Kit Review

Straight build + Panel lining + Seals

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - Detail shots (1/4)

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - Detail shots (2/4)

Detail shots

Outer armor removed

Frame shots

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - Frame detail shots. The one-piece joint sections molded in two colors all at once are truly stun

Frame detail shots.
The one-piece joint sections molded in two colors all at once are truly stunning..!!!

Frame articulation is top-notch, naturally.

The 4-stage linked knee joints and ankle joints that link forward/backward with the shin.

Articulated fingers molded in two colors for an even more realistic look.

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - Interestingly, there's a slide gimmick at the back of the butt, which can be used when bending t

Interestingly, there's a slide gimmick at the back of the butt,
which can be used when bending the waist forward.

Kneeling down is no problem at all~

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - Frame action poses (1/3)

Frame action poses

The Astray's standard weapons are included.

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - True to RG fashion, the Gerbera Straight has been carefully broken down into parts so the color

True to RG fashion, the Gerbera Straight has been carefully broken down into parts so the color separation is complete straight from the straight build.

Even the pattern near the base of the blade is reproduced.

The most convenient way to store the Gerbera Straight is to mount it on the side of the thigh.

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - You can also attach a separate joint part to the side skirt and mount the Gerbera Straight there

You can also attach a separate joint part to the side skirt and mount the Gerbera Straight there,
but the hold is so flimsy that it keeps falling off — makes you not want to bother with it. -_-
Looking at the official sample photos, they mount it on the thigh too..

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - The rifle can also be mounted on the rear skirt.. but the hold isn't great and it keeps falling

The rifle can also be mounted on the rear skirt..
but the hold isn't great and it keeps falling off...

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - The beam saber and rifle have pegs that lock them securely into the palm. The Gerbera Straight d

The beam saber and rifle have pegs that lock them securely into the palm.
The Gerbera Straight doesn't have a dedicated peg, but it's still not much of a problem to hold in the hand.

A total of 8 hands are included.

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - The way the joint part for external stands like the Action Base 2 attaches is a new design. Unli

The way the joint part for external stands like the Action Base 2 attaches is a new design.
Unlike the old method where you'd just roughly press it in from below,
this one slides in horizontally and clicks firmly into place, making the hold "perfect."
The old stand joint parts used to come loose from the hip joint all the time, and it looks like they took that complaint to heart and solved it nicely. ^_^

The cockpit hatch opening is also reproduced nice and cleanly.

The backpack also has a sliding function for weapon mounting.

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - This is the 1/144 pilot Lowe figure.. the molded color is a pale whitish tone and the figure is

This is the 1/144 pilot Lowe figure..
the molded color is a pale whitish tone and the figure is so small that the detail is hard to make out.

The waist connection is loose, so it keeps coming apart during posing.. T_T

Articulation is top-tier, as expected!

Two-stage linked knee joints and slide-style thigh armor.

There's also a gimmick where the forearm bends inward one more time.

The shoulders don't swing forward very well, but they raise straight up nicely.

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - There's a slide gimmick at the butt area for bending the waist.. but the gimmick is in such an u

There's a slide gimmick at the butt area for bending the waist..
but the gimmick is in such an unusual spot that it's hard to move just that part on its own, making it a bit awkward to use. -_-

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - Taunting pose (1/3)

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - Taunting pose (2/3)

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - Taunting pose (3/3)

Provocation Pose

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - Rifle Shooting Pose (1/4)

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - Rifle Shooting Pose (2/4)

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - Rifle Shooting Pose (3/4)

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - Rifle Shooting Pose (4/4)

Rifle firing pose

Beam Saber Draw Pose

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - Kneeling Beam Saber Action Pose (1/3)

Kneeling Beam Saber Action Pose

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - Dual Beam Saber Aerial Action Pose. The stand joint parts hold really securely, making aerial po

Dual Beam Saber Aerial Action Pose.
The stand joint parts hold really securely, making aerial poses a breeze.

Gerbera Straight action

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - Two-Handed Grip Pose (1/3)

Two-Handed Grip Pose

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - Crouching Defense Pose (1/4)

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - Crouching Defense Pose (2/4)

Crouching Defense Pose

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - Dynamic Gerbera Straight Aerial Charge Pose (1/3)

Dynamic Gerbera Straight Aerial Charge Pose

Together with the RG Strike Gundam.

Together with the MG Astray Red Frame.

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame - Together with the HG Gundam Astray Red Frame. It was a great kit in its own right, but you can r

Together with the HG Gundam Astray Red Frame.
It was a great kit in its own right, but you can really feel that 12-year gap.

Straight build

The Gundam Astray Red Frame has arrived as the 19th entry in the RG lineup. It's become something of a symbol of flashy frames and dynamic articulation, so it's no surprise that the one-piece frame runner alone delivers a serious visual punch right out of the gate. @_@

The one-piece frame molded from two different plastics with different melting points has been one of the RG line's signature features — but the Astray takes it even further by molding the frame in two different colors, white and red, making the runner itself an absolute showpiece of quality. And it's not just looks either; there are tons of linked joints and moving parts throughout, giving it the feel of the ultimate evolution of the Gundam inner frame.

The overall build process and level of detail are on par with previous RG kits. Thanks to the design's nature of exposing more than half the frame on the outside, the combination of the intricate frame and individually separated armor pieces makes for an incredibly satisfying visual experience. The Gerbera Straight also achieves clean color separation right out of the box with just a straight build, and honestly, from head to toe, there's really nothing to complain about visually.

Now, the Astray has always been known as a symbol of articulation — and since the RG line is built around pushing articulation to the max, the arm and leg range of motion definitely lives up to that reputation. That said, I have to say... it's not exactly the most comfortable kit to pose. The joint strength balance across all those moving joints feels a bit off, and I'll be honest — I was a little disappointed by how the waist connection and a few armor parts kept popping off during posing.

So while the hardware is more than capable of pulling off whatever pose you want, the RG Astray Red Frame isn't quite the kind of kit where joints snap around freely and posing feels like a blast the way older kits in other grades did. Instead, what you're getting is an incredibly precise and finely divided parts breakdown packed into a small frame — essentially trading posing ease for visual intricacy.

One thing worth mentioning: with previous RG kits, the joint parts for attaching to an Action Base 2 or similar stand were often frustratingly loose. But the RG Astray Red Frame uses a horizontal sliding mechanism to lock the joint parts in place, which means the hip joint is held perfectly secure when displayed on a stand. That slightly-too-loose joint part has been a pet peeve of mine for a while now, so I'm happy to say this one issue has been resolved to 200% satisfaction. ^_^

To sum it up — in terms of delivering an incredibly precise and detailed appearance at a small scale, this is absolutely a masterpiece worthy of the RG name. But if you're going in expecting the kind of free-flowing articulation fun that previous Astray kits offered, it's not quite that. This is an Astray where the visual flair takes center stage over posing enjoyment. As long as you keep that in mind going in, it's a kit you'll have plenty of fun with — so if you're an Astray fan, this is definitely one you'll want to grab. :-)

RG Gundam Astray Red Frame | 2015. 8 | ¥2,800

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.