Well, not yet. I am not going to be surprised if we see one soon that's basically just a shrunken down Ver Ka. And given that Bandai has kinda figured out how to make sturdy transforming kits from the Force Impulse and Unicorn, which incidently the first one has the same transformation style as the ZZ. And they are familiar with creating larger and beefier MS in RG form, with the Sazabi and the Nu being examples, more so the first kit. I'm sure we'll see one sometime soon in the near future. I honestly think it was for the best that Bandai didn't attempt a ZZ early on in the RG line, it most likely would have not have been good. Sorry for this rant, btw. (• ▽ •;)
We might eventually, with the switch from premolded inner frames to miniturized MG inner frames which should result in more stable build. Though ut may be a parts former instead of a full transformation. Transformations are nice, but stability is more important.
@@axf-22 and after building the old MG ZZ, the transformation is actually not as complicated as Zeta Gundam to be honest. The most complicated part of Zeta is the waist, while I dont remember where ZZ having the need to seperate its crotch to transform into the airplane(?) mode, just rotating its legs, which I think is very possible for RGs now. What maybe similar to Zeta for ZZ in terms of being complicated is the chest area, where the head needs to be pushed down. But I think that's about it.
Despite its shortcomings, by far the most beautiful looking zeta in kit form. I really hope to see a ver ka of this kit to be honest. One of my fave suits.
I keep saying the RG Zeta is a great MODEL KIT and a terrible toy. I love this kit so much, I've built 2 of the Zeta III and one of the Biosensor version, and I want two of the original. I love this kit!
I built 4, and I agree with you. It meant to look pretty and it does the job pretty well. I feel like I want to build another one because Zeta is my favorite gundam XD
Exactly. Most people build their stuff and it most likely will be exactly in the same pose as the day we put it on the shelf. Only touching it to dust it and shuffle around for the next finished kit. I've only built a few Rgs...Wing zero EW, X bone full cloth, Astray Gold, Zeong, wing zero(best rg kit) and the Justice. My first was the Wing Zero EW and that kit was pretty buff. The rest all met or exceeded that with the exception of the Justice. All kinds of pieces on the jet pack/sled come off easy, one of the gear bars for the extension gimmick broke the first time trying it. The knee pads are trash, saber holders are trash, the shield mount is trash, head fin bit is trash. Finally I feel like the gimmick for mounting the Gundam in its jetsled mode is weak. I beyond those issues the posing and joints are fine. If you dont mind gluing some stuff then 99% of this kits problems are eliminated. I have ended up mounting the Justice in the meteor unit I have. Looks cool with him than the freedom and he'll never have to move.
But for those who want more of a toy then a lot of these kits can be that way but you'll have to out in extra work. It's not a huge deal for me because I've been mostly a 40k gamer so it's built solid for touching and transporting a lot as well as magnetized parts on larger models so they can be modular and transport. You can with putty, glue and magnets recreate joints using tough magnets that will give you a lot of resistance for posing. Especially helpful for shields and arms in extending poses
I always thought transforming Gundams were stupid you don’t need aerodynamics in space and a fighter is clearly a better option in atmosphere. That’s why if there’s any loose pieces on transforming kits I just glue them on.
I got into Gunpla over the last week, and the Zeta was my first RG. I generally don't research kits much before I buy them, I think the occasional misstep is part of the fun; but man, the Zeta is something else. Loved building it, and love how it looks posed, but it definitely shows its age as far as kit design. It probably isn't worth the extra effort for most people, but I'm still glad I picked it up, if only as a learning experience!
My RG Zeta started more or less like this but did not hold up after even a short time. Almost immediately the parts that connect each wing of the backpack to the torso let go and refuse to reconnect for any amount of time so the backpack just loosely flops around.
The transformation definitely hurts the overall articulation, but the 2.0 is still an excellent kit. The white Z3 was one of my first kits, and it still holds up. I prefer the proportions, and you can actually see its neck lol.
As innovative and cool the rg premolded frame was, it definitely does not hold up over time and moderate use. I love this kit but it’s undeniably flimsy. I still think the mg zeta plus c1 is still the most solid zeta, shits a brick but a brick that can transform at least 50 times (at least from personal experience haha)
The C1 is almost too tight in certain areas especially with the screws, but its transformation is way more simple than the MG 2.0 Still, I do prefer the 2.0 over the C1 just because of the more thorough construction, but if they released a C1 based on the 2.0 frame it would easily be my new favorite
@@Solbrave00 I only own the PG zeta, the MG 2.0 zeta, and the MG Zplus c1, I'm not interested in the hguc revive because it doesn't have a full transformation I'm a sucker for masochistically complex kits lol
In the middle of building this myself. I share some of the same concerns you’ve highlighted in your video with it. I got this kit for the same reason as you which was to see for myself how bad it really is or is not. I can see why people have criticism of it but it’s not enough to deter me from building it. Solid video sir.
The bad experience comes after you have this for a few months or years from now. It's a great kit the moment after you just built it like in this video since of course, it's fresh right out of the box. It's an engineering marvel for sure, especially how they implemented a transformation gimmick on a 1/144 scale model but that in of itself undermined the structural integrity of the kit. My bad experience with the RG Zeta is the hip joints where the transformation happens where you like spread the hips further from each other. Mine got stressed and eventually broke off. Another problem is the shoulder joint where you do the transformation where you twist it. It eventually stressed and broke off as well. The waist, skirt armor, and that little toe on the heel of the feet is also kinda loose and feels like it'll break eventually. Things eventually get loose and brittle over time. It doesn't have much longevity but I guess I recommend it just for the experience.
This was my first RG and because my boyfriend has been into Gunpla for a long time I knew what I was getting myself into. I'd say both sides have a point: it's way, WAY too flimsy, but it's beautiful to look at.
