***This kit was kindly provided by Canadian Gundam ***
Japan Release Date: September 2017
Price: 10 800 JPY/ 94.71 USD/ 143.66 CAD
Alright, I am going to say something that will most likely piss people off. Get ready… Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn RE:0096 is my favorite Gundam show ever! The Unicorn is my second favorite design of all the Gundams (RX93 is still the best Gundam). So, when Canadian Gundam sent me the Mega Size Unicorn to build and review for the community, you can be sure that I was happily surprised (well, more accurately, I went nuts)! I had already built the Master Grade Unicorn and the Banshee (Hell, I have the whole Unicorn Master Grade Line except for the Phenex…..one day you will be mine, oh yes, one day, you will be mine). Incidentally, this Unicorn was also my first Mega Size kit, and damn I am so happy that it is. So, without further ado, turn on that Unicorn soundtrack and let’s see if the Mega Size Unicorn is worth your money.
Box Art: 6/10
I like boxes. I moved over 4000km and paid the movers to move my empty Gunpla boxes across the country (yes, I am THAT kind of collector). So, I was disappointed when I saw for the first time the box art they used for the Mega Size Unicorn. I am about to say something really unpopular in the Gunpla Community: “it looks like a Toy Box”. I wish they would have gone with something epic considering the size of the thing… meh.
Building Process: 10/10
So, when you open the box of your first mega size, it could be intimidating until you go through all the runners and realize that this thing is just a big High Grade with more details. I am not complaining here, not at all. It was quite a pleasant build. I did it in one sitting while watching some Bill Burr and Joe Rogan. Everything fit perfectly. The nubmarks are easy to remove, except the one on the inner frame located in the knees (be cautious of stress marks there).
Since you do not have any transformation gimmick the kit is quite solid. You have also a lot of surfaces to panel line. This is not a suggestion; you NEED to panel line this kit to break all the white colored panels. Seriously I have nothing else to add. This is as good as it can be for a build this size. I did not encounter any major issues. It was fun and the instruction manual was really clear (kudos once more to Bandai for putting all the instruction in English).
Overall Look: 7.5/10
Ok this thing looks EPIC! So why only 7.5 and not a full on 10? Because when you take a closer look at it, that is when you see some of the flaws. First, the knees and shoulders have some hollow parts. Painting these in grey to simulate an inner frame will fix this issue. The Beam riffle does not have any color separation. For a kit at this price, I was hoping for a bit more effort on the weapons. But I think the biggest flaw of them all is the V Fin. The back of the Unicorn V Fin is supposed to be white (because of the Unicorn Mode). When it opens, it’s gold inside for Destroy Mode. Here, the V Fin is all goldish yellow, (even the back). It’s an easy fix, that’s for sure. However, this is still something needed to be pointed out.
knees and shoulders have some hollow parts
Also, the inner frame color seems a bit off. I compared it to my Master Grade and realized that the inner frame of the Mega Size was a bit too red. It’s supposed to be a bit more pinkish. I might be nitpicking, but its details like this that future buyers need to know ahead of their purchase. Otherwise it’s is a good kit. I was talking with Kris (Gunpla Network Reviewer and Moderator) who already bought it and he was telling me how he got his mind blown by how good it looks. Now this guy just built the RG Unicorn (check out his review) and he prefers that one over its smaller brother and you know what? I can understand why. The Real Grade and Master Grade Unicorn kits are proof of dedication and builder skill. They look awesome in your collection and stand apart because of their design.
The Mega Size, even though in terms of details, it may not look as good; it is still a god damn statement just by its sheer size alone. It is standing on my work desk beside my PC and is screaming out loud: “LOOK AT HOW AWESOME I AM!!!”. You can also attribute that to its perfect proportions. Everything feels organic. To make a long story short, the Master Grade and Real Grade may look better, but the Mega Size is just a Statement of this design (bear in mind, at this date I still haven’t build any of the Perfect Grades my stance might change if I have the opportunity).
Articulation/Posability: 6.5/10
Ok we are going to lose some points here. this thing is a brick! Yes, you can pose it in a certain way, but forget about making it hold the beam riffle up for more than a day. It’s totally understandable since It is pretty heavy. In terms of possibility there is not that much you can do with it. It still looks cool standing there, but I wish we could do more poses with the Beam Riffle. The Beam Sabers though, you will not have any issues with them. They might be gigantic, but they are lightweight. So the Unicorn is able to hold them really well. If you are more into Beam Sabers, then good for you. This is not the case for me however. Articulation is ok. it is what you can expect from a 1/48 High Grade. Surprisingly enough the legs can bend pretty well and you have a good enough bend at the elbow joint. The head can move around and finally the side skirts also move.
Accessories: 8/10
Even if I feel that the color separation on the Beam Riffle is a bit deplorable, all the accessories are good looking. Especially the famous Unicorn Shield! This thing is as big as my forearm and the Mega Size Unicorn does not have any issue holding it.
The 2 Beam Effects are the ones from the Perfect Grade Unicorn, so they are not really at the right scale. But at that point it is not noticeable. You can attach them on the two beam saber handles located on the backpack or the one located in the forearms by rotating them in place. The Beam Riffle is huge and looks good. It also attaches on the backpack and on the rear arm if you want to store it. Finally, you have a small sheet of stickers to apply on the head (mostly the eyes). However, they also give you an awesome sheet of Water Slides that spell L-O-V-E (not literally, but I love waterslide decals!). They look awesome and I am eager to put them in place whenever I have the time to do so.
Fun Factor: 9/10
Like I said, this is my first Mega Size and oh boy it was a delight! I really enjoyed the simplicity of that build. After building the MG XN Raiser I needed it. It’s the kind or Kit that is really newcomer friendly but can be a challenge for more seasoned builders. The fact that this whole kit is hollow is the perfect opportunity to install led units. I can only imagine how cool it would look like all illuminated. I had a real good time putting that monster together and if I have another opportunity to get a Mega Size I will try to grab it.
Final Verdict: 7.8/10 (BUY IT****)
I had a really good time with the Mega Size Unicorn, should you buy it? YES! should it be your first unicorn, NO. LET ME EXPLAIN... If you already built a Master Grade, Real Grade or Perfect Grade Unicorn and are thinking about buying the Mega Size, be my guest you will not regret it.
But if you never built any other grade of the Unicorn before, I would suggest you to go with the RG or MG first. The new RG Unicorn completely change the game for the Real Grade Line, the fact that it can perfectly transform at that size and has the right proportions is unbelievable. The Master Grade is the same thing but bigger. It is true that both are considered bricks, but you can put both of them on an action base and they are more poseable than the Mega Size.
The Mega Size Unicorn is still super newcomer friendly. If you intend to buy it as a gift for loved one, well first you are awesome, and I want to be your friend, second they will not have any issues with it.
In the end the Mega Size Unicorn is a good surprise, a good time and an awesome statement for all the Unicorn Design lovers out there. It is a center piece type of kit that will make people stop and check it out.
From left to right SD, Mega Size, MG
The Mega Size Unicorn, the silent guardian of the Gunpla Network Control Center
Once more, thank you to Canadian Gundam for providing us this kit to review and show around, if you are a good Canadian kid like me go check their online store, 10$ flat shipping rate from coast to Canadian Coast. Just click right here:
