Kit Review

Straight build + panel lining + stickers/decals

The universal standard — size comparison with a cigarette pack

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) (1/2)

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) (2/2)

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) - Just like the original, you can build either the F-type or J-type by selectively asse

Just like the original, by selectively assembling the rear leg verniers and backpack verniers,
you can build either the F-type or J-type.

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) - Rear view comparison of the J-type and F-type. Just focus on the backpack and rear le

Rear view comparison of the J-type and F-type. Just focus on the backpack and rear legs.

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) - Outer armor removed (1/2)

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) - Internal frame (2/2)

Outer armor removedInternal frame

Front of the body. The cockpit area and shoulder joints are decent enough.

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) - Backpack frame (1/2)

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) - Half a skull~ the inner head frame (2/2)

Backpack frameHalf a skull~ the inner head frame

Leg frame.

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) - Without the outer armor, you can pull off a pose like that. But once you put the armo

Without the outer armor, you can pull off a pose like that.
But once you put the armor on, ankle articulation is basically gone..

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) - My own take on a hatch-open shot (1/2)

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) - Just like the original, it comes with a generous weapons loadout. (2/2)

My own take on a hatch-open shotJust like the original, it comes with a generous weapons loadout.

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) - The classic three-hand set — articulated hand, open hand, and closed hand (1/2)

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) - Articulation can't get past the 90-degree limit. (2/2)

The classic three-hand set — articulated hand, open hand, and closed handArticulation can't get past the 90-degree limit.

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) - Fully armed shot (1/2)

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) - Somehow the rear view looks even cooler.. (2/2)

Fully armed shotSomehow the rear view looks even cooler..

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) - Zaku machine gun action pose (1/2)

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) - 90mm machine gun action (2/2)

Zaku machine gun action pose90mm machine gun action

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) - Bazooka action (1/2)

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) - Heat hawk action (2/2)

Bazooka actionHeat hawk action

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) - Holding a hand grenade. There's really no other way to pose with it besides something

Holding a hand grenade. There's really no other way to pose with it besides something like this..

Glam shot — fully armed

Just like the original, it includes detail-up parts.

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) - Leftover parts. Extra head antennae and spare mono-eyes left over for runner compatib

Leftover parts. Extra head antennae and spare mono-eyes left over for runner compatibility with the Char's custom unit.

Together with MG Gundam Ver. O.Y.W. 0079.

~
Comparison with the original ~

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) - Together with the original mass-production Zaku II. The green molded color is a bit b

Together with the original mass-production Zaku II.
The green molded color is a bit brighter, and the gray areas are a touch darker, maybe?

Rear view comparison

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) - The Zaku II F2 joins the lineup. The molded color keeps getting brighter. The F2 stil

The Zaku II F2 joins the lineup. The molded color keeps getting brighter.
The F2 still has the best molded color quality, no contest.

Bonus — comparison with the PG molded color. The Pegasus version MG is a bit brighter.

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) - Straight build shot — front (1/2)

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) - Straight build shot — rear (2/2)

Straight build shot — frontStraight build shot — rear

Following the MG Gundam Ver. O.Y.W. 0079, four Zeon kits were released simultaneously under the Ver. O.Y.W. name. First up in the lineup is the mass-production Zaku II. Basically, the OYW Zeon four-pack uses no new molds or new parts — they're just the same existing structure with changed molded colors.

Since it's basically just a color variant with almost nothing else changed, the structural features are 100% identical to the existing Zaku II. If you want a more detailed structural review, check out the MG Zaku II Char's Custom review and the MG Zaku II mass-production type reviewfor reference. The molded color change is the main story here, but there are a few other changes worth noting.

1. Molded color change
The green molded color is a bit brighter, but it's not a dramatic shift. That said, the original Zaku II mass-production type's green had a tendency to look a bit dull and murky, and this OYW version is a little less so. It's brighter, with a slightly more matte feel that gives it a subtle, understated look. One thing though — it's hard to see in photos, but there's a faint wavy pattern visible on the molded surfaces (-_-;). The gray areas feel ever so slightly darker too. Compared to the Zaku II F2, which is famous for its high quality, the molded color quality here falls a bit short. (The F2 is just exceptional.) Either way, it definitely looks better than the original, that much seems clear.

2. Joint reinforcement
The eight early MG Zaku kits I reviewed before were all first-run copies, so I couldn't confirm exactly what changed in later runs. But the biggest difference between the original Zaku and this OYW version is probably the joints. Compared to the original, which felt loose all over for some reason, the OYW version has a nice, firm resistance throughout the whole body. It looks like the polycaps were revised at some point, similar to what happened with the Gelgoog. Whether that revision happened with this OYW version specifically is unclear — my guess is it was already done in an earlier reprint. Either way, the OYW version has noticeably improved joints, so you can build it with confidence. :-)

3. Minor changes
- The manual has been updated with a more user-friendly layout.
- One sticker sheet included in the original has been removed. It was basically just a sheet of random hatch-like stickers you'd slap here and there,
and it didn't really serve much purpose, so it seems they just cut it. It was pretty much useless to begin with, so no big loss.
- The finished model showcase insert inside the box is gone (a common trait across the OYW lineup). Oh, and personally, I found the OYW version boxes so sleek that I couldn't bring myself to throw them away ^^; I usually toss boxes straight into recycling the moment I'm done building, but these ones I've been keeping as storage boxes.

In the end, it feels subtly different even though it seems like almost nothing changed. Articulation is still terrible — the ankles are practically fixed in place, so getting a solid ground contact or any decent pose is a real struggle. But the tighter joints probably help it feel better overall. At least it doesn't wobble around like the original first-run copies did.

Among the OYW four-pack, this one has the least dramatic molded color change. That said, if you're set on building a grunt-use Zaku II and you're torn between the original and the OYW version, I'd recommend the OYW without hesitation. But if you're not particularly invested, this isn't really an MG I'd push on quality alone. Rather than the kit itself, the appeal here is more about the MS — it's one of the iconic stars of the One Year War, so the points go to the mobile suit, not the model. ^^

MG MS-06F/J Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft)
Category	Rating	Analysis
Seam Lines	★	Almost no consideration for seam lines.
Molding Color / Color Separation	★★★★☆	Color separation is perfect. Molded color is slightly brighter.
Proportions	★★★★	Just standing there, it has a nice solid, weighty look to it.
Articulation	★	Arms and legs won't bend past 90 degrees. Ankle range of motion is narrow. Skirt restrictions are severe.
Joint Strength	★★★★☆	Polycaps have been reinforced, making the joints solid. Barely any loose parts.
Internal Frame	★★	Top of the head, backpack, parts of the legs. Details are a bit soft.
Detail	★★★★	Lots of panel lines. Molding even on the inside of the armor. Clearly a lot of effort went into it.
Weapons / Accessories	★★★★★	At ¥2500, the weapons and accessories are top-notch!
Parts Count / Price	★★★★★	308 parts total (+ 28 detail-up parts). Parts per ¥1000: 123.3
Uniqueness	★★★★	Just a molded color variant — but the joints have improved dramatically, making it feel like a better kit overall.
Dalong's Point : 70 pts.

MG Zaku II ver. O.Y.W 0079 (PS2 soft) | 2005. 4 | ¥2,500

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.