Kit Review

Straight build + panel lining + waterslide decals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Various angles (1/7)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Various angles (2/7)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Various angles (3/7)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Various angles (4/7)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Various angles (5/7)

Various angles

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - The moment you take it off the stand, it tilts over just like that. Can't even hold it for 0.1 secon

The moment you take it off the stand, it tilts over just like that.
Can't even hold it for 0.1 seconds T_T

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Since it's already tilting, might as well go for that legendary meme pose.. The waist angle is spot-

Since it's already tilting, might as well go for that legendary meme pose..
The waist angle is spot-on -_-

And here's what AI turns it into lol

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - When placed on the stand, there's a dedicated support for the fin funnels, so thankfully it doesn't

When placed on the stand, there's a dedicated support for the fin funnels, so thankfully it doesn't tilt too badly.

Even with the support, it can still tilt ever so slightly like in the photo above..

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Maybe because of this, the manual recommends inserting two clear spacer parts. Doing so widens the g

Maybe because of this, the manual recommends inserting two clear spacer parts.
Doing so widens the gap a bit and lifts the fin funnels slightly higher, which in turn helps straighten out the tilted waist a little.

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Another option is to stack one or two of the spacer parts vertically like shown above. This does get

Another option is to stack one or two of the spacer parts vertically like shown above.
This does get the waist standing straight for sure, but
I'm a bit worried the clear support might take too much stress and snap. T_T

Without the fin funnels, it stands upright just fine even in full-armament mode.

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - That said, if you leave it standing for a long time, there's a chance the pose will shift like shown

That said, if you leave it standing for a long time, there's a chance the pose will shift like shown above.
The bazooka on the back and the shield on the left arm are just too big and heavy.
So when displaying without a stand, I guess at the very least skip the bazooka...

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Main body on its own (1/6)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Main body on its own (2/6)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Main body on its own (3/6)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Main body on its own (4/6)

Main body on its own

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Upper/lower body detail shots (1/4)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Upper/lower body detail shots (2/4)

Upper/lower body detail shots

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Detail shots of each section after panel lining + decals (1/14)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Detail shots of each section after panel lining + decals (2/14)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Detail shots of each section after panel lining + decals (3/14)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Detail shots of each section after panel lining + decals (4/14)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Detail shots of each section after panel lining + decals (5/14)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Detail shots of each section after panel lining + decals (6/14)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Detail shots of each section after panel lining + decals (7/14)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Detail shots of each section after panel lining + decals (8/14)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Detail shots of each section after panel lining + decals (9/14)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Detail shots of each section after panel lining + decals (10/14)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Detail shots of each section after panel lining + decals (11/14)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Detail shots of each section after panel lining + decals (12/14)

Detail shots of each section after panel lining + decals

Outer armor removed

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - The stunning Phase 2 frame (1/6)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - The stunning Phase 2 frame (2/6)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - The stunning Phase 2 frame (3/6)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - The stunning Phase 2 frame (4/6)

The stunning Phase 2 frame

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Phase 2 frame detail shots (1/4)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Phase 2 frame detail shots (2/4)

Phase 2 frame detail shots

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Articulation on the frame. Without the armor, the shoulder bends nearly 90 degrees! (1/2)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Articulation on the frame. Without the armor, the shoulder bends nearly 90 degrees! (2/2)

Articulation on the bare frame.
Without the armor, the shoulder bends nearly 90 degrees!

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Kneeling pose with the frame only (1/4)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Kneeling pose with the frame only (2/4)

Kneeling pose with the frame only

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Alongside the PG Unleashed RX-78-2 Gundam frame. It dominates in every way — size, detail, and sheer

Together with the PG Unleashed First Gundam frame.
It's overwhelming in every way — size, detail, and sheer spectacle.

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Additional parts removed to recreate the Phase 1 frame look. It's not in the manual, but I tried sep

Additional parts removed to recreate the Phase 1 frame look.
It's not in the manual, but I tried separating the parts that can be removed on their own.

Oh, I forgot to remove the rear ankle armor in the armor-off shots above — just a heads up... T_T

Phase 1 frame

Phase 1 frame detail shots

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Full hatch open shots. (1/7)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Full hatch open shots. (2/7)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Full hatch open shots. (3/7)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Full hatch open shots. (4/7)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Full hatch open shots. (5/7)

Full hatch open shots.

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Upper/lower body hatch open detail shots (1/4)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Upper/lower body hatch open detail shots (2/4)

Upper/lower body hatch open detail shots

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Hatch open detail shots by section (1/16)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Hatch open detail shots by section (2/16)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Hatch open detail shots by section (3/16)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Hatch open detail shots by section (4/16)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Hatch open detail shots by section (5/16)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Hatch open detail shots by section (6/16)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Hatch open detail shots by section (7/16)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Hatch open detail shots by section (8/16)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Hatch open detail shots by section (9/16)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Hatch open detail shots by section (10/16)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Hatch open detail shots by section (11/16)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Hatch open detail shots by section (12/16)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Hatch open detail shots by section (13/16)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Hatch open detail shots by section (14/16)

Hatch open detail shots by section

Weapons and gimmicks after panel lining and decals

Panel lining the inside of the shield really makes it look that much better.

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - The fin funnels after panel lining and decals... whatever you do, having x6 of them is quite the und

The fin funnels after panel lining and decals...
Whatever you do, having x6 of them is quite the undertaking.

Cockpit hatch open

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - You can swap out the backpack parts to configure a double fin funnel setup. The balance is actually

You can swap out the backpack parts to configure a double fin funnel setup.
The balance is actually good enough for stable upright standing — but in the end, the weight of the fin funnels is the real issue.

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Even after finishing the build, a good number of 3D PET stickers are left over — that's because the

Even after finishing the build, a good number of 3D PET stickers are left over —
That's because the small circular stickers are provided in double quantity in case you make a mistake.

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - The roughly 1mm circular stickers are a pain to both peel off and apply. There are also way more of

The roughly 1mm circular stickers are a pain to both peel off and apply.
There are also way more of them compared to the PG Unleashed First Gundam, so this step alone probably took a few hours.

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - The fabric seals applied to recreate the hangar scene from the original anime. They go on 4 spots —

The fabric seals applied to recreate the hangar scene from the original anime.
They go on 4 spots — the eyes, the front/rear camera eyes on the head, and the chest camera.
You kind of wonder why they even went this far, but I guess they just wanted it to be as perfect as possible.

One spare seal is left over for the eye section.

There are 2 leftover parts remaining.

Limb articulation

You can push the skirt aside to get more range out of the hip joint.

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - This is a warning about the hip joint sliding gimmick that can't be stressed enough. You twist the e

This is a warning about the hip joint sliding gimmick that can't be stressed enough.
You twist the entire lower body plate to release the hip joint locking pin, and then you can slide the hip joint.
If that locking pin isn't properly secured, the hip joint will wobble and the entire lower body becomes unstable.
Push the hip joint gimmick flush against the body, then align the lower body panel properly and lock the fixing pins in tight.

The forearm rotates around the elbow, and it's actually pretty useful.

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - The waist side-to-side rotation gimmick is a problem... it can't hold the fin funnels for even 0.1 s

The waist side-to-side rotation gimmick is a problem...
It can't hold the fin funnels for even 0.1 seconds without a stand,
and the joint strength is noticeably weaker compared to the solid shoulders, hip joints, knees, and so on.

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Waist forward/backward articulation. It's nice that it bends back quite a lot, but if you mount the

Waist forward/backward articulation.
It's nice that it bends back quite a lot.
If you mount the bazooka on the back and stand it upright, this joint can cause it to slowly lean backward.

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Kneeling pose with hatch open. The calves are longer than you'd expect, so it's a bit tricky to pull

Kneeling pose with hatch open.
The calves are longer than you'd expect, so it's a bit tricky to pull off.
If you extend the hip joint slide gimmick and bend the waist a little, you can get it to work to some degree.

