Kit Review

Metal Grade Gundam - Size comparison with a cigarette pack. The body is so heavy that once you attach the shield, it just lea

Size comparison with a cigarette pack. The body is so heavy that once you attach the shield, it just leans over like that;;

Still slouching as expected;

Metal Grade Gundam - If you remove the weapons, it can barely manage to stand upright. (And even getting it to stand like tha

If you remove the weapons, it can barely manage to stand upright. (And even getting it to stand like that isn't easy..)

Upper body close-up. Quite a few panel lines in there.
The face has that old-school classic look to it. ^_^;

Panel lines on the legs too.

Metal Grade Gundam - Sole detail. For some reason the sole parts don't fit flush together — they're slightly raised. Wonderin

Sole detail. For some reason the sole parts don't fit flush together — they're slightly raised.
Wondering if it's a mold tolerance issue.. hmm..

The backpack detail is something else.

Metal Grade Gundam - The backpack is where you really feel that metallic weight the most. The detail is incredibly well done,

The backpack is where you really feel that metallic weight the most.
The detail is incredibly well done, right down to the inside of those oversized verniers.

The backpack is the only part with a separate cover, revealing the internal mechanical frame underneath.

The inside of the skirt armor has some nice molded detail too.

Metal Grade Gundam - I separated the waist hoping to find a Core Fighter or Core Block in there, but all you see is a big pol

I separated the waist hoping to find a Core Fighter or Core Block in there, but all you see is a big polycap..;

Metal Grade Gundam - There are 5 hands included — the two fists on the left are metal, and the three on the right are ABS. Th

There are 5 hands included — the two fists on the left are metal, and the three on the right are ABS.
The ABS hands are: a pair of beam saber hands, and one right hand for holding the rifle.

Metal Grade Gundam - Two types of head antennae are included. The kit comes packaged with the soft antennae on the left, whil

Two types of head antennae are included. The kit comes packaged with the soft antennae on the left,
while the metal antennae on the right are stored separately in a corner of the bag.
Even the tiny little part that holds the antennae in place is metal..

The beam rifle looks really sharp with that combination of plastic and metal.

Check out the scope detail.

Metal Grade Gundam - The shield detail is packed with a sense of weight (and it's actually heavy too). The detail is differen

The shield detail is packed with a sense of weight (and it's actually heavy too). The detail is different from previous versions.

The inside of the shield looks completely different from the MG versions too.

The beam sabers are metal too~
The soft beam parts are the same ones you'd find in a regular MG kit.

Metal Grade Gundam - Even a hunk of metal can't escape the articulation check shot. The body is so heavy that getting it into

Even a hunk of metal can't escape the articulation check shot.
The body is so heavy that getting it into a pose like this is a massive struggle.
It took me 20 minutes just to get this one photo because balancing it was such a pain. (Sheer stubbornness is the only word for it..T_T ;;;)

As you can see in the photo on the right, the main joints in the arms and legs use a click-joint system.
Since polycaps alone wouldn't be strong enough to hold the weight, leaf springs and metal are used so that as you move the joint through certain angles,
it clicks into place on its own — click by click.

Metal Grade Gundam - But annoyingly enough.. the forearms pop off way too easily. When you have the shield or rifle attached,

But annoyingly enough.. the forearms pop off way too easily.
When you have the shield or rifle attached, it's pretty precarious.

Metal Grade Gundam - The problem is that the polycaps connecting the arms are just too weak. Even the slightest movement caus

The problem is that the polycaps connecting the arms are just too weak.
Even the slightest movement causes them to split and crack like that.
(And it was already like this right out of the box.. T_T)

Action pose

Managed to get a kneeling pose, just barely.

Beam saber action

Metal Grade Gundam - The dog tag included in the first-run limited edition. It has a serial number engraved on it correspondi

The dog tag included in the first-run limited edition.
It has a serial number engraved on it corresponding to the order in which the kit was released. A seriously luxurious little extra.
But since it's a first-run limited edition.. do they even plan on doing a reissue???