As one who has owned the MG Zeta 2.0 since it came out back in 2005, I can say for certain that, while new, it is complex but satisfying to transform. However, I would caution would-be owners that after a few years, the plastic joints holding the torso and swinging it up and down into the cavity from waverider to MS mode WILL wear out and break. This is how I lost my original copy of the 05 Zeta and why I sought to get a new one. Even if you are really careful with it, do it often enough and the stress of the transformation will catch up to you and shear the one-sided two-arm bracketing that holds it in place. It won't lossen since it seems to be made with ABS or something akin to a mix of PS and polycap material but it's an early version of the grey, softish plastic that you see in more modern joints nowadays. So just be careful with it and it will last you virtually forever. That and the knee joint will get loose over time.
I could live with flimsiness, but I really, REALLY dislike the proportions of the RG zeta. Collar is almost invisible, chest feels too big, waist too slim, there are also those mentioned ugly gaps between waist and sideskirts... everything just feels off when compared to MG or HG revive.
@@mattr.1804 i mean, if you noticed, the chest vents on almost all reviews point downwards in robot mode I got mine to point forward after some finageling with the hidden joints and when I locked in the chest pegs, there was hardly any gap in the armor and the neck and collar are in full view ^_^ iirc, there are 2 or 3 points of articulation inside the chest to accommodate the transformation and people seem to assume only one of those work when in robot mode haha
I also thought that people were overreacting about the RG Zeta and even after building it I don't think it's a hand grenade where parts kept falling off (that would be the RG Sinanju). But in my building spree after getting back into the hobby it is the only one where a part broke and now the kit is limping and my worst building experience due to just the tiny essential locking parts in the hips that connects to the legs which fly off when you move it and has stress marks now after transforming it twice. Also, the torso assembly and the v-fin assembly is just nerve wracking. The entire torso and hip articulation is just compromised. What's worse is that even with that limited articulation you can easily break parts. Or when you move the legs then the front and side skirt armors just won't look right afterwards so you need to adjust it again. If you're gonna choose just one form and not transform it forever GO FOR THE WAVERIDER MODE.
Just finished building this kit! It was my first RG and my 5th gunpla in general lol. Had no idea about the bad reputation so I was just BLOWN AWAY at how cool it was. Had no clue that the problems I did face were unique to this kit lmfao. The torso like, hinge piece did break when I tried to transform it though.. which sucks (And I may have cried but that was probably hormones lmfao), and the other thing is that the legs are super loose for me and don't hold a pose well. For the record, I have tonnes of experience in the model tanks hobby so I'm good at building kits, I've done much harder kits than this before, but overall I still enjoyed the process. I highly suspect I wont look back as fondly on it when I get some other RG kits under my belt though. So I guess I'm _glad_ I did it first?
Check back on it in a couple weeks. A buddy bought one, built it, posed it, and going anywhere near it after that a week or two later and pieces would explode all over the place. Absolute nightmare of a kit even if it looks great.
I'm currently building this kit and the hardest part so far was working with the chest area. After dealing with putting that together, I told myself that I wasn't going to transform it because the chest part seem so fragile
Right there with you. Haven’t even gotten to the arms yet and I’ve already had to glue a few joints back together. Still love the kit but to hell with ever putting it in Wave Rider mode.
Like every other old RG it has the weak inner frame problem, it won't be able to stand on its own weight after a few weeks and combined with the cumbersome transformation it is pretty bad. Even after transforming it once you can see all the parts starts to loosen off especially near the waist area based off my own experience with one
I got mine for almost 5 years and still holds pretty well, sure it have some issues with the transformation but if you are careful it can be done without breaking anything. I think it's a great kit and a big improvement on the engineering of the transforming suits.
If anything, it showed them that their transformation designs were way over-engineered, and less was indeed more. All of the rg wing kits have this kit's failure to thank for their much simpler, and therefore far more functional, designs.
The frame and transformation would have worked on a larger kit since Zeta type kit tend to have some transformation gimicks that tends to put stress on smaller parts on a 1/144 kits, still waiting for that Zeta 3.0
While it's not a 3.0, wish granted with the announcement of this beauty: ruclips.net/video/B5feJedg9FE/видео.html. It does look like it has a new design for the hip joints for the transformation.
One of my favourite RG kits for the sole reason of being the best looking Zeta ever in Kit form. Also that vacuum looks like those circle joint caps on the RX-78-2 with the magnet coating
I've considered picking up this kit a few times coz it's one of the RGs I don't have, but always put it off. I was going to try to see if new products like KIKI fix loose joints formula would help fix the problems. But then the Metal Robot Spirits Zeta preorder happened and now I think I can forget about this RG.
It was my first kit with glossy parts, and i realized how much harder glossy parts were to cut nubs off of, and I went through a tiny part of my finger with a hobby knife! It eventually healed up, but be safe everyone! :-)
Even if they make it will never replace the PG Zeta. The current mindset of Bandai is to design a good looking toy, not a plastic representation of a somewhat real robot like older PG.
I think if i got i’d get 2 and keep one transformed to avoid any issues from going back and forth. It’s one of my favourite gundams with one of the best transformations.
Any recommendations for a single side cutter/nipper under 2300 yen i can order from japan and a sanding supply to buffer and make parts shiny like before after sanding
Don't. From a modeller's perspective, any issues on a gunpla is easily fixed. This Zeta is one of the bad ones. It has stability problems that needs to be fixed. If you have the time, go for it but out of the box? Its a terrible kit but has a really amazing presence. ZA is just being TOO careful with it (which btw should apply to all model kits) and he's a veteran modeller so any issues he comes across is easily fixable for him.
