MG Gelgoog Ver. 2.0 Part 1

Tragic ace MS No. 2
Starting to work on a new Gunpla kit after completing the review on BB Senshi Sangokuden Gotaitei Sonken Gundam Korinpaku and the last bit of work on 1/48 scale Unicorn Gundam Head Display Base. ^^

Technically, it's not a completely new kit per se, since it's the color variation release of Master Grade Char's Customized Gelgoog Ver. 2.0 I completed back in December last year. This is MG MS-14A Mass Production Type Gelgoog Ver. 2.0 that was first released in April 2008.


As with quite a few other Zeon MSs, the mass production type Gelgoog fits the image of "a powerful soldier who arrives at the battlefield too late". ^^; Looking at the unbelievable combat performance of Gundam RX-78-2, it was clear that the Earth Federation and Principality of Zeon were trying to develop a grunt MS based on that triumph card, but with very different direction. The Earth Federation's grunt unit, the GM was designed to be the lower grade, economy type copy of Gundam RX-78-2 with its main strength being in number not quality. It's nothing more than a Ball with beam weaponry in my opinion. ^^; The Gelgoog however, was designed to rival the White Devil. A Gundam-class Zaku you might say, since the two shares just about the same color scheme as Zeon's grunt units. With that in mind, a squadron of Gelgoog would seem like having a squadron of Gundam RX-78-2-like MSs. In terms of "theoretical performance", the Zeon would have found the solution to beating the Earth Federation.

Then again, as we all know, the ball with beam rifle and beam saber defeated the Gundam-class Zaku. ^^;

Like the mobile suit itself, this Master Grade kit is quite a tragic ace itself. Having built the Char's customized type, there's absolutely no doubt about the kit's excellence in part design, color, overall size of the completed model, mechanical details and just the fun of the assembly process. Its articulation does suffer a bit due to all the bulky armor parts, but all its other great features fair well enough to compensate for that weakness I think. The realization of the kit's awesomeness is the main reason I got the two in the first place. ^^ Unfortunately, this mass production type kit is the first and only variation after the release of the Char's customized type. ^^;



While the variation releases of MG Zaku II Ver. 2.0 go beyond revamps and releases of all its first MG versions, MG Gelgoog Ver. 2.0 is limited to just one variation release. ^^; Not even Johnny Ridden's popularity warrens a MG Ver. 2.0 release for his swan song MS, even though there was the first release version. ^^; Is it the general popularity of Gelgoog? or was the time of focus on that kit over after April 2008? I dare not speculate. Just like wondering the outcome of the One Year War if the Mass Production Type Gelgoog was rolled out quicker and handed to more experienced Zeon pilots, everything is imaginative and up to interpretation. The fact is, the tragic end of Gelgoog in its anime story seems to be mirroring its MG Ver. 2.0 release, and that's really quite unfortunate. ^^

However, even though the story of this kit is rather sad, it was given a super-duper awesome box art, done by Hidetaka Tenjin (天神英貴). ^^


A Gelgoog shooting his beam rifle takes up about 80 percent of the illustration, but look closer and you'll find quite a few other interesting MSs making their cameo appearance. ^^



Four Zaku IIs, too normal. ^^;


One Public class assault ship, too obvious and normal as well. ^^;


A seemingly blue Gelgoog near the top left corner of the box art. Is it Anavel Gato's customized unit? ^^


A seemingly white Gelgoog on the far right side of the box art. Is it Herbert Von Kuspen's customized unit? ^^


And the best and unmistakable cameo MS of the three: Zeong. ^^




Introduction of the kit on the box sides.





Information about Gelgoog's development history behind the box container.


Comparison with the box of the Char's customized type.


Box content.




The instruction manual.


All runners of this kit.
Since this kit is basically Char's Customized Gelgoog Ver. 2.0 with a few new attachment parts for the beam rifle substituting the little car and figures of Lalah and Char, I won't be repeating the introduction for the various runners, but some changes made to them as compared to their counterparts in the Char's customized type will be highlighted nonetheless.


Runner A


New sitting and standing figures of a Zeon pilot.


Runner B


The entire segment that contains parts of the car and Lalah's figure in the Char's customized type is removed on this runner.


Runner C


Runner D


Apart from the commander type helmet part and blade antennas (right image), a new grunt unit type helmet part without any slot for the antenna is also included.


Runner E (2 pieces)


Runner F - Made of ABS (2 pieces)


Runner G - Made of ABS


Runner H - Made of ABS


Runner I


Runner J (2 pieces)


Runner K


Four new parts for the beam rifle.


Runner L


Polycap set PC-201



Dry transfer decal and clear sticker sheet.


All removed parts are organized and stored in individual paper containers.
Is it worthwhile to get this kit with the extra four beam rifle parts but no car, or the Char's customized type that has a simpler beam rifle but with more parts to assemble to get the car? I think the answer boils down to what color scheme you like better instead. ^^; The car is indeed made up of more parts than the beam rifle attachment, but it's just a fixed figure that involves tons of paint work to realize its intended color. Its seemingly more generous number of parts is offset by the difficulty in paint work and lack of actual use to the model kit itself. The grenade launcher and bi-pod give the rifle an alternate display, and the bi-pod is actually functional. The parts don't need any more work than just a bit of panel lining as well. ^^

Personally, I never had any trouble deciding between the two, because I like the design so much I got them both. ^^

Some initial paint work very reminiscent of that done for the Char's customized type to kick off the work on this kit next. ^^