Together with the MG RX-78 v1.0

Together with the MG RX-78 v1.5

Together with the PG

The RX-78 sure comes in a lot of different versions, befitting the main protagonist mobile suit.

Shield comparison with the MG First Gundam

Rifle comparison with the MG First Gundam

I'm an MG (Metal Grade) too, you know!

[Overall Impressions]

This kit was released in 2002 as something close to a limited edition (they never officially called it limited, but the chances of a reissue seem pretty much nonexistent -_-;;). It's a high-end metal kit that retailed for close to ¥40,000 brand new, and these days it occasionally pops up at auction but has basically become a rare item where sellers can charge whatever they want.

This kit is very much a "collector's piece" — it's essentially a finished metal kit. Between the incredibly luxurious metal case and the plush storage compartment, it's the kind of thing you'd want to keep safely tucked away in its box. Which also means, frankly, it's quite a burden to actually display standing up..

The moment you pick up this Metal Grade First Gundam, you'll be surprised by just how heavy it is for its size. It weighs around 700 grams — MG in size, but PG in weight. It's significantly heavier than your typical Soul of Chogokin products, and the material feel and sense of weight are in a completely different league. After handling this thing, picking up an MG feels like holding a piece of paper. ^^;

Nearly the entire exterior of the body is made from various metal materials, to an almost perfect degree — even the head antennae and the tiny little parts that hold them in place are metal. The chest ducts, beam sabers, fists, verniers — all of it is solid, weighty metal. Only some of the joint core parts are ABS, so it truly deserves to be called "Metal Grade." And this metallic feel is completely different from the smooth, polished finish of Soul of Chogokin — this is rough, heavy metal.

In terms of detail, the body is covered in panel lines all over, which is somewhat similar in concept to the MG First Gundam v1.0. Sure, compared to the PG it's practically nothing (-_-;), but for a metal kit, you can really tell a lot of care went into the detail work. The backpack in particular — with its oversized verniers — is absolutely stunning in terms of both weight and metallic texture. The backpack also uniquely features a removable cover so you can see the internal frame. The redesigned rifle, shield, and beam sabers all look much more refined as well.

The kit includes wet decals and etched parts — and the etched parts are a rare sight in the Gunpla world, and they look really good. Sure, compared to the etched parts that are standard fare in military or aircraft models, these are similar or maybe a touch less crisp, but from a Gunpla perspective, they're seriously drool-worthy. You're supposed to stick them wherever you like around the body, but I can't bring myself to use them because I don't want to ruin them.. ^^;

The biggest issues with this Metal Grade First Gundam are durability and the joints. Because the body is so extremely heavy, the joints take a serious beating. The shoulders, forearms, groin, and knees use click-joints so they don't get too loose, but everything else — the ankles, waist, parts of the arms — is very hard to keep in place due to the weight. In the end, leaving it standing on its own is a real challenge, as it wobbles all over the place and keeps toppling over.

The review photos turned out looking pretty decent with the poses I set up, but... getting the pose right, balancing it, and snapping the shot without parts falling off was seriously grueling work. T_T There were plenty of times it took 10 minutes just to get one shot. The moment it loses its balance even slightly, it just topples right over — arms popping off, weapons dropping, V-fin flying out... ;;; Anyway, since it's quite a pain to keep standing in the first place and displaying it in a cabinet would be tough, I guess that's probably why they went all out and made it a luxurious bag for storage. ^^;

One more thing I'm a bit disappointed about... is that the Core Fighter that always came with the original First kit isn't included here. A metal Core Fighter would've looked pretty awesome though.

In conclusion, this kit is absolutely impressive when you consider the weight, the unique metallic texture, and the detail and accessories — but it's got a real split personality when it comes to joints and durability, which are just flat-out terrible. So rather than something you'd buy for quality (not that it's easy to get your hands on one anyway ;), it seems more valuable as a rare collector's piece for die-hard fans. Still, whoever came up with this idea... the longer you're in this hobby, the more wild and wacky First Gundam kits keep showing up. ^_^

Metal Grade Gundam | 2002 | ¥38,000

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.