Okay so I’m not one for transformations. If I leave this thing as is and never transform it/hardly touch it, will it hold up over years? I love the zeta and can’t find the hg revive kit for the life of me.
Personally I will have to disagree, it’s the worst RG to me because while I have built the RG Sinanju I still enjoyed the kit and the building process given all of its issues as a finished product. As for the Zeta this is by far the one and probably the only one I did not like both building and after, it just felt so bad from start to finish and posing was a nightmare. I’d have to say this is probably the worst RG if not the worst kit in general of all the ones I’ve put together. I can’t even recall having a very bad experience with anything else out there other than this one. Though that’s just my take on my experience, I guess it does vary from person to person.
He did mention it varies from Person to Person, can't really disagree with his points and let alone the articulation that Bandai gave it.....which isn't a lot
As you said in other video, there is no bad kit. We just have to give it some work. What do you recommend to do on fixing any loose part or joint in this Zeta?
mine broke at the shoulder connecting to torso after transforming it about a dozen times, but this kit is a technical marvel! the satisfaction you get when the wings click into place in the wave rider is priceless!!!
This is not in the instructios is just something I found out. But you can use the clip below the head that locks the shield in wr mode to make the torso and the head a lot more stable.
I'd recommend the HG Harute at the very least for those who wants to transform their gunpla back and forth without any partsforming at that scale(aside from the wings that is, which are the Sword/Rifles combo.). But just be aware that it's still a model kit. Don't be as rough with it as, say, with a Transformers Autobot/Decepticon toy.
OMG, this thing made me want to stop building Gundam. built it with no problems. Exercised the joints so it wouldn't refuse to transform. didn't get through a single transformation before I threw it in the box and refused to touch it again.
The kit may have many shortcoming. But it is re-designed by renounced Kyoshi Takigawa (瀧川虚至). He also re-designed mkii etc MS in the comic book 「Zeta Gundam Define」. He also illustrated the a serious of book with the titl 「Master Archive Mobile Suit」with I considered the current best Gundam line art.
I picked up the System Weapons Kit 08 fix this. Which is a Gundam Base set. I think there going to be an online Gunpla expo soon so I’d say keep your eyes peeled to the P-Bandai site when it does I’ll they often stock Gundam Base kits like the System Weapon Kits during the event.
Mine is holding together despite having taken a few tumbles. The blasted wings often need to be put back in place though. Build itself was kind of a pain, the damn stickers (of which there were a million) often went flying or came off the sheet stuck together.
I wasn't careful enough with my RG zeta when I tried to transform it and the torso broke. Having said that, the transformation is an exercise in self-torture, do not do it if you value your sanity.
Pardon me if i typed this when im not finished watching the video, but did nobody notices that its chest bulging upward compared with other grades? I tried my best to lower it but it stuck like that. Also the yellow neck collar should be more visible.
The question is not if it’s a hand grenade when you treat it like a faberge egg, the question is whether it falls apart when you handle it normally. Bandai’s early kits sometimes have poor tolerances. My RG RX-78-2 had to be glued together to keep parts from falling off of it, particularly skirts, inner elbows and shoulders, though there are a ton of other loose parts on it. My RG Zaku II only has a loose shoulder shield, the rest is pretty much perfect - Others have issues with it falling apart. You can get a Zeta that won’t break when it’s touched and you can get one where parts will fall off over and over. Any number of factors can cause this, such as the temperature in the factory or equipment having fluctuated or the speed of the injection being out of tune, or whatever. This is NOT a “busted myth”, absolutely not, you can still get terrible RG kits!
unfortunately for me..i do have bad experience with this kit.honestly..ive lost some tiny parts and broke the red part where the v fin holds into place😥.and now i cant transform it..but all said i like this kit..
After this review i don't find it that bad since i'm using it to compare with RG Gundam GP01Fb Full Bernern, that for me was the worst kit i built to the point i use it's parts as debris on any diorama. It had so many loose parts, the fitting in the waist was terrible, some articulations had no tension if i wanted to do a pose.
I've been wanting to get the RG Zeta since it went cheaper these days but had to hold it since there's a crap tons of goods stuff happening and releasing this year so there's that and the RG Hi-Nu (September) and the MG Eclipse (THIS MONTH) which is why i can't decide which to get lol
Paint scratch is unavoidable if you still want to transform it. If you choose the mobile suit mode then the hips and torso are the parts that's gonna be prone to scratches due the to amount of finagling you'll when you're trying out different poses.
I believe the RG zeta gets to much undeserved flak. It's a beautiful looking kit in either form but its primary weakness is the premade RG frame. However respect must be given to the designers for creating a kit at the time that is in 144th scale and fully transformable without any parts swapping. I have had mine for about 2 years and have never had a piece fall off and I think people either don't take their time when building it or handle it ruff. This is a kit that needs to be treated like a newborn small animal, gently and carefully.
ive got one thats emoji shaped from one of those as seen on tv things but here's the kicker i got mine at the dollar store its not prettest thing but hey cant go wrong when you build a model train layout
I like RG Zeta, but I agree that it's bad because of the transformation. But with careful hands, it's still a good kit. Just don't transform it over and over or get another just for a Waverider mode. Also, I wanna thank the guy who thaughy me about the waist joint of this particular kit.
Sorry, but people cant really criticise this kit, its one of a kind, the only real grade that has attempted to include a full transformation without the use of parts changing, yes there is the wing Gundam but the transformation for that is basically folding up the limbs and turning the torso. The real grade zeta was the second ever Gunpla kit I made, after the MkII and yes I haven't transformed it but I bought it purely for the mobile suit look. All in all I really liked the kit and think it holds up pretty well.
It's kinda telling that the standard articulation section of the review got skipped. If it's that fragile, I wouldn't call the myth definitively busted.
I said it’s because it moves the same as every other RG of the time. There’s no point to show articulation for no reason. A normal builder wouldn’t do that. You’d try out a few poses, and that’s exactly what I did: illustrated an average builder experience with the mode
I'm way too OCD about gaps, and those parts of the kit where you can literally see through the kit under the chest armor make this kit a complete no-go for me.
"Not a hand grenade" ... This part is loose This part is floating It's not safe to move it (parts) around The waist that is the core of the gunpla is weak Yeah, I can see why it's called not a hand grenade.
Well, it can't be any worse than the HG revive that I put together. That thing.. well I should say /mine/ has really loose polycaps in the hip swivel area, loose balls in the feet and even with top coat it still can't really do many poses so it just stands there.
Probably the Easiest to transform Zeta kit are the old HG kits, the Zeta Gundam Wave Shooter Equipment not a very articulated kit but the transformation is quick and simple, though it need the removal of head and torso, but atleast thats it the rest of the new Zeta kits, you really need to buy 2 for both MS and Waverider form
I mean, not sure about the worst kit, but it does look pretty bad from this video. I've built some kits that everyone seem to hate, and i loved them, but the whole body on the RG Zeta seems like a nightmare. Those giant gaps, the skirts that are all connected in this overly complicated mess. And the main thing is if you don't care at all about it transforming, that doesn't excuse any of the faults numbered above. So yeah, i'll pass on this one. Clearly not as bad as people make it out to be, but that negative rep it has, seems based on something, and it's money better spent on something else. Even a pair of good nippers are going to probably bring a lot more enjoyment out of the hobby than this kit.
Finally a good RG Zeta review. No Reddit, it's not a hand grenade, it's a flimsy model and if you want a toy you should probably get something else. It's imo the best looking Zeta kit and I'd love an updated MG that looked like this.
I think this kit is one of the reason why we never got an RG ZZ.
Well, not yet. I am not going to be surprised if we see one soon that's basically just a shrunken down Ver Ka. And given that Bandai has kinda figured out how to make sturdy transforming kits from the Force Impulse and Unicorn, which incidently the first one has the same transformation style as the ZZ. And they are familiar with creating larger and beefier MS in RG form, with the Sazabi and the Nu being examples, more so the first kit. I'm sure we'll see one sometime soon in the near future. I honestly think it was for the best that Bandai didn't attempt a ZZ early on in the RG line, it most likely would have not have been good. Sorry for this rant, btw. (• ▽ •;)
We might eventually, with the switch from premolded inner frames to miniturized MG inner frames which should result in more stable build. Though ut may be a parts former instead of a full transformation. Transformations are nice, but stability is more important.
The RG Impulse now exist.
@@axf-22 and after building the old MG ZZ, the transformation is actually not as complicated as Zeta Gundam to be honest. The most complicated part of Zeta is the waist, while I dont remember where ZZ having the need to seperate its crotch to transform into the airplane(?) mode, just rotating its legs, which I think is very possible for RGs now. What maybe similar to Zeta for ZZ in terms of being complicated is the chest area, where the head needs to be pushed down. But I think that's about it.
You don't know how good bandai is at surprising their audiences
Despite its shortcomings, by far the most beautiful looking zeta in kit form.
I really hope to see a ver ka of this kit to be honest. One of my fave suits.
It have a Ver.Ka, in Robot Spirit form
And yes it is Solid
Hey man you got that Ver Ka you wanted !!!!
My man really predicted Zeta Ver. Ka
@@mechalexz1010 He must be a Newtype
I keep saying the RG Zeta is a great MODEL KIT and a terrible toy. I love this kit so much, I've built 2 of the Zeta III and one of the Biosensor version, and I want two of the original. I love this kit!
Finally someone that smart enough to differentiate model kit and toy
I built 4, and I agree with you. It meant to look pretty and it does the job pretty well. I feel like I want to build another one because Zeta is my favorite gundam XD
Exactly. Most people build their stuff and it most likely will be exactly in the same pose as the day we put it on the shelf. Only touching it to dust it and shuffle around for the next finished kit.
I've only built a few Rgs...Wing zero EW, X bone full cloth, Astray Gold, Zeong, wing zero(best rg kit) and the Justice. My first was the Wing Zero EW and that kit was pretty buff. The rest all met or exceeded that with the exception of the Justice. All kinds of pieces on the jet pack/sled come off easy, one of the gear bars for the extension gimmick broke the first time trying it. The knee pads are trash, saber holders are trash, the shield mount is trash, head fin bit is trash. Finally I feel like the gimmick for mounting the Gundam in its jetsled mode is weak. I beyond those issues the posing and joints are fine. If you dont mind gluing some stuff then 99% of this kits problems are eliminated. I have ended up mounting the Justice in the meteor unit I have. Looks cool with him than the freedom and he'll never have to move.
But for those who want more of a toy then a lot of these kits can be that way but you'll have to out in extra work. It's not a huge deal for me because I've been mostly a 40k gamer so it's built solid for touching and transporting a lot as well as magnetized parts on larger models so they can be modular and transport. You can with putty, glue and magnets recreate joints using tough magnets that will give you a lot of resistance for posing. Especially helpful for shields and arms in extending poses
I always thought transforming Gundams were stupid you don’t need aerodynamics in space and a fighter is clearly a better option in atmosphere. That’s why if there’s any loose pieces on transforming kits I just glue them on.
I got into Gunpla over the last week, and the Zeta was my first RG. I generally don't research kits much before I buy them, I think the occasional misstep is part of the fun; but man, the Zeta is something else. Loved building it, and love how it looks posed, but it definitely shows its age as far as kit design. It probably isn't worth the extra effort for most people, but I'm still glad I picked it up, if only as a learning experience!