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Backpack beam saber draw pose. With the beam saber mount being articulated, it looks a lot more natu

Backpack beam saber draw pose.
With the beam saber mount being articulated, it looks a lot more natural.

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Forearm beam saber draw pose (1/3)

Forearm beam saber draw pose

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Beam saber pose using a stand. The legs are heavy, but the joint strength is solid enough that you c

Beam saber pose using a stand.
The legs are heavy, but the joint strength is solid enough that you can hold a pose with the legs lifted off the ground.

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Ground-based beam saber pose in fully armed configuration. The foot grip is great, so posing isn't t

Ground-based beam saber pose in fully armed configuration.
The foot grip is great, so posing isn't too difficult as long as you don't have the fin funnels on.
That said, you need to make sure the hip joint slide gimmick mentioned earlier is locked in tight — otherwise the legs will slowly slide apart.

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Bazooka Pose (1/4)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Bazooka Pose (2/4)

Bazooka pose

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Shown here with the sub-arm for the bazooka attached. You can pose it just fine without it, so it do

Shown here with the sub-arm for the bazooka attached.
You can pose it just fine without it, so it doesn't really add much in terms of stability.

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Fin funnel launch pose. They take up way too much space, so I only displayed three of them. (1/3)

Fin funnel launch pose.
They take up way too much space, so I only displayed three of them.

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Action pose with fin funnels equipped. (1/4)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Action pose with fin funnels equipped. (2/4)

Action pose with fin funnels equipped.

Alongside the MG Nu Gundam Ver.Ka.
It feels like well more than twice the size.

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Alongside the PG Unleashed RX-78-2 Gundam. The stand height adds to the difference, making the size

Alongside the PG Unleashed RX-78-2 Gundam.
The stand height adds to the difference, making the size gap even bigger.

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - A fair comparison with just the bodies side by side. Even so, since the Nu Gundam's canonical height

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - A straight-up body-to-body size comparison. Given how tall Nu Gundam is in the lore, its sheer bulk

A straight-up body-to-body size comparison.
Given how tall Nu Gundam is in the lore, its sheer bulk is just overwhelming.

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Alongside the PG Unicorn Gundam. They're about the same height, but Nu Gundam looks noticeably chunk

Alongside the PG Unicorn Gundam.
They're about the same height, but Nu Gundam looks noticeably chunkier overall.
(especially the head size..)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam - Alongside the PG Unicorn Gundam 03 Phenex Narrative Ver., which wins on sheer bulk. Both are around

Alongside the PG Unicorn Gundam 03 Phenex Narrative Ver., which wins on sheer bulk.
Both are around 60cm tall — absolutely massive.

January 2026 saw the long-awaited release of the PG Unleashed Nu Gundam. Following the PG Unleashed Gundamthat blew everyone away with its jaw-dropping quality back in December 2020, this is the second entry in the Unleashed line. It generated massive buzz and controversy even before release, so this review is long and detailed. To keep up with the times, I've put an AI-generated summary up front — give that a read first, then dive into whichever sections you want more detail on.

AI Summary

💰 Price · Volume

At ¥60,000 (LED unit sold separately for ¥14,000), it's roughly 3× the price of the PG First Gundam. 79 runners, 1,277 parts (an all-time record). The box weighs 8kg and is a real pain to carry, and assembly alone takes 24+ hours .

✅ Biggest Strengths — Frame & Detail

The inner frame's color combination and mold density absolutely blow the First Gundam out of the water. About 2/3 of the total detail ends up hidden after assembly — it's almost overkill — and even the inside faces of the outer armor panels are packed with detail, which makes the steep price feel justified.

✅ Visuals & Gimmicks

The finished look is on a completely different level from any RG or MG, with 63 hatch-open points that swing open satisfyingly. The fin funnel connection issue (the MG Ver.Ka's notorious weak point) has been completely solved with a locking mechanism. New gimmicks like the bazooka sub-arm have also been added.

❌ Biggest Weakness — Waist Joint

With the fin funnels (400g) attached, it cannot stand upright on its own — a stand is essential. Even with just the standard weapons, the waist gradually tilts, so it's best to leave the bazooka off when displaying without a stand. This is partly an inherent limitation of the asymmetrical design, but the waist joint itself feels noticeably weaker than everything else, which is a shame.

