Kit Review

Straight build + Panel lining + Seals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

PG Unleashed Gundam - Various angles (1/6)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Various angles (2/6)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Various angles (3/6)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Various angles (4/6)

Various angles

PG Unleashed Gundam - Detail shots (1/4)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Detail shots (2/4)

Detail shots

Outer armor removed

Phase 3 frame

Phase 3 frame detail shots

Arm and leg articulation in Phase 3 frame state.
Not much different from when the armor is on.

PG Unleashed Gundam - Kneeling pose in Phase 3 frame state. (Note: this was shot after fully completing the build with the 3D

Kneeling pose in Phase 3 frame state.
(Note: this was shot after fully completing the build with the 3D seals applied, then removing the armor again for a reshoot)

Phase 3 additional frame removed

Phase 2 frame

Phase 2 frame detail shots

Phase 2 additional frame removed

Phase 1 frame

Phase 1 frame detail shots

A composite photo showing the progression through Phase 1, 2, and 3 frames at a glance.

3D stickers with a shiny printed backing behind a clear layer can be applied all over the body.

PG Unleashed Gundam - If you just dig under them with a knife, the printed backing can separate, so it's safer to bow the sti

If you just dig under them with a knife, the printed backing can separate,
so it's safer to bow the sticker until one edge lifts, then gently work it off with a knife as shown above.

There are quite a few 3D stickers left over, so you can freely add more wherever you like.

PG Unleashed Gundam - The seal that goes on the front of the left shoulder is a bit tricky — it's not easy to get the top and

The seal that goes on the front of the left shoulder is a bit tricky — it's not easy to get the top and bottom halves to line up properly.
Even after peeling mine off and repositioning it, the top and bottom of the "102" marking still didn't quite match up. T_T
Since you have to apply the top and bottom sections separately to follow the curve, take your time and be careful to get the numbers to line up nicely.

PG Unleashed Gundam - The front and rear shoulder armor have an open gimmick — normally the upper and lower panels should sit

The front and rear shoulder armor have an open gimmick — normally the upper and lower panels should sit flush in a straight line, like on the right.
But when you're handling it and accidentally press down on them, the lower panel tends to curl inward and fold up like on the left.
It's a minor thing, but it's surprisingly annoying — I had to straighten them out again every single shot, which got a bit tedious.

Two cockpit hatch opening styles.

PG Unleashed Gundam - Comparison of the dedicated core block parts (left) vs. the core block formed by folding the Core Fight

Comparison of the dedicated core block parts (left) vs. the core block formed by folding the Core Fighter (right).

PG Unleashed Gundam - Goes without saying, but the core block made by folding the Core Fighter can also be stored inside the

Goes without saying, but the core block made by folding the Core Fighter can also be stored inside the body.

Though in that case, when you open the cockpit hatch, the seat ends up sitting a bit too low.

PG Unleashed Gundam - Core Fighter (1/3)

Core Fighter

You can fold up the retractable landing gear and mount it on a stand using the dedicated joint parts.

Beam rifle and shield with seals and panel lining applied.

PG Unleashed Gundam - Open the top hatch on the backpack and rotate the mounting pin 180 degrees to expose it, and you can ra

Open the top hatch on the backpack and rotate the mounting pin 180 degrees to expose it, and you can rack the shield onto the backpack.

The beam rifle can be stored on the rear skirt and inside the shield.

The shield can be attached to the forearm using neodymium magnets.

PG Unleashed Gundam - You can also grip the handle at the bottom of the shield by hand, but the magnet holds so firmly that i

You can also grip the handle at the bottom of the shield by hand, but the magnet holds so firmly that it's not really necessary.

Instead of articulated fingers, 4 types of fixed hands are included.

Chrome-plated parts are inserted inside the hands, so each finger joint has a nice shine to it.

