Kit Review

Straight build

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

MG Char's Zaku II ~ Crystal Version - Front, rear, and upper body close-ups (1/3)

Front, rear, and upper body close-ups

You can faintly see the internal frame through the head.

Clear backpack

There's no frame at all inside the arms, so they just look completely hollow.

The frame inside the legs is slightly visible.

MG Char's Zaku II ~ Crystal Version - With the Crystal Version, the power pipes look really cool — you can see the sprin

With the Crystal Version, the power pipes look really cool.
You can see the springs inside, which makes them look way more dynamic.

You can even see the legs underneath the skirt armor. (How embarrassing~;;)

MG Char's Zaku II ~ Crystal Version - Just like the Crystal First, two of the fingers are soft parts instead of clear pa

Just like the Crystal First, two of the fingers are soft parts instead of clear parts,
which makes the hands look a bit awkward.

Head hatch open

Cockpit hatch open

Backpack frame

Hands with clear backs...

As expected, the old Zaku comes loaded with weapons.

The semi-transparent gray weapons have a nice color to them.

Fully armed

Action po~se

Heat Hawk action pose

Zaku Machine Gun action pose

Bazooka action

Magella Top Cannon action

Sturm Faust (a.k.a. the club) action

The optional parts are clear too...

MG Char's Zaku II ~ Crystal Version - Together with the Crystal Version First. Compared to the First, which is so white

Together with the Crystal Version First.
Compared to the First, which is so white and transparent that it barely has any presence,
the Zaku with its distinct color really pops even as a clear version.

Together with the original MG Char's Zaku II.

As expected, his color is red!

Following the First, the Zaku has now been released as a Crystal Version too. Unlike the First's armor, which came out transparent because its base color is white, Char's Zaku II features clear red exterior parts. So compared to the First Crystal Version, which has an almost ghost-like lack of presence, Char's Zaku II Crystal Version has a strong, distinct color that really makes it stand out. ^^

The clear parts quality is pretty good overall, and while trimming the gates on clear parts can be tricky, the color does a decent job of hiding any marks. The MG Zaku originally has more frame in the body and legs compared to the First, so you can actually see some of the frame through the clear parts. Honestly, that's exactly the kind of appeal a clear version should have.

The power pipes especially stand out — that experimental triple combo from the early MG days (soft pipe + spring + bead threading) really shines in the Crystal Version. Since the beads are transparent, you can clearly see the springs inside, giving it a really "premium" kind of feel.

Also, just like the First Crystal Version, the joints got noticeably stiffer because the tolerances tightened up when molded in clear plastic. That actually makes them hold poses better than the loose joints on the original MG Zaku. The grip in particular feels much stronger, so no matter what weapon you put in its hands, it holds on without dropping it.

So it's a curious kit that somehow feels like a step up in quality compared to the original Zaku. Articulation is still pretty terrible, but in terms of detail, compactness, and joint strength, it delivers solid value for the price. It also has way more presence than the ghost-like First Crystal Version. If you're a fan of Char and the Zaku, this is a fun kit that's easy to recommend. :-)

MG Char's Zaku II ~ Crystal Version | 1996.10 | ¥2,800

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.