❌ Other Disappointments

Stand — Recycled from the PG Unicorn stand released 12 years ago. Not appropriate for a ¥60,000 kit.
Hip joint gimmick — The locking pin releases way too easily, making the legs feel unstable (you'll need to learn the adjustment method).
Waterslide decals — Bandai's characteristically low durability, and no seals included.
3D PET stickers — An excessive number of tiny 1mm stickers makes the application process absolutely exhausting.

Overall — If the First Gundam was the fresh shock of Avatar 1, Nu Gundam is Avatar 2. The scale and spectacle have gone up, but the sense of innovation isn't quite as strong, and there are clear weak points like the waist and the stand. If you can only get one, go with the First Gundam. That said, it sells out every time it drops — the kind of kit you grumble about but buy anyway.

1. The Insane Price, Contents, and Workload

First off, this thing comes in at ¥60,000 — more than double the ¥25,000 of the First Gundam. And unlike the First Gundam, which included the LED unit, here it's sold separately (¥14,000), so it almost feels like a 3× price hike when you factor that in. In exchange, you get a box that's roughly 3× bigger, 79 runners, and a record-breaking 1,277 parts — exactly double the First Gundam's 38 runners and 650 parts. (For reference, the previous record holder was the PG Zephyranthes at 1,203 parts.)

At launch, the massive box — 37×59.5×38cm, weighing 8kg, with no handle — stirred up some controversy. Having actually picked it up, it's manageable for an adult to carry with both arms, but it gets tiring fast over any distance. Your best bet is probably to sling it over your shoulder. If you're buying in person, I'd recommend bringing a cart or some straps.

I can kind of understand why there's no handle, like on previous PG boxes — a handle probably wouldn't hold up under this kind of weight. Apparently in Japan they sold a dedicated bag for it, though it was on the pricier side. If you're driving, no problem, but taking this home on public transit is honestly the most daunting haul of any Gunpla release to date.

With the record-breaking runner and part count, the actual workload is every bit as massive as you'd expect. In my case, it took roughly 6 hours to separate parts from runners by section, 10 hours for gate cleanup, 12 hours for assembly, and about 8 hours for panel lining and wet decals. The 3D PET stickers in particular were a huge time and energy sink — there seem to be about 10× as many as on the First Gundam, and with so many tiny 1mm stickers, the difficulty and fatigue level is no joke. Of course, my time was much longer since I had to factor in all the photography for the review, but even for a straight build, I'd estimate 24+ hours of full-time work.

2. The Overwhelming Frame and Detail

The biggest highlight of this kit is probably the inner frame. The PG Unleashed First Gundam already showed off an incredible three-phase frame, but stand it next to the PG Unleashed Nu Gundam's frame and it suddenly looks like a squid (...) Part of it is the sheer size difference, but as you can see in the comparison photos, the level of visual flair is just on another plane. Unlike the First Gundam's more monochrome frame, Nu Gundam's frame sports a wild color combination that almost makes you reluctant to cover it up with armor.

The precision of the frame detail has also been stepped up, with an almost dizzying density of molded detail. It's so densely packed it makes your eyes swim. What's especially wild is that they've gone absolutely nuts with detail even in areas that won't be visible after assembly — from the inner faces of the frame to internal gimmick parts, it feels almost excessive. I'd estimate about 2/3 of the total frame detail ends up hidden once everything is assembled. Nothing else in the Gunpla world comes close.

For anyone who cares about mechanical detail, this is a massive plus. Even the inside faces of every outer armor panel are packed with detail at a record-breaking density. I personally love precise detail, so there's a real satisfaction in building something this meticulously crafted, even in the parts no one will ever see. The tooling costs must have been enormous, and honestly it makes the high price feel justified. That said, I do sometimes wonder if they could have dialed back the hidden detail a bit and brought the price down.