PG Unleashed Gundam - They're already fixed hands to begin with, and on top of that weapon locking pins are included, so the

They're already fixed hands to begin with, and on top of that weapon locking pins are included, so the grip strength is absolutely rock solid. ^^;

Included 1/60 Amuro and Sayla figures. (A couple figure set, how rare..)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Full hatch open shots from various angles (1/8)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Full hatch open shots from various angles (2/8)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Full hatch open shots from various angles (3/8)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Full hatch open shots from various angles (4/8)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Full hatch open shots from various angles (5/8)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Full hatch open shots from various angles (6/8)

Full hatch open shots from various angles

PG Unleashed Gundam - Close-up shots of each section with full hatches open (1/4)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Close-up shots of each section with full hatches open (2/4)

Close-up shots of each section with full hatches open

PG Unleashed Gundam - When opening the front shin armor, you need to lift it slightly upward as if pulling it out. Be careful

When opening the front shin armor, you need to lift it slightly upward as if pulling it out.
Be careful not to squeeze both sides too hard with your fingers when pulling, as the armor can break.
(I snapped mine clean in half and glued it back together — if you look closely you can see it.. T_T)

PG Unleashed Gundam - The LED unit is the same type as the one included with the Figure-rise Standard Ultraman, and 2 LR41 ba

The LED unit is the same type as the one included with the Figure-rise Standard Ultraman, and 2 LR41 batteries are sold separately.
Switch auxiliary parts are also included, but the lighting style is completely different from the Figure-rise Standard.

PG Unleashed Gundam - To insert the LED unit into the body, remove both the backpack and the back panel, then pull out the ne

To insert the LED unit into the body, remove both the backpack and the back panel, then pull out the neck and slot the unit in underneath it.
Make sure the LED unit's switch is facing downward when you do this.

PG Unleashed Gundam - If you want the LED lighting effect, do not apply the eye and camera seals. That said, without the seal

If you want the LED lighting effect, do not apply the eye and camera seals.
That said, without the seals and with the LED off, the eyes can look a bit dull and lifeless — so think it over carefully before deciding.

PG Unleashed Gundam - Pulling the top of the cockpit armor at the center of the chest forward and pushing it back in presses

Pulling the top of the cockpit armor at the center of the chest forward and pushing it back in presses and releases the LED switch once.
If you don't pull the cockpit armor out with a click and quickly return it to position, the LED will start to turn on and then shut off.
This is because leaving the cockpit armor pulled out keeps the switch continuously pressed,
and holding the switch down for more than 1 second turns the LED off.
In the end, you'll need to practice pulling and pushing the chest quickly and accurately. Practice is required. -_-

PG Unleashed Gundam - With the cockpit armor open, switching is a bit easier. Rather than moving it straight forward and back

With the cockpit armor open, switching is a bit easier.
Rather than moving it straight forward and back, raising and lowering it at a slight diagonal angle works more reliably.
The trick is to make the lever-like part pop out and snap back in quickly, as shown in the photo on the upper right.

Each time the switch is pressed and released like this, there are 4 different operating modes in total — it's a bit complicated to explain in words.
Please refer to the 1-minute video below for the characteristics of each of the 4 operating modes and how to switch between them.
(The video was recorded from two angles — front view and side view with the cockpit open.)

When the switch is pressed for the first time	Twin eye: bluelights up, then yellowflashes Cockpit/chest duct: bluelights up, then yellowflashes
When the switch is pressed a second time	Twin eye: redlights up, then yellowflashes Cockpit/chest duct: redlights up, then redflashes
When the switch is pressed a third time	Twin eye: redand yellowalternate on and off Cockpit/chest duct: redflashes rapidly
When the switch is pressed a fourth time	Twin eye: yellowflashes Cockpit/chest duct: greenand bluealternating, gradually transitioning between colors
When the switch is pressed a fifth time	Restarts from the first switch action
When the switch is held down	Force power OFF

PG Unleashed Gundam - Startup state — When you first press the switch button, the eyes and chest/cockpit light up blue for a

Startup state
When you first press the switch button, the eyes and chest/cockpit light up blue for a few seconds.

LED mode 1
After a moment, the eyes and chest/cockpit light up yellow.

LED mode 2
Press the switch button a second time, and this time only the chest/cockpit lights up red.

PG Unleashed Gundam - LED mode 3 — Press the switch button a third time, and from that state the eyes alternate between yello

LED mode 3
Press the switch button a third time, and from that state the eyes alternate between yellow and red.