That’s a great attitude to have! 👍
My RG Zeta started more or less like this but did not hold up after even a short time. Almost immediately the parts that connect each wing of the backpack to the torso let go and refuse to reconnect for any amount of time so the backpack just loosely flops around.
The things on the forearms are actually grenade launchers.
I hope you check out the MG 2.0 at some point. Definitely a fun kit despite its age.
I think the 2.0 is the best looking zeta imo.
The transformation definitely hurts the overall articulation, but the 2.0 is still an excellent kit. The white Z3 was one of my first kits, and it still holds up. I prefer the proportions, and you can actually see its neck lol.
As innovative and cool the rg premolded frame was, it definitely does not hold up over time and moderate use. I love this kit but it’s undeniably flimsy. I still think the mg zeta plus c1 is still the most solid zeta, shits a brick but a brick that can transform at least 50 times (at least from personal experience haha)
The C1 is almost too tight in certain areas especially with the screws, but its transformation is way more simple than the MG 2.0
Still, I do prefer the 2.0 over the C1 just because of the more thorough construction, but if they released a C1 based on the 2.0 frame it would easily be my new favorite
What about the hg Revive Zeta
@@Solbrave00 I only own the PG zeta, the MG 2.0 zeta, and the MG Zplus c1, I'm not interested in the hguc revive because it doesn't have a full transformation
I'm a sucker for masochistically complex kits lol
@@Solbrave00 HG evolution zeta is really good if you don't mind the part forming
@@9S0dX it is good and better then rg zeta
In the middle of building this myself. I share some of the same concerns you’ve highlighted in your video with it. I got this kit for the same reason as you which was to see for myself how bad it really is or is not. I can see why people have criticism of it but it’s not enough to deter me from building it. Solid video sir.
The bad experience comes after you have this for a few months or years from now. It's a great kit the moment after you just built it like in this video since of course, it's fresh right out of the box. It's an engineering marvel for sure, especially how they implemented a transformation gimmick on a 1/144 scale model but that in of itself undermined the structural integrity of the kit.
My bad experience with the RG Zeta is the hip joints where the transformation happens where you like spread the hips further from each other. Mine got stressed and eventually broke off. Another problem is the shoulder joint where you do the transformation where you twist it. It eventually stressed and broke off as well. The waist, skirt armor, and that little toe on the heel of the feet is also kinda loose and feels like it'll break eventually. Things eventually get loose and brittle over time. It doesn't have much longevity but I guess I recommend it just for the experience.
glad im not the only one who sees the issue with the hip joints. and this is not even the transformation part of it for me.
This was my first RG and because my boyfriend has been into Gunpla for a long time I knew what I was getting myself into. I'd say both sides have a point: it's way, WAY too flimsy, but it's beautiful to look at.
As one who has owned the MG Zeta 2.0 since it came out back in 2005, I can say for certain that, while new, it is complex but satisfying to transform. However, I would caution would-be owners that after a few years, the plastic joints holding the torso and swinging it up and down into the cavity from waverider to MS mode WILL wear out and break. This is how I lost my original copy of the 05 Zeta and why I sought to get a new one. Even if you are really careful with it, do it often enough and the stress of the transformation will catch up to you and shear the one-sided two-arm bracketing that holds it in place. It won't lossen since it seems to be made with ABS or something akin to a mix of PS and polycap material but it's an early version of the grey, softish plastic that you see in more modern joints nowadays. So just be careful with it and it will last you virtually forever. That and the knee joint will get loose over time.
I could live with flimsiness, but I really, REALLY dislike the proportions of the RG zeta. Collar is almost invisible, chest feels too big, waist too slim, there are also those mentioned ugly gaps between waist and sideskirts... everything just feels off when compared to MG or HG revive.
I think most builders made the mistake about the collar because they couldn't figure out how to plug in the chest in a way that makes it face forward
@@RagPen01 can you elaborate? Considering picking this up from my local shop
@@mattr.1804 i mean, if you noticed, the chest vents on almost all reviews point downwards in robot mode
I got mine to point forward after some finageling with the hidden joints and when I locked in the chest pegs, there was hardly any gap in the armor and the neck and collar are in full view ^_^
iirc, there are 2 or 3 points of articulation inside the chest to accommodate the transformation and people seem to assume only one of those work when in robot mode haha
@@RagPen01 ohh I see! Thanks so much for this information!
I also thought that people were overreacting about the RG Zeta and even after building it I don't think it's a hand grenade where parts kept falling off (that would be the RG Sinanju).
But in my building spree after getting back into the hobby it is the only one where a part broke and now the kit is limping and my worst building experience due to just the tiny essential locking parts in the hips that connects to the legs which fly off when you move it and has stress marks now after transforming it twice. Also, the torso assembly and the v-fin assembly is just nerve wracking.
The entire torso and hip articulation is just compromised. What's worse is that even with that limited articulation you can easily break parts. Or when you move the legs then the front and side skirt armors just won't look right afterwards so you need to adjust it again.
If you're gonna choose just one form and not transform it forever GO FOR THE WAVERIDER MODE.
Just finished building this kit! It was my first RG and my 5th gunpla in general lol. Had no idea about the bad reputation so I was just BLOWN AWAY at how cool it was. Had no clue that the problems I did face were unique to this kit lmfao. The torso like, hinge piece did break when I tried to transform it though.. which sucks (And I may have cried but that was probably hormones lmfao), and the other thing is that the legs are super loose for me and don't hold a pose well.
For the record, I have tonnes of experience in the model tanks hobby so I'm good at building kits, I've done much harder kits than this before, but overall I still enjoyed the process. I highly suspect I wont look back as fondly on it when I get some other RG kits under my belt though. So I guess I'm _glad_ I did it first?
i broke something in the torso too
Check back on it in a couple weeks. A buddy bought one, built it, posed it, and going anywhere near it after that a week or two later and pieces would explode all over the place. Absolute nightmare of a kit even if it looks great.