One thing to note: unlike the First Gundam, which offered a three-phase frame (Phase 1, 2, and 3), this kit's manual only guides you through a single frame called Phase 2. In practice, you can separate out a fair amount of the frame to build a bare-bones Phase 1 skeleton — but since the manual doesn't even mention Phase 1, I just figured it out on my own and tried it. Think of it as a fun "this is possible" kind of thing, but I'd recommend just building the flashy Phase 2 state and leaving it at that. (Trust me, doing Phase 1 is exhausting..)

3. Stunning Visuals and Excellent Gimmicks

The frame detail is spectacular, but the finished look after full assembly is equally impressive. With the segmented armor panels, varied color combinations, and added surface detail, the overall form is on a completely different level from any existing RG or MG Nu Gundam. It's essentially the precision of a large-scale kit taken to its logical extreme. Add panel lining and decals on top of that, and it's genuinely pretty, flashy, beautiful, elegant, and cool enough to leave you in awe.

Another hallmark of the PG Unleashed series is the elaborate hatch-open gimmick. The number of opening points is similar to the First Gundam (57 vs. 63), but the hatches open more smoothly and with a more satisfying, wide-open feel. On top of that, the inner frame detail is even more elaborate, so the hatch-open shots have even more visual impact.

The weapons also come out with a level of detail that puts previous Nu Gundam kits to shame, and there are several expanded gimmicks on board. A new PG-exclusive gimmick is the sub-arm that connects the backpack to the bazooka. This sub-arm helps stabilize the large, heavy bazooka during action poses — though honestly, the hand connection is solid and the arm joints are sturdy enough that you can pull off poses without it just fine.

The fin funnels also come with a variety of clever hatch-open and expansion gimmicks. Most notably, the funnel-to-funnel connection issue that got absolutely roasted on the MG Ver.Ka has been completely solved here. As I covered in detail in the partial review, you open the panel cover, connect the locking pins together, then close the cover and engage the locking mechanism. Once the fin funnels are connected, they're not coming apart — it's a really smart design solution.

Mounting the fin funnels on the back is also rock-solid, since you slide them down onto the backpack's locking pins from above, so they can't pull out. In short, the fin funnel attachment is more secure than on any other grade. The asymmetrical design and weight are the issues — the connection itself is absolutely fine, which is at least a relief.

4. The Problematic Waist Joint

As you'd expect from a large-scale model, the overall joint strength is well-tuned and solid. The hip joints, ankles, knees, and shoulders are all tight enough to feel stable relative to the kit's size. Assembly can get a bit stiff at the joint pins in places, but that seems like a necessary trade-off for durability. And aside from a few of those joint pins, the general feel of parts fitting together is smooth enough that the build process isn't particularly difficult overall.

That said, as is well known by now, the waist joint is the problem. With the fin funnels attached, it simply cannot stand upright on its own. It can't hold a straight standing pose for even 0.1 seconds before flopping into a "yeah that's great" slouch. It seems like the design never even considered the possibility of standing upright with the fin funnels on. With a stand, though, the back locks into place and the dedicated clear support holds up the fin funnels, allowing for a stable upright display — though even then it can look slightly tilted, and as I covered in the review above, you can add supplementary parts to get it standing a bit straighter.

Honestly, I had a feeling that at PG scale and weight, standing upright with the fin funnels on was probably going to be impossible. The fin funnels alone weigh 400g — heavier than a typical MG kit — so it seemed physically out of the question. At the end of the day, if you want to display it with the fin funnels, just accept that a stand is non-negotiable — that's probably the healthiest mindset. This issue is better understood as a fundamental limitation of the original asymmetrical design.

For reference, the mecha designer who finalized Nu Gundam's design is Yutaka Izubuchi — known for his work on 0080 and Char's Counterattack, as well as Patlabor, Dunbine, Galient, and Yamato 2199. Personally, my favorites of his designs are the Sazabi, Kämpfer, and Ingram, but Nu Gundam — arguably his most iconic work — is a timeless masterpiece that still looks refined no matter how many years pass.

Setting aside the inherent limitations of the design, the waist joint itself looks relatively weak compared to everything else on the kit. All the other joints are tight and sturdy — so why is the most critical joint the least tight? Makes you wonder if, since the plan was always to use a stand for the fin funnels anyway, they figured a strong waist joint wasn't necessary.

To be fair, with the fin funnels removed, it stands stably on its own without a stand. But attach the large, heavy shield and bazooka, and you can feel the waist gradually tilting backward and sideways. The bazooka on the back in particular makes the upper body feel like it's slowly leaning rearward. In the end, it's probably best to display it without the bazooka when standing it on the floor — yet another constraint piling up around that waist joint.

Sure, the asymmetric fin funnels are something you can kind of let slide — but honestly, having even the basic weapons that mount on the body make the waist joint feel unstable is a bit much. Of course, putting it on a stand solves all the stability issues, but from a user's perspective, it's totally understandable to get frustrated when the main body itself feels fragile. (And at this price!!) Either way, it seems like the whole "weak waist" controversy is something this kit will be suffering from forever...

5. Other Disappointing Points

First up is the reuse of the PG Unicorn Gundam's stand as-is. It seems like the intent was to use a similar LED unit structure, but recycling a 12-year-old stand in a brand-new PG Unleashed that costs a whopping ¥60,000... that's just unforgivable. Especially when the LED unit itself is already a mediocre, poor-value-for-money affair.

The unicorn horn-shaped pillar is an eyesore, and the weapon-mounting slots designed for the Unicorn don't fit at all. Bandai must have felt embarrassed about it too, because they did include separate cover parts to hide those slots. It's hard not to compare this to the Metal Structure Nu Gundam, which is famous for its spectacular base. I'm not even asking for that level — just a reasonably new stand would've been fine. Really disappointing.

Second is the awkward hip joint movement gimmick. Some of you may have been shocked watching Bandai's special streaming video where the legs spread apart and the kit just topples over. This isn't actually a waist issue — it's due to a unique hip joint gimmick.

I covered this in detail with photos in the torso section of the partial review, but this kit features a unique hip joint movement gimmick. Basically, you twist the vertical lower body section to release the hip joint locking pins, then lower the hip joints down to achieve high-difficulty poses like kneeling. The problem is that the locking pins that hold the lower body in place after twisting are unreliable.

In other words, even the slightest twist of the lower body panel releases the lock, and the weight of the legs causes the hip joint gimmick to drop on its own. When this happens, the legs wobble and the pose becomes unstable. So if you don't fully understand how this gimmick works, the lower body can feel really shaky. The fix is to bring both hip joints as close together to the center as possible, and carefully adjust the vertical lower body panel so the locking pins properly grip both hip joints.

Honestly, if the design had been a bit more carefully thought out, users wouldn't be struggling and complaining about an unstable lower body like this. Anyway, there is a fix, so make sure you're familiar with it — and be careful when handling the lower body so those locking pins don't come loose.

Third is the issue with the wet decals and 3D PET stickers. Instead of seals, this kit comes with wet decals — and as you probably know, Bandai's wet decals are the lowest quality in the world. They're easy to apply, but the durability is terrible, and they peel off easily when you handle the kit for posing. It would've been better if they'd either included seals like the PG Perfect Gundam, or cleanly provided both options. (At this price point...)

The 3D PET stickers are good quality, but the problem is there are way, way too many of them. Specifically, the tiny 1mm circular stickers are overwhelmingly more numerous compared to the Perfect Gundam, and the fatigue is real. Because they're so small, they're hard to peel off even with tweezers or a cutter tip, and applying them is a real pain. It's especially tough for older fans like me with aging eyes. T_T It feels like the Bandai developers went overboard without ever trying to apply them themselves. So many of them are so tiny that I think a lot of people will end up feeling more "exhausted" than excited.

6. Avatar 2 + Trashy Drama

Given how much shock and innovation the PG Unleashed Perfect Gundam brought, I fully understand the pressure this kit must have been under. Making a sequel to a successful work is never easy, right? In that sense, this kit reminds me of director James Cameron's Avatar 2.