PG Unleashed Gundam - LED mode 4 — Press the switch button a fourth time, and the eyes light up yellow while the chest altern

LED mode 4
Press the switch button a fourth time, and the eyes light up yellow while the chest alternates between green and blue.
Press the switch button one more time from here and it cycles back to mode 1.

PG Unleashed Gundam - You can see the LED light source through the rear camera eye too, though it's not as bright as the fron

You can see the LED light source through the rear camera eye too, though it's not as bright as the front.

PG Unleashed Gundam - A beam saber LED unit with its own dedicated battery is also included. It uses the same battery as the

A beam saber LED unit with its own dedicated battery is also included.
It uses the same battery as the ones found in the PG Custom Set/PG Zeta Gundam, but the design is much improved.
The beam saber LED unit comes pre-assembled, so all you have to do is pop the battery in.

PG Unleashed Gundam - The beam saber without the LED (the bottom one) has a two-tone color scheme that makes it easy to tell

The beam saber without the LED (the bottom one) has a two-tone color scheme that makes it easy to tell apart — the part pointed to by the arrow is the switch.

Under bright lighting, you can barely tell the LED is even on.

PG Unleashed Gundam - As you gradually dim the surrounding lights, the LED beam saber really starts to stand out. Seeing it i

As you gradually dim the surrounding lights, the LED beam saber really starts to stand out.
Seeing it in person, it's actually pretty bright even without turning the lights all the way down.

PG Unleashed Gundam - If you slot the lit beam saber into the backpack while it's switched ON, the light travels through a bu

If you slot the lit beam saber into the backpack while it's switched ON, the light travels through a built-in clear guide to illuminate the verniers.
The brightness isn't quite as much as you'd expect, but it's a pretty clever idea.

PG Unleashed Gundam - When you use the lift gimmick — spreading the lower body front and back to slightly raise the waist — i

When you use the lift gimmick — spreading the lower body front and back to slightly raise the waist —
it creates an effect where the hip joints appear to drop down, as shown in the upper right image.

PG Unleashed Gundam - A comparison of leg articulation with and without the lift gimmick. As you can see, expanding the hip j

A comparison of leg articulation with and without the lift gimmick.
As you can see, expanding the hip joint range of motion with the lift gimmick (right) lets the legs raise just a little bit higher.

PG Unleashed Gundam - The waist frame surrounding the core block can also be extended in two stages. As I mentioned before, y

The waist frame surrounding the core block can also be extended in two stages.
As I mentioned before, you need to hold the lower red waist armor firmly and pull the upper red waist armor to spread it properly.
If you try to just pull the upper body out without doing this, the entire waist will come out in one piece~

PG Unleashed Gundam - With the waist armor spread open like that, it can move side to side and front/back a little as shown a

With the waist armor spread open like that, it can move side to side and front/back a little as shown above.
Either way, it's nice that the waist — which is otherwise stiff due to the core block — can at least move a little.

PG Unleashed Gundam - The waist can also rotate horizontally, though the lower body armor gets in the way and limits how far

The waist can also rotate horizontally, though the lower body armor gets in the way and limits how far it can turn.

PG Unleashed Gundam - The skirt lock gimmick — which links front and back movement using the system insert parts — in action.

The skirt lock gimmick — which links front and back movement using the system insert parts — in action.
It doesn't really seem to help much with articulation in practice though.. hmm..

The legs can also be spread out sideways into a full split.

The foot, which articulates in three sections

The ankle guard limits how far the ankle can bend sideways.

PG Unleashed Gundam - You can pull the shoulder joint outward to create some clearance, then bend it forward/backward to a ce

You can pull the shoulder joint outward to create some clearance, then bend it forward/backward to a certain degree.

Opening the shoulder armor upward lets you raise the entire shoulder quite a bit, as shown.

The wrist bends inward quite nicely.

The neck joint is fairly flexible as well, and the articulated cylinders link up naturally.

PG Unleashed Gundam - Beam rifle action poses. (1/6)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Beam rifle action poses. (2/6)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Beam rifle action poses. (3/6)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Beam rifle action poses. (4/6)

Beam rifle action poses.