I’ve had mine for 2 years and it’s fine bro. And I swoosh it around too.
@gensokyo boyz nope
I'm currently building this kit and the hardest part so far was working with the chest area. After dealing with putting that together, I told myself that I wasn't going to transform it because the chest part seem so fragile
It's still solid for posing?
Right there with you. Haven’t even gotten to the arms yet and I’ve already had to glue a few joints back together. Still love the kit but to hell with ever putting it in Wave Rider mode.
That vacuum looks like you can plop it down in a diorama and it looks like some high tech building or fuel depot tank.
Reminds me of something from Nier.
This is one of the RG's that I'm hoping will get the 2.0 treatment one day
Like every other old RG it has the weak inner frame problem, it won't be able to stand on its own weight after a few weeks and combined with the cumbersome transformation it is pretty bad. Even after transforming it once you can see all the parts starts to loosen off especially near the waist area based off my own experience with one
Best review of this kit I have seen to date, to be honest. I guess I will have to wait and pick up the 2.0 MG or the PG instead.
I got mine for almost 5 years and still holds pretty well, sure it have some issues with the transformation but if you are careful it can be done without breaking anything.
I think it's a great kit and a big improvement on the engineering of the transforming suits.
Eh, the MG Zeta 2.0 is overall a better experience and that came out before the RG.
I might as well buy the mg then buying the rg zeta. Great engineering doesn't mean it's a good kit if the kit is finicky.
If anything, it showed them that their transformation designs were way over-engineered, and less was indeed more. All of the rg wing kits have this kit's failure to thank for their much simpler, and therefore far more functional, designs.
@@ghostrobot3714 no it didn't, it shows how shit the RG design was for years
I’ve always liked the head design of this one in particular
The frame and transformation would have worked on a larger kit since Zeta type kit tend to have some transformation gimicks that tends to put stress on smaller parts on a 1/144 kits, still waiting for that Zeta 3.0
While it's not a 3.0, wish granted with the announcement of this beauty: ruclips.net/video/B5feJedg9FE/видео.html. It does look like it has a new design for the hip joints for the transformation.
The Zeta definitely deserves an RG 2.0
Can you top coat this kit or will the inner frame just snap
One of my favourite RG kits for the sole reason of being the best looking Zeta ever in Kit form. Also that vacuum looks like those circle joint caps on the RX-78-2 with the magnet coating
I've considered picking up this kit a few times coz it's one of the RGs I don't have, but always put it off. I was going to try to see if new products like KIKI fix loose joints formula would help fix the problems. But then the Metal Robot Spirits Zeta preorder happened and now I think I can forget about this RG.
RG Sinanju took a throne as a hand grenade. Sad because gold color separation and glossy finish are amazing.
It was my first kit with glossy parts, and i realized how much harder glossy parts were to cut nubs off of, and I went through a tiny part of my finger with a hobby knife!
It eventually healed up, but be safe everyone! :-)
@@poopoopeepee8560 if you ain’t drawing blood you’re doing it wrong 😀
Random but I'd love bandai to just make a PG unleashed Zeta.
Dude no. Think about our bank accounts ! 😭
I might be compelled to get two since the original waverider mode is actually super good.
I'm hoping for one for the 40th anniversary of Zeta
Even if they make it will never replace the PG Zeta.
The current mindset of Bandai is to design a good looking toy, not a plastic representation of a somewhat real robot like older PG.
I think if i got i’d get 2 and keep one transformed to avoid any issues from going back and forth. It’s one of my favourite gundams with one of the best transformations.
Any recommendations for a single side cutter/nipper under 2300 yen i can order from japan and a sanding supply to buffer and make parts shiny like before after sanding
Both you and Kakarot197 pretty much gave the kit the same review. As a Zeta fan, looks like this would be a solid option if I can't find the MG 2.0
Don't. From a modeller's perspective, any issues on a gunpla is easily fixed. This Zeta is one of the bad ones.
It has stability problems that needs to be fixed.
If you have the time, go for it but out of the box? Its a terrible kit but has a really amazing presence.
ZA is just being TOO careful with it (which btw should apply to all model kits) and he's a veteran modeller so any issues he comes across is easily fixable for him.
Where did you get Mini Vacuum form need one
It’s not that bad. I like it. But since so many people don’t I picked it up for $25us. 😂
Update: This is absolutely garbage.
Okay so I’m not one for transformations. If I leave this thing as is and never transform it/hardly touch it, will it hold up over years? I love the zeta and can’t find the hg revive kit for the life of me.
Yes! Take your time and follow the instructions while building. Don’t force anything. And you’ll be fine!
@@ZakuAurelius thanks! Gonna pick this up today then!
Personally I will have to disagree, it’s the worst RG to me because while I have built the RG Sinanju I still enjoyed the kit and the building process given all of its issues as a finished product. As for the Zeta this is by far the one and probably the only one I did not like both building and after, it just felt so bad from start to finish and posing was a nightmare. I’d have to say this is probably the worst RG if not the worst kit in general of all the ones I’ve put together. I can’t even recall having a very bad experience with anything else out there other than this one. Though that’s just my take on my experience, I guess it does vary from person to person.
He did mention it varies from Person to Person, can't really disagree with his points and let alone the articulation that Bandai gave it.....which isn't a lot
mine cracked when I tightening the bolts on the legs. And one arm broke when I follows the manual to move it around to loosening the joints...
THIS IS MY FAVORITE VIDEO OF YOURS ,IT IS VERY DETAILED AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND🥰
As you said in other video, there is no bad kit. We just have to give it some work. What do you recommend to do on fixing any loose part or joint in this Zeta?
I would love a 2.0 with Bandai’s recent improvements in modeling technology
We can't even get a 2.0 for the RG RX-78-2 so I wouldn't count on it
@@rob0duck430 *sigh* yeah…good point.
RG 2.0 won't happen because of slower RG releases every year. I rather want MS that don't get any RG treatment yet.
@Rob0Duck there's already a million too many grandpa versions anyway.
@@rob0duck430 This aged poorly
Bandai, you have no excuses, give us RG ZZ gundam
mine broke at the shoulder connecting to torso after transforming it about a dozen times, but this kit is a technical marvel! the satisfaction you get when the wings click into place in the wave rider is priceless!!!
This is not in the instructios is just something I found out. But you can use the clip below the head that locks the shield in wr mode to make the torso and the head a lot more stable.
I'd recommend the HG Harute at the very least for those who wants to transform their gunpla back and forth without any partsforming at that scale(aside from the wings that is, which are the Sword/Rifles combo.). But just be aware that it's still a model kit. Don't be as rough with it as, say, with a Transformers Autobot/Decepticon toy.
Good Transformer action figure can be quite fragile, too. Tbh, some old chunky and newer big-ish HGs are more solid than some Transformers.
Hg Asshimar is a good kit. Why nobody recommend it?
I know you said you wouldn't but I'd love to see a review of the new rg wing . Great video btw. 😁
OMG, this thing made me want to stop building Gundam. built it with no problems. Exercised the joints so it wouldn't refuse to transform. didn't get through a single transformation before I threw it in the box and refused to touch it again.
Would you recommend this or the Mg 2.0 Zeta? I have the Hg and I don’t like it that much.
The kit may have many shortcoming. But it is re-designed by renounced Kyoshi Takigawa (瀧川虚至). He also re-designed mkii etc MS in the comic book 「Zeta Gundam Define」. He also illustrated the a serious of book with the titl 「Master Archive Mobile Suit」with I considered the current best Gundam line art.
Kit was ok for me and looks so good. Only gripe I had was it didn't come with the hyper mega launcher.
I picked up the System Weapons Kit 08 fix this. Which is a Gundam Base set. I think there going to be an online Gunpla expo soon so I’d say keep your eyes peeled to the P-Bandai site when it does I’ll they often stock Gundam Base kits like the System Weapon Kits during the event.
Mine is holding together despite having taken a few tumbles. The blasted wings often need to be put back in place though. Build itself was kind of a pain, the damn stickers (of which there were a million) often went flying or came off the sheet stuck together.
I wasn't careful enough with my RG zeta when I tried to transform it and the torso broke. Having said that, the transformation is an exercise in self-torture, do not do it if you value your sanity.
The kit looks stunning on my shelf, so it serves its purpose. If I wanted a Zeta to play with I’d get the hg revive.
That’s the way! 👍
I just built mine in waverider mode omitted unnecessary parts you dont see like the head and torso and glued it together. I'm satisfied
Buy two if you want the transformation
Pardon me if i typed this when im not finished watching the video, but did nobody notices that its chest bulging upward compared with other grades? I tried my best to lower it but it stuck like that. Also the yellow neck collar should be more visible.
Isnt the metal robot damashii zeta a better version of the rg zeta?
The question is not if it’s a hand grenade when you treat it like a faberge egg, the question is whether it falls apart when you handle it normally.
Bandai’s early kits sometimes have poor tolerances. My RG RX-78-2 had to be glued together to keep parts from falling off of it, particularly skirts, inner elbows and shoulders, though there are a ton of other loose parts on it.
My RG Zaku II only has a loose shoulder shield, the rest is pretty much perfect - Others have issues with it falling apart.
You can get a Zeta that won’t break when it’s touched and you can get one where parts will fall off over and over.
Any number of factors can cause this, such as the temperature in the factory or equipment having fluctuated or the speed of the injection being out of tune, or whatever.
This is NOT a “busted myth”, absolutely not, you can still get terrible RG kits!
unfortunately for me..i do have bad experience with this kit.honestly..ive lost some tiny parts and broke the red part where the v fin holds into place😥.and now i cant transform it..but all said i like this kit..
What is the best iteration of zeta gundam atm? Mg? Rg? Hg? Pg?
How do you rank them?
I've been putting off building this kit for a while because of its reputation. This gives me a lot more confidence. I love Zeta.
After this review i don't find it that bad since i'm using it to compare with RG Gundam GP01Fb Full Bernern, that for me was the worst kit i built to the point i use it's parts as debris on any diorama. It had so many loose parts, the fitting in the waist was terrible, some articulations had no tension if i wanted to do a pose.
Just go ahead Bandai and do a 2.0 that allows you to build both the Mobile Suit and Waverider Mode with a base to display them together
Double the price coming right up!
Yes, the thing exists, it’s called the high grade, you buy 2.
If this isn’t the worst RG kit as you say, what is the worst one?
I've been wanting to get the RG Zeta since it went cheaper these days but had to hold it since there's a crap tons of goods stuff happening and releasing this year so there's that and the RG Hi-Nu (September) and the MG Eclipse (THIS MONTH) which is why i can't decide which to get lol
I want to paint and detail up my RG Zeta but I'm afraid if I take it apart I'll break something important or loosen up the frame too much
You'll just scratch the paint over time especially in mobile suit mode cuz parts keep moving even when you're just doing a simple pose.
@@wulf8889 I was just thinking of painting the blue parts a darker shade and the yellow parts gold. Don't think that would be too much trouble
Paint scratch is unavoidable if you still want to transform it.
If you choose the mobile suit mode then the hips and torso are the parts that's gonna be prone to scratches due the to amount of finagling you'll when you're trying out different poses.
