Kit review: HG 1/144 Gundam GQuuuuuuX
gMS-Ω GQuuuuuuX code name for the gundam unit which Garnada made equipped with Omega Psycommu used for a secret mission to investigate the legendary Red gundam that went missing after the war. The main mobile suit from Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX (2025) had its first High Grade Gunpla model released at the start of the 2025. Brought to you by the Evangelion legend mecha designer Ikuto Yamashita and Bandai , this kit brings that signature mix of sleek, organic style and mechanical detail.
1. Info
Bandai HighGrade 1/144 Gundam GQuuuuuuX
Price: 2200 yen
Release date: 2025 January
Bandai HighGrade 1/144 Gundam GQuuuuuuX
Price: 2200 yen
Release date: 2025 January
2. Design
There is a lots to say about this design, but at the same time there aren’t much to say about it. Some of the elements are either make sense consider the settings or your own taste at the end of the day. Other than the “tooth” parts reminds yourself of the “Evangelion” design, everything else are quite new and very much it’s own things. From the hooked feet of the legs and those single ” kyoukai senki ” likes joints, GQuX itself offer more to the table than just a “Evangelion’ Gundam. Ikuto Yamashita’s design brings out the industrial feels and also the greediness uses of bright “gundam” colors. He make sure even the warning markings plays a large of the mobile suit body language, just like what we see with real life modern war machine.
But enough of the mobile suit design, how about the model kits translation of it ? I would say in the first glance, its brilliantly brought from concept to a affordable piece of works. From most of the main color are separated to the proportion, it doesn’t feel as blocky and short as your usual HG kits. The sleekness of the original design are kept here, and most of the details are presented here with no real adjustment nor any noticeable differentiate.
But how it the kits itself going to justify this with merely any runners ,6 in totals which include the beam sabers one.
( note: for the build of this kits, i did some dry brushing, painted some details, washing and applied some stickers came with the kits itself )
There is a lots to say about this design, but at the same time there aren’t much to say about it. Some of the elements are either make sense consider the settings or your own taste at the end of the day. Other than the “tooth” parts reminds yourself of the “Evangelion” design, everything else are quite new and very much it’s own things. From the hooked feet of the legs and those single ” kyoukai senki ” likes joints, GQuX itself offer more to the table than just a “Evangelion’ Gundam. Ikuto Yamashita’s design brings out the industrial feels and also the greediness uses of bright “gundam” colors. He make sure even the warning markings plays a large of the mobile suit body language, just like what we see with real life modern war machine.
But enough of the mobile suit design, how about the model kits translation of it ? I would say in the first glance, its brilliantly brought from concept to a affordable piece of works. From most of the main color are separated to the proportion, it doesn’t feel as blocky and short as your usual HG kits. The sleekness of the original design are kept here, and most of the details are presented here with no real adjustment nor any noticeable differentiate.
But how it the kits itself going to justify this with merely any runners ,6 in totals which include the beam sabers one.
( note: for the build of this kits, i did some dry brushing, painted some details, washing and applied some stickers came with the kits itself )
3. Build quality
The build quality is surprisingly compact and solid. Without polycaps just like the Witch from Mercury lines, the kit is obviously sturdy enough to pose but the joints felt like it could break any days. Even though the design is similar to the Kyoukai Senki series but its no where near the sturdiness of it. We could say due to the size of the kits, the joints are not as sturdy as it should be. But overall not a big deal consider what it has and what it can do with its.
The colors separation are superb, The main and secondary colors are clearly and efficiently separated, ensuring the visually appealing of Ikuto Yamashita‘s design. From the head to the joints cover, are separated with individual parts. Which makes the building experience very similar to an average real grade kits, especially the small parts make up the whole kits together. Considering the price and what it can offer, this is one of those bang for your bucks type of kits.
The build quality is surprisingly compact and solid. Without polycaps just like the Witch from Mercury lines, the kit is obviously sturdy enough to pose but the joints felt like it could break any days. Even though the design is similar to the Kyoukai Senki series but its no where near the sturdiness of it. We could say due to the size of the kits, the joints are not as sturdy as it should be. But overall not a big deal consider what it has and what it can do with its.
The colors separation are superb, The main and secondary colors are clearly and efficiently separated, ensuring the visually appealing of Ikuto Yamashita‘s design. From the head to the joints cover, are separated with individual parts. Which makes the building experience very similar to an average real grade kits, especially the small parts make up the whole kits together. Considering the price and what it can offer, this is one of those bang for your bucks type of kits.
4. Articulation
Articulations are great, due mostly of the design itself. As we start first at the torso, we have double ball joints. 1 for the lower torso and 1 for the waist. With that we can achieve a lot of swivels and crunches. But because of the built itself, we do not have any articulation on the upper torso. Which is somewhat a negative point, consider how it moves in the anime. Where the chest really expressed itself a lots during omega psycommu, but instead of a chest movement, we have a great neck articulation to make up for it. As for the head unit features a hinged ball joint connection to the neck, which itself is mounted on a ball joint at the base. Which give Gqux a lots of movement for its head.