PG Unleashed Gundam - Kneeling pose. The hip and leg articulation has its limits, so this pose is surprisingly tricky to pull

Kneeling pose.
The hip and leg articulation has its limits, so this pose is surprisingly tricky to pull off.
You definitely need to activate the hip lift gimmick, and if you also extend the waist and lean it forward a bit, you can just about
get a kneeling pose out of it.

PG Unleashed Gundam - Full hatch-open shot in the kneeling pose, including the beam rifle hatch. (1/6)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Full hatch-open shot in the kneeling pose, including the beam rifle hatch. (2/6)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Full hatch-open shot in the kneeling pose, including the beam rifle hatch. (3/6)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Full hatch-open shot in the kneeling pose, including the beam rifle hatch. (4/6)

Full hatch-open shot in the kneeling pose, including the beam rifle hatch.

PG Unleashed Gundam - Poses using the light-up beam sabers. (bright lighting & dark lighting) (1/10)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Poses using the light-up beam sabers. (bright lighting & dark lighting) (2/10)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Poses using the light-up beam sabers. (bright lighting & dark lighting) (3/10)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Poses using the light-up beam sabers. (bright lighting & dark lighting) (4/10)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Poses using the light-up beam sabers. (bright lighting & dark lighting) (5/10)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Poses using the light-up beam sabers. (bright lighting & dark lighting) (6/10)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Poses using the light-up beam sabers. (bright lighting & dark lighting) (7/10)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Poses using the light-up beam sabers. (bright lighting & dark lighting) (8/10)

Poses using the light-up beam sabers. (bright lighting & dark lighting)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Alongside the 1998 PG RX-78-2. It's been upgraded after a whopping 22 years, and beyond just the looks,

Alongside the 1998 PG RX-78-2.
It's been upgraded after a whopping 22 years, and beyond just the looks, the proportions have changed quite a bit.

The arm and leg articulation is pretty much on par with each other though.

PG Unleashed Gundam - Frame comparison. The difference in detail is enormous, but the proportions of the frames themselves ar

Frame comparison.
The difference in detail is enormous, but the proportions of the frames themselves are also quite different.

PG Unleashed Gundam - Full hatch-open shot comparison. (1/4)

PG Unleashed Gundam - Full hatch-open shot comparison. (2/4)

Full hatch-open shot comparison.

PG Unleashed Gundam - Core Fighter comparison. The waist frame got so much bulkier that it ended up shrinking massively.. ;;;

Core Fighter comparison.
The waist frame got so much bulkier that it ended up shrinking massively.. ;;;
You could almost pass this off as a PG vs. MG comparison..

Beam rifle comparison.
The difference in detail, texture, and overall fanciness is enormous.

The shields show a big difference in their internal sculpting.

PG Unleashed Gundam - The '98 PG RX-78-2 had individually articulated fingers, but probably because they got so much flak for

The '98 PG RX-78-2 had individually articulated fingers, but probably because they got so much flak for it, they've been switched to fully fixed ones here.
Thanks to that, the sculpt and weapon grip are much better, and the hands themselves are noticeably larger too.
Just a heads-up — the ball joint sizes are different, so you can't just swap the '98 articulated hands onto this kit without modification.

PG Unleashed Gundam - Comparison with the light-up beam saber (top) that came with the old PG custom kit. It's improved drama

Comparison with the light-up beam saber (top) that came with the old PG custom kit.
It's improved dramatically in every way — both brightness and the way it glows.

Straight build shot before panel lining/seals

After years of fans wishing for it, the PG First Gundam has finally gotten a version update — 22 years in the making. The title is "PG Unleashed Gundam," and "Unleashed" roughly means "freed / let loose." When it's attached to a game or movie title, it's often used to emphasize that this is something different from what came before. In some cases it's also used as an emphatic form of "Released," and Bandai probably wanted to express through this name that this is in a completely different league from previous PGs.

Anyway, it was already generating huge buzz before release thanks to its incredible quality, and it ended up arriving as a Christmas gift in 2020 — a year when everyone was worn out from COVID. There's a lot to cover with a release this big, so I'll go through it carefully section by section.