When "Avatar" came out in 2009, it caused a massive sensation and box office frenzy worldwide. I personally went out of my way to see it multiple times at IMAX theaters — it was an incredible experience you could only get in a cinema. Then years later, when the Avatar sequel came out, I went back to the theater again. Sure, as a fan I enjoyed it and it was a visual feast, but it just didn't hit the same way as seeing the first one for the very first time.

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam sits in exactly that same spot. It's like a sequel with a much bigger budget, a more glamorous cast, and flashier CG than the original. As befitting a sequel to a successful film, the spectacle is incredible — but that fresh shock and novelty of the first one is hard to feel. On top of that, it seems like they pushed too hard during production, because there are plot holes (the waist), and they even blatantly reused footage from another film (the stand). And the three-stage transformation that was a highlight of the first one has been cut too (Phase 1, 2, 3 frames).

If you asked me to recommend just one between the PG Unleashed Perfect Gundam and the Nu Gundam, I'd pick the Perfect Gundam without hesitation. Because it's simply the more Perfect Grade kit. On top of that, it's cheaper, has no weight issues, and is just stacked with positives. The Nu Gundam, on the other hand, is a kit with very clear strengths and weaknesses, and it couldn't escape the sequel curse. And there are all sorts of controversies that weren't there with the first one...

What's funny though is that despite all this controversy, it sells out the moment it hits shelves. In a word, it's like one of those trashy dramas overflowing with infuriating situations and characters, but you just can't stop watching because of the dopamine rush. Trashy dramas are meant to be watched while complaining about them, right? That addictive quality that keeps you coming back every episode even as you're cursing it out...

If you built the PG Unleashed Perfect Gundam and were blown away by it, you've probably already bought this kit or are eagerly waiting for a chance to grab one. Once you've experienced the world of PGU, no matter what anyone says, there's a good chance you're curious and want it. It's just like how no matter how badly critics trash Avatar 2 compared to the first film, fans still go to the theater. Because even so, it clearly has its own merits, and even if it's not perfect, it has enough to satisfy existing fans.

7. Wrapping Up

As the biggest release in Gunpla history, I spent over two weeks carefully and slowly building, photographing, and reviewing this kit. And despite all the controversies, "It's a kit worth building."That's my conclusion. In particular, the sense of "accomplishment" you feel after completing it might just be the greatest in Gunpla history. It honestly feels like assembling IKEA furniture.

I've put together all kinds of IKEA furniture myself, from small chairs to large dressers. Anyone who's done it knows — it's harder than you'd expect. But that's exactly why the sense of accomplishment when you finish is incredible, and that feeling turns into a kind of love-hate relationship with the furniture that makes it something special. This kit is exactly like that. ^^;

Given the high price and sheer amount of work involved, this is absolutely not a kit I'd recommend to beginners. I'd only suggest it to people who genuinely consider themselves passionate Gunpla fans. Especially if you've already experienced the PG Unleashed Perfect Gundam, I think it's well worth experiencing despite all the controversies. The shortcomings are disappointing, but that doesn't mean this kit is bad by any means.

Especially if you're someone who loves mechanical frames, massive bulk, and precise detail, there are plenty of points here to be fully satisfied with. Even just standing it still without any posing, the presence it commands is incredible — and if you're going to display it on a stand anyway, most of the issues really don't matter much. These are just the kinds of problems that come up because, like the Perfect Gundam before it, and like the product name implies, it fell short of being truly Perfect.

Finally, I'd also like to express my gratitude to the Bandai development team for making the dream of a PG Nu Gundam a reality. In terms of the insane detail and overall precision, you can really feel "the developers' burning passion and dedication." That said, speaking frankly from my perspective as someone who has built every single one of the thousands of Gunpla kits released over more than 40 years — unfortunately, the finishing touches were lacking. I don't know what was going on behind the scenes, but it needed that craftsman's spirit to see things through to a truly Perfect finish. PG represents the pinnacle of Gunpla technology of its era, so the expectations and weight it carries for fans are enormous. :-)

PG Unleashed Nu Gundam [PG Unleashed] | 2026.1 | ¥60,000

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.