As for the shoulders, we have a butterfly joints connected by a hinged joint. Which allow a great range of movements, of course the shoulders armor are not blocking any of it ranges depend on how you position them. And for the arms, we have 2 rotating points, 1 for the biceps and 1 for the wrists. At last the elbows, due to the design itself, we can bend it over 100 degrees with it single hinged joint.
The legs are quite similar to the arms too, like the knees are also on a single hinged joint that also can bend over 100 degrees but not as much as the arms. Before we get to the unique pairs of feet and ankle that the GQuX quite famous of. We should talk about the hips joints, it has your standard hinged and thighs swivel we all known for many gundam kits or a lot of mecha figure in general. But they made the connection to the waist ball joints, obviously nothing ground breaking. But it is a simple fresh of design choice that bring out the “evangelion” feel to it. The hips are allowed to have more range of articulation, quite a small range but it is easier to handle that to have it bump into its own pipe on the thighs or the hips armor. Now for the hooked feets of GQuX, it is on a single ball joint while the hooked feet is on a single-axis rotational joint. As much as how simple it is, the range is incredible and actually work pretty well. You can kneel with it, stand as easy like any other feet. More or less, it worked wonderfully on paper and on actual model. The hooked part of the feet does get in the way with the red shin ankle armor (?), only if you forced it as much as you can.
At last for the backpack, it has a lot of rotating axis. 1 at the base which connected onto the back and 2 on each of the thrusters. With that everything move out of the way if you so choose.
( side note : i would not count the beam saber connections as a point of articulation, but since if it can swivel that itself worth a mention. Since it can move out of the way, it would make more clearance for the legs can kick back way more. But that is not the point that make it special, but the peg itself is. The peg is not a straight rod that peg inside the saber handle itself but bandai made it loose at the tips. Which make it loose enough not to break the peg but enough to make the saber not to fall off. )
Articulations are great, due mostly of the design itself. As we start first at the torso, we have double ball joints. 1 for the lower torso and 1 for the waist. With that we can achieve a lot of swivels and crunches. But because of the built itself, we do not have any articulation on the upper torso. Which is somewhat a negative point, consider how it moves in the anime. Where the chest really expressed itself a lots during omega psycommu, but instead of a chest movement, we have a great neck articulation to make up for it. As for the head unit features a hinged ball joint connection to the neck, which itself is mounted on a ball joint at the base. Which give Gqux a lots of movement for its head.
As for the shoulders, we have a butterfly joints connected by a hinged joint. Which allow a great range of movements, of course the shoulders armor are not blocking any of it ranges depend on how you position them. And for the arms, we have 2 rotating points, 1 for the biceps and 1 for the wrists. At last the elbows, due to the design itself, we can bend it over 100 degrees with it single hinged joint.
The legs are quite similar to the arms too, like the knees are also on a single hinged joint that also can bend over 100 degrees but not as much as the arms. Before we get to the unique pairs of feet and ankle that the GQuX quite famous of. We should talk about the hips joints, it has your standard hinged and thighs swivel we all known for many gundam kits or a lot of mecha figure in general. But they made the connection to the waist ball joints, obviously nothing ground breaking. But it is a simple fresh of design choice that bring out the “evangelion” feel to it. The hips are allowed to have more range of articulation, quite a small range but it is easier to handle that to have it bump into its own pipe on the thighs or the hips armor. Now for the hooked feets of GQuX, it is on a single ball joint while the hooked feet is on a single-axis rotational joint. As much as how simple it is, the range is incredible and actually work pretty well. You can kneel with it, stand as easy like any other feet. More or less, it worked wonderfully on paper and on actual model. The hooked part of the feet does get in the way with the red shin ankle armor (?), only if you forced it as much as you can.
At last for the backpack, it has a lot of rotating axis. 1 at the base which connected onto the back and 2 on each of the thrusters. With that everything move out of the way if you so choose.
( side note : i would not count the beam saber connections as a point of articulation, but since if it can swivel that itself worth a mention. Since it can move out of the way, it would make more clearance for the legs can kick back way more. But that is not the point that make it special, but the peg itself is. The peg is not a straight rod that peg inside the saber handle itself but bandai made it loose at the tips. Which make it loose enough not to break the peg but enough to make the saber not to fall off. )
5. Accessories
Accessories :
+ 2 beam saber effect
+ 2 beam saber handle
+ 1 beam rifle
+ 1 shield
+ 2 open palm
+ 2 holding hands
+ An open head
+ A closed head
+ A core fighter part forming
Accessories :
+ 2 beam saber effect
+ 2 beam saber handle
+ 1 beam rifle
+ 1 shield
+ 2 open palm
+ 2 holding hands
+ An open head
+ A closed head
+ A core fighter part forming
–> Overall: Bandai truly bringing their A games with this particular release. You basically get everything for a minimum price of a HG kits. Even though almost all the color are molded and are separated piece, you still have things to work with if you so choose. For retails price of 2200 yen ( roughly 15 USD ), you could buy this without any real sense of blowing your budgets ( with everything it comes with, you are paying for what you get ). Although it is not something i would recommend for first time builder but something i recommend for long time fan, this refreshing building experience is something some of us needs.
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