1. Three-Stage Inner Frame

First up, the kit features a total of three inner frame stages divided into Phase 1, 2, and 3. Phase 4 is defined as the armored state, and Phase 5 is the full hatch-open state.

Phase 1 is a skeletal frame based on the system insert skeleton — it really does look like bare bones. The manual isn't very clear about the distinction between Phase 1 and Phase 2, and it kind of lumps them together in the assembly instructions. That said, since there are Phase 1 photos in both the manual and the box art, I used those as reference to recreate the Phase 1 frame. In Phase 1, there's no mechanism to connect the upper body frame to the core block, so you basically just have to rest it loosely on top of the core block. The manual photo makes it look like it's properly attached, but in reality I just had it dangling there precariously when I took the shot.

Also, if you look closely at the Phase 1 frame photo in the manual, you can see the skirt fixing frame — which is supposed to be attached during Phase 3 — is already on there. I'm not sure if Bandai made a mistake, or if they just figured the definition of Phase 1 is vague enough that it doesn't really matter... hmm.. (see photo below)

Phase 2 adds a large number of mechanical frame parts, making it look much more like a proper frame, and Phase 3 adds truss frame parts including plated parts, completing an even more spectacular frame. At this stage, numerous etching seals are added to the frame, and the result is an ultra-luxurious frame combining chrome coating + extra finish coating + etching parts + metal parts.

This three-stage frame is truly one of a kind, and along with the satisfying snap-fit assembly that fits together with zero gaps, it delivers a thrilling building experience unlike anything before. Sure, you could argue that once the armor goes on you can't see the frame anymore — but this kit has an insane amount of hatch-open capability, so a good portion of the frame detail does stay visible. Anyway, Bandai made some big claims about making you feel like you're actually building a real MS, and I'll give them that. Absolutely nailed it.

2. Full Hatch Open

For old-school fans like me, a lot of us probably remember our hearts racing when we first saw those full hatch-open illustrations of the First Gundam decades ago. So ever since the original PG First came out, many people have been hoping for a 2.0 with an even more impressive hatch-open feature.

Bandai was surely well aware of that longing from Gundam fans. And it shows — the kit now features a record-breaking full hatch-open with a whopping 61 hatches total: head (3), torso (24), arms (5×2), legs (11×2), and beam rifle (2). Some of those are articulated sections that are a bit of a stretch to call "hatches," so the count can vary depending on how you define them, but either way it's an absolutely insane open gimmick.

With this many open gimmicks, you'd naturally worry about how well they stay in place — but thankfully, almost all of the movable hatches hold their position well. The small hatches on the front and back of the thighs feel a little loose, and the shoulder armor's open gimmick is a bit awkward to lock at a specific angle, but everything else stays open just fine. Anyway, being able to throw open hatches left and right to show off that gorgeous frame never gets old — every time I set up the full hatch-open look, it's just wow, wow, wow.

3. Premium Materials

The PG Unleashed pulls out all the stops with the most premium materials ever seen in a Gunpla kit. Chrome-plated parts, extra finish plated parts, and system insert (solid joint) runners aren't exactly new at this point.
But the backpack verniers and head vulcan are provided separately packaged as metal parts, and the natural metallic texture they bring is seriously satisfying.

But the most impressive thing of all has to be the etching seals— precision metal etching parts that you can apply like stickers, no super glue needed. You do need to be careful about how you apply them (see the torso section of the Part Review), but they let you add etching parts cleanly and easily. On top of that, thick 3D stickersare also included to add accents all over the armor. Some people might be disappointed that only seals are provided instead of decals, but personally, if decals had been used I'd have been too nervous to pose it freely — with just seals, I could bend it around without a care in the world, which made reviewing it a lot more relaxed.

There's also a major change to how the large, heavy shield attaches — and it's a game-changer. They've incorporated neodymium magnetsinto the design. A shield mounting part with magnets embedded inside is included, and a metal insert goes into the forearm. You open the forearm cover to expose the metal, then bring the shield mount up to it — and it snaps on with a satisfying magnetic click. Shield attachment issues? Completely solved.

A good chunk of the price tag probably went toward these premium materials, but they really do go a long way toward achieving a high-quality look even with just a straight build.

4. The LED Unit That Requires Practice

These days, LED lighting is pretty much expected in a PG kit — and this time around, the LED unit included is the same type that came with the Figure-rise Standard Ultraman. The LR41 batteries (×2) are still sold separately, and while the unit looks the same as the Ultraman one, it works completely differently. Each press of the round button cycles through 4 different complex lighting modes.

For the details, check out the YouTube videoI posted — though honestly, I do wonder why they felt the need to make the LED modes this complicated. Especially when you're trying to photograph the lit-up state, the light flickers so much that it's really hard to time your shots right. Also worth noting: regardless of which mode it's in, it automatically turns off after 1 minute of no input.

First-time builders will probably have a bit of a meltdown figuring out how to press the LED switch. It's a clever system where pulling the chest armor forward triggers an internal mechanism that presses the LED unit switch hidden inside the neck — but it doesn't always work the way you'd expect the first time you try it.

First, you need to understand exactly how this LED unit switch works. The switch activates the moment you press and release it — but if it stays pressed for more than 1 second, the LED unit actually turns off. The problem is that pulling the chest armor forward keeps the switch pressed, and it only releases when you push the armor back into place. So you need to pull the chest armor out and quickly push it back in to turn the switch ON — if you just pull it out and leave it, or push it back too slowly, the light won't come on. In short, you have to pull the chest armor out and push it back in quickly and precisely for it to work properly.

The second issue is that while you pull and push the top of the chest cockpit armor, whether the switch actually gets pressed or not depends on exactly where and how you grab it (-_-). You need to pull it out until you hear a click, and the moment you hear that sound, you have to shove it back in fast. In other words, it takes repeated practice. It's honestly a bit frustrating that Bandai is making us practice something like this — but once you get the hang of it, it's manageable (...). Check out my video to see how I press the switch, and anyway, compared to the Ultraman where you had to pry off the back panel or disassemble the body every time to turn the LED on and off, this is at least an improvement.

5. Upgraded Light-Up Beam Saber

The PG First Custom Set and PG Zeta Gundam from over 20 years ago included a curious little thing called a light-up beam saber, and it makes a long-awaited return in the PG Unleashed. The same BR435 mercury battery is used, and since it's such an unusual battery type, it's actually included with the kit. (In practice, a quick search for BR435 online will turn up cheap and easy options.)

The old light-up beam sabers had to be assembled piece by piece, and they had a tendency to have contact issues — the light would flicker on and off. It seems Bandai took that feedback to heart this time, because the LED unit comes pre-assembled and packaged separately in a nice little package. All we have to do is pop in the battery and flip the switch. ^^

The light-up effect is also much brighter, crisper, and prettier than it was 20-odd years ago. Unless you're shooting under really bright studio lighting, the glow shows up well, and dim it down even a little and it looks absolutely stunning. Super happy with it!

The light-up beam saber can also be used to illuminate the backpack verniers. There are clear light guide parts inside the backpack frame, so if you plug the lit-up beam saber into the backpack, the light travels through to the verniers. What a brilliantly creative lighting idea. :-)

6. Articulation / Joint Strength

The First Gundam's waist articulation was always very limited due to the core block that tucks inside it. To get around this, the PG Unleashed adds small extension gimmicks to the top and bottom of the waist frame where the core block sits. Thanks to this, the upper body can bend forward, backward, and side to side to a reasonable degree, which does help with posing at least a little.

One thing to watch out for when extending the waist though — if you just try to pull the upper body straight up to extend it, the entire waist assembly pops right out. This happens because the waist extension gimmick is stiffer than the fixing pin that holds the upper and lower body together via the core block. To properly extend the waist, you need to grip the lower red waist armor firmly and pull the upper red armor upward with force.

And instead of a hip joint that swings forward and backward, there's this odd lift gimmick where you spread the lower body apart front and back to push the waist plate up. It's there to give the hip joint a bit more range of motion. If you want to raise the hip joint higher, you absolutely have to use this lift gimmick — grab the back of the lower body and pull the front out firmly to get the waist to rise.