That desktop vacuum seems kind of silly, but I do make constant trips to the trash to wipe off my mat...
I believe the RG zeta gets to much undeserved flak. It's a beautiful looking kit in either form but its primary weakness is the premade RG frame. However respect must be given to the designers for creating a kit at the time that is in 144th scale and fully transformable without any parts swapping. I have had mine for about 2 years and have never had a piece fall off and I think people either don't take their time when building it or handle it ruff. This is a kit that needs to be treated like a newborn small animal, gently and carefully.
Totally, respect to the engineers. Feels bad to see people say it’s a failure when it does what it’s supposed to do 🤷♂️
@Klinston there are plenty of kits that need an initial real grade. I would think they could start doing it after every main gundam has a real grade.
I just wanna point out he got a reprint version of the kit, so they might have fixed some of the problems it had originally
This kit made me cry while building it, the chest was a hell to make...and i don't understand why after all those effort it still has empty gaps...
My first Gunpla was RG char’s zaku II
the RG Zeta was my third build after the Gundam ver Ka and the RG Mk2. It was an experience.
Can the cockpit open?
Yes it can
Good to hear. I just bought one and don't intend to transform it. Thanks for the review
I have never been this amazed for a vacuum for hours. I just had to come back and comment this.
The absolute worst part of the kit is the folding the chest piece over the head during assembly.
ive got one thats emoji shaped from one of those as seen on tv things but here's the kicker i got mine at the dollar store its not prettest thing but hey cant go wrong when you build a model train layout
I think I'm going to try to get the PG Zeta I have the MG 2.0 put a lot of extra work to make it look nice/ anime accurate!
I like RG Zeta, but I agree that it's bad because of the transformation. But with careful hands, it's still a good kit. Just don't transform it over and over or get another just for a Waverider mode.
Also, I wanna thank the guy who thaughy me about the waist joint of this particular kit.
Sorry, but people cant really criticise this kit, its one of a kind, the only real grade that has attempted to include a full transformation without the use of parts changing, yes there is the wing Gundam but the transformation for that is basically folding up the limbs and turning the torso. The real grade zeta was the second ever Gunpla kit I made, after the MkII and yes I haven't transformed it but I bought it purely for the mobile suit look.
All in all I really liked the kit and think it holds up pretty well.
Hearing the mgs codec alert halfway through the vid had me scrambling to look at my notifications, lolz.
thanks for the intro. gonna buy one and assemble the Z gundam.
This is one of the few rg kits I haven't built, but I'd be worried that with so much of the kit being abs plastic it would eventually just fall apart
this kit was actually better for me kitbashed with the hg z gundam. would love to see a video about it on your channel
I used the rifle, shield, and backpack of the rg. Bashing those with the hguc was the way to go, if the mg 2.0 isn't to one's tastes.
It's kinda telling that the standard articulation section of the review got skipped. If it's that fragile, I wouldn't call the myth definitively busted.
Not that it has good articulation anyway...
I said it’s because it moves the same as every other RG of the time. There’s no point to show articulation for no reason. A normal builder wouldn’t do that. You’d try out a few poses, and that’s exactly what I did: illustrated an average builder experience with the mode
I want to buy 2 HG of this one will be in ms mode and the other will be in waverider. I'm afraid of joints with high chance breaking.
I'm way too OCD about gaps, and those parts of the kit where you can literally see through the kit under the chest armor make this kit a complete no-go for me.
lookin' at all those megami device kits in the BG waiting for more reviews!
Working on the Ganesha now!
Great! I just got into them this month and fell in love.
"Not a hand grenade"
...
This part is loose
This part is floating
It's not safe to move it (parts) around
The waist that is the core of the gunpla is weak
Yeah, I can see why it's called not a hand grenade.
Also “Don’t transform it more than once!”
Well, it can't be any worse than the HG revive that I put together. That thing.. well I should say /mine/ has really loose polycaps in the hip swivel area, loose balls in the feet and even with top coat it still can't really do many poses so it just stands there.
I had a bad experience. But I was also very new with RGs then. Your review makes me want to give it a second chance
I might take another shot at this. My last on was destroyed because my shelf collapsed.
Probably the Easiest to transform Zeta kit are the old HG kits, the Zeta Gundam Wave Shooter Equipment
not a very articulated kit but the transformation is quick and simple, though it need the removal of head and torso, but atleast thats it
the rest of the new Zeta kits, you really need to buy 2 for both MS and Waverider form
I mean, not sure about the worst kit, but it does look pretty bad from this video. I've built some kits that everyone seem to hate, and i loved them, but the whole body on the RG Zeta seems like a nightmare. Those giant gaps, the skirts that are all connected in this overly complicated mess. And the main thing is if you don't care at all about it transforming, that doesn't excuse any of the faults numbered above. So yeah, i'll pass on this one.
Clearly not as bad as people make it out to be, but that negative rep it has, seems based on something, and it's money better spent on something else. Even a pair of good nippers are going to probably bring a lot more enjoyment out of the hobby than this kit.
What's the best 1/144 Zeta?
The problem i have with the GEP Zeta is its extremely floppy and im not sure how to really fix it with all the polycaps
Sometimes I've seen mini vaccums shaped like a wireless mouse from other jp reviewers. xD At least its much easier than cleaning with a brush and pan.
It can't be worst than the RG-78-2, I literally built it and it disintegrated an hour later
I don't like how the collar isn't as visible as other versions, but damn, that's one of the menacing head I've ever seen.
let's wait for the MG ver ka :), very soon
Finally a good RG Zeta review. No Reddit, it's not a hand grenade, it's a flimsy model and if you want a toy you should probably get something else. It's imo the best looking Zeta kit and I'd love an updated MG that looked like this.