compared to the rest.

Action po~se

MG Freedom Gundam - A bonus with the MG Freedom — a wing-shaped display stand. Put it on the stand and fully spread the wings

A bonus with the MG Freedom — a wing-shaped display stand.
Put it on the stand and fully spread the wings for maximum impact! (It does take up a lot of space -.-)

Even more so from the back... those wings are just ridiculously huge...

Beam saber action pose (the tip got a bit warped -_-;;)

You can also combine two beam sabers together...

A cool beam rifle action pose~

MG Freedom Gundam - Not really related, but here's a comparison with the MG Wing Early Ver.Ka just because they're both wing

Not really related, but here's a comparison with the MG Wing Early Ver.Ka just because they're both wing Gundams.
The Freedom's wings are a bit bigger.

Straight build — front view

Straight build — rear view

Following the MG Aile Strike, the Freedom Gundam — the main unit of SEED — has also gotten the MG treatment.
The concept is similar to the MG Aile, with extreme articulation, a slender proportion, and a dedicated display stand.

First off, compared to the old 1/100 No Grade, it's taller and the arms, legs, and torso have all been given a slimmer, more refined look. Whether you like it or not comes down to personal taste, but either way it does look sleek. The wings in particular have grown enormously. The plasma beam cannons mounted on the wings can also be posed swinging forward to fire, just like in the anime. The subtle color combination on the wings is also perfectly handled with color separation.

The articulation is, just like the MG Aile, truly the pinnacle of what a Gunpla can offer. It feels similar to the MG Aile but somehow slightly improved in ways you can't quite put your finger on. In particular, unlike the MG Aile which had the weakness of ankle guards that fell off too easily, the MG Freedom's ankle guards are firmly secured to the back of the ankle via ball joints. This unusual structure not only improves durability at the ankle but also gives it slightly better articulation. The joints overall have a satisfyingly firm resistance... though given how back-heavy it is, I do wish the ankle joints were just a little stiffer.

The massive wings are genuinely impressive, but when standing on the ground you have to pull the legs back a bit, which makes the pose look a little hunched. Put it on the dedicated wing-shaped stand and fully spread the wings, though, and the impact is almost at its peak! Fully extended, the wings span nearly 30cm top to bottom and take up a lot of display space, but it looks absolutely stunning!

The joints on the wing sections are generally stiff, but the connection point to the body is a bit loose. Probably because the wings are so large and heavy — if you position them carefully and push them in firmly, they hold up well enough. Anyway, it's a kit that can look a little awkward at times due to the heavy backpack, but with that great display stand it somehow all feels forgivable... ^^;

Overall, it's a kit that feels very similar to the Aile Strike's journey from 1/100 No Grade to MG. The quality is top-notch without question... but the price feels a bit iffy. It seems a little short of being worth ¥3,800 — ¥3,500 would've felt just right — and I can't help but suspect this is part of a quiet strategy to nudge prices upward. That said, it's clearly a great kit that shows just how much care Bandai is putting into the SEED lineup. ^^

▶ Comparison with the 1/100 No Grade
▶ Comparison with the MG Aile Strike Gundam

MG ZGMF-X10A Freedom Gundam
Category	Rating	Analysis
Seam Lines	★★★★★	Almost no seam lines to deal with. The rifle, maybe?
Molding Color / Color Separation	★★★★★	Molded colors are great. Color separation is perfect. The wing color separation in particular is impressive.
Proportions	★★★★☆	Just like the MG Aile, it's a bit too skinny...
Articulation	★★★★★	Slightly better articulation than the already excellent MG Aile.
Joint Strength	★★★★☆	The joints are quite stiff overall, but the back-heaviness makes the ankles feel a little unreliable...
Internal Frame	★★★★	Full inner frame, but the detail is even plainer than the Aile's. Especially the torso...
Detail	★★★★★	Overall kit detail is top-notch.
Weapons / Accessories	★★★★★	It's already loaded with stuff on the body itself — who needs extra bits!
Parts Count / Price	★★★★☆	307 parts total. Parts per ¥1,000: 80.8. The quality makes up for it;
Uniqueness	★★★★★	Looks set to be the eternal king of articulation and dynamic posing.
Dalong's Point : 95 pts.

MG Freedom Gundam | 2004. 7 | ¥3,800

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.