For the shoulders, they first pop outward before swinging forward and back, which gives a decent enough range of front-to-back motion. The bending range of the arms and legs themselves isn't really any different from the 1998 PG First. Honestly, in terms of articulation alone, it doesn't feel like a huge upgrade. The kneeling pose that every kit seems to pull off these days doesn't come together as easily as you'd hope — you need to activate the waist lift gimmick, raise the hip joints as high as they'll go, extend the waist, and lean it forward, and then you can sort of get close.

That said, there's one area that's clearly and definitively better. The joint strength is incomparably more solid! I was honestly a bit worried about how well a system insert-based skeletal frame could support a large, heavy PG kit — but it turns out the joints aren't just sturdy, they're downright stiff across the board, with a really tight, locked-in feel.

Moving the legs in particular takes quite a bit of force to get the angle right, but thanks to that, whatever pose you put it in locks in perfectly. For a PG that's this densely packed with frames and heavy, the fact that it holds poses without even a hint of wobble — that's another major win in my book.

7. Other Features

The PG Unleashed boldly ditches the articulated fingers that were once a hallmark of PG kits, and instead comes with 4 sets of fully fixed hands. The fully articulated fingers were impressive back in the day, but honestly they were a pain since the joints kept popping off all the time. Bandai must have heard plenty of complaints about that, because this time around they gave up on finger articulation and went all-in on style and visuals instead. Chrome-plated parts are sandwiched between the plastic hand parts, so each finger joint catches the light and sparkles beautifully.

The hands are also noticeably larger, and whatever you think of them, the visual impact is definitely something special. And as you'd expect from fixed hands, the grip on weapons is rock solid — no complaints there. For those wondering whether the old PG's fully articulated fingers can be swapped onto this kit, the ball joint sizes are too different so they won't just pop right in — keep that in mind. (See the review photos for reference.)

As for the beam rifle, the addition of various plated parts gives it a clearly noticeable upgrade in visual power, and the shield's inner detail is far more elaborate and varied than before.

Finally, the Core Fighter — compared to the '98 PG, it's gotten dramatically smaller. As you can see in the comparison photos above, it's almost enough to make you wonder if you're looking at a PG next to an MG rather than two PGs. It seems like there was no way around it given how much thicker the waist frame became, but even though it's smaller, the transformation gimmick, missile launcher open gimmick, and canopy opening are all well executed. On top of that, as a PG Unleashed exclusive bonus, the landing gear has been upgraded from a removable type to a fully articulated one. It does end up looking almost comically small as a result, but it's clear the developers did their best with the design.

8. Notes & Disappointments

- If you pick it up by the upper body alone, the lower body can still come loose and fall off. It's kind of an unavoidable fate for First Gundam kits where the upper and lower body separate via the core block — regardless of grade — and this kit is no exception. I strongly recommend always supporting the lower body when lifting and moving it. I absentmindedly grabbed it by the chest once and the lower half came loose and dropped from about 30cm up — thankfully the kit is sturdy enough that nothing broke. (Scared the heck out of me though..)

- When opening the front shin armor, you need to pull it up slightly first and then swing it down to open. It's a bit stiff, so if you grab it with both fingers and yank too hard, the armor can split vertically right down the middle. The parts are more fragile than you'd expect, so please refer to the review notes above and handle with care.

- I have a feeling quite a few people are going to get frustrated or confused by the bizarre LED unit operation method. I'll say it again — just keep practicing. Before you know it, you'll find yourself switching it on and off like a pro. (But seriously, why did they have to make it like this..)

- It's hard to say the articulation has been revolutionarily improved. The unique hip lift gimmick just makes the already-reduced hip articulation slightly less bad — it's not like it actually improves on what came before. The part where the core block waist extends slightly up and down is a neat touch, but there will definitely be people disappointed that this is a PG where even getting a kneeling pose isn't easy. Bandai has been promoting it as achieving a balance between articulation and mechanical detail, and to be fair they did a decent job of it... but with so many highly poseable kits out there these days, it inevitably looks a bit lacking by comparison. Just keep telling yourself — this kit is about the mechanical elements, not the articulation..

