Along with Zeta Gundam, the Gundam Mk. II (a.k.a. "Mk. II") has remained incredibly stylish and popular even after more than a decade. I'm sure there are plenty of old-school fans out there like me who got excited building the Mk. II back in the mid-80s when it was released under Academy or the Seminar brand (the one they called Power Brave~).
The PG Mk. II kit itself doesn't really try anything drastically new. The one slightly unusual touch would be the addition of metal pipe cables. In terms of mechanic construction and removable outer armor, it hasn't made huge leaps forward from the PG RX-78. If anything, no PG since has matched the sheer grandeur of the RX-78's hatch-open feature. That said, the overall level of polish has been bumped up a notch across the board, and I'd give it high marks for the way it meticulously recreates the movable frame step by step. If you ask me what the PG Mk. II's biggest strength is, I'd have to say it's the incredibly precise and thorough full-body mechanical frame.
The round cockpit unit in particular is reproduced with stunning precision, and you can even light up the interior of the cockpit via LED — it looks absolutely fantastic. The movable frame, built up layer by layer from the inside out across the head, arms, legs, and torso, is nothing short of breathtaking. On top of that, unlike the typical all-black PG frames we've seen before, the Mk. II's movable frame cleverly incorporates a mix of yellow, red, and other colors, giving it a really distinctive look. You can just tell that an enormous amount of effort went into the internal mechanic design.
Another feature of the PG Mk. II that's definitely worth mentioning is that the outer armor panels use undergating. (See therunner review for reference.) Thanks to this, the outer armor panels leave almost no gate marks, giving the straight build a very clean look right out of the box — and for those who paint, it saves a significant amount of cleanup work. It's a great little service. ^^ I really hope this becomes more widely adopted going forward.
All PGs have great articulation, but the PG Mk. II boasts an even wider range of motion. The legs spread further apart, the double-layered feet have a greater range of movement, and the waist articulation is excellent. Whereas the previous RX-78 had its waist locked up due to the Core Fighter, and the Zeta was stiff because of the transformation system, the PG Mk. II has no special structure in the waist, so all four cylinders move freely, giving it a surprisingly high degree of freedom. As a result, the dynamic quality of its action poses feels like the best among all PGs.
As for weapons, the PG Mk. II includes a bazooka that was missing from the PG RX-78. Including the head vulcan pod, the PG Mk. II comes with its full standard weapon set right in the box. (Maybe that's why no Custom Set was ever released for it.) That's probably also why the price went up to ¥15,000. The Mk. II's weapons attach to the body very securely — the rifle, bazooka, and shield all lock on firmly. Whether you're holding them in the hands or mounting them on the rear skirt, the clever attachment systems mean nothing rattles loose.
Compared to previous PGs, the joints are a bit stiffer, making it easier to hold poses. In particular, the individually articulated fingers — which felt slightly loose even on the previous PG Zeta — are now stiff enough to hold their shape really well. ^^
A lot of people point out that the PG Mk. II's ankles are weak, but honestly this is a common issue with most PGs. The heavy weight, tall height, and the spring-loaded suspension system all combine to make it hard to keep balanced at times. The ankles themselves aren't loose, but they'd need to be even stiffer to support all that weight and bulk. The Mk. II's ankles are actually a bit stiffer than other PGs... but they still feel like they could use a bit more improvement. As long as you balance it properly, it's not a major problem.
On top of that, there's a strange issue where the arms tend to pop off easily despite the otherwise stiff joints. When you bend the stiff, solid arm joints, the shoulder and arm sections frequently dislocate (?) in unexpected ways. It would've been nice if that connection had been made a bit more secure. Hmm.
All in all, this is an excellent kit that takes the polish of previous PGs even further, and it's without a doubt one of the finest Gunpla ever made — right up there with the PG Zeta, which impressed with its ambitious features and luxurious packaging. If you've been a Mk. II fan for years, you absolutely owe it to yourself to build the PG Mk. II and experience the emotion of seeing your favorite mobile suit realized at the ultimate level of quality!!
PG Gundam Mk. II | 2001.11 | ¥15,000
AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.
