MG Gundam Mk. II Ver. 2.0 Part 15 [Final]

Super Gundam
The last posting for MG Gundam Mk. II Ver. 2.0 already. ^^





With MG Zeta Gundam Ver. 2.0's display base shown yesterday.


Another feature that I didn't bother about at all is the ability for the beam rifle and spare bazooka clip cartridge to be stored on the side skirt armors.
Images are from Hobby Search.


With or without a waist joint, he can still mimic the action pose shown on the box art, especially the intricate mechanism of the legs.


Impossiburu! ^^;





Moving on to the Super Gundam configuration with G Defenser from the original kit released in December 1998.

I got the original Super Gundam in either 1999 or 2000, back when I had very little knowledge about the Master Grade series or Gunpla in general. I bought the kit thinking that it would have some differences with the first MG Gundam Mk. II I built before it. Of course as you can see now from images of the content and scans from the kit's construction manual that there wasn't. ^^;

While the large amount of parts to assembly was quite a thrill, the same knee and waist joints inherited from the first Gundam Mk. II weren't strong enough to sustain the huge add-on to its backpack. Not even the basic standing pose right after its completion worked. The model kit would lean backward like a tree falling down the moment the add on was up. ^^; There wasn't any regular Gunpla stand released by Bandai at that point so I had to use my own hand to support it while imagining that it would have work with a read stand. ^^;

When I saw the compatibility of MG Ver. 2.0 with the original G Defenser on the back of the box (as shown in Part 1), I was determined to try it out when it's completed. However, at the same time, I was asking myself, "Did I waited 10 years or so to do this?" ^^;

Docking the G Defenser unit onto the backpack is exactly the same as the original version. The tab on the back of the backpack (Part E16 in the image below) is to be removed first before mounting the add-on unit to it.


Image is from Hobby Search.


The slot on the backpack fits the tab from the original kit accurately.


Super Gundam is completed. ^^


Standing firmly like a boss! ^^


The immobile waist joint and very tough knee joints really help to sustain the standing pose of the kit. ^^ The huge backpack add-on is not an issue at all now. ^^






The flight mode called G Flighyer (no typo XD)
I forgot to put on the long rifle though. ^^;












Action pose with the equally cumbersome (in size) long beam rifle. ^^;







Looking at the tab on the backpack of MG Ver. 2.0, I did wondered for a while when the kit was released about the possibility of a Super Gundam pack to come out. Was there any plan at all for that? Given there was no special emphasis given to this support unit in the movie trilogy when it was out many years ago, the chances of a Ver. 2.0 for Super Gundam is very slim I guess. ^^;

I always look at G Defenser as a design that is "just there". For me, the design is not very attractive on its own and the docking with Gundam Mk. II is not interesting either. ^^; In terms of merchandising, there's no change to Gundam Mk. II except for the docking, so it's not easy to get people to buy the Gundam again just to get the G Defenser component.

I supposed even the HGUC series anticipated that by bundling Gundam Mk. II with G Defenser and released it as a set, instead of Gundam Mk. II first then another bundled set, or G Defenser on its own.

Of course, many people will start to compare that idea to O Raiser's merchandises from "Gundam Double O" Season 2. Not only did it get its only High Grade and 1/100 scale version, a few bundled sets of 00 Raiser were released as well. Then again, I feel that the merchandising of "Gundam Double O" had to tie in with the flow of the anime's story development very closely. All the latest releases must correspond to and compliment the anime that was running at that point. Bandai couldn't release a bundled set of O Raiser right at the start of the anime because it would take away the story development of a certain character been forced to pilot it and confront his girlfriend on the battlefield. It's the same reason for Bandai to not release Seraphim Gundam together with Seravee Gundam right from the start as well (even though it's right there all the time) because it would take away the impact of its appearance in the show. Same case with all the weapon add-on packs that came in late in the show.

This would probably explain why Bandai didn't bother releasing O Raiser as a separate unit for the Perfect Grade or Master Grade versions - since all the "secrets" were already out at that point, why bother with a separate release that people can already anticipate what to be included then?

Anyway, not so much to play with for Super Gundam with the large backpack add-on that limits the movement range of the arms and large weapon that is hard to maneuver. ^^; There's not much to see either, since the front view of Gundam Mk. II in that configuration is just about the same as its original form, and the rear view is blocked by that giant white shield(?). ^^; I'm already very happy with MG Ver. 2.0's compatibility with the old G Defenser and its ability to sustain the heavy configuration. ^^

Moving on then. ^^ The last part of the review is a more up close comparison with the first release version, which happened to be the very first Master Grade I assembled. ^^




It's quite subtle, but I'm sure you can spot the color difference between the two. The first release version has a light grayish tone to its white color scheme.



I like the more balanced proportion design for Ver. 2.0, but that really fierce look on the first release version is quite a design. ^^
"Surprisingly" (^^;), just like Ver. 2.0, there's no sticker for the targeting sensor on the chest of the first release version as well. The metallic green scopes you see here were painted using normal pen long time.


Extensive details on the armors of Ver. 2.0, since its design adhered to the Perfect Grade version.




Much larger and thicker feet for the first release version (a design feature I like very much on this kit ^^)


Bending range for the front portion is about the same for both versions.
Then again, the solid appearance of Ver. 2.0 wins over the obvious hollow interior as seen on its predecessor.


Comparison between the beam rifles.


While their sizes are about the same, ...


... the level of details in front and behind the shield is very different.



As shown in Part 8, the retraction mechanism of the shield is very different between the two.


Comparison between the bazookas.


Comparison between the Vulcan Pods.



Comparison between the beam sabers.
All the improvements found on Ver. 2.0 doesn't take away my feeling for the first release version though. As the first Master Grade I assembled, the astonishment I got from the large number of parts it contained, the experience of building so many component to form a finalized kit and its many features that were so much more superior than the regular 1/144 and 1/100 scale kits that I could afford and build at that time was still fresh in my memory. ^^ It's still a very awesome kit on my book. ^^

Comparison with the MG RX-78-2 Ver. OYW to finish up the entire review series:






As the number behind "Mk." increases, the designs become more and more radical and non-Gundam like. ^^

All reviews on MG Gundam Mk. II Ver. 2.0:

Part 1: A new beginning
Part 2: Good old friends as helpful as they can be
Part 3: Very easy day out
Part 4: It's gray on gray, any problem?
Part 5: Thanks so much for your simplicity
Part 6: Mighty huge parts, not much work; smaller parts, tons of work
Part 7: Another round of simplistic panel lining
Part 8: Sharing the good stuff
Part 9: Sexy mecha details, this is it!
Part 10: The unbelievable design limitation
Part 11: Suddenly, simplicity strikes
Part 12: The great Gundam with earphones has arrived
Part 13: Waist or no waist, there can always be action
Part 14: MG Zeta Gundam Ver. 2.0's last gimmick
Part 15 [Final]: Super Gundam

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MG Gundam Mk. II Ver. 2.0