- Some of you might find the joint strength uncomfortably stiff. The lower body in particular requires quite a bit of force to move, which can feel downright inconvenient. That said, having built every PG out there, I'd say for a kit this large and heavy, joints being over-tight is actually preferable. It's way better than the stress of a big, expensive, heavy kit flopping around on loose joints. The '98 PG First actually has a clever spring suspension gimmick in the ankles, but because of it the lower body wobbles around, and the ankle joint strength is so weak it can't even stand on one leg. Anyway, by that measure, the PG Unleashed's joint strength is rock solid.

- Compared to the '98 PG with its emphasis on simplicity, some people might find the heavily segmented armor and complex detail a bit overwhelming. At the PG level you inevitably have to cram in more and more, so this kind of evolution was probably unavoidable — but it's hard to shake the feeling that it's drifting further and further away from the First Gundam we all know and love. This one really comes down to personal taste, so judge for yourself.

- Since the frame detail is so impressive, you'll probably want to pop the armor off regularly — but removing the armor on this kit is a bit of a hassle. The foot armor in particular is extremely tight and not easy to remove without breaking anything. In my case, I used a flathead screwdriver to very gradually work my way around the bottom edge of the foot armor, prying it open just a tiny bit at a time. If you're planning to swap in clear armor panels down the line, you'll have plenty to worry about — but if you take your time and stay patient, you should be able to pull it off. Overall though, getting the armor off without damaging parts is no easy task, which is a bit of a shame given how great the frame quality is..

- For the ¥25,000 price tag, the box feels small and the parts count looks low, which might be disappointing. Bandai themselves have said they efficiently minimized the parts count relative to the structure, and as a result it does go together faster than you'd expect. The premium materials and highly advanced engineering are no doubt part of why it costs so much... but personally, I don't think it's overpriced for the quality you're getting.

- The bazooka is missing.. (T_T) I'm not even asking for the Gundam Hammer or Beam Jabelin, but at ¥25,000 they left out the bazooka again — makes me wonder if they're planning to release it as a custom kit like before. Given the quality of the beam rifle and shield, a bazooka would've looked absolutely fantastic, and I'm sure plenty of people are going to be disappointed by its absence.

9. Overall Verdict

Bandai has been promoting this kit as "the greatest kit in Gunpla history," and I completely agree. It's clearly a masterpiece that was years in the making, and it genuinely feels like 40 years of Gunpla engineering knowledge crammed into a single kit. It's kind of like watching the final battle scene of Avengers: Endgame where every hero shows up at once.

Between the lavish premium materials — etched parts, metal parts, neodymium magnets, and light-up beam sabers included as standard — and the feeling of assembling ultra-precision frames that fit together smoothly yet snap in perfectly at every stage, it's nothing short of breathtaking. I've been steadily building thousands of Gunpla officially released by Bandai over 40 years, but this one is truly a "king-tier" building experiencelike no other.

Honestly, when I first opened the bags, I had a slightly negative impression. Fewer parts than I expected, the detail felt overly complex... it almost looked like one of those modern high-end kits designed by newcomers using CAD and manufacturing technology after the veteran craftsmen had retired.

But as I built it piece by piece, I started to realize this is not something that could come out of just being good at CAD — I began to feel the soul of a developer who was absolutely determined to push it to the limit. Once I finished the build and opened all 60+ hatches, I just kept marveling at how on earth they designed this. It was clearly on a completely different level from any previous PG — it was truly a "PG unleashed" And after building so many Gunpla, it was a genuinely fresh and astonishing building experience.

As a kit that feels like the ultimate culmination of 40 years of Gunpla history, I tried my best to review it with as many photos and as much detail as possible. Let me wrap up with a quick and punchy final verdict.

This kit is a new world for Gunpla — a new milestone in model building. In fact, right now it feels like there's simply no other plastic model on the planet that can even be compared to it. At least until the next PG Unleashed kit comes along.

PG Unleashed RX-78-2 Gundam [PG Unleashed] | 2020.12 | ¥25,000

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.